Persuasion Protocol
A 90-day programme for ethical persuasion and influence, grounded in the science of compliance, social influence, and reactance
90 days · 12 weeks · 10–25 min/day
The full programme · in print
The programme, on paper
A 90-day programme for ethical persuasion and influence, grounded in the science of compliance, social influence, and reactance
The programme moves through three phases: Foundation (days 1–30) — build the honest foundations of influence: giving first, real rapport, and freely made commitment; Optimisation (days 31–60) — add true social proof, earned credibility, and a clear ethics line, then combine them; Mastery (days 61–90) — apply honest influence in hard situations, to real goals, and build a lasting reputation.
- 90days
- 12weeks
- 3phases
- 10–25 min/daycommitment
- 30 / 60 / 90milestone reviews
- 6evidence frameworks
The player above carries the working tools: calendar export (.ics), a print edition, CSV and full-progress export — and everything you log stays in this browser.
How this programme adapts
Once a week, the player runs a short check-in and reads the week you actually logged — not the week the plan assumed. Every check-in lands on one of the adjustments below. These are the engine's own rules, rendered word for word.
- Consolidation week
Not enough entries yet to adjust your plan. This week holds steady and keeps the focus on one honest habit: giving first, without keeping score. Nothing new is added until the foundation is in place.
- Lowering the bar
This week was hard. We shrink the daily practice to its smallest form: one genuine, honest interaction. The goal this week is one honest exchange, not many.
- Holding steady
Momentum is low, which is normal while a new way of relating is still forming. This week keeps your current practice and adds nothing until it feels steadier.
- Building on it
You practised consistently this week, choosing the honest route. We add the next principle, whether that is social proof, credibility, or the ethics line. Honest and steady is the aim.
- On track
Your entries are in the normal range. This week keeps your current practice and layers in the next honest principle.
Pattern insights are gated behind your own record: the first unlocks after 5 logged days, and every insight states the evidence it stands on. Milestone reviews at day 30, day 60, day 90 read your whole record and choose their coaching from it.
The 90-day programme map
Every day of the programme, in full — the same steps the interactive player walks you through. Expand a week to read its days.
Month 1 — Foundation · Days 1–30
Build the honest foundations of influence: giving first, real rapport, and freely made commitment
Week 1The Influence AuditDays 1–7
Day 1 · Map How You Persuade 15 min
Honest influence starts with knowing how you already persuade. This week is an audit, not a practice: you map the tactics you reach for, at work, at home, in small everyday requests, and look at them without judgement. Seeing your current patterns clearly comes before refining any of them.
- Write down two ways you typically try to get a yes from someone
- Mark the one you lean on most
Day 2 · Notice a Favour 10 min
People tend to return favours, and you feel the pull yourself. Today you simply notice reciprocity at work, in you or around you, without acting on it.
- Notice one time today someone did you a favour, and what it made you want to do
- Note whether the pull to repay felt automatic
Day 3 · Notice Who You Trust 10 min
Whose word do you take without checking, and why? Today you notice where you defer to credibility or authority, and whether it was earned.
- Notice one person whose advice you accepted today, and why you trusted it
- Note whether the trust came from real expertise or just confidence
Day 4 · Notice the Crowd 10 min
People look to what others do to decide what to do themselves. Today you catch yourself following the crowd once, and notice the pull.
- Notice one choice today shaped by what other people were doing
- Note whether the norm you followed was real or just assumed
Day 5 · Notice Rapport 10 min
It is easier to say yes to someone you like. Today you notice how rapport, or its absence, shaped a conversation.
- Notice a conversation that felt easy, and what created the connection
- Note one that felt cold, and what was missing
Day 6 · Catch a Pressure Tactic 10 min
When people feel pushed, they push back. Today you catch one moment of pressure, in you or aimed at you, and how it landed.
- Notice a time today you or someone else pushed too hard for a yes
- Note how the person on the receiving end reacted
Day 7 · Influence Audit Debrief 15 min
The first week is done. You have looked at how you persuade, where reciprocity and rapport show up, and where pressure creeps in. Today you read it back and set a small intention.
- Read back your notes from days one to six
- Write one sentence on the honest influence habit you want to build first
Week 2ReciprocityDays 8–14
Day 8 · Give First 10 min
Reciprocity starts with genuine generosity, giving before there is any ask. Today you give something small and useful with nothing attached.
