6 Psychological Persuasion Techniques to Help You Get Ahead

The art and science of persuasion have been exploited for profit and personal gain by advertisers, politicians, scammers, and the like for a long time. Social psychologists have studied persuasion for decades and their research identifies certain techniques that have tremendous power to manipulate us into buying or behaving in certain ways. Yet there are times in life when we really do need to be persuasive, without the intent of being manipulative or unscrupulous. From job interviewing to dating, and teaching to selling, plenty of circumstances involve having to convince someone that we have something valuable to offer. So here’s how you can harness the persuasive power of these common psychological techniques, without sacrificing your soul or integrity.

Advertising campaigns use “priming” to create a positive association with their brand in your subconscious mind. If you’ve laughed at their advert or become familiar with their logo from the billboards you’ve driven past, you are being primed to choose their brand over another one when you hit the supermarket. It’s like sowing little seeds of influence. You could use the same technique to influence people in your life, such as priming your employer into giving you a promotion. Talk positively and confidently about the work you’ve achieved and what you would love to do with more responsibility when you’re around them – just remember it’s all in the subtlety!

Social psychologists call this “reciprocity”, in which a business offers something of value – say, giving you a free taster or trial – so you are more likely to come through with a return and buy their product. We can approach life the same way, but it is wise to remember that giving only in order to get something back can be icky and manipulative. Adopting generosity as a mindset to live by in your personal and professional life, however, can be a powerful way to invite reciprocity in creative and unexpected ways. Give people advice, offer to help them if you can, donate to a cause, and be generous with your energy – but do it without expectation. Do it because it is fun, energizing, and makes you feel good. If giving doesn’t feel like any of these things for you, stop what you’re doing and go get some rest.

The concept of “scarcity” can sometimes be used as a dishonest, fear-mongering technique  of convince people to buy something (if it were a business, for example), or need to claim or submit to something (for instance, committing to a potential partner before you’re ready as you’re feeling threatened or afraid of other potential suitors they may have getting to them first). Ever seen a “Last Chance!” rack of clothing at a store, or even a “Final Sale!” sticker or a product? The idea is that because the thing in question is limited, you will miss out if you don’t act immediately. But acknowledging the scarcity of your own finite resources – such as your time – can invite respect for the value in them too. At work, for instance, if you were to say to a co-worker “I can give you 30 minutes of my time now, or two hours on Wednesday,”’ it places a boundary around your time and energy. They are then given the opportunity to appreciate you, decide what they need – your immediate attention on something or more of your valuable skills at a time that works better for you – and adjust their behavior.

“Authority” is another persuasion technique, and once again, depending on the intent and ethics behind it (or lack thereof), it is one that can be used disingenuously – plenty of politicians and peddlers invent statistics and spout half-truths to make what they are selling sound credible and trustworthy. But the most persuasive way to build trust is through honesty. You aren’t expected to know everything, but you are the authority on your own experience. In a pressured situation, such as a job interview or pitch, be authentic about what you do and don’t know. Don’t be afraid to exhibit confidence about subjects that you do have a lot of valid and recognized experience in. When knowledge gaps come up, make the narrative about your curiosity, willingness to learn, and humility, and then everyone will be convinced by your genuine expertise – and your honor.

Consistency is another persuasion technique, because people respond well to familiarity and commitment. Having a positive influence on people in our personal lives comes down to being consistent in our actions – doing what we say we will and sticking by our values. It is important in nurturing friendships or dating. Blowing hot and cold confuses people, so try to find some form of consistency in the way you show up for someone with whom you want to build a relationship.

We are more easily persuaded by people we like. But we’ve all been turned off by smarmy attempts to win our favor – someone saying what they think we want to hear, in order to get us to “like” them. It is easy, also, to fall prey to the likeability of a narcissist, who may then use their charisma to take advantage of you while you are blinded by their charm. If increased likeability is something you’re gunning for, it is generally wiser to stop trying to convince people to like you and instead try to start attracting the people who genuinely like you when they get to see the real you. Doing so will involve bringing out your most relatable side – the one that isn’t perfect, but honest. Compliment people on what you genuinely like about them, and, most importantly, make sure you like yourself first – that’s the most persuasive thing of all.

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All of the content on our website is thoroughly researched to ensure that the information shared is evidence-based. For more information, please visit the academic journals that influenced this article: The Psychology Of Persuasion; Psychological Targeting As An Effective Approach To Digital Mass Persuasion; An Inclusive, Real-World Investigation Of Persuasion In Language And Verbal Behavior.