The 6 principles of persuasion

Principle of Reciprocity

"The reciprocity principle is one of the basic laws of social psychology"(Budiu, 2014). Mentally, we tend to pay back what we received from others. For example, if someone does you a favor, you’re likely to remember it and to return it one day. Moreover, free samples tend to encourage people to buy some of the corresponding products because they feel that they have to return the free goods of being given something for free. 

I saw this type of propaganda around the MRT stations and department stores. The salesperson gives you a free sample to attract you and reduce your barriers. In other words, they give you something before they ask for anything from you. Similarly, some retail websites offer discounts from 10% off to 30% off in order to get your personal information such as email, phone number, or membership. There are so many more examples of returning the free goods of being given something for free, but the idea is the same, the principle of reciprocity.

Reciprocity also builds trust and the relationship develops and brand loyalty. By taking the lead and giving, governments around the world can build in a moment where people will feel compelled from social norms and customs to give back.

Principle of Scarcity

Have you ever feel that you can not have anything? Don't worry. It's normal and universal. Even the king of North Korea, can not live forever and get everything he wants. You may commonly hear the law of supply and demand in Economics classes, states that a low supply and high demand for a product will typically increase its price. The prices can be lives, time, or even happiness, not just value in money. And, the rarer or more difficult to obtain a product, offer, or piece of content is, the more valuable it possibly becomes, consider the product we want will soon be unavailable to us. Therefore, for some businesses, sometimes less is more.

Principle of Authority

Have you ever walk into a luxury jewelry store, looking at a beautiful golden necklace, you pretty like it, but you worried about it is a fake product. If you trust the honesty of the store, you may purchase it without thinking. Therefore, trust is crucial to the purchase decision. Some countries have already built credibility within their society, culture, and career. For example, products made in Japan may be seen as high-quality products. Recently, products made or came from China may commonly be seen as fakes or inferior products. 

Expertise is also an essential part of credibility and authority. Will hire an accountant or see a doctor who does not get the certifications? Similarly, if a drug has passed the FDA test, and the other one not. Which one would you like to buy? I think the answer is clear. Therefore, many commercials advertisements where a doctor, dentist, athlete, or even more and more celebrities recently, has recommended products for their sponsors. This is how the principle of authority is work. Carefully use the principle will increase your chance to succeed. But remember, without integrity, there can be no trust. 

Principle of Commitment and Consistency

Have you ever state a goal or promise something publicly? Did you feel that you have more motives to accomplish it? Mentally, We’re more likely to do something after we’ve agreed to it in writing. For example, doing charity. Once you’ve committed something out loud you will have more incentive to keep up your end of the deal.

As a retailer, if you can get customers to make a small commitment to your brand, like a membership, they are more likely to purchase from you. Many e-commerce companies selling products with a free return policy, and a warranty. Although there is no commitment, customers feel the commitment as soon as they open the boxes. 

Principle of Consensus

Did you ever follow the lead of someone that you did not truly agree with? Well, if you did, you are not alone. According to an experiment conducted by a Polish-American gestalt psychologist, Solomon Asch in 1951. When people are unsure how to act in certain situations, they tend to look to others to see how they should respond. 

The Asch conformity experiments were a series of studies on how individuals yielded to or defied a majority group and the effect of such influences on beliefs and opinions. In the experiment, a group of eight male college students participated in a task. In reality, all but one of the participants were actors, and the true focus of the study was about how the remaining participant would react to the actors' behavior. 

First, students viewed a card 1 with a line on it, followed by another card 2 with three lines labeled A, B, and C. One of these lines was the same as that on the first card, and the other two lines were clearly longer or shorter. And then, each participant was asked to say aloud which line matched the length of that on the first card. But all actors were given detailed instructions on how they should respond to each trial, except the last one the real participant who is actually be tested. 

In the first two trials, the actors gave the correct answer. On the third trial, the actors would all give the same wrong answer. It was aimed to test: Will the real participants change their answers to conform to these actors, despite it obviously being "wrong"?

What was the result? One-third of all responses were incorrect, and these incorrect responses often matched the incorrect response of the majority group. Overall, 75% of participants gave at least one incorrect answer out of the 12 critical trials.

