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.
The Evolution of Cialdini’s Principles: From 6 to 7
Originally, Cialdini outlined six principles of persuasion in his influential book Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion (1984). However, in 2016, he introduced a seventh principle—Unity—to reflect the power of shared identity in influencing behaviour.
Understanding this evolution helps clarify common misconceptions, especially for those searching for “Cialdini’s 6 principles of persuasion.” While early frameworks focused on reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity, the addition of Unity highlights the growing role of community and shared identity in decision-making.
Reciprocity: A Core Principle of Persuasion
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. This concept, identified by Robert Cialdini’s principles of persuasion, is widely used in marketing, sales, and behavioral psychology.
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 & Consistency
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-minded 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: The Psychology Behind Persuasion
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 Beauty Bay uses Taggstar’s social proof messaging, such as ‘Popular. 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.
Persuasion Techniques in Digital Marketing: Utilising Cialdini’s Principles in the Online Space
Digital marketers have the opportunity to weave persuasive strategies throughout various customer interactions to boost both engagement and conversion rates.
One effective approach is to leverage the principle of reciprocity in email marketing by providing valuable resources, such as an ebook or a checklist, in return for users signing up with their email addresses. Additionally, incorporating social proof on landing pages can significantly enhance credibility; showcasing customer testimonials, displaying real-time notifications of purchases, and including trust badges can all contribute to building trust with potential customers.
Furthermore, establishing authority within your content strategy can be achieved by partnering with industry experts to produce insightful thought leadership articles that resonate with your audience. Lastly, creating a sense of urgency through scarcity in promotions, such as offering limited-time deals accompanied by countdown timers, can effectively encourage quicker decision-making among consumers.
Ethical Considerations in Persuasion
While Cialdini’s principles are powerful, they can also be misused in ways that manipulate rather than ethically persuade. Brands that exaggerate scarcity (“Only 1 left!” when stock is plentiful) or use fake social proof risk losing consumer trust.
Similarly, excessive commitment strategies—such as forced subscriptions or hidden opt-ins—can create frustration instead of loyalty. The key to ethical persuasion is transparency and ensuring that the customer’s best interests remain a priority.
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 applies Cialdini’s principles of persuasion—particularly social proof —to increase conversion rates. By showcasing real-time popularity metrics like ‘bestsellers’ and ‘only a few left,’ Taggstar helps retailers leverage the psychology of persuasion to drive sales. 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.
