Trust and Liking in Persuasion

Goals

1. Describe trust and liking in the context of persuasion.
2. Build and maximize trust and liking in all interactions.

Trust/Liking in Persuasion

Trust and liking occur when your audience believes you’re credible and feels positively toward you as a person.

Why This Matters

1. Essential for persuasion: Even with weak arguments, high trust/liking can persuade. Even with strong arguments, low trust/liking often fails.
2. Valuable beyond persuasion: People who trust and like you are more willing to help, collaborate, and give you opportunities.

How to Build Trust and Liking

1. Be authentic and confident - Genuine self-assurance is magnetic
2. Honor your values - Consistency between words and actions builds trust
3. Present yourself well - Dress appropriately, maintain good grooming
4. Master conversation basics - Excel at small talk and active listening
5. Focus outward - Show genuine interest in others rather than self-promoting
6. Apply Carnegie’s principles - Remember names, make people feel important, avoid arguments, smile genuinely, show genuine appreciation, admit mistakes quickly, listen more than you talk, talk in terms of the other person’s interests, give sincere praise and encouragement, ask questions instead of giving direct orders, and so on.