- Do one small, genuine favour for someone today with no request attached
- Note how it felt to give without keeping score
Day 9 · Offer Something Useful 10 min
Help can be information, a connection, or attention, not only a favour. Today you offer something genuinely useful to someone.
- Share a useful piece of information or a helpful introduction with one person
- Note whether you were tempted to attach a condition, and set it aside
Day 10 · Notice the Return 10 min
Goodwill often comes back, but the honest version does not demand it. Today you notice returns without treating them as owed.
- Notice any goodwill that came back to you this week
- Note the difference between welcoming a return and expecting one
Day 11 · The Genuine Concession 12 min
Meeting someone partway is a real form of reciprocity: you give ground, they often give some back. Today you practise an honest compromise, not a staged retreat.
- In a small disagreement, offer a genuine concession and see what returns
- Note whether the compromise was real or a tactic in disguise
Day 12 · Give Without a Ledger 10 min
Keeping a running tally turns generosity into a transaction. Today you practise giving without recording the debt.
- Do something helpful and deliberately do not track it as owed
- Note whether letting go of the ledger changed the feeling
Day 13 · Reciprocity in a Real Ask 12 min
Now you connect genuine help to a fair request, in that order. Today you help first, then make an honest ask if one is due.
- Help someone genuinely, then, if you have a fair request, make it plainly
- Note whether the earlier help was given for its own sake
Day 14 · Week Two Review 15 min
A week of giving first and noticing what returns. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on reciprocity from this week
- Write one sentence on the difference between generosity and a bribe
Week 3Liking and RapportDays 15–21
Day 15 · Find Common Ground 10 min
Even small, genuine points of connection make people more open. Today you look for real common ground with someone, not a manufactured coincidence.
- Find one genuine thing you share with a person you spoke to today
- Note how naming it changed the conversation
Day 16 · Pay Real Attention 10 min
Rapport grows from attention more than charm. Today you give someone your full attention and notice the effect.
- Have one conversation where you listen more than you speak
- Note what you learned that you would have missed
Day 17 · Remember a Detail 10 min
Remembering what matters to someone signals genuine interest. Today you recall and use one real detail about a person.
- Bring up something a person mentioned earlier that mattered to them
- Note how they responded to being remembered
Day 18 · A Genuine Compliment 10 min
An honest, specific compliment builds warmth, where empty flattery erodes it. Today you offer one you actually mean.
- Give one specific, sincere compliment about something you truly noticed
- Note the difference from a generic pleasantry
Day 19 · Warmth Without Agenda 10 min
Rapport built only before an ask reads as a setup. Today you offer warmth to someone you want nothing from.
- Be genuinely warm to a person you have no request for today
- Note whether warmth without an agenda felt different
Day 20 · Rapport Before the Ask 12 min
Now you build real connection ahead of a genuine request. Today you invest in the relationship first.
- Spend time building genuine rapport before making a fair request
- Note whether the groundwork changed how the ask landed
Day 21 · Week Three Review 15 min
A week spent building rapport on attention and honesty rather than flattery. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on liking and rapport
- Write one sentence on where real rapport differs from charm
Week 4Commitment and ConsistencyDays 22–30
Day 22 · Start Small 10 min
People tend to act consistently with a step they have taken. Today you practise asking for a small, real yes rather than a big one.
- Make one request small enough that a genuine yes is easy
- Note whether starting small lowered the resistance
Day 23 · Make It Voluntary 10 min
A commitment shapes behaviour when it is freely made, not extracted. Today you make sure the choice you offer is genuinely open.
- Offer someone a choice and make it clear that no is a real option
- Note how a free choice differs from a cornered one
Day 24 · Get It in the Open 10 min
Commitments made openly tend to hold better than private ones. Today you help someone state a genuine intention out loud or in writing.
- Invite someone to say or write down a commitment they actually want to make
- Note that the aim is to support their goal, not to trap them
Day 25 · Build on a Yes 12 min
A small step can lead naturally to a related larger one, when both are honest. Today you connect a first yes to a fair next step.
- After a genuine small agreement, propose a related next step plainly
- Note whether the sequence felt natural or forced
Day 26 · Notice the Trap 10 min
Consistency can be weaponised, holding someone to a technical yes they never really meant. Today you learn to spot that trap so you can avoid setting it.