Is it unnormal? Not exactly. It is part of human nature. It makes us think, there’s safety in numbers, even though there are chances that all these other people were all wrong. The consensus principle helps business owners to influence their clients to do what they want them to do.

Principle of Liking

Did you ever been promoted by a salesperson? Did you like him/her? If you did like the salesperson, will you patiently listen to him/her? Did you feel like you are easier to be persuaded to buy something by a salesperson you like? That's the principle of liking, we are more likely to be persuaded by people we like. 

In addition, if you are a business owner, how your workplace looks will influence how your employees feel about being there. The "workplace" doesn't just mean the building or the outfits in which you work. It can also mean your team's intranet and culture.

Putting The 6 Principles of Persuasion to Work

As the CEO of a tech company, I have a new project call, Herospro which is making products for firefighters, rescue teams, or even soldiers. I try to cooperate with the largest retailer in Europe, Decathlon. And, I have to teach my general manager how to handle this case and getting advantages.

I teach him to start with the reciprocity, to give instead of taking first. We provide the orders on hand and our patented technology to benefit their products and revenues, in order to get their resources such as the market shares, and the brand image. 

To persuade them that our company is the best choice and this cooperation will be a wise choice, we need to show them that our technique is the best in this industry and has been certificated by many related authorities. Demonstrate the credibility of our patented technology and earn their trust. 

We must let them know that the patented technology is scarce in this industry and very hard to develop. Only our company can keep this technique up to date and even better in the future, to ensure the products we build together are the top choice in the world. 

After demonstrated our patented technology is scarce, been certificated, and it does reciprocate throughout the deal. We still need to commit, to reduce the barriers between this cooperation, such as free authorization during the first year. Even commit to sharing 20% of the overall spending on ads associate with our techniques. 

If their decision-makers like us, the deal will be much easier to make. Therefore, we need to understand what their recent goals are, what their objectives are, where did they want to improve in the past. In business, decision-makers tend to like those who can help them fix issues, handle problems, and grow together.

According to the principle of consensus, when they are unsure what to decide on our offer, they may tend to look to others to see how they should respond. In order to get the deal, we can invite some firefighters or some professionals to try on our prototypes. If these professionals all recommend our prototypes, it increasing the choice for them to choose us as a partner to build a strong business relationship.

Were All 6 of The Principles Applied to The Process of Persuasion? 

Yes, all these 6 of the principles have been applied to the process of persuasion to induce my potential client to join my plan.

Reference

Ahearn, B. (2016, February 05). The Principle of Consensus. Retrieved July 26, 2020, from https://www.influencepeople.biz/2009/04/consensus.html

Asch, S. (2020, May 26). Asch conformity experiments. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asch_conformity_experiments

Budiu, R. (2014, February 16). The Reciprocity Principle: Give Before You Take in Web Design. Retrieved July 25, 2020, from https://www.nngroup.com/articles/reciprocity-principle/

Bernazzani, S. (2017, May 10). The Scarcity Principle: How 8 Brands Created High Demand. Retrieved July 26, 2020, from https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/the-scarcity-principle

Eisenhauer, T. (2018, April 07). How to Use the Persuasion Principle of "Liking" at Work. Retrieved July 27, 2020, from https://axerosolutions.com/blogs/timeisenhauer/pulse/836/how-to-use-the-persuasion-principle-of-liking-at-work

Lindquist, M. (n.d.). " Getting Consumers To Say Yes: Commitment & Consistency. Retrieved July 26, 2020, from http://www.straylight.se/getting-consumers-to-say-yes-commitment-consistency/

The Elevator Pitch

Intro & Background

Decathlon is a French sporting goods retailer. With over 1,500 stores in 57 countries, it is the largest sporting goods retailer in the world. Decathlon develops and sells its own brands. Each sport or group of sports has a separate brand name. Jean-Francois, Guislain is now, the CEO of Decathlon. 

My Elevator Pitch

Good morning, CEO.

I'm Bruce. A firefighter from Taiwan. I'm also worked as an intern in a Decathlon store one year ago. And now I'm a founder of a tech company, Herospro.

