Every day we make more than 30,000 decisions! Did you know that 95% of these are made on autopilot? This means that we make decisions without really thinking about them.
All of these choices are influenced by a variety of factors. According to psychologist Robert Cialdini, there are seven principles that influence us. These principles play a major role in our “unconscious” choices.
Conscious choices vs. unconscious choices
Author Daniel Kahneman, in his book Our Fallible Thinking distinguishes between two types of thinking. These types he calls System 1 and System 2.
System 1 thinking is what we do the most. The system works quickly and automatically. You often don’t even realize it! Other decisions are made by System 2. This system is a lot more conscious and rational than System 1. It takes more time and energy to make System 2 decisions.
But what if we told you that there are 7 principles you can use to influence another person without too much effort…. Principles that respond perfectly to System 1 thinking.
What are Cialdini’s 7 principles?
Naturally, you’re heartily curious about Cialdini’s 7 principles. They are these: reciprocity, scarcity, authority, commitment and consistency, sympathy, social affirmation and unity.
Each of these influencing principles can be applied in our everyday lives. From in the store, to at work and in the home. But did you know that these principles can also be very well used in the world of online marketing?
In this blog we will tell you exactly what the 7 principles of Cialdini are. We will also look at how you can recognize the principles as well as how to apply them.
Who is Cialdini?
Robert Cialdini is a former professor of psychology and marketing. He has taught at two major American universities: Arizona State and Stanford.
Cialdini is known worldwide for the book Influence: the Six Secrets of Persuasion. In the book, he describes the six scientifically proven principles of persuasion. In 2016, he added a seventh principle to the updated version of his book. Interested in the book? Read a review here.
The 7 principles of Cialdini
Like Robert Cialdini, we believe that anyone can learn how to influence another person in an ethical way! Here we cover Cialdini’s 7 principles. How can these help you?
Principle 1: Reciprocity
‘One good turn deserves another’ is a well-known Dutch saying. When you know you are getting something from another person, you are more likely to give them something in return. Conversely, of course, this also applies! When you treat your employees well, they will perform their jobs well. Are you buying a birthday gift for a distant uncle or aunt? Then they will do the same for you when you turn another year older.
This first principle of Cialdini’s 7 principles is so strong. It almost feels like an obligation!
As an entrepreneur, you can apply this phenomenon well to all your online platforms. But how? Offer something free and/or valuable to visitors to your site or social media account. This will make them more likely to take action and buy something from you!
How do you apply reciprocity to your online platform?
- Offer valuable content, such as an e-book or an exclusive PDF file.
- Offer a free service or product.
- Give a discount when someone signs up for a newsletter or email list.
- Add a free gift to the order.
The principle of reciprocity makes your visitor subconsciously feel that they owe you something.
Principle 2: Scarcity
Have you ever heard of FOMO? This Fear of Missing Out occurs when you experience social pressure to have to do something. The influence principle scarcity plays fantastically into this.
People place enormous value on things that are hard to get. Companies like Booking.com know this like the best. As you scroll through their app or website, you keep seeing notifications like “Only 1 more room at this price on our site.” With this, you evoke a sense of scarcity.
Vakantieveilingen.nl is also good at this. On their website, countdown timers entice you to take action.
People get greedy when they get the idea that they will miss out on a product or deal. As an online business, you can be very responsive to this. Generating a sense of scarcity encourages visitors to your online platforms to take quick(er) action.
How do you apply scarcity to your online platform?
- Offer free shipping for fast decision makers.
- Use terms like “gone=out.”
- List real time inventories on product pages.
- Offer daily promotions, where you can cleverly use a countdown timer.
Note! It is important to remain honest when applying this principle. Don’t lie about your supplies and have actions actually expire when the timer runs out. Are you not doing this? Then visitors lose confidence in you and your company.
Principle 3: Authority
“He’s a doctor, so he must be right.” “She specializes in graphic web design, so it’s all right.” Whether we like it or not, we often prefer what experts say. From an early age, we are taught that some people have authority: think of your old school teacher or the neighborhood cop.
As a business owner, you can also ensure that you exude authority. When you achieve this status, people will accept things from you more and more easily.