- Notice a time consistency was used to corner someone, in life or media
- Write one line on how to make the same ask honestly instead
Day 27 · Honour Their No 10 min
Accepting a refusal well protects the relationship and your credibility. Today you take a no gracefully.
- When someone declines today, accept it without pressure or sulking
- Note how honouring the no affected the next exchange
Day 28 · A Real Commitment 12 min
The honest use of commitment helps people follow through on something good for them. Today you support one such commitment.
- Help someone commit to a small step that genuinely serves their own goal
- Note the difference from getting a yes that serves only you
Day 29 · Month One Stocktake 15 min
Before the first milestone, you take stock. One month in, you have practised reciprocity, rapport, and honest commitment. Today you read the month back.
- Read back your week reviews from the first month
- Write two sentences on what, if anything, has shifted in how you influence
Day 30 · Camp I Reached 20 min
One month complete. You have practised the honest foundations: giving first, real rapport, and freely made commitment. Month two adds social proof, credibility, and a clear ethics line, then combines them.
- Read back your day-one audit and your month-one stocktake
- Write two sentences on what, if anything, has changed
- Confirm the one honest principle you carry into month two
Month 2 — Optimisation · Days 31–60
Add true social proof, earned credibility, and a clear ethics line, then combine them
Week 5Social ProofDays 31–37
Day 31 · Point to a Real Norm 10 min
People use what others do as information, so a true norm can be a fair nudge. Today you practise pointing only to what people genuinely do.
- In one conversation, mention a real, accurate norm rather than a guess
- Note the difference between a true norm and a convenient one
Day 32 · Find the Similar Others 10 min
A norm carries more weight when it comes from people like the person you are talking to. Today you look for the relevant peers.
- Identify which group's example would genuinely matter to someone you want to reach
- Note why similar others carry more weight than a distant crowd
Day 33 · Show, Don't Claim 10 min
Evidence of what others actually do is stronger and more honest than a bare claim. Today you show rather than assert.
- Back one point with real evidence of what others have done
- Note how showing differs from simply claiming a majority
Day 34 · Watch for Backfire 12 min
Norm messages can backfire, nudging people already doing well in the wrong direction. Today you learn to spot that risk.
- Think of a case where telling people the average could pull a good performer down
- Write one line on how you would avoid that
Day 35 · The Honest Majority 10 min
A claimed majority that is false is a lie that collapses when found out. Today you commit to using only norms you could stand behind.
- Check one social-proof point you might use and confirm it is actually true
- Discard any that you could not defend if questioned
Day 36 · Social Proof in a Real Case 12 min
Now you use a true, relevant norm in a genuine situation. Today you put honest social proof to work.
- Use one accurate, relevant norm in a real conversation or message
- Note whether grounding it in truth made it easier to say
Day 37 · Week Five Review 15 min
A week using social proof honestly, real norms, relevant peers, no invented majorities. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on social proof
- Write one sentence on where honest social proof ends and spin begins
Week 6Authority and CredibilityDays 38–44
Day 38 · Know Your Stuff 12 min
Real authority rests on genuine competence. Today you deepen your actual knowledge on something you speak to.
- Spend the session learning one thing more deeply on a topic you advise on
- Note where your knowledge was thinner than you assumed
Day 39 · Show the Evidence 10 min
Credibility grows when claims are backed by evidence people can check. Today you support a claim with its source.
- Back one claim you make today with real evidence or a source
- Note how offering evidence changed how it was received
Day 40 · Admit the Limits 10 min
Saying what you do not know tends to build credibility rather than spend it. Today you name a limit honestly.
- Admit one thing you are unsure of instead of bluffing
- Note how the honesty affected your standing
Day 41 · Earned, Not Borrowed 10 min
Borrowed authority, titles and a confident manner without substance, tends to unravel. Today you notice the difference and choose the earned kind.
- Notice one example of borrowed authority and one of earned authority today
- Note which one you would trust if the stakes were high
Day 42 · Credibility Through Honesty 10 min
Being honest when it costs you builds long-run trust. Today you recall or practise one such moment.
- Say the true but inconvenient thing in one exchange today
- Note what it did for your credibility
Day 43 · Authority in a Real Ask 12 min
Now you lead with genuine expertise in a real situation. Today you let real competence carry the case.
