whiteboard videoInfluence is a handy little tool in business. And an awesome animated whiteboard video can help you get it. (Or supercharge it, if you’ve already got it.) I can prove it.

You may be familiar with Robert Cialdini’s classic book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. So many diverse professionals–from managers to marketers to salespeople to politicians–still cite it as the number one go-to source on the subject.

What Dr. Cialdini figured out through his research is that there are six basic factors, any one of which can move us humans to action.

And incredibly, you can achieve a full HALF of these using one single animated whiteboard video.

Here’s a quick recap of the 6 factors–pay special attention to the last 3:

Reciprocity. We’re more likely to act under the influence of someone else if they’ve given us something first, because we feel as though we “owe” them.

Commitment /Consistency. Humans have a desire to remain consistent. So for example, if we say we believe in a certain cause, we’re more likely to donate to that cause in the future (amazingly, even if we were lying!).

Scarcity. Basically, we’re more likely to value (and buy) things that have a limited supply.

Likability. Simply liking someone makes you more likely to do things they want you to do.

Authority. We humans are hardwired to respect and follow what authority figures direct us to do.

Social proof. People are more likely to do stuff that other people are already doing.
Most online marketing is focused on the first 3. Mainly because those are the easiest!

Give away a free report (Reciprocity), get people to click a single button before redirecting them to a signup page (Commitment), and tell them your sale is for a “limited time only” (Scarcity).

Likeability, Social Proof, and Authority take a lot more effort!

But like many things technological, a well planned marketing video is a great lever that can make it much faster and easier to build up influence “the hard way.”

Let’s take a closer look…

Likeability: Customers appreciate it when you make their lives easier by giving them key information succinctly, simply and quickly. Essentially, a whiteboard and cartoon animation video helps them do less research, and transforms you into the likeable expert.

Authority: Check out the last word of the previous paragraph…expert. Showing people you totally understand their problem (maybe even better than they do) transforms you from Joe Average, into trusted authority.

Social proof: When you think of online comments, does the word video come to mind? A well made video is the most likely type of content for people to like, share, and comment on through the magical world of social media…earning you gobs of social proof in the process.

Every business depends on building up influence. Why do it the hard way, when you can do it the smart way instead?