Humans tend to assume that anything that is scare is valuable and worth having. Also, the human fear of losing something is much stronger than the potential pleasure of gaining something. This probably goes back to the days when food was a scare resource.
Skilled salespeople will use this tactic against you by proclaiming that the diamond that you have now got your eye on is of a very in demand specification which will probably be gone by the end of the week. They will argue that it would be in your best interests to avoid missing out on the diamond by not delaying the purchase and securing it there and then.
Stores use this tactic effectively by running sales that last for a short period of time. Potential customers are motivated to make a visit to the store and look through the sale contents so as to not miss out on any of the “bargains”.
To stop this tactic being used against you, note the feeling that arises when you are told by the jeweller that “this stone has been viewed by two other couples and I expect it to go very quickly” or whatever story they give you.
The feeling will be one of agitation and high emotion as the pressure mounts to make a quick decision. What you need to recognise is that there will be hundreds of very similar diamonds in the UK that you will be able to purchase in the near future.
So there is no need to rush this particular purchase just to secure the diamond before someone else. Easier said than done perhaps, but just be aware of how your reasoning gets clouded when something appears to be scarce.
Humans generally take the advice of people in positions of authority,such as doctors, lawyers, policemen and so on. This is because very often these people are highly trained and/or educated and have extensive knowledge which we do not have. Past experience usually bears out that following their advice is of benefit to us.
A jeweller who has completed professional exams in his or her profession will be sure to use these qualifications in his/her marketing and correspondence. If they have a number of years experience in the industry this will also be prominently advertised and proclaimed. This all helps to build their reputation as an
authority; one who should be listened to and whose advice should be followed.
Cialdini offers two pieces of advice when faced by an authority figure, which are actually questions we must ask ourselves. The first is “Is this authority truly an expert?” To ensure that the jeweller is truly an expert investigate the “impressive” industry qualifications that follow his/her name to make sure that they are legitimate and also ask to see the jeweller’s certificate of completion.
The second question is “How truthful can we expect the expert to be?” Given that the expert jeweller is trying to get us to comply with his/her request to purchase one of their diamonds, the answer is possibly "somewhat”. That is why educating yourself about diamonds and their intricacies is so important, so you can make an objective judgement of the quality and realistic value of the diamonds you view.
