Psychology Of Persuasion • How To Persuade

Decision Strategies

A person's strategy is the steps that they go through when making a decision.

Once you know their strategy, you can customize your presentation to match the strategy.

Here's an illustration of strategy that I use to purchase ice cream from my favorite ice cream shop.

Knowing that this is my strategy, how would you persuade me to stop at Brusters?

Another Decision Strategy

Based upon the values alignment example, here's a comparison of the decision strategies that James and Susan would use.

James' strategy:

• Read restaurant reviews online and in the local newspaper .
• Talk to friends to find out if they have ever eaten at one of the restaurants.
• Arrive at the restaurant and ask to see the menu.
• He is fully prepared to leave if he doesn't see anything he thinks he will like.
• He only looks at the price column after he has verified the food choices.
• He may not ask for the menu if the decor is not appealing.

Susan's strategy:

• Look around for the nearest fast food restaurant.

How To Use Decision Strategies

Once you know a person(s) strategy, adapt your presentation to match it and get an advantage that some may consider to be unfair.