Friends ask friends to wear masks.

 

Public shaming is very popular these days.  Here's what my students had to say about it last month...

 

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2020/11/should-we-be-shaming-people-into-doing.html

 

I get it.  It's very tempting to call someone out about their bad behavior.  The problem is - who gets to decide what's bad?

 

President-elect Biden has been shaming Trump publicly over the past few weeks in an effort to get him to do his job.  Trump's reaction?  He's playing golf.

 

We really shouldn't be surprised.  Shaming is not on the list of most effective persuasion techniques.

 

What is on the list is liking.  Research shows that taking a few minutes to establish commonalities - which leads to liking, prior to negotiations, results in successful outcomes 90% of the time versus 55%  if this step is skipped. (Cialdini, 2020)

 

Every time we can get another person to wear a mask we all win. 

 

So focus your efforts on people who like you.  Explain that you wear your mask to protect them.  Ask them to do the same for you. 

 

You never know, it might just work.

 

 

Cialdini, R. (2020) Science of Persuasion.  Influence at Work.  retrieved December 30, 2020, from

https://www.influenceatwork.com/principles-of-persuasion/

If you want to persuade people you need to connect with them first.

I was cleaning out my bookshelves the other day and came across my copy of "How to Win Friends and Influence People."  Written by Dale Carnegie in 1936, it is the true definition of a classic.  The ideas it shares are still true today, only now they are backed up by research.

In previous blogs I discussed how the primacy effect coupled with repetition can lead people to believe that fake news is true.  And that one way to combat the misperception is to create fear that the belief is harmful. (Lehrer, 2018)

But before you can do that, you first have to connect.  Because someone can't relate to you emotionally if they don't like you. 

Myers-Briggs tells us that ~60% of people care more about relationships than tasks.  And since even moderate "T's" care about relationships to some extent, it is safe to assume that "liking" is important to most people these days. (MBTI)

So what makes us like someone?  Robert Cialdini says: We like people who are similar to us, who pay us compliments, and who cooperate with us.  (Cialdini, 2012) 

That's where Dale Carnegie's advice kicks in.  It all starts with showing an interest in the other person and asking questions.  Once you do, you can find common ground and begin establishing a rapport.

One tip from me - hard core task people tend not to care about similarities or flattery, but they do care a great deal about cooperation since it will help them to achieve their goals.  So the next time you are trying to persuade, connect first, possibly by cooperating on a task and then see how you do. 

Good luck!

Carnegie, D.  (1936) How to Win Friends and Influence People. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/how-to-win-friends-and-influence-people-dale-carnegie/1100370318/2689493151239?st=PLA&sid=BNB_DRS_New+Marketplace+Shopping+Textbooks_00000000&2sid=Google_&sourceId=PLGoP164984&gclid=Cj0KCQiAzrTUBRCnARIsAL0mqcwjVA77Xd7Ox0flsjG46wPVPvUtpKqs56PztC-rHsGKqtOwM7E1aDkaAtgEEALw_wcB

Lehrer, P. (2018) Prof. Lehrer's Blog.  Retrieved February 22, 2018, from

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2018/01/if-you-tell-lie-often-enough-people.html

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2018/01/if-you-want-people-to-believe-you-you.html

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2018/01/how-do-you-change-perception-fear.html

The Myers & Briggs Foundation. (2001) How frequent is my type?  Retrieved February 21, from

http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/my-mbti-results/how-frequent-is-my-type.htm?bhcp=1

Cialdini, R. (2012, November 26) The Science of Persuasion.  youtube.com.  retrieved February 22, 2018, from  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFdCzN7RYbw

Will a shift in approach be effective for Prudential?

For years insurance companies have tried to get people to save more money for retirement with little success.  In fact, according to a recent study the situation is "worse than you thought," and the average American couple has only $5,000 saved.  (Malito, 2017)

Back in December 2015, Prudential launched a new campaign focusing on social proof as a means of persuasion.  You can look at the commercial here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QIBj__R7ec

My students that semester had high hopes for the campaign.  You can read their comments here...

http://pjlehrer.blogspot.com/2015/12/is-using-social-proof-secret-to-getting.html

But since that campaign was discontinued, and I can find no trace of it currently on the website, one has to assume it was not effective. 

And now it is being replaced by a new campaign.  According to Niharika Shah, VP head of brand marketing and advertising "rather than throwing out stats and facts the formula allows us to tell a people-powered story." (Pasquarelli, 2017)

You can look at the new commercial here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIPrH4XYDKs

So, what do you think?  Which of the approaches that we discussed in class last night are they using?  Are they using them well?  Do you think they will be successful this time?  Or are Millennials more likely to use new disrupter brands such as Ladder, Fabric and Tomorrow? 

Malito, A. (2017, May 20) It’s worse than you thought: Americans are drastically under-saved for retirement. marketwatch.com.  Retrieved September 6, 2017, from

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/the-amount-of-americans-not-saving-for-retirement-is-even-worse-than-you-thought-2017-02-21

Pasquarelli, A. (2017, September 1) Prudential Taps Real-Life Couples to Push Retirement Services. adage.com.  Retrieved September 6, 2017, from http://adage.com/article/cmo-strategy/prudential/310313/