- Make a real point by leading with genuine knowledge and evidence
- Note whether substance did the work rather than manner
Day 44 · Week Six Review 15 min
A week building authority the slow way, competence, evidence, and honesty about limits. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on authority and credibility
- Write one sentence on why earned authority outlasts borrowed authority
Week 7The Ethics LineDays 45–51
Day 45 · The Transparency Test 10 min
A simple test of honest influence: would it still work if you explained it out loud? Today you run that test on your own approach.
- Take one way you influence people and ask whether it survives being explained openly
- Note any tactic that only works while hidden
Day 46 · Respect the No 10 min
Honest persuasion protects the other person's freedom to refuse. Today you make that freedom explicit.
- In one request, make it genuinely easy and acceptable for the person to say no
- Note how protecting their choice changed the exchange
Day 47 · Name the Freedom First 10 min
Honest influence names the other person's freedom to decline before any ask is made. Today you do this openly with a real request.
- Before making a real ask, tell the person plainly that declining is a genuine option
- Note whether naming the choice changed how the ask was received
Day 48 · Translate the Ask 10 min
A request framed through urgency, obligation, or guilt can almost always be restated as an honest one. Today you find a real ask you have been making with pressure attached and deliver it in plain, honest terms instead.
- Take one request you have been making through urgency, obligation, or guilt and reframe it in plain, honest terms
- Deliver the reframed version to the right person and note how it landed differently
Day 49 · Argue Against Your Interest 12 min
Honest influence sometimes means advising what is good for the other person even when it costs you. Today you practise that.
- Give someone advice that serves them even though it does not serve you
- Note what it did for their trust in you
Day 50 · Repair After Overreach 10 min
Everyone pushes too hard sometimes; the repair matters. Today you undo one instance of overreach.
- Revisit a time you pressed too hard and make it right where you can
- Note how the repair affected the relationship
Day 51 · Week Seven Review 15 min
A week drawing the line between persuasion and manipulation clearly. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on the ethics of influence
- Write one sentence on your own test for where the line sits
Week 8Combining the PrinciplesDays 52–60
Day 52 · Reciprocity and Rapport 12 min
The honest principles work together. Today you combine genuine generosity with real rapport in one interaction.
- In one exchange, give something useful and build genuine connection
- Note how the two reinforced each other
Day 53 · Credibility and Social Proof 12 min
Real expertise plus a true norm makes an honest case stronger. Today you pair them.
- Make one point using both genuine evidence and an accurate norm
- Note whether the combination felt more solid
Day 54 · A Full, Honest Case 15 min
Today you bring the honest principles together into one complete case for something you believe in, with nothing hidden.
- Build a full case for a real position using only honest principles
- Note which principle did the most work
Day 55 · Same Case, Refined 12 min
Repetition sharpens a case. Today you refine yesterday's case, cutting anything that felt like a trick.
- Revise your case and remove any element that fails the transparency test
- Note what you cut and why
Day 56 · Make, Deliver, Reflect 12 min
Testing a case against reality keeps it honest. Today you deliver it and reflect.
- Make your honest case to a real person, then reflect on how it went
- Note one thing that landed and one that did not
Day 57 · Trim the Tactics 10 min
A lasting approach keeps only what is honest and useful. Today you trim your toolkit down.
- Drop any tactic you would be uncomfortable explaining aloud
- Keep only the principles you would stand behind
Day 58 · Phase Two Stocktake 15 min
Two-thirds of the way in, you take stock. You have added social proof, credibility, and a clear ethics line, and begun combining them. Today you read the phase back.
- Read back your reviews from month two
- Write two sentences on what, if anything, has changed in how you influence since month one
Day 59 · Your Honest Playbook 12 min
Before the milestone, you name the approach you will carry forward. Today you write your honest playbook in plain terms.
- Write your honest influence playbook as a short list of principles
- Read it back and confirm you could defend every line
Day 60 · Camp II Reached 20 min
Two months complete. You have practised all the honest principles and combined them into a case with nothing hidden. Month three applies this in harder situations, to real goals, and makes it lasting.
- Return to the Day 58 stocktake and pick the single strongest shift you noted
- Write one sentence on how you will build on that shift in month three
- Confirm the honest playbook you carry into month three
Month 3 — Mastery · Days 61–90
Apply honest influence in hard situations, to real goals, and build a lasting reputation
Week 9Difficult SituationsDays 61–67
Day 61 · Persuade a Skeptic 12 min
A skeptic tests whether your case stands on substance. Today you make an honest case to someone inclined to disagree.
