Three Modes and Means of Influencing People

What are the fundamental modes or means of influencing people? This question was on my mind this week, not only as a marketing question, but also as a life question. We all want to influence people - family, friends, co-workers, partners, customers, markets, the masses - to do something, to go somewhere, to not do something. How do we do it? What is the best way?

I came up with three basic vehicles of influence and ranked them in order of influence:

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

People we know have the most influence on us: father, mother, husband, wife, brother, sister, son, daughter, friend, colleague. If one of these people asked you do to something or gave a recommendation (assuming the relationship is generally good), you would seriously consider it, if only because of your relationship with that person. Relationships exert the most influence.

Stories and art move people, sometimes in profound ways. This is something I have come to appreciate much more in recent years, perhaps because of my handicap as an analytical/engineer type. Think of a great book, movie, song, speech, painting or vista that stirred emotions inside you and caused you to see something more clearly. Have you ever been to a concert where the music and showmanship swept the crowd into a frenzy, such as U2 or the Red Hot Chili Peppers? People talk about it for days and weeks afterward. Why? Because art moves people. Political and religious leaders understand this, and they tend to be some of the best storytellers around. The Bible itself is a collection of mostly stories, parables and poems. Some of the best pop art is found in advertising, because marketers know that art excites, engages and helps convince people to buy.

Facts and reason also influence people. Like Sergeant Friday doing a criminal investigation, we want "just the facts, ma'am." Our modern Western society likes to think of itself as purely rational and fact-driven, but I ranked facts and reason last among the three because I think relationships, stories and art carry more influence at the end of the day. We are, after all, still human.

Would you agree? Did I miss any modes and means of influence?