6 Principles of Persuasive Online Selling

One of the best books on persuasion and marketing I’ve read was Robert Cialdini’s, Influence.

1. Reciprocation

Give something first: give information, give free samples, give a positive experience to people and they will want to give you something in return

2. Social Proof

When people are uncertain about a course of action, they tend to look to those around them to guide their decisions and actions. They especially want to know what everyone else is doing – especially their peers.
Testimonials
Always prospects imply peer group is interested

3. Commitment and Consistency

People do not like to back out of deals. We’re more likely to do something after we’ve agreed to it verbally or in writing. People strive for consistency in their commitments. They also prefer to follow pre-existing attitudes, values and actions
Getting people to answer ‘yes’ makes them more powerfully committed to an action. For instance, don’t tell people: “Please call if you have to cancel.” Asking “Will you please call if you have to cancel?” gets customers to say yes, and measurably increases their response rates.

4. Liking

“People prefer to say ‘yes’ to those they know and like,” Cialdini says. People are also more likely to favor those who are physically attractive, similar to themselves, or who give them compliments. Even something as ‘random’ as having the same name as your prospects can increase your chances of making a sale.

5. Authority

People respect authority. They want to follow the lead of real experts. Business titles, impressive clothing, and even driving an expensive, high-performing automobile are proven factors in lending credibility to any individual.

6. Scarcity

The less there is of something, the more valuable it is. The more rare and uncommon a thing, the more people want it.
People are more sensitive to possible losses than to possible gains.