Psychology of persuasion: authority

Give me your money

An experiment in Las Vegas says it all. A reporter put himself in a uniform with badge and truncheon and posed as a guard at a bank. At the ATM, he placed a sign: 'AUTOMATE DEFECT - the guard is observing your deposits'. No bank would allow a guard to conduct transactions for customers, but no one found it suspicious.

Without hesitation, customer after customer handed over not only cash, but also cheques, social security numbers, credit cards and PIN numbers. Something you would normally never just hand over to anyone.

When the reporter revealed afterwards what had happened and asked the customers why they gave their money and private information to the guard, the answer was pretty much the same with everyone: "Because he was wearing a uniform."

The theory of authority

It is not just guards in uniforms who command our obedience, it applies to anyone with authority, special knowledge, impressive credentials or a certain credibility.

When assessing whether someone is an authority or not, we pay attention to symbols such as titles (Dr, Professor or President), clothing (doctor's robes, police uniform, army outfit or even a grey suit) or attributes (guns, badges, prestigious stationery, expensive cars or watches).

It is not bad at all that this happens. It is nice that you can trust and rely on people with certain knowledge or other qualities. Think about choosing a GP. In the waiting room, you see all his certificates hanging and that reassures you. Add to that his white coat and the stethoscope around his neck and you know: with this man (or woman) your health is in good hands. The effect of authority is like a shortcut to your decisions.

In other words, life is too complicated for people to examine every element of a situation. Therefore, we learn to take shortcuts that help us make decisions based on limited information. The rule of authority is one such shortcut.

Authority is good, credibility is better

Before you immediately fill your website with symbols showing that your company is the authority in your field (in order to convince the visitor to buy your product or service, for example), don't forget that 1 thing is even more important than radiating authority. Namely credibility. Real credibility.

To exude credibility, expertise and reliability are two important pillars. What special knowledge do you have? What are your great successes? Do visitors feel they can trust you? Why do you do what you do? People are looking for relevant 'proof' that you are the partner to work with.

Authority and social media

Although the principle of authority still holds true, things have changed in recent years. For instance, you used to look for a GP on the phone book or go to the first best GP in your neighbourhood. The title of Dr ensured trust; the GP didn't have to do much else about that.

The internet has changed that. People start searching online for other people's experiences and reviews. The internet is making the world of authorities more transparent. Through comparison sites such as kiesbeter.nl, bovag.nl, or kindergarten.org people are increasingly looking for the best choice themselves first.

Even concreet

So how can you apply the principle of authority in practice, on your site? A few examples:

• Use the opinion of a real expert (Arjen Robben recommending a football boot).

• Demonstrate your quality mark (Bovag, Thuiswinkel Waarborg).

• Give your user the option to pay via iDEAL. ("Then you'll be fine.")

• Mention any industry awards. ("The most energy-efficient hoover according to the Consumers' Association.")

You don't have to tell people you are the best, but do show what you do. Go blogging, show your expertise, answer questions. Be active, not only on your site, but also on social media like LinkedIn or Facebook.

Show who you are

So it is important to show that you are an authority in your field. But it also tests your credibility and is a key to success. Faking it is no use, being real and genuine is.