I studied persuasion for 100 hours. Here’s what I learnt.

Summary

This podcast explores the science of persuasion, offering practical tips to enhance persuasiveness. It delves into social psychology studies, such as anchoring effects and the power of subtlety over assertiveness. The episode features insights from Vanessa Bonds, a professor of organizational behavior and psychology, who discusses the misconceptions around assertive communication and the effectiveness of acknowledging doubts and building trust through mimicry and compliments. It highlights the influence of environmental factors like weather on persuasion and encourages ethical use of these tactics.

Takeaways

• 📚 Persuasion is a learnable skill; even those who aren't naturally persuasive can improve by following certain strategies.
• 🎧 The 'Work at Life' podcast by HubSpot is recommended for insights on workplace engagement and culture, particularly the episode discussing company culture experiences.
• 💰 In sales, a significant disparity in earnings among team members selling the same product indicates the impact of persuasion skills on outcomes.
• 🔑 The power of persuasion is not just about assertiveness; subtlety and trust-building can be more effective, as shown in various studies.
• 🎯 Anchoring, a concept from Robert Cialdini's 'Pre-Suasion', demonstrates the influence of setting an initial reference point on subsequent negotiations.
• 🤝 Trust plays a crucial role in persuasion, and tactics like leaving sales materials in the car to return for them can increase perceived trustworthiness.
• 🌟 Social proof is a potent persuasion tool, as seen in the solar panel sales example where mentioning neighbors' installations increased sales.
• ✍️ The way messages are framed can significantly impact their persuasiveness, as shown by studies comparing group-oriented to individual-focused language.
• 🌞 The context, including weather, can influence persuasion outcomes, with sunny days potentially increasing positive responses.
• 🗣 Mimicry is a subtle but powerful persuasion technique that can build trust and rapport with others.
• 💬 Compliments, even those with an ulterior motive, can positively affect persuasion by creating goodwill and increasing likability.

Q & A

What is the main topic discussed in the podcast?

The main topic discussed in the podcast is persuasive techniques and strategies that anyone can use to become more persuasive.

Which podcast is recommended by the speaker for understanding workplace engagement and culture?

The speaker recommends the 'Work at Life' podcast from the HubSpot podcast network for understanding workplace engagement and culture.

What is the episode of 'Work at Life' that the speaker particularly recommends?

The speaker recommends an episode of 'Work at Life' titled 'Why people in the same company experience different culture and what to do about it'.

What is the sales model described in the script where salespeople receive two types of pay?

The sales model described is one where salespeople receive a base salary and a commission based on the amount and size of the sales they make.

What is the example of a persuasive strategy mentioned in the script from Robert Cialdini's book 'Pre-Suasion'?

The example is about a colleague of Robert Cialdini who, after his sales pitch, jokingly mentioned not charging a million dollars for his service, which unexpectedly stopped buyers from haggling down the price.

What is the concept of 'anchoring' as explained in the script?

Anchoring is a persuasive tool where mentioning an unrealistic high price first makes the actual price seem reasonable and affordable in comparison.

What is the role of trust in sales according to the door-to-door salesperson's strategy mentioned in the script?

Trust plays a crucial role in sales; the salesperson's strategy of leaving sales collateral in the car and being allowed to retrieve it alone built trust with the buyer.

How does the script describe the effectiveness of changing one word in a message to make it more persuasive?

The script describes a study where changing the message from addressing a group to an individual made it more persuasive, as it resonated more with the reader.

What is the impact of expressing doubt or acknowledging a weakness in persuasive communication according to the script?

Expressing doubt or acknowledging a weakness can actually make one more persuasive by building trust, as it shows a relatable and genuine path to conviction.

What is the influence of mimicking behavior in building trust and persuasive communication?

Mimicking behavior can build trust, increase liking, and help guarantee a sale, as it shows similarity and creates a subconscious connection between the individuals involved.

How does the weather affect persuasive communication as mentioned in the script?

