Dr. Robert Cialdini’s principles of persuasion completely reshaped the psychology world when they were introduced in the 1980’s. Since then, they’ve become the framework for understanding how we are influenced and how we can influence others. For business leaders, persuasion and influence is key to developing strong relationships with customers, employees, and audiences. Persuasion can help to convince others that we are credible, trustworthy leaders who are worth following.
Social media has become one of the most powerful tools for facilitating this influence over our followers, but before the era of Twitter and Instagram, the masses relied on advertising in other forms. Enter the classic propaganda poster. For centuries, posters have been used to educate, inform, and inspire the public to some goal. In many cases, these goals included war, advances in feminism, or the acceptance of controversial ideas.
The first principle, Reciprocity, suggests that people feel obliged to repay favors when they are received from others. The poster associated with this principle, used in the early 1900’s, was used to persuade immigrants to the United States that they owed a debt to the country and should help to fund the war effort. When using this principle in a business setting, look for opportunities to be the first to give – but be genuine! Genuine kindness and helpfulness goes a long way in creating strong relationships with others.
The Scarcity principle states that demand for something grows exponentially when it is limited or difficult to get. Communicating a need for urgency to consumers, clients, and employees gives leaders an advantage when trying to increase demand or support. During World War II, many American doctors were sent overseas to aid in the war. This poster instilled a sense of fear and urgency in the American public, who no longer had easy access to medical care. The messaging of the poster implies that learning at-home-care skills would be imperative to managing health concerns and that learning the basics of medicine could save lives.
The third principle, Authority, says that credibility and expertise are key to getting others to listen. Consumers trust brands they know and will go out of their way to purchase their products. Whether you are promoting an idea, selling an idea, or communicating with employees, showing that you are credible can make you more believable to your followers. The poster for this principle, “Christ Guerilla,” was used during the Cuban fight against imperialism in the 1960’s and 70’s to inspire Cubans to fight for the cause. The poster depicts the image of Jesus as a guerrilla fighter and calls on the country’s religious roots and the authority of the Christian faith to push the public to fight.
The fourth poster, which displays the principle of Consistency, is the familiar image of Rosie the Riveter, a World War II icon for women working in factories at the time. Rosie was a major influence in getting factory workers to increase their efforts to support the war and resonated strongly at the time of its creation. It continues to be a symbol of feminism and equality today. This principle suggests that people like to remain resolute with things they are already familiar with. From a business perspective, getting your customers or employees to buy into a new offering, idea, or point of view is much easier if they are already supporters.
Liking is the idea that people tend to agree with people or ideas that they already like and support. People identify most strongly with similarities, so they will agree and cooperate with others who are like them. Before making a case to your followers, spend time building rapport and likeability to build relationships. The poster “Women of Britain Say Go!” uses the liking tactic to encourage British men to join the war effort. By appealing to their emotion and sense of duty to one’s family, the poster was successful in bringing many to enlist.
Finally, the Consensus principle implies that individuals are more likely to subscribe to an idea if they know it is supported by the group at large. By highlighting what larger groups think, individuals can be pushed to action through advertising that uses this principle. The poster representing this principle, common in the era of the Soviet Union, was meant to show that the Russian people were working together to achieve common objectives. It was used during Stalin’s reign and was effective in creating support for his causes.
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