EXPERIENCES Also Influence People

In the previous post, I discussed three modes and means of influencing people. The idea was to pinpoint the basic vehicles of influence. Well, I missed one: EXPERIENCE. Life experiences, especially very positive or negative ones, influence our perceptions and behavior greatly.

When I was about 8 years old, a sample bottle of Pert shampoo appeared in the mailbox. It was green and gooey and claimed to have shampoo and conditioner in one. I tried it (why not?) and liked it. It was better than whatever I was using at the time. So I continued to use Pert shampoo for the next 10 or 15 years - not because of what I read or heard about it, but because of the experience of the free sample. It left an impression and influenced my behavior.

So now we have a total of four modes and means of influencing people:

1) Experience
2) Relationships
3) Stories and art
4) Facts and reason

In the next post, I'll make practical suggestions about applying the four modes and means.