The script cites research showing that people are more persuadable on sunny days compared to cloudy or rainy days, suggesting that environmental factors can impact persuasive outcomes.

What is the ethical stance the speaker advises regarding the use of persuasive techniques?

The speaker advises against manipulating people with persuasive tactics and encourages awareness of these techniques to make informed decisions and feel comfortable saying no when necessary.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Learning Persuasive Techniques

The speaker has been learning about persuasive strategies to enhance their influence. They reveal that anyone can become more persuasive by adopting simple tactics and introduce a podcast called 'Work at Life' by the Hubspot Podcast Network, which discusses the intersection of work and life. The episode highlighted discusses workplace culture differences. The speaker then shares an anecdote from a sales team, illustrating the disparity in earnings among salespeople selling the same product, sparking curiosity about the persuasive skills of top performers.

05:02

💡 Discovering the Science of Persuasion

The script delves into the science behind persuasion, referencing Robert Cialdini's book 'Pre-Suasion' and his colleague's accidental discovery of an effective sales strategy. The anecdote demonstrates the power of 'anchoring'—a psychological tool that sets an initial reference point influencing subsequent negotiations. The speaker promises to share various persuasive tools and cites studies from social science that reveal the effectiveness of subtlety in persuasion compared to assertiveness.

10:04

🗣️ The Power of Subtlety in Persuasion

This section emphasizes the effectiveness of subtlety over assertiveness in persuasive communication. Vanessa Bonds, a professor at Cornell University, explains that assertive messages can lead to psychological reactance, making people less receptive. Studies show that more nuanced, suggestive messages are more impactful in influencing behavior over time. The speaker also discusses the evolutionary bias of psychological reactance and how it affects persuasion attempts in various contexts.

15:06

🤔 Acknowledging Doubt to Build Trust

The speaker explores the idea that expressing doubt or acknowledging a product's weakness can paradoxically make one more persuasive. Vanessa Bonds discusses the common misconception that certainty is key to convincing others, whereas sharing one's journey from doubt to certainty can be more effective. The section also covers the importance of trust in persuasion, how being similar to others can build trust, and the impact of mimicking behavior on sales success.

20:08

🎶 The Unexpected Factors of Persuasion

This paragraph uncovers unconventional factors that influence persuasion, such as compliments, the weather, and shared experiences like listening to music. Studies show that compliments can significantly increase tips for wait staff and positive attitudes towards a brand. The speaker also notes the importance of being aware of persuasion tactics to avoid manipulation and encourages listeners to apply these insights ethically in their professional lives.

Keywords

💡Persuasion

Persuasion is the art of influencing people's attitudes, beliefs, or actions without using force or coercion. It is central to the video's theme, which explores various techniques to enhance persuasive abilities. The script discusses persuasion in the context of sales, social influence, and communication strategies, highlighting its importance in both personal and professional settings.

💡Anchoring

Anchoring refers to the cognitive bias that influences people to rely too heavily on the first piece of information they encounter when making decisions. In the script, it is exemplified by a sales tactic where mentioning an unrealistic high price first makes the actual price seem more reasonable, thereby increasing the likelihood of acceptance.

💡Social Proof

Social proof is a psychological phenomenon where people conform to the actions of others under the assumption that those actions are reflective of correct behavior. The video uses the example of door-to-door solar panel sales, where mentioning that neighbors are having panels installed increases the persuasiveness of the pitch by leveraging social proof.

💡Assertiveness

Assertiveness is the ability to express personal opinions, rights, and needs in a direct, honest, and appropriate way. The script challenges the common assumption that being more assertive and raising one's voice is the key to persuasion, instead suggesting that subtler, more nuanced approaches are often more effective.

💡Psychological Reactance

Psychological reactance is a motivational state that occurs when an individual feels their freedom is threatened by outside forces. The video explains that overly assertive attempts at persuasion can trigger reactance, causing people to resist compliance, which is counterproductive to the persuasive goal.

💡Mimicry

Mimicry in the context of the video refers to the act of mirroring another person's behavior, language, or style to build rapport and trust. The script cites studies showing that mimicry can increase persuasiveness, as people are more likely to trust and be influenced by someone who is similar to them.

