Book Preview: How Consumers’ Decisions Get Influenced

If you’re in the catalog/multichannel business, you’re in the advertising business. And if you’re in the ad business, let’s face it: Much, if not all, of what you and your company does is to try to persuade people to buy your products. In his new book “The 7 Triggers To yes: The New Science Behind Influencing People’s Decisions,” (McGraw-Hill, 2008) author Russell H. Granger provides his formula for influencers that affect the human thought process.

Through his research, Granger concludes the human brain has its own internal triggers for decision making. And these triggers are activated by the emotional, not the rational, centers of the brain. Thus, Granger created a system to activate the internal emotion-based triggers of the people you’re attempting to persuade (i.e., your customers). Listed below are the seven “triggers” that comprise this system and how they can be implemented into your business.

1. Friendship. The easiest way to win people over is to create friendships with them, earning their trust and agreement through bonding. Become a friend and the other triggers will likely work; miss out on creating a friendship and bond, and virtually nothing else will work, Granger says. An element that can establish or renew a friendship is common interests. Some possible targets include leisure time activities, kids, business background, educational background, sports, travel, movies and pets.

2. Authority. Creating a sense of expertise or knowledge greatly enhances your ability to persuade. When you’re viewed as an authority, your customer perceives less risk and feels more assurance and trust in the decision you helped them to make, Granger says. Ways to go about establishing your authority include dressing the part as an expert, promoting past accomplishments, obtaining and promoting positive endorsements from people who’ve worked with you, using titles, and making aware any awards you’ve received.