Sources of Persuasion

Persuasion refers to an attempt to change consumers' attitudes.

Reciprocity- We are more likely to give if first we receive.

     Ex: Money in a mail survey questionnaire increases response rate by an average of 65% over surveys that do not have financial incentives^[1]

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Scarcity- Items are more attractive when they aren't available.

     Ex: Limited edition items^[3]

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Authority- We believe an authoritative source much more readily than one that is less authoritative.

     Ex: Opinions more likely to shift based on an article published in New York Times versus one published in the National Enquirer^[5]

^[6]

Consistency- People try not to contradict themselves in terms of what the say and do about an issue.

     Ex:  In a study, donations doubled if residents were first asked to sign a petition supporting a specific cause two weeks prior to asking for donations.^[7]

Liking- We agree with those we like or admire.

     Ex:  In a study, good-looking fundraisers raised almost twice as much as volunteers who were not as attractive.^[8]

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Consensus-  We consider what others do before we decide what to do.

     Ex:  People are more likely to donate to a charity if they first see a list of names of their neighbors who have already done so.^[10]