How do you apply authority to your online platform?
- Show jer nominations or awards won in the bio’s of your social media accounts. Also put them in the footer of your website.
- Show that you are affiliated with a seal of approval.
- Provide a reliable, fast and responsive site.
- Write blogs and articles about your specialties and show how far your knowledge extends.
- Take advantage of influencer marketing.
- Appear high in search results by employing a good SEO strategy.
Build status and in no time people will take your word for it. You are the specialist! It is very important not to abuse your authority. Be honest with your customers so that trust can be built.
Principle 4: Commitment and consistency.
“Yes, yes, yes, yes.” The more enthusiastic people are about something, the more often they just say “yes. This principle of influence is about getting someone excited. It is important to capture and hold their attention. It is the path to building a group of loyal customers.
This is a process of small steps. Ask for something low-key first. As a result, people are more likely to give in and then remain loyal. You can apply this principle very well online as well.
How do you apply commitment and consistency to your online platform?
- Does a customer order something from you? Then ask for a small amount of information. Think of a just a name, e-mail address and address.
- Do you acquire customers by sending emails? Then don’t ask them to call you right away. Simply ask if they are interested.
- Make use of a newsletter.
Make sure a (potential) customer has to perform simple actions. As a result, he or she is more likely to actually do so. When loyalty develops, the customer will (voluntarily) want to do much more for you and your company!
Principle 5: Sympathy
“I trust her, she’s always so nice!” When you like someone, you believe that person faster than when you dislike a person.
Persons for whom we feel sympathy, we often favor more. We would rather buy bread from the friendly and good-humored baker a little further from home than from the grumpy vendor on the corner. For this reason, sympathy is one of the most widely used of Cialdini’s 7 principles.
Robert Cialdini, in his book, lists four factors that create more likability:
- Physical attractiveness. Handsome people are often more likely to be found sympathetic.
- Contact and collaboration. The better you know someone, the more sympathy you have for them.
- Similarity. We are often more likely to find people who look like us nice and likable.
- Compliments. People appreciate it when you compliment them.
We prefer to choose friendly people. This is true not only in our real life, but also on the Internet.
How do you apply sympathy to your online platform?
- Provide an appealing “about us” page on your website/webshop. Use good photos of the staff and have everyone write a personal piece. Make sure the target audience gets to know you!
- Address the target audience in the language they speak and understand.
- Make sure the target audience can get to know the company. This can be done, for example, by providing a behind-the-scenes look at social media accounts.
- Provide good, friendly and helpful customer service.
Make sure your target audience knows who you are. Involve them in your business. This way you build sympathy. In the end, your (potential) customers will trust you and grant you much.
Principle 6: Social affirmation
“If Pete jumps into the ditch, will you do the same?” Humans are huge herd animals and allow themselves to be hugely influenced by the behavior or opinions of others in most situations. When you are looking for a cozy little restaurant, chances are you look at the reviews first.
Are you looking for a good plumber? Then you probably first ask family or friends if they know of a good company. This social persuasion also plays a big role online.
A site like Bol.com is a great example. They convince you to buy products. They do this by putting reviews of other buyers on their pages. You too can apply the principle of social proof to your web shop, website or other online platform.
How do you apply social affirmation to your online platform?
- Show reviews (Google reviews, reviews, testimonials, etc.).
- Let visitors know who has gone before them (“This product has been sold 200 times,” “Already 3,000 self-employed people receive this newsletter,” “50 others have gone before you!” etc.).
- Display lists (“Top 10,” “Most Bought,” etc.).
Show your visitors that others are happy with your products or services. Then they are more likely to follow you. They are also more likely to take action. Of Cialdini’s 7 principles, this is the one most commonly used.
Principle 7: Unity
The last of Cialdini’s 7 principles is unity. Not you and me, but “we”! People like to belong to a group. We are more easily influenced by someone we like.
For example, you’re probably more likely to say “yes” to your parents than to the neighbors. After all, your father and mother are part of the group “family. Other forms of unity include a shared cultural background or nationality. Age, norms and values can also create unity. In addition, a shared hobby can also create connection.