💡Compliments

Compliments are positive statements that express praise or admiration. The video highlights the persuasive power of compliments, noting that they can create a positive impression and increase the likelihood of a favorable response, even when the compliment is transparently strategic.

💡Trust

Trust is the reliance on the integrity, strength, or ability of a person or thing. The script emphasizes trust as a foundational element in persuasion, with various techniques such as mimicry and expressing doubt being used to establish trust and, consequently, increase persuasiveness.

💡Influence

Influence is the capacity to have an effect on the character, development, or behavior of someone or something. The video's exploration of persuasion techniques is fundamentally about understanding and leveraging influence, showing how small changes in approach can significantly alter the impact one has on others.

💡Certainty

Certainty refers to being confident or sure of something. The script discusses the misconception that expressing complete certainty is the best way to persuade others, whereas acknowledging doubts or uncertainties can actually be more persuasive by building trust and relatability.

💡Weather

In the context of the video, weather is used to illustrate how seemingly unrelated factors can influence persuasion. The script mentions a study showing that people are more persuadable on sunny days, suggesting that environmental factors can have an impact on the effectiveness of persuasive attempts.

Highlights

Persuasive techniques can be learned and applied by anyone to improve their persuasive abilities.

A podcast recommendation: 'Work at Life' which explores the intersection of work and life, and workplace culture.

Salespeople selling the same product can have vastly different outcomes due to varying persuasive skills.

The science behind persuasion is not just about luck; it involves strategies and techniques.

A sales strategy from Robert Cialdini's book 'Pre-Suasion' involves mentioning an unrealistic price to anchor the buyer's perception.

Trust is a key component in sales, and allowing a salesperson into one's home can increase trust.

Social proof is a powerful persuader, as seen in the success of door-to-door solar panel sales.

Writing persuasively can be as simple as addressing the reader individually rather than as a group.

Metaphors can significantly influence readers' perceptions and preferred solutions to problems.

Assertiveness in persuasion can lead to reactance, where people become less likely to comply.

Subtle and suggestive messages are more effective in persuasion than assertive ones.

Psychological reactance is an evolutionary bias where people resist being told what to do.

Expressing doubt or acknowledging a product's weakness can build trust and be persuasive.

Mimicry can build trust and increase persuasiveness in sales interactions.

Compliments, even with an ulterior motive, can effectively increase persuasion.

The weather can influence persuasion success rates, with sunny days being more conducive to positive responses.

Persuasion tactics should be used ethically and with awareness of their impact on others.

Encouragement to listen to other episodes for further insights into the power of first impressions.

