We all want to change people’s minds — whether about a new product line your company should pursue or leading or persuading your friends to eat out at your favorite restaurant. But no matter how big or small the change might seem, convincing people is usually no easy task. Humans are stubborn!
Yet, as a business owner or leader, the ability to persuade others is essential — both when it comes to convincing customers to use your products or services and leading your team of movers and shakers.
If anyone can teach us how to do it properly, it’s the authors of “The Small Big: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence,” who make a formidable trio in the field of persuasion science. You can probably guess what the overall premise is from the title, but let’s dive into it
Why small changes matter
If you’ve read author Robert Cialdini’s other seminal work, “Persuasion,” you should be familiar with the six principles of persuasion:
- Authority
- Social proof
- Scarcity
- Consistency
- Liking
- Reciprocity
Using each of the above, we can tap into the motives that make people change their minds.
Another important principle here is that everyone has two modes they use to solve problems: the unconscious side that makes quick decisions and the side that makes slower, more considered choices.
We often assume that everyone is using the more considered side when we try to convince them, but the reverse is true — most of the time, we revert to rules of thumb and biases to reach decisions.
That means we need to center our persuasion around appealing to the quick, intuitive decision-making side of the brain
The power of nudges
As author Robert Cialdini says:
“When it comes to influencing the behavior of others, it is often the smallest changes in approach that makes the biggest differences.”
You don’t need to hire a brass band or come up with a huge speech to get people to change their minds. The most effective nudges are often extremely simple.
For instance, one of the fifty nudges the book covers is giving customers access to a low-cost or free activity that may encourage them to make a purchase later down the line. It might sound “basic,” but it stands a far better chance of success than presenting a prospect with a report filled with statistical evidence for why your product will change their life.
Oh, and this isn’t some fancy hypothesis conjured up because it sounds good — the entire book and each of the nudges have actual research and evidence behind them.
Untap the master of persuasion within
We’ve only scratched the surface here — for the complete list of fifty nudges and how to apply them, you’ll have to get your hands on the book itself.
After a thorough read, you’ll be ready to apply these nudges to countless aspects of your life — both private and professional. However, they’re particularly effective when applied to running a business.
Ready to train your entire team at communicating better with each other and potential customers? Bring Gema Consult on board to guide you through the process — just get in contact to find out how we can help.
Author
Focus on Chief Level acquisition and sustainability, Ensuring Success One Person at a time
As the Deputy Director in Gema Consult, Winda brings a vast wealth of career experience in human resources in diverse industries spanning over 8+ years. She is one of our team’s top performer whose characteristically works with connecting lot of people with different culture and growing large-and-larger community.
Winda is a great industry leader who excels and creating relationships with teams and individuals, conflict management, and advising management about best practices. She is a proactive problem-solver who leverages the potential of everyone she works with to form a formidable and highly productive workforce. Gema Consult is more than happy to support her goals in exploring exposures – meet Winda with our valuable Clients and shape her career to the board level in the same time.