Choice overload is a cognitive process in which a person has a difficult time making a decision when faced with many options. If it sounds familiar, it’s because it’s a universal problem. There are few industries left that are not hyper-competitive and crowded with options. Couple this with the fact that we are all bombarded practically non-stop with advertisements in-person, on television, radio, podcasts, and online and it’s easy to wonder how any of us is able to make a purchasing decision at all!
Fortunately, the brain has some favorite ways of helping us to overcome the issue of choice overload and when properly understood, smart video marketers can leverage these common cognitive shortcuts to better-serve their audience. Today, we’ll review the six principles of persuasion, taken from Dr. Robert B. Cialdini’s book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion”. We’ll take a look at the psychology behind each principle and share examples of how each can be effectively incorporated into your marketing videos.
