Why do you prefer to hang around with people who are nice to you? Precisely, you find them sympathetic and that creates a bond. The mechanism doesn’t just work in your private life, but is just as good in marketing. Handy then if you know how to use this little piece of psychology when making your next video script, commercial or e-learning. We’ve put 5 tips in a tidy little row for you. Nice, right?
1. The Tupperware party
Back in the day housewives used to come together for Tupperware parties. Tupperware made handy plastic storage boxes for everything and anything. In a shop you would be hard pressed to find them, because the boxes were only for sale during ‘parties’ in people’s homes. That a cosy, social evening with friends and family is an optimal setting for sales seems to have been the case for decades.
During one of these parties there was careful preparation made up to the moment of sale. With games where you could win nice prizes and everyone could hunt out a prezzie from the lucky dip (the reciprocity principle from episode 1 of this blog series, on making more persuasive videos). The discussion would be steered so that those who already used Tupperware could enthusiastically tell everyone about it.
An evening like that, full of friendliness and sympathy was not just a party for attendees, but for the sales department at Tupperware too. It is a good idea then, to place your story, product or service in a trusted and friendly setting.
2. Gain trust
You can also build up that trusted feeling of the Tupperware party online. With the emphasis on build up, because it doesn’t just happen overnight. ‘Trust is a fragile thing – hard to earn, easy to lose.’ In other words: you need to carefully build up a relationship because [otherwise] just one misstep can, unfortunately, mean that you lose it again.
So, take your time for regular contact. For example through a series of blogs or vlogs that you share with your target audience. On the basis of their reactions you can increasingly personalise your follow-up. Until the time comes that there has been sufficient trust and sympathy built up to get together and talk business.
It’s good therefore to screen your content now and then. Is it made up of lots of individual items or is there a structure to it?
3. Sympathy for the car salesman
Car salesmen are known as a type to watch out for. Slippery guys who will try to sell you a car which is just too expensive. Still, we can learn from them. Firstly, they encourage sympathy by appearing perfectly groomed. Countless studies have shown that people with a well dressed, well cared for appearance fare better than others.
Whether we’re talking about salespeople, job applicants or life partners. It can make the difference in salary of up to 15%: calculate your profit. It extends so far that handsome men and women have been known to get lesser punishments for comparable offences than less tidy types. OK, we’re getting distracted, back to our car salesman.
His second sympathy-based tactic is that he is always on your side. He will look for as much common ground as possible. He will take a good look at the car that you want to trade in and start asking about your kids (child seat in the back), about golf (golf set noted), or camping (noticed your tow hook).
He is talking about kids, golf and camping because he knows that people who like the same things, often find each other sympathetic. But he will take it a step further too.
In his attempt to get you over the line he will conspire with you against his boss; he’ll sort the luxury interior for you, the metallic paint, or an extra set of tyres at no extra cost. How nice is that? In short, make sure you’re well dressed and tell them a story that shows you to be ‘one of them’.
4. Sympathetic associations
In addition to the friendly atmosphere of the Tupperware party and the like-mindedness of the car salesman there are loads of other things you can do to arouse sympathy. Cooperation for example. Research conducted in primary schools into the problems of integration between children with different ethnic backgrounds showed that the competitive nature of education was counterproductive.
It stimulated ‘us versus them’ thinking. Through cooperative learning, in which working together was stimulated, preemptive judgements vanished and friendships emerged. Go for the interaction. Challenge. Invite. Start a dialogue. In short, choose a call-to-action that directs towards partnership. It works!
5. Sympathy comes from the stomach
And lastly, the tastiest form of sympathy. Because even if the majority of communications and deals are conducted online, don’t forget that face to face can do wonders too. Preferably whilst enjoying a drink and a bite. It is an enormous sympathy-creator. A coffee or lunch invite is always a more appealing call-to-action.
That can start with a video. If we see people enjoying food and drinks, as viewers, we also get a warm, cosy feeling. That effect is called ‘appetite appeal’. A story placed in a charming and tasty context can reckon on plenty of sympathy as a consequence.
Get to work!
Thus, you can positively influence your viewer and listener by letting your most sympathetic side show. Make sure that you and the people in your web videos and on social media posts look good. Build trust with your reader or viewer as quickly as you’re able.
Look for common ground, so that you become like-minded. After a while, take your prospective clients out to eat and find a way to work together, even if it’s just a small project. Good luck and enjoy your dinner!
About this series
The blog post series ‘Positive influencing’ by Voicebooking explores the psychology behind influencing. The goal is to attract and persuade your readers, viewers and listeners, not manipulate or mislead them. The series is based on the six fundamental principles of persuasion, as researched and described by Robert Cialdini, Professor Emeritus of Psychology and Marketing at Arizona State University and Stanford University.
