Persuasion vs. Manipulation Part 2
Every day we are exposed to persuasion whether that is from tv commercials, our friends or Instagrammers promoting their latest sponsored product. Without realizing it we are surrounded by persuasion more than ever.
When turning on the t.v. it is not uncommon to see celebrities promoting or using a product during commercials. They are often asked to be part of commercials as their presence is more likely to persuade consumers. For example, celebrity Jennifer Aniston, best known for playing Rachel Green on the hit sitcom Friends, can be seen in Aveeno commercials, and Emirate Airlines commercials.
Consumers see her as someone who can be trusted as she is well-liked by a variety of ages. What’s more, everyone has heard of Friends and knows who she is when they see her face. If you saw a celebrity you liked in a commercial using a product, would it persuade you to buy it?
In Jeffrey Lang’s second webinar of the two-part series Persuasion vs. Manipulation he discusses how persuasion can be used and the different ways of persuading that are effective. Other ways Lang discusses that help with persuasion is putting the news first or “anchoring” along with repetition, reciprocity and using simple language.
An example of repetition could be McDonalds; everyone knows their saying of “I’m lovin it” and the standard of food to expect. It does not matter whether you are in England, America or Japan – when buying McDonald’s the consumer knows what type of food to will be available and what the inside of the fast-food chain restaurant will look like to eat in.
Reciprocation is the idea of “I do something nice for you, you’re obligated to do something nice for me,” said Lang. Think of the example of being waited on in a restaurant. If the waiter introduces himself and then asks questions throughout the meal to make sure you have everything you want, you are more likely to give them a bigger tip compared to a waiter who does not do this.
People, in general, respond very well to these techniques mentioned and often will not realize they are being persuaded a certain way. Lang mentions how persuasion can be used when working with clients. It does not have to be harsh, but sometimes being assertive when persuading is necessary.
These ideas can be taken and applied into real life whether that is trying to convince a group member about something in a college project or to go on a family vacation to Hawaii rather than Florida. Persuasion is an important and useful skill to have and use.
I think students like myself need to learn when and how to use persuasion so it can be developed into a skill and then used when necessary. It may seem like a long way in the future to be working with clients but sooner rather than later, that time will come around. Listening to Lang’s webinar will help develop an understanding of what persuasion is. He also gives useful tips along with explanations and examples that helped me understand the difference between persuasion and manipulation.
To learn more about financial planning work with a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) practitioner or reach out to the Financial Planning program here at California Lutheran University for more information.
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About the Speaker:Mr. Jeffrey W. Lang Sr. is the Director of Supervision for the Southeast Division and a Financial Planner of Lincoln Financial Advisors, a Registered Investment Advisor and Broker-Dealer.He attended Towson University in Baltimore, Maryland. He received his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER (TM) certification from the College for Financial Planning in 1984. Jeffrey has also earned a Chartered Leadership Fellow and Chartered Life Underwriter designations from the American College. He attended The Richard D. Irwin Graduate School at the American College where he earned a Master of Science in Financial Services degree in 1992, the Master of Science in Management degree in 1995, a Chartered Leadership Fellow designation in 2004 and a Chartered Life Underwriter designation in 2012. Jeffrey is a PhD candidate in the Financial and Retirement Planning Program at the American College.
He is presently an adjunct faculty member at California Lutheran University’s Financial Planning program. He has been a member of the adjunct faculty for professional studies for the CFP® program at the University of Baltimore and Villa Julie College. He is frequently invited as a guest lecturer at The American College, The University of Maryland, The University of Baltimore, as well as professional associations. Jeff served as the Financial Planning Association of Maryland’s President in 2003 and as its Chairman in 2004.
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About the author:Rosie Baker is an undergraduate student at California Lutheran University studying Communication with an emphasis in PR and Advertising. She is also minoring in Creative Writing. |
To watch the archived webinar, click the link below:
Persuasion vs. Manipulation Pt. 2 – Webinar
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