As an online business owner, you can capitalize on this sense of unity by creating a “together feeling. But how exactly do you do this?
How do you apply unity to your online platform?
- Let your customers join an exclusive club or VIP program.
- Share stories from your community.
- Show what you are accomplishing together with your clients. Does a percentage of every purchase go to charity? Then share on social media how much you donated with the help of your customers.
New technologies and Cialdini
The Internet and psychology have one thing in common. Developments never stand still! In recent years, topics such as Artificial Intelligence, neuromarketing and User-Generated Content have become increasingly popular.
How great is it to know that these fit well with Cialdini’s 7 principles? We tell you how!
AI and unity
Unity is about togetherness. This feeling is very important to us humans. This is not just about a sense of connection between community members. It is also about a sense of unity between visitors and your company!
Hyper-personalization is a trend that fits well with the unity principle. It goes beyond ordinary personalization. With AI, you can use real-time data and various analytics as a Web site manager. This gives you better insights into your website visitors’ preferences and behavior.
Example: Spotify’s Discover Weekly
Spotify is making good use of this trend of hyper-personalization. Every week they create a customized playlist for their users. They do this based on data, including listening history. So every week you can discover new songs and the sense of unity between you and the streaming platform grows. What song are you putting on?
Neuromarketing and reciprocity
Whereas we often hear the term “AI” pass by, “neuromarketing” is rather vague for some of us. What exactly is it?
Neuromarketing is a form of marketing that uses neuroscience techniques to understand how consumers respond to certain marketing stimuli. This involves studying brain activity and physiological responses. All to find out exactly what it is about decision-making and consumer behavior!
One trend that fits perfectly under neuromarketing is the use of emotional triggers. Many companies – maybe even yours! – are creating ads and marketing stunts that evoke strong emotional responses. Think joy, nostalgia or fear. Marketers can develop smart campaigns when they know exactly what emotions resonate most strongly with their target audience.
Example: Charities
Charities and foundations often capitalize on Cialdini’s 7 principles. They primarily play on emotions such as compassion and urgency. For example, commercials tell stories from and about people who have been directly helped by the donations raised by the charity. This can create a sense of immediate impact, making the viewer of the commercial want to do something good!
Build trust with a responsive website
Social media and social proof
Social media is here to stay today! Do you want to apply the principle of social affirmation?
Then using social media is a great first step. On TikTok, YouTube or Instagram, you’ve probably seen videos of influencers using products and reviewing them. Chances are you take these people’s opinions seriously! This is the purpose of User-Generated Content (UGC).
So, how does UGC contribute to social affirmation? Content (reviews, photos, videos or blog posts) provides reliable information from the perspective of real users. This can convince potential customers of the quality and reliability of a service or product. Seeing lots of positive UGC can create the image that a company is popular and trustworthy. This social proof convinces others to buy as well, because they see that many people are already satisfied with the product.
Example: Glossier
Glossier, a popular beauty brand, applies UGC in their marketing strategy to create an engaged community. The brand uses various methods to engage customers and share their experiences. For example, they encourage customers to use the hashtag #glossierpink. In addition, Glossier regularly reposts content from their customers on their official Instagram account and website. Visitors will see these positive reviews and factor this – consciously or unconsciously – into their consideration.
Criticism of Cialdini’s 7 principles
Yes, Cialdini’s 7 principles are used a lot online. Many people are big fans of these and with good reason! However, there are also many people who criticize the principles. Oneof the most common criticisms is that the principles are manipulative and misleading. After all, you are responding to System 1.
Another criticism is that of habituation. Cialdini’s 7 principles are of course known worldwide. This means that many online figures and companies apply these influence principles. Critics say that prolonged exposure to these principles can cause consumers to become increasingly critical. As a result, the principles may lose their effectiveness. What do you think?
Cialdini’s 7 principles – a conclusion.
By applying one or more of Cialdini’s 7 principles, you can increase the conversion rate on your website, web shop or other online platform. Turn visitors into (repeat) customers or followers! It is important to ask yourself which of the 7 principles fit well with your business, purpose and message. Engage with these Cialdini influence principles and discover what has the most effect. Good luck!
