In the fifth of this six-part series, we discuss the theory of the principle of “authority”.
People trust experts, we see this every day with magazines and television where people who are seen as ‘trustworthy’ experts are expressing a public opinion to change our mind about a topic, you see this mostly in politics and sports.
To explain further, the principle of authority is all about credibility and trust. Where there is credibility, there is believability and a tendency for people to do what the authoritative figure is saying. To gain credibility, individuals or organisations must work hard to establish themselves as trustworthy experts.
In terms of the principles of persuasion, what is authority?
Simply, it’s what we look for when we need to confirm that the individual or organisation we’re considering trusting for information or assistance is dependable. (Or, if you like, they have more than half a clue.)
Years ago, I can remember taking one of my kids to the doctor on a Sunday. It was one of those weekend clinics where it was the luck of the draw you got to see. When the doctor called us into his surgery, I instantly noticed that he wasn’t wearing shoes. Now, before I go any further, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy footloose Sundays as much as the next person, but my expectations are reasonably high when it comes to the GP I see. A GP not wearing shoes sent my mind into a frenzy.
What I did next is what Cialdini believes to be true of the human mind; I went looking for something that told me that Dr Barefoot on Sunday was credible. As soon as we entered the surgery, I looked straight for the qualifications and certificates on the wall. After our visit, with the script in hand, I Googled him and the letters after his name.
Doing these things confirmed that this authoritative figure was credible and trustworthy, and already I changed my mind about the GP just by making sure that is was capable just by his degrees and history.
Its amazing, how still nowadays we pre-judge things or people based on their experience and credibility.
Having his certificates on the wall or having a “Googled” page, is a form of bragging and many people find it uncomfortable to “brag” about their expertise, but your chances of influencing others increase dramatically once they understand you are an expert who can be trusted.
Authority is overriding
Once we’ve established that the authority is credible, we hand over our trust. We are more likely to do as they tell us.
If you remember when the government was campaigning for us all to get the COVID-19 vaccination, who did they use in their advertising campaigns? We saw people like Professors, Chief Medical Officers and Doctors selling the message.
I’m not sure about you, but as soon as I see the titles like all of the above, I am more inclined to listen. The title of Professor tells me that this person has studied much, and I can trust what they’re telling me to do.
When an expert is fronting the direction, we listen. As psychology and marketing Professor Robert Cialdini explains, “The principle states that we believe we will be better off if we follow the lead of legitimate experts, because they have greater knowledge and expertise in a certain domain than we do”.
How can authority be promoted in your business?
Never assume that people know what you specialise in or how well you know something.
Because many of us are modest and worried about what others will think, we’re reluctant to promote our areas of expertise. But in today’s world, singing your song is a must!
If you’ve been fitting tyres since you left school, promote that you’ve been in the industry since 1995. This is the authority that prospective customers want to know about you. Why? Because they want to know that they can trust you.
Years of experience, qualifications, and training speak volumes to your audience, and they need to be placed predominately at the front of your business, website, and social media pages.
How to get authority?
One of the most effective ways to gain credibility is to ask others to promote you. Someone else’s praise (expert or not) speaks volumes.
For example, how often have you seen an advertisement for toothpaste featuring a dentist in a white coat? Whether that person is a dentist or just acting as one really doesn’t matter. It looks credible, and in many instances, that’s all that’s needed to tell our minds that the brand is worth checking out.
Suppose you’re reading this and are feeling like crawling under a rock because you’re new in the business or industry and have absolutely no credibility. Fear not! There are things you can do.
- Make sure your digital assets (e.g.) website, social media and Google My Business profiles look professional. Unprofessional profile photos and scrappy websites will drive customers away fast! The old saying of “Fake it, until you make it”, is a perfect example here.
- Work hard for testimonials. Words from satisfied customers tell prospective customers that you know what you’re doing. This builds confidence. Note – If you’re new to the business, you may need to ask people if they’d be interested in you doing a job for them in exchange for a positive review.
- Promote new skills and qualifications. Every time you complete a training course, ensure you promote it. This tells your audience that you’re both enthusiastic and dedicated to what you do. Also, include this information in your email signature.
Want to know more about building authority?
Chrissy and the team at Creative Little Soul are masters at building profiles to promote credibility and authority. It’s what they get out of bed each day to do. Reach out to them. They’d love to hear from you.