What do you think your business will become if the Ironman's armor is made by Decathlon, and selling in Decathlon? You may think I'm joking, but I'm not. I just saw how great Decathlon will be if we combine the advantages of us. 

I knew that your stores are selling a variety of products for so many kinds of sports. So, I would like to work with you on a project called, "Decathlon Herospro" which is making products for firefighters, rescue teams, or even soldiers. Even the Avengers in the future. Yeah, the Avengers, you heard me.

The Decathlon Herospro project can benefit your group in two ways. The professional brand image and these profitable markets will take your group up to a higher level, both professionalism and profits.

Those jobs are really professional and even being seen as heroes since the 911 terror attack. Therefore, if those heroes are wearing your products, your professional brand image would be hugely increased, and so does the brand loyalty.

Now, with your stores, resources, combining with our technology, everyone can be attracted by those products on the heroes. Here's my card, contact me if you want to be a hero for everyone. It would be my honor to work with you. 

References

Decathlon (retailer). (2020, July 11). Retrieved July 25, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decathlon_(retailer)

The Three Additional Qualities of Good Writing

The Three Additional Qualities of Good Writing

How the post-COVID workplace will change business for the better

(https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/how-the-post-covid-workplace-will-change-business-for-the-better/)

Summarize

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced organizations across the globe into a balancing act, protecting the health and safety of their employees while simultaneously continuing their operations. Businesses owners revised their strategies, and change how they operating, such as remote working, and digital services to put their business continuity.(Written by Mark Pringle, How the post-COVID workplace will change business for the better)

As we rethink where the business is done, it creates the opportunity for organizations of all sizes to advance and achieve their goals and experience a more flexible culture, reduce their carbon footprint, enhance diverse talent recruitment and make new investments in innovation.(Written by Mark Pringle, How the post-COVID workplace will change business for the better)

Businesses start to create more flexible conditions of the workplace to help them execute their strategy. They develop new ways of working, investing time and money on the things that matter most, increasing team member flexibility and choice, more flexible work arrangements, and opening new opportunities to bring in diverse talent.(Written by Mark Pringle, How the post-COVID workplace will change business for the better)

Meets The Reader's Expectations

When readers click a link or search for an article, they all have their expectations of what they want to get from it. So, you can either create their desire or just give what they want. The writer needs to understand who the intended reader is, such as your boss, a coworker, a manager, or clients. The basic and the first step to meet the reader's expectations, is to know who they are. If you don’t know who they are, you don't even know about their expectations. Although you may never meet the people who will read your articles, you still can predict why they would be addressed to your articles and what they would expect to read.

The readers expect to know "how" or "why" the post-COVID workplace will change business. And the writers did give them the answers, which are "businesses start to create more flexible conditions of the workplace to help them execute their strategy. They develop new ways of working, investing time and money on the things that matter most, increasing team member flexibility and choice, more flexible work arrangements, and opening new opportunities to bring in diverse talent".

Clear and Concise

Some academic rarely-used words or complicated grammatical structures, may not proper to anyone. Although two sentences state the same point, they may differ significantly in terms of length, describing words. You should make your articles more punchy by removing words, or phrases that contribute nothing to the overall topic. If you are not so sure you have written for clarity of meaning without any grammatical errors, you can ask someone who is not familiar with what you are studying to read your work, that's what this discussion forum is doing for us. 

The writer may consider the readers should be in a normal educational level, high school or higher. So, the writer formal words much more than informal words. For instance, "As we emerge from coronavirus lockdowns, we need to evolve the dated mindset that being in an office full-time is an actual business imperative", "emerge", and "mindset" are formal words. But it is still a concise format, as the writer lists the changes separately.

Efficient and Effective 

There is no single step to achieve the most efficient and effective writing. Start with a draft, you can revise it to the most ideal one. If the meeting only takes 30 minutes, what or how should we talk to make sure our client gets the most information? How do we meet ever-increasing expectations?

Because your written documents are products and will be required on a schedule that impacts your coworkers and business, you must succeed in accomplishing its purpose. To do that, you must first understand the objectives, goals, and desired results of your writing assignment. 

