If you struggle to convince other people to do what you would like them to do, you don't have to change your offer but HOW you offer it.

1. THE 6 RULES OF PERSUASION
APPLIED TOTHE PERSONALTRAININGBUSINESS

2. 2003
•Medical Faculty -Universityof Turin
•Sport Medicine degree– Universityof
Glasgow
•Founderof Functional TrainingAcademy
•CEOFunctional TrainingNetwork
MAX ICARDI
1999

4. A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

5. THE 6 RULES OF PERSUASION
APPLIED TOTHE PERSONALTRAININGBUSINESS
“If you are having trouble getting people to say yes,
you don’t need to change what you are proposing;
you need to change how you present what you have to offer.”
RobertCialdini(1984)

6. THE 6 RULES OF PERSUASION
APPLIED TOTHE PERSONALTRAININGBUSINESS

7. THE 6 RULES OF PERSUASION
APPLIED TOTHE PERSONALTRAININGBUSINESS
#2
#1. RECIPROCITY
#2 . CONSISTENCY
#3 . SOCIALPROOF
#4 . LIKING
#5 . AUTHORITY
#6 . SCARCITY
Wheneverwetake a decision, we would liketo thinkthat we considered all the rational elements in order to take teh best
possible decision. BUT....studies show us that every decision wemakeis INFLUENCEDby different factors that we are nit
always aware of. Thesefactors are:
Duringthis seminar youwill understand these principles and learnto use them in a
ETHICAL WAY
to attract more clients and keep themlonger

8. When you offer something first, people will feel a sense of indebtedness,
which will make them more likely to comply with your subsequent requests.
We’re deeply wired to be reciprocal.
#1 . RECIPROCITY
In many social situations, we pay back what we
received from others.

9. Spotify Premium: Ad-free music streaming with offline mobile access.
Spotify provides a 30-day free trial for their Premium membership, which
can be cancelled at any time at no cost.
This makes it hard for people to stop the payment when the free trial ends,
especially when it only costs €10/month.
#1 . RECIPROCITY
In many social situations, we pay back what we
received from others.

10. Booking.com “GENIUS” program gives you 10% discount on your bookings
if you create an account.
#1 . RECIPROCITY
In many social situations, we pay back what we
received from others.

11. When think about giving something away for free, you probably immediately think
about free gadgets...Giving a personalized gadget with your company logo on it
certainly belongs to the #1 principle of reciprocity, but so is FREE CONTENT: free
exercise video’s, free newsletters, blogposts, etc... And what about a free service
for a period?
#1 . RECIPROCITY
In many social situations, we pay back what we
received from others.
Offer something first
• allow them to feel indebted to you
Offer something exclusive
• allow them to feel special
Personalize the offer
• make sure they know it’s from you

12. We are bombarded with hundreds of choices to make every single day. For
convenience, we simply make a single decision and then stick to it for all
subsequent related choices.
The way to earn customer loyalty using this principle is to make them commit to
something (a statement/stand/identity). They will then feel an automatic compulsion
to stick with it.
#2 . COMMITMENT & CONSISTENCY
We tend to stick with whatever we’ve already chosen.
Ask your customers to
start from small actions
so they’ll have to stick to it.
Encourage public
commitments, they’ll be
less likely to back out.
Reward your
customers for investing
time and effort in your
brand.

13. Booking.com is so kind to remind me when I already used their services, how
happy have I been and regularly sends me messages asking for small
commitments, like writing a review. When using Booking.com for business, you can
spare handy “points”.
#2 . COMMITMENT & CONSISTENCY
We tend to stick with whatever we’ve already chosen.

14. www.functionaltraining.net
I can do that...
#2. ASK FOR SMALL

15. #2. REWARD

16. When we are uncertain, we often look to the 'social proof' of what others
do. All of us look to others to help us decide how to act, to guide our
behaviour, to determine whether something is right or wrong. The more
people doing it, the more correct it seems.
#3 . THE SOCIAL PROOF
PRINCIPLE:
We have more trust in things that are popular or endorsed by
people that we trust.

17. Booking.com built its own reputation on the credibility of its reviews. When
looking for a hotel you can rely on the experience and judgements of
people LIKE you that stayed at the hotel previously.
#3 . THE SOCIAL PROOF
PRINCIPLE:
We have more trust in things that are popular or endorsed by
people that we trust.

18. •Approval from credible experts in the relevant fieldExperts
•Approval or endorsements from celebrities (paid or unpaid)Celebrities
•Approval from current/past users (ratings, reviews and testimonials) Testimonials by
those who have been "converted" from another product or serviceUsers
•Approval from large groups of other people, for example build a large Facebook
community‘Wisdom of crowds’
•Approval from friends and people you know. Use real people and their networks for
testimonialsPeers
•Mention how long your company has been around, a subtle indication of popularitySINCE 2003
#3 . THE SOCIAL PROOF
PRINCIPLE:
We have more trust in things that are popular or endorsed by
people that we trust.
Social Proof works best when your prospect sees similar others using the
product or service. They should be able to say, "Yes, those people are like
me and they are using it. So, I'm the type of person who would use it, too."

19. #3. MAKE IT A
TREND
They train
there too...

20. That can range from our closest friends to complete strangers that we are
attracted to.
This explains why we trust word-of-mouth recommendations from our
peers, as well as stuff endorsed by our favourite singers.
#4 . THE LIKING PRINCIPLE:
We are more likely to comply with requests made by
people we like.

