Comments on: Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive

By: Tom

Tom — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:55:47 +0000

For a more academic (but still fun) take on persuasiveness and rhetoric, take a look at ‘Thank You for Arguing’ by Jay Heinrichs. The study of persuasion has been around since Arostotle, and this book lays it all out. I find myself thinking about and using this stuff at work, it’s great.

By: Minority Fortune

Minority Fortune — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:49:44 +0000

It’s a great list. Hadn’t even realized how many times I’ve unconsciously succumbed to these techniques. Very powerful stuff.

By: M.D. Wood

M.D. Wood — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:09:04 +0000

After reading this well presented topic, I can’t help but be reminded of NLP (Neuro-Language Programming). Although it is basically used for therapy some of the 50 samples above are simply summarized in some of NLP”s techniques:

a) Nos. 1 to 5, 8, 12, 14 to 16, 18, 20,26 and 35 will be under “Reframing”.
b) Samples 29 to 32 will be in “Rapport” and “Anchoring”.
c) 22, 25, 28, 43, 44, 45 47 will be under “Ecology/Congruency”.

I might be wrong in relating the samples to the technique or I might have put the wrong sample in the wrong technique. If that is the case, my apology.

Now, assuming that the samples compiled by Mr. Martin’s and Mr. Cialdini are factual, as a consumer, my question is: How do we protect ourselves from being sucked-in and not be “persuaded” unfairly? Personally, I think the answer will be based on ones common sense. If you know you don’t necessarily “NEED” something then don’t purchase. If it’s a matter of “WANT”, then I guess the choice is yours. BUT, when you think you are in doubt… simply DON’T!

O_~

By: Craig

Craig — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 20:35:53 +0000

I think we have a lot to learn from children. Especially persuasion, the first couple of techniques I read exhibit this. I remember as a child I’d say “Well so and so gets to stay up until 10″ or “So and so gets £5 pocket money and he’s younger than me” or the old “Everyone else is allowed”. Obviously to have this attitude in adulthood wouldn’t work, however subtle phrasing could perhaps be beneficial in day to day communicating. It’s very interesting and a good article.

By: Ahmed

Ahmed — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 03:15:53 +0000

I noticed a similarity between 45 and 46.
He could have easily made these the same one or named 46 something along the lines of “people on caffeine are more receptive to arguments”.
Agh I have read too many of these things. Now whenever I see any ad I’m going to find myself analyzing it.

By: Al Culo

Al Culo — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:13:22 +0000

I forgot to mention in my example that when ordering the 2 balls of ice cream with whipped cream at the last second it would be cheaper than a sundae, eventhough both products are exactly what we would call a sundae.

By: Al Culo

Al Culo — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 01:11:03 +0000

There is a way to get an extra item in a restaurant without having to pay the full price.

If you order a sundae ice cream, it would cost 2 dollars. Instead, order 2 balls of ice cream and while the waitress is leaving, tell her ‘can you add some whipped cream on it too?’.

It only works when the waitress is already going away to the counter, it will not work if you tell her this while she is taking the order because she will advise you to order a sundae instead of 2 balls of ice cream with whipped cream (both things are exactly the same, but you won’t pay the same price).

By: JoeBanana

JoeBanana — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 22:34:43 +0000

What a great contribution!!

I totally agree with Tony Gillbert. But the investigation seems to point out a workaround for this: Accenting the fact that one should not do that, or that punishment is unavoidable once having done so, could counteract this behavior.

I think…

By: John Townsend

John Townsend — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 07:44:03 +0000

Thanks Alex. You have provided an excellent summary.

I read Caldini’s first book which inspired me greatly. He’s obviously added a lot more of his research findings in his latest book.

Great work!

By: Tony Gilbert

Tony Gilbert — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:13:02 +0000

Re “Ads quoting negative behavior en masse reinforces negative behavior”. I have been trying for years to get this same point across about tv shows that popularise anti-social behaviours. For example, a small group of teens in a borough of New York decides it’s fun to decorate parked cars with graffiti. Without mass media, this behaviour would be isolated to this small area, with minimal organic spread by observation. In our mass media world, it only needs to be mentioned on a news broadcast, videod for YouTube, or parodied on South Park, and suddenly there is no place left in the world where it’s safe to park your car any more. It’s gone from social abberation to social norm in 24 hours.

By: Mike Stenger

Mike Stenger — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 22:43:30 +0000

This was an extremely well put together post! I tweeted it from @mikestenger.

Thanks once again,

-Mike

By: Jason Wietholter

Jason Wietholter — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:20:21 +0000

This is a great set of tips. Thanks for the list. The “because” item really intrigued me.

By: Thousands have read this post already ...

Thousands have read this post already ... — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 16:08:55 +0000

[...] Thousands have read this post already … I find human behavior so interesting… Even negative outcomes can happen using the herd mentality… Petrified Forest National Park A/B tested two versions of a sign imploring people not to steal pieces of petrified forest from the park. One mentioned large amounts of petrified forest taken away on an annual basis, the other one simply asked the visitors not to remove petrified wood. The first one actually tripled the theft ratio as it showed stealing petrified wood as something commonplace. Same effect was observed after airing an ad that implored women to vote, but mentioned that 22 million single women did not vote last year. That kind of information actually portrays not voting as more socially acceptable. I got this from Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive alex.moskalyuk [...]

By: royniles

royniles — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:31:37 +0000

Note that most of these techniques involve using the power of inference so that in the end the person being “persuaded” has been induced to take the final step on their own and thus thinks or at least feels that the decision was theirs and not made for them.

By: Ben

Ben — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 21:00:50 +0000

I like Rule # 51,
I just want to add # 52 In any form of presentation, an error in an irrelevant fact (like cornflower yellow) will be pointed out by someone that thinks it makes them look important. My guess is at least 50% of the people either reading or listening to this person think they are full of themself.

P.S. I made the grammatical error on purpose.