Social Validation Sales
Legal Law

Social Validation Sales

For the most part, we are all conformists. We’ll do what the crowd does. We may not like to admit it, but it’s true. Only 5 to 10 percent of the population engage in behavior contrary to the social norm.
We see this law operating in groups, in organizations, in meetings, and in everyday public life. In all these circumstances, there is a certain standard or norm. In churches, the moral code determines the acceptable standard behavior for the group. In organizations, the statutes and years of tradition establish a standard operating procedure. Because we want to fit into these groups and maintain our membership in them, we adjust our actions to the norm.

We seek to find out what others are doing as a way of validating our own actions. This method is how we decide what constitutes “correct” behavior. We see behavior as more correct when we see others doing it. The more people do it, the more correct it becomes. Professor Kirk Hansen of the Stanford Business School demonstrated this when he boosted downloads of the best-selling files on the Web by downloading those files over and over again so that the counter was artificially high. He and his team then observed that these enhanced downloaded files were being downloaded even more frequently. The high number on the counter indicated popularity, and people were more interested in downloading the files that were already ranked highest. Whether the question is what to do with an empty soda can in the park, how fast to drive in the city, or how to eat soup at a restaurant, validation from others gives us our answers and therefore guides us. our actions.

We feel validation when we see others doing what we want to do. We learned early in life that we make fewer mistakes when we follow the social norm. There are two types of rules: explicit and implicit. Explicit norms are openly spoken or written. For example, road signs, employee handbooks, or game rules are examples of explicit rules. Implicit norms are not usually expressed openly. For example, you usually don’t need to be told to say hello or smile when you see someone, but you do anyway. Or, somehow, you know better than to put your feet up on the table when you’re a guest in someone’s home, even though your host probably won’t ask you to refrain from doing so.

If we don’t know the norm, we look around and find it. The Law of Social Validation becomes a way to save time and energy in figuring out what’s right. We use the behavior of others to guide our own actions, to validate what we should or should not do. We don’t always have to look at the positive and the negative in every situation. This self-timer saves us from thinking. We compare what we do with the standard of what others do. If we find a discrepancy between what we observe and what we do, we tend to make changes in the direction of the social norm.

Social validation forces us to change our behaviors, our attitudes, and our actions, even when what we actually observe does not match our true feelings, style, and thoughts. We go against our better judgment because we want to be loved, accepted, and found in agreement with everyone else. When we are part of a crowd, “we no longer feel individually responsible for our emotions or actions. We can afford to yell, sing, cry, or hit without the temperamental responsibility imposed by personal responsibility.”

We look for social norms that help us know what we should be feeling or doing. For the most part, this is not a conscious process. We subconsciously accept many ways of behaving that are determined by our environment and the actions of others, such as raising our hands to speak in class, tipping in a restaurant, or how we behave at a concert. When we become part of a group, our emotions and feelings, once divergent, tend to converge.

When we find ourselves in a strange situation where we feel uncomfortable or unsure how to act, we look for social cues that will dictate our behavior. This could be at a party, during freshman orientation, or even while attending a family reunion. When the social information we are looking for is ambiguous, we don’t know how to respond and so we continue to look for social cues. Imagine if you were sitting in the movie theater enjoying your show when someone yelled “FIRE!” Do you think you would jump and run for it? Well, if everyone else did it, you would too. If everyone stayed seated, you would also remain seated.

Learning to persuade and influence will make the difference between expecting better income and having better income. Beware of common mistakes presenters and persuaders make that cause them to lose the deal. Get your free report 10 Mistakes That Keep Costing You Thousands and exploit your income today.

conclusion

Persuasion is the missing piece of the puzzle that will crack the code to dramatically increase your income, improve your relationships, and help you get what you want, when you want, and win friends for life. Ask yourself how much money and income you have lost due to your inability to persuade and influence. Think about it. Sure you’ve seen some success, but think of the times you couldn’t. Has there been a time when you didn’t understand your point of view? Are you unable to convince someone to do something? Have you reached your full potential? Are you able to motivate yourself and others to achieve more and achieve your goals? What about your relationships? Imagine being able to overcome objections before they happen, knowing what your prospect is thinking and feeling, feeling more confident in your persuasiveness. Professional success, personal happiness, leadership potential, and income depend on the ability to persuade, influence, and motivate others.

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