21. #4 . THE LIKING PRINCIPLE:
We are morelikely to comply with requestsmade by people welike.
When we look at JamesBond standing with his Aston Martin, the carno longer becomes just a car. Elements of the international
manof mysteryrubs off onto it, turningit into a “sexy”, “masculine” and “cool” ride. Fora brandto be immortalised, it has to
evolve from being a makerof products into a creator and enforcerof an ideal. Just like how Apple represents the innergeek and
rebel in all of us, yourbrand must be associated with an ideal/value that yourcustomers can relate to and support.

22. #4 . THE LIKING PRINCIPLE:
We are morelikely to comply with requestsmade by people welike.
A good picture galleryis a MUSTin order to score well on Booking.com (en Booking reminds the hotels constantly to publish
good pictures). When looking for a hotel to stay, the picture galleryapparently influences85%of thevisitors.

23. • [Make your website] well-designed, function and suit what you’re
selling.
Physical
attractiveness
• Behave like a friend, not a brand. Show them that you can relate
to, and understand them. Be careful of “aggressive” social media
actions!!!
Similarity
• Have a voice; use social media platforms not to broadcast, but
hold intimate conversations and form relationships with your
customers.
Compliments
• Fight for the same causes as your customers. Nothing builds
rapport and closeness like good old-fashioned teamwork. Support
a charity
Contact and
Cooperation
• Associate your brands with the same values that you want to
communicate and possess.
Conditioning and
Association
#4 . THE LIKING PRINCIPLE:
We are more likely to comply with requests made by
people we like.

24. #4. LIKEABLE
CELEBRITIES
She trains
there too...
Erika Van Tielen, TV presenter and her FT
Coach Christoph Strijbos

25. This hold especially true in fields where we aren’t experts. Most headlines
utilize this principle by including phrases like “scientists say”, “experts say”,
“research shows”.
#5 . THE AUTHORITY PRINCIPLE:
We follow people who look like they know what they’re doing.

26. #5 . THE AUTHORITY PRINCIPLE:
We follow people who look like they know what they’redoing.
Booking.comown“preferredpropertyprogramme”is aqualitylabel thatcertainhotels cangain onlypassing
strictqualitycontrolsandhaving aminimum of500favourablereviews.

27. Youcan giveoff the air of authorityif youpayattention of these factors:
#5 . THE AUTHORITY PRINCIPLE:
We follow people who look like they know what they’redoing.
Titles
• Positions of
power/experience
• Proof of education from
respected institutes
• Association with astrict
qualitylabel
Clothes
• Superficialcuesthat signal
authority
• Psychologicalresearch has
research hasshown that
shown that people take
takeonly 1/10thof a
a second (0.1s) to form first
formfirst impressions about
Awards/Publications
• Accessories/indirect cues
thataccompany
authoritativeroles
• Become a recognized
authorityinyour field
though publicspeaking
• Appear in qualitymedia

28. Looks like she’s
an expert
#5. BECOME AN
EXPERT

29. We assume that things that are difficult to obtain are usually better than
those that are easily available. We link availability to quality. We know it by
many names, but it’s all fundamentally about the same thing: if it’s hard to
get, it must be worth something. These tactics are used frequently in offline
and online stores, as they are low-risk and easy to manage.
#6 . THE SCARCITY PRINCIPLE:
We are always drawn to things that are exclusive
and hard to come by.

30. #6 . THE SCARCITY PRINCIPLE:
We are always drawn to things that are exclusive and hard to come by.
The 11KClub isamysteriousclub withonly11,000slots,andone exceptionalbenefit.
Butapartformthat,noone knowswhattheclub is for,or whatthatbenefit is.The onlywaytoknowis tojoin
it. Withnoinformationtoconsider,the 11KClubwasa socialexperiment onhowalluring exclusivity canbe.

31. #6 . THE SCARCITY PRINCIPLE:
We are always drawn to things that are exclusive and hard to come by.
Peoplecan’thandlethe factthattheycould miss outonsomething. Theywantto bepartofthe ‘club,’the
exclusivefew.Youcanlearnto trigger yourcustomers’sense ofurgencywith thesemethods:
LIMITED-NUMBER
• Course size is limitedto
12 participants, first
comes, first served. Last
year the course sold out
in 3 days.
LIMITED-TIME
• Subscribe before June
30th to get yourEARLY
BIRD package
ONE-OF-A-KIND
SPECIALS
• Stock clearance! All the
2016 VFF models at
20% discount
UTILISING
COMPETITIONS
• Thereare currently3
people on a waiting list
to trainon Monday at
18:00

32. #6: BE EXCLUSIVE
Will I miss out
something?

33. THE 6 RULES OF PERSUASION
APPLIED TOTHE PERSONALTRAININGBUSINESS
#1. RECIPROCITY
• Give first in orderto getit later
#2 . CONSISTENCY
• Small commtiments leadto big
committments
#3 . SOCIAL PROOF
• Make it a trend
#4 . LIKING
• Everybodywants tobe cool
#5 . AUTHORITY
• Becomean expert
#6 . SCARCITY
• Who wants to miss it?!

34. www.functionaltraining.net
Thankyou, thankyou very much!
www.maxicardi.co
m