Transcripts

i've spent the last few weeks learning

about persuasive techniques to try and

figure out what makes someone more

persuasive

turns out all of us even the least

persuasive people on the planet can be

more persuasive by following some simple

strategies so keep listening to hear

dozens of tips on how to become more

persuasive but first here's a podcast

i'd recommend

work at life is a brilliant podcast

brought to you by the hubspot podcast

network the hosts explore the gray area

between work and life and share data on

relevant workplace engagement and

culture topics there's one episode that

i think you'd really enjoy and it's

called why people in the same company

experience different culture and what to

do about it this episode highlights some

eye-opening data points from a study of

over 3 000 workers across the globe and

showcases why it's so important to

understand the differences in how

managers and individual contributors may

experience a company culture it's a

great show it's well worth a listen so

go and check it out

now i used to work at a company with a

large sales team there were around 65

sales people at this company and like

most sales organizations the sales

people received two types of pay they

received their base salary which was a

flat fee

and commission which was based on the

amount of sales they made and the size

of the deal that commission was a

variable fee it varied based on the size

now i remember chatting with a few of

the sales team at the pub after work and

one of them brought up salaries and

started talking about how different

people in the team made different

amounts and this was an eye-opening

conversation for a junior marketer like

me firstly i realized that some of the

top sales people got paid a huge amount

some made even more than the ceo but i

also learnt that others were paid very

little they struggled to make sales and

often failed to make enough money to

cover their monthly expenses this struck

me as being a little weird

the sales people are all selling the

exact same product and they're all

having to sell it at the exact same

price sure some sales people are more

experienced and some are more connected

but i didn't expect there to be such a

difference in the amount each

salesperson sold you wouldn't expect one

starbucks worker to sell two or three

times the amount of coffee than another

and yet this was happening at my company

to bigger levels

clearly some sales people were just more

persuasive

they got customers to agree they made

customers say yes and they did this more

often than their peers

but how

i wondered is it all a fluke or is there

some sort of science behind it well

spoiler alert it's not all fluke in fact

it's not fluky at all in today's episode

we'll cover the science behind

persuasion i'll show you tips you can

use to be more persuasive and you'll

hear from social science professor

vanessa bonds on her studies on

persuasive behavior

but first a story on how someone

stumbled upon a very persuasive strategy

it's an example from robert cialdini's

book pre-suasion a colleague of his was

struggling to sell his consultancy

project at full price he'd deliver his

sales pitch start talking through the

price and immediately buyers would push

for a 15 discount

this consistent haggling ate away at his

profit and eventually his margin became

so slim that he could barely pay to keep

the business running

then

during one proposal meeting he

accidentally hit on a maneuver that rid

him of this problem forever

it wasn't a bullet point list of the

reasons to justify the expenses involved

in the services he'd given up on that

approach as it only brought more

scrutiny to the price

instead after his standard presentation

and just before declaring his 75 000 fee

he joked as you can tell i'm not going

to be able to charge you a million

dollars for this

the client looked up from the written

proposal that they had been studying and

said well yeah i can agree to that

after saying that one line the buyers

would instantly agree on the price and

wouldn't attempt to haggle down

cialdini's colleague claimed that this

tactic of mentioning an admittedly

unrealistic price tag was a total fluke

he didn't mean to do it but since

realizing that it works he uses it time

and time again and no longer has to

haggle on price now this works as some

of you will know due to anchoring saying

it won't cost a million anchors the

buyer to that higher price and makes 75

000 seem fairly cheap in comparison but

anchoring is just one of the dozens of

tools that you can use to be more

persuasive here's another cialdini

example see when writing his book

chaldini shadowed top salespeople to see

what tricks and tips that they had

learnt over the years one salesperson

who did door-to-door sales routinely

left his sales collateral in the car

he'd knock on the door get invited in

sit down maybe have a cup of tea and

then once seated he'd say oh no i've

