In his bestselling book Influence: The Science of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini outlined six principles of influence — elements that, when present, make it much more likely that your audience will accept your message. These are: reciprocity, liking, authority, social proof, scarcity, and commitment/consistency. These same six elements can be used effectively in “pre-suading” yourself or your audience before launching a new project or pitch.

Reciprocity: We like to give back to those who have given to us.

Liking: We prefer to say yes to those we know, like, and share commonalities with.

Authority: We’re more open to ideas and recommendations that are supported by legitimate experts.

Social Proof: We will do what others around us are doing because it reduces uncertainty.

Scarcity: We are more likely to want a product that we perceive to be unavailable or available in limited quantity.

Commitment and Consistency: We are more likely to agree to something that is consistent with something we have already said or done publicly.