From the course: The 10 Essentials of Influence and Persuasion

People proof = people power

- When was the last time you encountered a situation where you had to make a decision but weren't entirely sure what the right choice was? Chances are you sought a potential solution by looking to what most people in a similar situation to you had done. Airports are a good example. If you've ever found yourself joining a queue without entirely being sure if you're in the right one or not, you're certainly not alone. I've heard many stories of folks who arrive at an unfamiliar place, like an airport, and spend ages patiently waiting in line only to find themselves being directed to another invariably shorter and faster moving one when they reach the front. Restaurants are another example. It's the first few days of your vacation and the local beach front offers an array of unfamiliar culinary options. Do you choose the bustling restaurant that's full of people or the quieter, less busy one? Very often, it's the popular restaurant that prevails. But perhaps you're a little bit more forward-thinking and you've booked the restaurant in advance. Did the fact that one establishment have more four and five star reviews than the others influence your decision? Most likely it did for a powerful and fundamental reason. Following the choices, actions and behaviors of others is often a reliable means to an efficient and quick decision. Psychologists call this social proof. If the impact of others' choices and behaviors or social proof is so powerful, then it's probably no surprise that it can be employed as a very effective tool for successful influence. The key to persuasion success, though, is to highlight to your target of influence what many other people are already doing that you would like them to also do. What's great about this approach is that you don't solely rely on your own powers of persuasion, but rather, you can benefit from the power of others. So if you're trying to get people in the office to get behind a new initiative or persuade a client to trial a new product or maybe convince your coworkers to recycle a little bit more, be sure to communicate how many other people are already doing those things. Because people proof equals people power. Sounds simple, right? But it's also important to recognize two caveats when you use social proof to influence and persuade others. The first is to remember that the most effective kind of social proof is the kind that most closely matches the person or the people you are looking to influence. A few years ago, I showed how tax offices could increase the number of people who submitted their returns on time by simply and honestly communicating the fact that most citizens do exactly that. In fact, when we pointed out that citizens who lived in the same postcode had already paid their taxes on time, the response rate was even higher. So however tempting it might be to use that testimonial that you are proudest of to influence a new client, you're probably going to be more effective using a testimonial that most closely resembles their actual circumstances. Second, it's really important to remember that pointing out the frequency of something that is unwanted can actually lead to worse and not better outcomes. Reminding your partner that they always forget to put out the recycling is unlikely to result in a change anytime soon. Similarly, when lots of people remark that meetings never start on time around here, the chances that they suddenly will is pretty unlikely. Because pointing out the frequency of unwanted outcomes typically results in more of those outcomes. It's a kind of perverse social proof. Better still. In order to be ultimately influential and persuasive, always be sure to highlight to those that you are looking to influence and persuade how many other people like them are already doing what you want them to do.

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