by Tony Vidler       

One of the primary functions of the professional adviser is to influence clients to make change.  Or sometimes, influence them not to change things.

Our role is to manage client behaviour to help generate the desired outcomes that clients want.  We must get them to act, or not act, in order to achieve their goals.

It is helpful then to understand the principles of influence that affect the overwhelming majority of humans, regardless of ethnicity, culture, religion or nationality.  Human beings are essentially the same in the main, driven by the same emotions and base needs to begin with.  As a result the majority are susceptible to the same influences to drive their behaviour.

One of the really important principles of influence for professional advisers is the principle of social proof.  In short the principle is:

We believe a behaviour or an action is the correct thing for us to do if we see enough others doing it.

In this Quick Tips video we discuss this principle, and consider how advisers can use it to help clients make good decisions….

Watch the video to learn more…