left my stuff in the car do you mind if

i pop out and get it

cialdini couldn't understand why this

salesperson routinely did this in every

single house he visited eventually he

plucked up the courage to ask the

salesperson and they revealed that they

stumbled upon this tactic years ago and

it's worked ever since the salesperson

said sales is all about trust if the

buyers will let me walk in and out of

their house on my own they'll inherently

trust me more because the only people we

let walk freely in and out of our house

are the people we trust

now the naysayer in me wants to see this

replicated in a study and peer-reviewed

and have some real evidence behind it

but we'll get on to some peer-reviewed

evidence on persuasion in a bit but

before we get on to the peer review

stuff here's one more example from one

of my ex-sales colleagues now down the

pub he was bragging about the best sales

pitch he had ever used it was while he

was working as a solar panel

door-to-door sales person at first he

went to houses in a designated area he

was given a postcode or or a few blocks

to sell to and he would do his typical

pitch and 99 times out of 100 people

would shut the door in his face and then

one day he happened to be on the same

road as his colleagues who were

installing some solar panels for a house

down the street

my ex-colleague this salesperson he used

this to his advantage he knocked on the

first door and rather than going into

the usual pitch he said hey we're

installing some solar panels for your

neighbors mr and mrs white down the

street and while we're here i just

thought i'd pop by to see if if you'd

like some installed as well

this was the persuasion hack he had been

waiting for now the majority of people

said yes they invited him in and signed

up on the spot now attentive listeners

will know that this is down to social

proof we are more likely to take action

if people similar to us are doing the

same thing so when we see people on our

street installing solar panels it makes

it far more likely that we will do the

same but it's not just door-to-door

salespeople with all these persuasion

hacks you can make your writing more

persuasive too in really an absurdly

simple way according to the results of a

study done at ohio state university

changing one word can massively improve

how people view a product now in the

study the researchers showed

participants two sets of messages

some of the messages were written as if

they were speaking to a large group of

people for example after all these years

people might accept that antiperspirants

just aren't going to get any better they

might have to even accept the ugly

stains on cloves well they won't have to

anymore so that message it's sort of

written as if it's speaking to a group

of people

the second message that researchers

showed participants were written in a

different way they were written as if

you were speaking to one individual they

said after all these years you might

accept that antiperspirants just aren't

going to get any better you might even

accept the ugly stains on your clothes

well you won't have to anymore

now that second message

was far more persuasive by focusing the

copy on an individual rather than a

group the message just resonated more it

also shows clearly that persuasion can

work just as well online as it can in

door-to-door sales politicians know this

all too well as a similar study from

stanford university revealed now the

researchers here exposed a randomly

chosen set of online readers to a news

account of a three-year rise in city

crime rates

one of the groups was told that the rise

in crime rates was akin to a raging

virus

so that's one group of participants told

us a raging virus now the other group

saw the exact same news account with the

exact same statistics except now it was

described as a raging beast one group

sees a virus one group sees a beast

later on in the survey the participants

were asked to indicate their preferred

solutions to this problem and it turns

out readers who initially saw crime

portrayed as a beast recommended

improving policing solutions rather than

improving education but the opposite

pattern emerged among readers who

initially saw the crime portrayed as a

virus remarkably this was a 22

difference and it's only due to the

change of a single word in a metaphor

this change was double the size of the

differences that were naturally due to a

reader's political party affiliation

which only changed the difference in

proposed solution by eight percent so

words matter they influence and persuade

us even more so than our political

affiliation

but let's get back to in-person

persuasion see some people think that to

be persuasive we have to raise our voice

and we have to be confident in our

suggestions

but is this the case well after this

short break i ask professor vanessa

bonds

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[Music]

