Influence in a Nutshell

Influence in a Nutshell

How to Develop Vise-Grip Customer Loyalty

by Freddy Davis

Influence in a Nutshell

By Freddy Davis

Copyright © 2004 Freddy Davis

Smashwords Edition

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Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 - Influence: What it is and When it is Used?

Chapter 2 - The Ways Influence Can Be Applied

Chapter 3 - The Psychological Processes Involved in Influence

Chapter 4 - The Emotional Side of Influence

Chapter 5 - Basic Principles of Influence

Chapter 6 - Influence for Sellers

Chapter 7 - How to Protect Yourself From the Influence of Sellers

Chapter 8 - Back to the Beginning

Dedication

To my dad,

whose influence in my life was instrumental

in shaping my life into what it is today. I miss him deeply.

Introduction

I was recently contacted by a telemarketer for a water softener company. That person told me that the company wanted my input about their product line. He said that they wanted me to answer some survey questions to help them make a marketing decision about which market they should advertise in. There was to be no selling. In return I was to receive some free movie tickets.

This seemed like a good deal, so I agreed. But when the person came to do the survey, it turned out that it wasn’t a survey call at all. A salesman came who wanted to do a full-blown sales presentation. Only problem was, I didn’t realize, immediately, that they had lied to me. The salesman didn’t say anything. He just started in, and I didn’t catch on until he had gotten way into the presentation. I must say, when I finally did figure it out, I was more than a little ticked off. I had trusted their word and was willing to help them in the way they requested. But now, because of their lies to get in my door, I would never buy one of their products, and would refuse to ever even do business with them.

This incident was not the result of a simple misunderstanding. It was a deliberate strategy that the company had developed to get in the door and sell their filters. Their strategy was to use a manipulative sales presentation that would work under my radar, and convince me to buy. They believed that with a good presentation I would totally overlook the fact that they had lied to me.

In my case their strategy backfired. Now, I don’t have any doubt that their product is good. But for me, the integrity of the company is more important than the particular product. There are other water softener companies that sell virtually the same thing with just as good a quality, if I was in the market for that kind of product. In my case, their attempts at persuasion came to nothing because they didn’t take into account some of the most basic principles of influence.

I’m sure this company sells a lot of product using these tactics. Their approach is designed to manipulate people’s minds and emotions to make a sale. I am also very sure that they have a lot of people who, within their three-day right of termination window, change their minds and terminate the contract that they initially signed. They also probably have a lot of unhappy customers who didn’t realize how they had been manipulated until later.

It is this kind of incident that we often think about when the topic of influence and persuasion comes up. There is certainly no shortage of happenings like this. But just because there are people who are unethical and lack integrity, it doesn’t mean that we should be down on everyone who intentionally uses influence. Influence and persuasion are not evil actions perpetrated on an unsuspecting world, in order to do ill. That would be like saying that computers are evil because you can access child pornography through them. It is not the technology that is bad. What evil there is, exists because some individuals have used it badly.

The same holds true when it comes to influence. The reality is, influence is such a pervasive and integral part of our daily lives, most people don’t have any idea how useful and valuable it is. We use influence to get things we want and need, to help other people, to make our offices run more smoothly, to help people grow, and even to enhance our relationships.

It is not influence that is bad, it is the wrong use of it. Our goal, here, is to try and come to a deeper understanding of influence. That way we can use it in ways that are positive in order to get the most satisfaction out of life. If you want to be more effective in your job, relationships, play, or any other part of your life, you would be well served to spend a little time understanding and mastering influence.

Chapter 1

Influence: What it is and When it is Used?

What is Influence?

As I go about living my life