Weekly Alluviance #154: The Godfather of Influence Presents: The Moment Before the Moment
- alexkremer8
- Jan 7
- 2 min read
Your weekly dose of Alluviance!
It's easy to obsess over the big closing moment.
But what if the most important part of the conversation happens before you even deliver your message?
This is the work of Robert Cialdini, the godfather of influence. He found that the most masterful persuaders don't just have a better argument; they architect the moment before the argument.
He calls it Pre-suasion.
The core idea is simple: whatever you draw someone's attention to, immediately before you make a request, temporarily becomes more important in their mind.
You are tilling the soil before you plant the seed.
In one famous study, researchers sent shoppers to a furniture website. Half saw a background of fluffy clouds. The other half saw a background of pennies.
The result? The "cloud" group consistently chose more expensive, comfortable sofas. The "penny" group consistently sought out the best bargains. The pre-suasive cue channeled their attention and changed their entire buying criteria without them ever realizing it.
So, how does this show up on a sales call?
Most reps start a discovery call by just diving in.
But what if, before you started grilling them on their problems, you said: "From everything I've seen, it looks like you’ve built a team that really values close collaboration."
You've just shone a spotlight on the idea of collaboration. You've pre-suaded them to be more open, more partnered, more collaborative with you for the rest of the conversation.
You can't pre-suade someone to focus on trust if you aren't trustworthy. You can't get them to value partnership if you're only thinking about your commission.
This isn't about a script. It's an act of deep intention.
It’s the ultimate bridge between the Inner Game and the craft of sales. The clarity and presence you bring into the room is what takes this from sleezy manipulation to intentional alignment.
Your presence is the ultimate pre-suasion. |
1. Featured LinkedIn Post:
"What are your non-negotiables"
The most important advice I can give someone looking for their next job:Figure out your lens.
2. Quote to fuel your Alluviance:
With Alluviance & In Extreme Gratitude,
Alex Kremer |
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