now if we want to be more persuasive

should we raise our voice or perhaps we

should try and be more assertive

i wasn't sure this was the case so i

reached out to professor vanessa bonds

who spent her career studying influence

here she is quickly introducing herself

so i am vanessa bonds and i'm a

professor here at cornell university i'm

a professor of organizational behavior

and psychology

and i'm an experimental social

psychologist who studies social

influence but i study social influence

in a way that's kind of different from

the way most people do

most people look at how to get people to

do things or how to influence people i'm

really interested in people's intuitions

about how we can influence people and

whether they're accurate do we know the

best way to influence other people and

do we know the impact that we have over

other people every day

one of the intuitions or assumptions

that most of us have is that to be more

persuasive you have to be more assertive

we need to raise our voices and share

confident declarations i think we learn

this from politicians and other leaders

but is it true does it really work or is

there a better way to persuade i asked

vanessa

we think to be heard we really need to

increase the volume uh we think we need

to be more assertive we need to keep

pushing and try to get sort of that

concession right there on the spot from

another person

in fact the research shows that that is

not the best way to persuade other

people and that if you're too assertive

they actually bulk at that and

wind up in this sort of psychological

reactance where they're less likely to

hear the things that we want them to

hear so there's kind of this disconnect

between how we think we can influence

people in the best way by upping the

ante and sort of increasing the

assertiveness and the ways in which

we're actually able to influence other

people and so the study that you're

referring to

uh basically asks people you know if you

want to get someone to change their

health behaviors should you use this

kind of language that's more assertive

right all shouty and exclamation pointy

or should you use this language that's a

little bit more subtle that's kind of

suggesting that they make some changes

to their behavior

and

participants who were supposed to be

influencing another person actually

chose the shoutier more assertive

message thinking that would be more

effective

but when they actually looked at what

was more effective it was this subtler

kind of suggestive message and part of

it i think is that what happens is we

really want the satisfaction of seeing

influence right there if someone's not

going to sort of say you're right i'm

going to make this change right here

today now we feel like oh we didn't have

an impact and so we keep turning up the

volume to get to that place when in fact

a lot of influence is delayed and

cumulative and so it might be that our

nice subtle sort of suggestion really

sinks in a week later when we might not

be there to see it and get that

satisfaction but it actually is more

impactful in that way or maybe it is

sort of accompanied by a bunch of other

people's subtle suggestions and there's

this accumulation of suggestions and

then that has an impact on that person

but again we sort of want that immediate

moment of i argued really strongly i won

my point i changed someone's behavior

and that just isn't the best way to

think about influence if we really want

to change minds and change behavior

this study vanessa shares shows two

things

one most of us believe that we need to

be more assertive to be persuasive

but in reality being more subtle will

actually make you more persuasive

there's another study from the book

persuasion that backs this up a team of

dutch researchers found that they'd

struggle to get smokers to change their

behavior if they only shared assertive

messages about how bad smoking is

after all most smokers already know the

risk

instead they found that subtle messages

which highlighted steps to help a smoker

quit performed much better in changing

behavior in the long run see there's an

evolutionary bias that we've all

developed called psychological reactions

reactance basically means we don't like

being told what to do when someone in

authority tells us what we're doing is

wrong we feel compelled to disagree at

least in western cultures it's why in

the uk remainers struggled to convince

brexiteers to stay in europe the whole

remain in europe argument was based on

how brexiteers were wrong

the same is sort of true for hillary

clinton's supporters in the 2016

election against trump telling somebody

that they're wrong doesn't really

convince people

and it's also why meat-free firms like

beyond meat have slowly changed their

messaging over time originally beyond

meat's messaging focused on how bad

eating animal meat was but that only put

off meat eaters causing this reactants

eventually they switched and talked

about how tasty and popular beyond meat

is and sales have grown ever since but

what about expressing doubt

salespeople at my old company were told

never to talk about a product's weakness

to divert the conversation at all costs

if a weakness was ever brought up

but is this the best way to persuade

i asked vanessa

i think another thing that's kind of

related to that last study is this idea

that we think that expressing certainty

is the way to convince other people and

that anytime we express any doubts or

you know reveal that we previously had

doubts about something that that

undermines our argument

the problem is we often start out with

doubts and then once we you know

get a little further into a behavior we

start to feel very certain about it so a

lot of people who were vaccinated for

example had doubts about whether they

should get vaccinated then they did it

and now they feel certain that that was

the right choice but then those same

people try to convince other people to

get vaccinated and they often think the

best way to make that argument is to be

completely certain like clearly this is

the right choice right i have no doubts

instead of acknowledging that i did have

doubts and i came to this place and kind

of meeting people where they are and i

think that's another misperception where

we really think that certainty and

assertiveness and boldness are the

things that create change in other

people when a lot of it is meeting with

them where they are you know expressing