- Present a real case to someone skeptical, leading with evidence not pressure
- Note which honest principle held up best under doubt
Day 62 · When You Are Told No 10 min
A no is information, not a failure of technique. Today you meet a refusal with curiosity rather than force.
- When you meet a no, ask about the reason instead of pushing back
- Note what you learned from the refusal
Day 63 · Under Time Pressure 10 min
Time pressure tempts people into coercion. Today you practise persuading honestly even when rushed.
- In a hurried moment, make your case plainly without manufacturing urgency
- Note the pull toward pressure and how you resisted it
Day 64 · A Hard Conversation 12 min
Staying warm and honest under tension is a skill. Today you hold rapport through a difficult exchange.
- Keep your composure and genuine respect in one tense conversation
- Note what kept the exchange from turning adversarial
Day 65 · Persuade Someone With More Power 12 min
Influencing upward relies on credibility and clear value, not leverage. Today you make an honest case to someone senior.
- Make a real, evidence-led case to someone with more authority than you
- Note how you built credibility without power of your own
Day 66 · Persuade, Then Follow Up 10 min
Honest influence continues after the yes. Today you make a case and then follow through reliably.
- Make a fair ask, and if it is granted, follow up dependably
- Note how reliability affects the next ask
Day 67 · Week Nine Review 15 min
A week in harder rooms, skeptics, refusals, pressure, power. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on difficult situations
- Write one sentence on what stayed steady under pressure
Week 10Applying It to Real GoalsDays 68–74
Day 68 · Choose a Real Ask 12 min
Now you point the whole practice at a genuine goal. Today you choose one real, worthwhile ask.
- Write down one real request you want to make and why it is fair
- Confirm it is something you could defend openly
Day 69 · Plan the Honest Case 12 min
A good case is planned, not improvised into pressure. Today you plan yours using honest principles.
- Outline your case: the evidence, the true norms, the genuine benefit to them
- Remove anything that relies on them not noticing
Day 70 · Build the Groundwork 12 min
Rapport and credibility come before the ask. Today you lay the groundwork for your real request.
- Invest in the relationship and your credibility before making your ask
- Note what groundwork the ask will need
Day 71 · Make the Ask 12 min
Now you make the request plainly, leaving the choice genuinely open. Today you ask.
- Make your real ask clearly, with the other person free to decline
- Note how making it honestly felt
Day 72 · Handle the Objection 12 min
Objections are a chance to understand, not to overpower. Today you meet one honestly.
- Respond to a real objection by addressing the concern, not steamrolling it
- Note whether understanding the objection helped more than pushing
Day 73 · Review What Happened 12 min
Honest review keeps the practice grounded. Today you look at how your real ask went, without spin.
- Look at how your ask landed and what you would do differently
- Note one honest principle that helped and one gap
Day 74 · Week Ten Review 15 min
A week applying honest influence to a real goal. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on applying influence to your goal
- Write one sentence on what the honest approach changed
Week 11Building Lasting InfluenceDays 75–81
Day 75 · Influence That Compounds 12 min
Lasting influence tends to rest on a reputation built over time, more than on any single ask. Today you think in terms of the long game.
- Name one way your reputation opens doors that a single ask never could
- Note one habit that builds it
Day 76 · Keep Your Word 10 min
Reliability is the quiet engine of lasting influence. Today you make and keep a small promise.
- Make one small promise today and keep it exactly
- Note how dependability compares with any single tactic
Day 77 · The Long Game Over the Quick Win 10 min
A manipulative win now can cost trust later. Today you choose the durable path over the quick one.
- Pass up one chance to win by pressure in favour of the honest route
- Note what you protected by waiting
Day 78 · A Network of Goodwill 10 min
Generosity spread widely builds a reservoir of goodwill. Today you invest in a relationship you have neglected.
- Do something genuinely useful for someone you have not helped lately
- Note that the aim is goodwill, not an immediate return
Day 79 · Credibility Maintenance 10 min
Credibility, like any asset, needs upkeep. Today you tend to yours.
- Correct one thing you got wrong, or update one claim you have outgrown
- Note how maintenance protects long-run trust
Day 80 · Teach Honest Influence 12 min
Explaining the honest approach to someone tests how well you hold it. Today you teach one person.