The writer has succeeded in efficiently, and effectively accomplish the purposes of both the readers and himself. The writer simplified the goals he wants to say, and explain them with a couple of examples. "Dell Technologies is working through this challenge to implement the most effective approach for protecting as many stakeholders as possible. And, it’s critical that we partner with customers to put their business continuity, remote working and digital services into practice."(Written by Mark Pringle, How the post-COVID workplace will change business for the better).

Reference

Written by Mark Pringle, S. (n.d.). How the post-COVID workplace will change business for the better. Retrieved July 02, 2020, from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/07/how-the-post-covid-workplace-will-change-business-for-the-better/

Rdelder1. (n.d.). Academic Voice.docx. Retrieved July 02, 2020, from https://www.bradford.ac.uk/t4-ssis/ruski-files/academic-voice/page_06.htm

Ariganello, M. (2015, February 12). Tips For Effective and Efficient Writing. Retrieved July 02, 2020, from http://trisight.org/tips-for-effective-and-efficient-writing/

The Four Major Emphasis Strategies That Are Used to Enhance Verbal Communication

The Four Major Emphasis Strategies That Are Used to Enhance Verbal Communication

Visual Communication

Visual communication is the conveyance of ideas and information in forms that can be seen. Visual communication in part or whole relies on eyesight, it an important of our feelings, and even how we know this world in the beginning. We saw what is happening and think about how it happened.

Visual communication often used to help audiences to better understand the topic being presented. And depends on their preference and the information they are trying to present, there are many different types of visual aid. Presentations or information such as advertisements, teaching and learning, speeches, and presentations all involve some kind of visual communications. 

Although visual aids can be a very powerful tool to enhance the impact of presentations, you still must be very careful before you consider using it and ensure it will be used correctly, and beneficial to the overall presentation. Therefore, you must plan ahead and choose an appropriate visual aid.

Moreover, when driving on the road, we also communicate with other drivers. What happens if we give the wrong signal to others? 

Signposts

The signpost is one of the ways you can help your audience avoid this by signaling to them when a change is coming, the keywords that alert the audience to a change in topic.

The prefrontal cortex in our brain is like a limited temporary memory widget which implicated in planning complex cognitive behavior, personality expression, decision making, and moderating social behavior(SoP et al., Prefrontal Cortex 2020). 

Readers or listeners may lose their directions sometimes, forget what point is being made or variables progressively across time. However, you can help your audience avoid this by signaling to them when a change is coming. Helping them to catch the points, and follow up.

Repetition

Repetition can be an effective way to help your audience retain it in their memory, if you use it appropriately. In an analysis of nearly a million job listings, Monster.com found that the ability to communicate effectively was one of the top skills sought by employers. However, despite this reality, LinkedIn research has found that the number one skills gap across 100 major U.S. cities is communication(Cornett, Why Effective Communication Requires Repetition).

However, repetition not just boringly say the same word over and over again. You must have an alternative way to share your idea. The tile, “Global warming is raising ocean levels.” maybe not so understandable to people. But if you can prove that their house will be flooded over, or show them those scary videos, such as entire islands are going underwater. People always remember bad things longer than good things. 

Internal Summaries and Foreshadowing

Similar to signposts, internal summaries and foreshadowing also help audiences to keep on track by reviewing what has been covered, and by highlighting what is coming next.

For instance, If you’re unable to work one of your shifts, and you have to give it to one of your coworkers (drop the shift) or trade shifts with one of your coworkers (swap shifts), you must communicate with them for where or how much the works have been done. 

Is there one in particular that you believe is most effective? 

According to my personal experience, all of the four major emphasis strategies are very helpful. They are all part of how our brain works, and we all have to consider all the factors before we choose one or all from them, since the variety of personalities.

Is there one in particular that you have used in the past that successfully enhanced the message you were trying to deliver verbally and in a business setting?

