To believe something, you have to want to believe it

Translated from the original Spanish article.

People's beliefs and ideas can be influenced. There's ample evidence of it, and the factors shouldn't come as a surprise.

On this subject, Robert Cialdini's book “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” usually comes to mind. A text written in such an insufferably American-bestseller style that at least it has the decency to leave us some knowledge—the evidence and the factors I mentioned.

In any case, this matter of persuasion deserves some reflection, because it certainly can't rest on the axiom that with a handful of cheap tricks we can, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, lead people to the river.

And marketing, in general, tends to assume just that. Bad marketing, of course.

I accept with resignation the eagerness to make a product look attractive, to tell a story that sounds good, or to convince us of ideas that are, for the most part, tremendously basic, and as repetitive as they are unconvincing.

But, once again, one of two things may well be happening: either we forget that this is about people, or we forget how we people work.

First, for someone to believe something, they have to want to believe it.

Think about what someone might want to believe. And, in turn, think about why they would want to believe (or even take the slightest interest in) what you want to tell them about yourself.

Second, the person needs to have proof, or at least a factual suspicion, that lets them shore up the rationalization of that idea. They need to justify it.

Starting from these two primary elements, you can play the game of persuasion.

Because if you have to persuade people that you're right when they think, and want to think, the opposite, you'll soon discover that there isn't enough money, time, or piping in the world to pull it off.