- Explain to someone the difference between persuasion and manipulation as you see it
- Note any part you found hard to put into words
Day 81 · Week Eleven Review 15 min
A week building influence that lasts, reputation, reliability, and goodwill. Today you read it back.
- Read back your notes on lasting influence
- Write one sentence on what will keep your influence honest over years
Week 12Integration & IdentityDays 82–90
Day 82 · One Principle That Stays 12 min
Ninety days leaves you with more than you will use daily. Today you choose the one principle worth keeping above the rest.
- Choose the single honest principle that has served you best
- Use it deliberately once today
Day 83 · Influence Across Contexts 12 min
The honest approach can move across settings, though each context has its own norms. Today you try it somewhere new.
- Apply your approach in a different setting from where you first practised it
- Note what carried over and what needed adjusting
Day 84 · Keep It Honest 10 min
The practice stays worthwhile only as long as it stays honest. Today you reaffirm the line that runs through it all.
- Notice any drift toward pressure or spin, and redirect it
- Reaffirm your own test for the line
Day 85 · Your Reputation as a Persuader 10 min
How you influence shapes how people see you. Today you take stock of the reputation you are building.
- Write down how you would want people to describe the way you persuade
- Note one habit that moves you toward it
Day 86 · When Not to Persuade 10 min
Part of honest influence is knowing when to stop and let someone choose freely. Today you practise restraint.
- Identify one situation where the honest move is to not persuade at all
- Note what respecting their autonomy protects
Day 87 · Plan the Next 90 Days 12 min
The practice continues past day ninety. Today you write a simple plan for keeping it going.
- Write down which honest principles you will keep practising and how
- Choose the one relationship or goal you will apply them to next
Day 88 · Someone Who Influences Honestly 10 min
By now the approach is becoming part of how you operate. Today you consider the kind of persuader you are becoming.
- Write one line on who you are becoming as an honest influencer
- Name one situation where you now act differently than on day one
Day 89 · Summit Review 15 min
Almost there. Today you read the whole ninety days back, from the first audit to now.
- Read back your day-one audit and your milestone stocktakes
- Write one sentence on what, if anything, has changed in how you influence people
Day 90 · Summit Reached 25 min
Ninety days complete. You have practised influence on honest ground: genuine generosity, real rapport, freely made commitment, true social proof, earned credibility, and a clear line against manipulation, each grounded in published research. What has become part of how you actually operate is for you to say.
- Read back your day-one audit, your two stocktakes, and this week
- Write one sentence on what, if anything, has changed in how you persuade
- Choose the one honest principle and one goal you keep past day ninety
The evidence
The frameworks this programme is built on — each anchored to peer-reviewed research, cited with its DOI and verified against the Crossref registry at build time. Where the evidence has honest limits, the framework says so.
Reciprocity
People tend to return favours. In a classic experiment, participants who had been given a small, unsolicited favour by another person were more likely to comply with a later request from that person. Reciprocity is a strong social norm, which is one reason genuinely giving first, help, information, attention, tends to build goodwill. This programme uses reciprocity as honest generosity, not as a transaction engineered to extract something.
DOI: 10.1016/0022-1031(71)90025-4
- Cialdini et al., 1975 — A related study found that starting with a larger request and retreating to a smaller one, framed as a reciprocal concession, was associated with greater agreement to the smaller request. doi:10.1037/h0076284
Commitment and Consistency
Once people take a small step, they tend to act in ways consistent with it. In the foot-in-the-door experiments, people who first agreed to a small request were later more likely to agree to a larger, related one. Small, freely made commitments appear to shape later behaviour, which is why this programme builds on voluntary agreement, a real yes to something small, rather than pressure or a manufactured trap.
- Cialdini & Goldstein, 2004 — A review of social-influence research describes commitment and consistency as one of the recurring levers behind compliance and conformity. doi:10.1146/annurev.psych.55.090902.142015
Social Proof
People look to what others do, especially similar others, to decide what to do themselves. In a hotel field experiment, messages stating that most guests reused their towels were associated with more reuse than a standard environmental appeal. Social proof is really information about the norm, so it works honestly only when the norm you point to is true. Pointing to a fabricated majority is a lie, not a technique.