Recently, one of my friends started to host his apartment on Agoda. In the beginning, he found that his customers cannot easily understand his apartment is in a great place and near a train station which is pretty convenient. Then, I started to think about the solutions. And I found that I can introduce the apartment with a map. On the map, I can show it to the customers with far more details, and the great restaurants nearby. After putting my idea on, his apartment for accommodation is increasing much more reservation rate.

Reference

Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books

Visual communication. (2020, April 23). Retrieved June 25, 2020, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_communication

SoP, Prefrontal cortex of left cerebral hemisphere. Shown in red. Polygon data were generated by Database Center for Life Science(DBCLS)[2]. – Polygon data are from BodyParts3D[1], Prefrontal cortex of left cerebral hemisphere. Shown in red. Polygon data were generated by Database Center for Life Science(DBCLS)[2]., 6, N., 3, R., 6, N., . . . *, N. (2020, April 12). Prefrontal Cortex. Retrieved June 26, 2020, from https://www.thescienceofpsychotherapy.com/prefrontal-cortex/

Cornett, I. (n.d.). Why Effective Communication Requires Repetition. Retrieved June 26, 2020, from https://www.eaglesflight.com/blog/why-effective-communication-requires-repetition

"Tactics for Effective Communication," in The Business Professor, updated October 9, 2019, last accessed June 26, 2020, https://thebusinessprofessor.com/lesson/tactics-for-effective-communication/.

What is your strongest skill?

What is your strongest skill? 

After I read the top five personal qualities or skills potential employers seek, I don't think I have one of those strong skills. Even I did have one, I still think it is not strong enough. But I would say, I really want to improve all these skills to a higher level. If I really need to pick one, in particular, I would say that I am good at breaking things down to pieces and achieve them piece by piece, just like the principle of management. Make a plan, set goals and objectives, and finish them by a logical process. I considered it is an analytical skill maybe, but I am not so sure it is good enough. So, I came here to learn more.

What skill needs improvement?

Well, clearly all of them need to improve. I like to learn things that I love, and look back to what I have improved. So, I would learn all of the top five personal qualities or skills potential employers seek as good as I can. 

What skill do you think you will need the most in your future/current profession?

I think I will need all of the five skills in the future. Communication skill is one of the power to build strong connections between people. The same ideas can end up with different results if you switch it to different terms and words. A strong work ethic is what I need my future employees to have, so I have to know and learn it first, in order to create a better culture for my company. We all need to work with other people unavoidably, so teamwork skills are the way we can put our effort into the place where we do best.

A vocabulary list of unfamiliar words from the required readings and provide definitions. 

Inherent

From the textbook, page 28, "Your audience comes to you with an inherent set of expectations that you will fulfill these responsibilities."

Definition: Adjective

Existing in someone or something as a permanent and inseparable element, quality, or attribute; inhering: an inherent distrust of strangers.

Facets

From the textbook, page 28, "As the business communicator’s first responsibility, preparation includes several facets which we will examine: organization, clarity, and being concise and punctual."

Definition: noun

1.one of the small, polished plane surfaces of a cut gem.

a similar surface cut on a fragment of rock by the action of water, windblown sand, etc.

2.aspect; phase: They carefully examined every facet of the argument.

3.Architecture. any of the faces of a column cut in a polygonal form.

5.Zoology. one of the corneal lenses of a compound arthropod eye.

Concise

From the textbook, page 28, "As the business communicator’s first responsibility, preparation includes several facets which we will examine: organization, clarity, and being concise and punctual."

Definition: adjective

Expressing or covering much in few words; brief in form but comprehensive in scope; succinct; terse.

Punctual

From the textbook, page 28, "As the business communicator’s first responsibility, preparation includes several facets which we will examine: organization, clarity, and being concise and punctual."

Definition: adjective

1.Strictly observant of an appointed or regular time; not late; prompt.

2.Made, occurring, etc., at the scheduled or proper time.

3.Pertaining to or of the nature of a point.

References

https://my.uopeople.edu/mod/resource/view.php?id=210074

Inherent. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/inherent?s=t

Facets. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/facets?s=ts

Concise. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/concise?s=t

Punctual. (n.d.). Retrieved June 21, 2020, from https://www.dictionary.com/browse/punctual?s=t