our own path um and acknowledging

uncertainties but uncertainties that

eventually led us to a direction that

we'd like someone else to go in

showcasing a doubt or acknowledging a

weakness can make you more persuasive

the reason why is the exact same reason

why that salesperson from earlier left

his sales collateral in the car

it builds trust it's the same reason why

waiters who tell people not to order the

lobster because it's not fresh today

end up with higher tips and a higher

total order value there's another really

easy way to build trust people who are

similar to us will naturally receive

more trust we have a bias for people

like us and tend to trust them more now

this leads as you can imagine to some

awful prejudices but it also shows why a

good salesperson will try and act just

like you you'll know when you've met a

good salesperson because they will

literally mimic your behavior if you

fold your arms they'll fold theirs if

you joke and laugh they will too this

isn't by accident mimicking someone can

build trust increase liking and help

guarantee a sale studies cited in robert

cialdini's book pre-suasion found that

waitresses coached to mimic the verbal

style of their customers doubled their

tips

negotiators coached to do the same with

their opponents got significantly better

final outcomes salespeople who mimicked

the language styles and non-verbal

behaviors like gestures and postures of

their customers sold more of the

electronic equipment they recommended

the more we mimic the more persuasive we

are in fact research shows that dancing

in tandem with someone can dramatically

increase how much they like you

one study in germany with four-year-old

children got the kids to play a game

some of the kids walked around a circle

with a partner whilst singing and

keeping time in their movements with

recorded music

other kids did the exact same but just

without the accompaniment of music

later when the children had the

opportunity to show helpfulness to one

another those who had sung and walked

together in time with music were three

times more likely to help out their

partner

if you want to build trust with someone

just listen to music with them and maybe

that's why so many of us find love on

the dancefloor

it makes you realize how simple us

humans are the reason you buy double

glazing probably isn't due to the

savings you'll make on your energy bill

it might just be because the salesperson

supports the same football club as you

or because the salesperson gave you a

compliment see compliments are another

persuasion hack in a really interesting

study in a hair salon stylists were told

to compliment the customers by saying

any hairstyle would look good on you

their tips rose by 37 just with that one

compliment any hairstyle will look good

on you compliments work even if there's

a clear ulterior motive chinese college

students who received a pre-printed

filer from a clothing store saying we're

contacting you because you're

fashionable and stylish developed

positive attitudes towards the store and

we're more likely to want to show up

there now that's hilarious right because

it's obviously marketing and yet that

clear fake compliment

worked

other researchers found that individuals

who worked on a computer task and

received flattering task related

feedback from the computer developed

more favorable feelings towards the

machine even though they were told the

feedback had been pre-programmed and did

not actually reflect their task

performance at all

so

it says one lesson here it's stop trying

to be assertive stop trying to raise

your voice start giving more compliments

and match the tone of your partner

oh and pay attention to the weather

one piece of research again cited in

persuasion showed that a man who

complimented a woman and asked for their

phone number to arrange a date was

considerably more successful when he

asked on a sunny morning versus a cloudy

morning 22.4 compared to 13.9 success

rates

sunny days don't just help you bag a

date individuals surveyed by phone

reported themselves as 20 percent more

satisfied with their experience as a

whole when asked on sunny days compared

to rainy days

so maybe go set up business in a sunny

mediterranean city

but seriously i don't want all of you

listening to go away and just start

thinking about who you're going to

persuade and how you're going to

influence them because you know these

tactics are great in your job and i

think people should take this advice on

board but we definitely don't want to be

manipulating people with these tactics

instead all of us should be aware of

them we should take note when someone

tries to use these tactics on us and we

should feel comfortable to say no when

we realize how others are trying to

persuade us with these tips because if

these studies show us anything it's that

we simply can't make 100

rational decisions we are extremely

persuaded by others and often for

inconsequential reasons like a

compliment or an offhand remark about it

not costing a million or even a sunny

day

now if you have enjoyed this episode and

you're wondering what to listen to next

make sure you go back and listen to

episode 29 of nudge it's called why

first impressions matter on that episode

i chat to the best-selling author phil

barden about his research into first

impressions he reveals that people are

persuaded not over time but usually in a

moment in a blink of an eye it's a

cracker and it's one of my most popular

episodes so if you haven't listened to

it before click the link in the show

notes to give it a listen or just scroll

down on your player to go and find it

massive thank you to vanessa bond for

coming on the show and for sharing her

wisdom her book you have more influence

than you think is a gold mine of

persuasive info give it a read to learn

how persuasive you really are and as

always please do sign up to my

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week you'll learn things like why green

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bands with distinctive logos sell out

more gigs and heaps of other marketing

and business tips like that to sign up

click the link in the show notes now you

can find me on twitter and linkedin just

search for phil agnew that's

l yes two else i know i'm a bit weird

and then a g n e w connect with me on

there say hi i'd love to chat to you all

right that is all for today folks thank

you so much for listening