I really love your blog and the constant stream of inspiring and practical advice you offer.  I often forward it to my clients.

I’ve been working in the nonprofit sector in fundraising, marketing, and PR for nearly 40 years.  What bothers me about Cialdini’s points is their root in manipulating behavior based upon human nature pressure points.  I know we all use these effectively in our work.  But, I’m not really advocating them in the new era that is emerging in our field.  I prefer we move from manipulating and “motivating” to inspiring people by connecting them to a cause that makes their values and beliefs explicit in the world.  Maybe I’m just over-exposed to all the appeals out there that transparently use these tactics.  But, I think we need to move further in and farther up the value, ethics, and integrity scale.

Thanks for posting this - the video was not only entertaining, but really thought provoking - kinda scary too!

Thanks for the comments!

Jim, I think Cialdini highlights aspects of our social contract.  That knowledge can be used to increase influence - for good or bad.  For more on my thoughts on persuasion vs. manipulation, please check out my recent post and tell me if you’d agree or not - I’m curious of your take!

Thanks, Katya.  I did review your recent reflections on persuasion v manipulation and understand your point.  I wouldn’t call it a social contract, though.  I’d call it a habit of thought, with emotional markers that we can tweak.  I don’t deny there is marketing merit to these tactics and I don’t deny that they work. 

I do think that we are on edge of an evolutionary cusp, particularly with the aging of the younger generations into more influential positions and their increasing purchasing power.  We need to speak to authenticity.  As a philosopher at heart, I also think paternalism is also inherently inappropriate.  It can dis-empower people—though in your recent blog I understand the balance you strive to achieve in offering more beneficial options rather than being prescriptive. 

In my opinion, we need to focus more on co-creation where we engage our constituents in an experience of discover, where we both learn.

In the end, it is a conversation with friends—that is where we need to be headed.  I believe the Occupy movements have roots in this very debate.

Thanks again for constantly evoking healthy dialogue and putting reams of good ideas out into the nonprofit marketplace.

Here is a link to my blog on inspiration v motivation discussion: http://jmuellerassociates.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html

Jim

Really great points and we would suggest the same things to small business owners who want to increase their online communities. (Especially point #2: Liking - People are easily persuaded by other people whom they like. That’s why you want your champions spreading the word about your cause among their friends and family.) We think it’s important for brands and business to know that as they step into online marketing, it’s about bringing people INTO your community, rather than slapping a “seen it” sticker on every pair of eyes.

Hi, and thanks for making me aware of Cialdini’s book - i’ll be sure to check it out. I have seen the “liking” principle in action - during the course of social media advertising it is apparent how quickly you gain followers once a few key people have liked your page.

I will have to try inserting some scarcity jeopardy - maybe i’ll break the 1,000 mark!