- Schultz et al., 2007 — A study found that norm-based messages could backfire, nudging people who were already above the norm in the wrong direction, so social proof has to be used carefully and truthfully. doi:10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01917.x
Authority and Credibility
When people are not weighing an argument closely, cues such as the source's expertise can carry more weight, what the elaboration likelihood model calls the peripheral route to persuasion. Real competence and credibility earn attention and trust. The study that anchors this pillar used a consumer-advertising context; the elaboration likelihood model has since been tested more broadly, though its core evidence comes from that setting. This programme builds authority through genuine expertise and clear evidence, not borrowed titles or a confident manner standing in for substance.
- Milgram, 1963 — Milgram's obedience study is a caution as much as a demonstration: participants complied with an authority figure to a striking and troubling degree, a reminder that authority can override individual judgement and must be used responsibly. doi:10.1037/h0040525
Liking and Rapport
People are more open to those they like, and even small, genuine points of connection matter. In one experiment, an incidental similarity, such as sharing a first name or birthday, was associated with greater compliance with a request. Real rapport, built on attention and common ground, is the honest version of this. Manufactured flattery and staged similarity tend to backfire, an effect described more fully in the persuasion-knowledge literature, which is why this programme builds rapport through real attention rather than performance.
- Chaiken, 1979 — A study found that more physically attractive communicators could be more persuasive, an effect linked to liking, an effect this programme treats as a reason to build real relationships rather than to perform false warmth. doi:10.1037/0022-3514.37.8.1387
The Ethics of Influence
Influence has a hard limit: when people sense they are being manipulated, they push back. Research on reactance describes how heavy-handed or controlling persuasion can produce anger and resistance, the opposite of the intended effect. Honest influence, which respects the other person's freedom to say no, is treated here as the core of the whole programme, not an afterthought, and often proves more durable than pressure.
DOI: 10.1080/03637750500111815
- Friestad & Wright, 1994 — The persuasion knowledge model describes how people learn to recognise and cope with persuasion attempts, so tactics that feel like tricks tend to lose their power once they are seen for what they are. doi:10.1086/209380
Safety & fit
This 90-day protocol is a structured, educational programme — it is not medical advice and is not a substitute for professional guidance. Every framework it draws on is referenced to peer-reviewed literature for educational context only.
Questions, answered
How much time does this take?
The Persuasion Protocol runs 90 days across 12 themed weeks. Each day asks for between 10 and 25 minutes of deliberate practice — the daily tasks are listed in the programme map on this page, so you can read the whole arc before you start.
How does the programme adapt to my week?
A weekly check-in reads the week you actually logged — not the week the plan assumed. Depending on the week you actually had, it lands on one of 5 adjustments: Consolidation week; Lowering the bar; Holding steady; Building on it; On track. Milestone reviews at day 30, day 60, day 90 read your whole record so far.
Where is my progress stored?
Entirely in this browser. Your daily log, notes, and check-ins live in local storage on this device — no account, no server, and nothing you type is transmitted. You can export your full log as a CSV file or delete everything, at any time, from the My log tab.
Is this medical advice?
No. This is a structured, educational programme built on peer-reviewed research — it is not medical advice, therapy, or a substitute for professional guidance. The full disclaimer, and every framework the programme draws on with its DOI, is on this page.
What happens if I miss days?
The programme is built to absorb real weeks. The weekly check-in works from whatever you logged: a thin week adjusts the plan rather than failing you, and no adjustment ever deletes your record. The adaptation rules above describe exactly how each kind of week is handled.
Where does the evidence come from?
Every phase of the programme is grounded in 6 evidence frameworks — 12 peer-reviewed references in total, each cited with its DOI in the evidence section on this page and verified against the Crossref registry at build time. Where the evidence has honest limits, the framework says so.
Go deeper
Hand-picked companions to this programme from across the estate — the baseline tool, the research deep dives, and the terms worth two minutes each.
- assessment The Persuasion Assessment A baseline reading before day 1 — retake it after the programme and compare.
- deep-dive The Science of Persuasion What Cialdini's research actually shows — the file behind this programme.
- deep-dive Mirror Neurons and Empathy The neural basis of reading the person across the table.
- glossary Cialdini's Six Principles The six levers, defined with their evidence.
Programme record
A living programme keeps a public record. Any future change to the daily tasks, the check-in rules, or their thresholds bumps the version and lands here.
- v1.0 · July 2026Initial published programme: 90 daily practices across three phases, weekly adaptive check-ins, and milestone reviews at days 30, 60 and 90.
