I had the pleasure of watching Robert Cialdini speak at an event some years ago.
Already a fan of his book Influence, I was excited to learn he was getting ready to release Pre-Suasion, his follow-up book talking about the psychological triggers leading up to our moments of influence.
The key takeaway is to set the stage to make individuals more receptive to your ideas, even before they hear them. By strategically directing attention before the message, we can significantly increase its impact and persuade more effectively.
How This Works in Real Life
We've all experienced walking past a baker and having the smell of freshly baked pastries directed at us rather than up a chimney.
We've been in car showrooms, where it's no coincidence that sales staff want to discuss options while we're sitting in the car.
But what about professional services companies? How do we pre-suade people ethically and in a way that helps them be more receptive?
This is one of the lesser realized benefits of having a book to build your business.
Not only is a book a very effective lead tool, but it also predisposes people to want to do business with you once you get to the point of having a conversation.
If your book delivers value and suggests a course of action, when that client then hears similar advice on a call or in a meeting, they are already receptive to the idea.
Prime Before You Pitch
Robert's book is full of subtle (and not-so-subtle) ideas. So whether you're thinking of writing a book or just sending an email, the question worth asking is: what steps can you take to prime your audience before they even hear the message?
