270 - Stop Losing Sales: The 7 Principles of Persuasion Every Contractor Should Know with Tara Landes

The Cash Flow Contractor

Discover how to ethically influence clients and team members using Robert Cialdini's seven principles of persuasion. Guest Tara Landes, a certified Cialdini trainer and business systems expert, breaks down these powerful psychological triggers that can transform your sales process, pricing strategy, and company culture. Learn how small, strategic changes in your communication can lead to significant improvements in customer acquisition and team engagement.

What You’ll Learn

• The seven principles of persuasion and how they apply to your contracting business
• How to ethically influence clients without manipulation
• Practical ways to raise prices without losing customers
• Strategies to retain valuable employees who might otherwise leave
• Simple techniques to differentiate yourself from competitors

Time Stamps

• 01:14 - Episode Intro
• 01:42 - Guest Intro
• 03:13 - The Basics of Influence and Persuasion
• 06:21 - Ethical Persuasion Defined
• 07:08 - Principle 1: Reciprocity
• 11:31 - Principle 2: Liking
• 13:53 - Principle 3: Unity
• 17:24 - Principle 4: Social Proof
• 20:05 - Principle 5: Authority
• 21:53 - Principle 6: Consistency
• 28:15 - Principle 7: Scarcity
• 30:50 - Applying Scarcity in Sales
• 33:32 - Core Motives in Persuasion
• 35:44 - Implementing Foundational Systems with Bellrock
• 39:53 - Addressing Toxic A-Players
• 41:54 - Retaining Sales Talent
• 45:16 - Raising Prices and Customer Retention
• 48:42 - The Power of Personalized Gifts
• 52:43 - Engaging with Bell Rock Consulting
• 54:39 - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Snippets from the Episode

• If you're trying to get someone to do something that isn't in their best interest, I'd call that manipulation. If it's good for you and it's good for me, then it's ethical persuasion.— Tara Landes

• Instead of asking for people's opinions or feedback, ask them for advice. When you ask for an opinion, you're creating a critic. When you ask for advice, you're co-creating, and you're both wanting to win.— Tara Landes

Key Takeaways

1. The relationship principles
2. The uncertainty principles
3. The motivational principles
4. Making gifts personal and meaningful
5. Creating paths to ownership for employee retention
6. Activating scarcity by showing what customers stand to lose
7. Using authority in customer introductions

Resources

• Influence by Robert Cialdini
• Pre-Suasion by Robert Cialdini
• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• The Essential Guide to One-On-One Meetings
• 24 Things Construction Business Owners Need to Successfully Hire & Train an Executive Assistant
• Schedule a 15-Minute Roadblock Call
• Check out OpenPhone
• Build a Business that Runs without you. Explore our GrowthKits
• Need Marketing Help? We Recommend Benali
• Need Help with podcast production? We recommend Demandcast

More from Tara Landes

• Website: bellrock.ca
• Tara on LinkedIn

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Connect With Us

Ready to apply these principles in your contracting business? Visit cashflowcontractor.com to learn more about our coaching programs and resources. Don't forget to subscribe, leave a review, and share this episode with fellow contractors who want to improve their sales process and team management.