What are Cialdini’s 7 principles of persuasion?
Robert Cialdini, a renowned psychologist and author, introduced the seven principles of persuasion as a framework to understand the subtle art of influencing human behaviour. These principles serve as powerful tools for individuals and organisations seeking to ethically persuade and navigate social interactions.
Cialdini’s research, detailed in his influential book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion,” explores the universal principles that guide decision-making and compliance. The seven principles – reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, scarcity, & unity – encapsulate the key drivers behind successful persuasion strategies.
Reciprocity
The reciprocity principle relies on the universal human tendency to feel obligated to repay gifts, favours and acts of kindness in kind. When someone does something nice for us, we instinctively want to return the favour.
Examples of the power of reciprocity:
- Retailers or brands can offer discounts and promotions to loyal or new customers as a gesture of appreciation. For example, a fashion retailer might offer a 10% discount to first-time customers.
- Retailers can offer free content such as style guides, virtual try-ons, or free samples.
In both examples, the recipient may feel obliged to indirectly return the favour through a sale, referral or positive review.
Commitment
Commitment and consistency are the principles that when individuals commit to an idea or goal, they are more inclined to be loyal and stick with it.
Examples of the power of commitment:
- Retailers who have sustainability as a core value may persuade like-mind shoppers to commit to the brand and build loyalty.
- Retailers or brands include ‘add-to-cart’ options such as ‘save for later’, which adds a subtle commitment to the individual.
Clarifying key principles and being consistent with products and services helps shoppers stay committed to the brand.
Social Proof
Social proof recognises people’s tendency to look to others before deciding how to act themselves. When situations are unclear or uncertain, we look to the ‘wisdom of the crowd’.
Testimonials, customer reviews, ratings, and “popular” or “trending” messaging all leverage this psychological principle.
Examples of the power of social proof:
- Retailer Nobody’s Child uses Taggstar’s social proof messaging, such as ‘Top Pick. X others are looking at this right now,’ to inform shoppers of their most popular items.
- Retailer The Very Group uses Taggstar’s social proof for customer review messaging like “Highly Rated! x% of people recommended” to showcase items with highly rated reviews.
Transparent, accurate and real-time social proof helps build credibility.
Authority
Authority is the principle that people are more likely to listen to authority figures perceived as subject matter experts. Authority implies greater knowledge and trustworthiness.
Examples of the power of authority:
- Shoppers are more likely to look for fashion trends from social media influencers with large amounts of followers and perceived authority.
- Taggstar customer, Fabletics, have collaborated with Khloe Kardashian as she’s an authority figure for young women shoppers.
Liking
It’s simply human nature to more easily say yes to people we know and like. Nobody wants to disappoint friends. Finding common ground, sharing personality and values, and establishing genuine rapport all build bonds of liking that facilitate persuasion.
Examples of the power of liking:
- Retailers and brands show personality on social media channels and show values such as charity partnerships that connect with shoppers and build rapport, making them a ‘likeable’ brand.
Scarcity
When something is rare, exclusive or dwindling in availability, it becomes more desirable. People inherently value scarcity.
Examples of the power of scarcity:
- Retailers and brands highlight stock messaging to inform customers “In Demand! Only 1 available in this size”.
Unity
Unity, the latest addition to Ciadini’s principles, suggests the human desire to be part of a group, community, or family. Cialdini demonstrates how you can leverage a sense of familial unity, even when influencing individuals who aren’t directly related to you.
Examples of the power of Unity:
- Retailers and brands can use family-language to form a sense of unity within their customer base. Asking customers for their advice or opinions, can also build a sense of community.
How Taggstar uses the principles of persuasion to boost online conversion rates
Robert Cialdini’s proven principles are in action with Taggstar!
As the global leader in enterprise social proof, Taggstar delivers messaging using the wisdom of the crowd – specifically it helps potential customers to see which product out of the selection is the most popular, and gives them reassurance of the product’s popularity. People feel comfortable making similar decisions to other people, so will be drawn to a product marked popular, trending or bestseller.
Join the growing list of leading global brands & retailers that trust Taggstar to elevate their shopping experiences and drive significant sales lift. Get started today.
