Persuasion Techniques

The Psychology of Persuasion Techniques

Defining Persuasion Techniques

Persuasion means, in terms of the psychological dictionary Larousse, “action exerted on somebody in order to induce someone to believe or to do something”. Persuasion is used daily by educators who suggest a certain behavior, by doctor who assures the patient, by trader who wants to sell a new product. One of the means of persuasion used in commerce is to provide a sample.

For a promoter it means “grab a finger”: demanding less (free use of a new product), he hopes to get more (increasing his customers).
Information increasing is not enough to convince people. To persuade effectively you need to know the state of mind, desires, tastes, fears of people who you ask. Then you need to affirm what seems likely. You need to say that a new razor blade can be used 15 times is true, but the audience doesn’t believe, so to convince to buy it, advertiser says that you can use it more than 10 times, which is easy accepted by population. This doesn’t have a critical sense and generally accepts what is said.

Persuasion Techniques and Sales Departments

Companies use persuasion techniques  in Marketing and Sales departments. In some companies the two departments are merged and transformed into one, because each company has its own needs, functions as a life body, so we have the Department of Marketing and Sales.

One of the marketing aims is the promotion of some products on market following a target audience, promoting a company image through advertising and more. Thus this uses persuasion techniques taking some values of a target audience.

The purpose of persuasion techniques in marketing is the success of a product on market, it means the purchase of it by many people.

For example, if we would look at an ad for face cream, it will target a certain category of women, etc.

Advertise is like this:

Let’s talk about how it would be to have 30 years old and to look like 20 and a bit. Now you are allowed to lie because it was invented a cream Anew retroactive+ which works as an radar against wrinkles. Let’s talk about how it would be to have 30 years old and to look like 20. Call your representative.

Company name appears in the advertisement, there are models who look impeccably.

The message is clear: It was invented a new cream that suggests that is the best for women who have reached 30 years because it work as an radar against wrinkles and if they want to be beautiful they must call their representatives.

It is used the idea in order to stay young you need to use this cream. There are used positive symbols such as: youth, beauty, optimism, voice that presents this cream is determined, convincing, lively and optimistic (though she used this cream and was convinced that this cream is effective).

This ad shows that those who built it looked for:

- a target audience;
- needs of the audience;
- age;
- sex, etc.

In sales also appears persuasion techniques. The sales representative is trained by approved persons as well as selling a product using various techniques that we discover some single and others are learned.

For a representative is important to sell as much for earning.

Even the company persuades its representatives to sale more through the affirmation: “Big Orders – Big Earnings”. Representative promotes company image because through that training a particular behavior is instill, some values at a certain moment. For example, a client is advised by his representative to buy a product, a nail polish for example, there are reasons why he should buy it and if that client needs that product he may buy it. The product is brought for the client and customer finds that is not what he wanted and his expectations were disappointed; he will tend to not buy it anymore from that company.

How Psychology of Persuasion Works?

The representative persuaded customer to buy the product, he gave to a woman various reasons, something like: It contains hardener and color, then you shot two birds with one stone, it didn’t damage your nails because of the hardener that contains silk. Customer who needs it because always uses nail polish will buy it because is greater than what she used to buy before.

Receiving the product, client finds out that is not the color she wanted or the polish doesn’t last long on nails. She is disappointed and will conclude that the product has a bad quality is below expectations but was shown to be special, than all the products of that company are bad or don’ fit her.

People tend to generalize if a product is bad, says a difficult client, then all products of company are the same. The first impression is very important for many people.

We conclude that the example given above that the representative was not aware of all the desires and expectations of the customer and then sell that product action failed. It is important to know the customer’s expectations for a product, to know what types of products she or he uses.

Psychology of Persuasion Used to Manipulate Clients

Will sales representative be a successful who will customize the product? Everyone wants a suitable product for themselves to meet the needs and tends but showing that it is done. The persuasive agent that highlights the fact that the product X is made for the problem that the customer has.

The success of a give product is also the relationship that forms between the client and representative should be based on trust, on knowing the needs, desires and their satisfaction.

Often sales representative sets up relations with the purpose to sell products. The question is if he is ethical? He sells his product to gain money or he sells his product considering the needs of the client, giving what he needs?

A reply would be that if sales representative promotes a product that is not qualitative for a customer and he is conscious of this but anyway he presents it as perfect for his client hiding the truth, this is not ethical. This manipulates his client negatively.

Steps to Follow in Persuasion

Next, I will quote a few steps to follow to be successful that cosmetic company advises its sales representatives to apply in their work. These steps contain persuasion techniques:

• Call the customer when is his birthday or other event in his life to congratulate him and he will appreciate it and the relationship client-representative will improve;
• Make them a present for a special event therefore you will motivate him and he will feel appreciated;
• Always come back to those who said “next time” or those that you didn’t find for the first time;
• Remember that “no, thank you” doesn’t mean “no, never. There, don’t stop calling;
• Recall those who don’t order from the first time because you could hear remarks like: “He called once, I ordered, but never returned” or “I wanted to see if it is before ordering”.
• Leave brochures that are not longer update in places from where you didn’t receive any reply. If people see brochures frequently they could buy because they usually change their mind.
• Test “cup holder for egg”. Buy a shampoo in a normal size and encourage customers to try it leaving in a cup a small amount for application.
• Always wear make up products from the company. It is the best way to promote products.
• Try yourself and talk later about these products;
• If a client says: “I’m allergic” and answer: “I understand your concern, but our products have been reformulated to match and sensitive skin, so let me give you a sample to try it.” Or “I will leave a brochure because we have a range of products from which you can choose anything, eg.: nail polish, shampoo, perfumes, etc.”.
• If a client says, “I buy from a friend,” answer: “Many have told me that. May I ask if your friend still show you the current brochure”;
• If the client says, “I’m too old for company products.” You can reply:” I still have customers who buy products for children and grandchildren”.