Pre-suasion is a technique that guides someone's attention in a specific direction before you ask something of them or present them with new information. This concept was discovered through extensive research on professionals in sales, marketing, and fundraising, and the common persuasive techniques they use. It was found that the most successful individuals don't just focus on the message itself, but on pre-suading - preparing their audience to be receptive before the message is even delivered.

Pre-suasion operates by creating mental associations that are favorable to what you're about to communicate. Consider a fire alarm salesman who 'accidentally' leaves crucial paperwork in his car and asks homeowners to let him back inside when he returns. This simple act associates him with trustworthiness. The power of pre-suasion comes from what we call privileged moments - these are specific points in time when people are most open to receiving a message. Factors such as attention, associations, and environment play significant roles in these moments.

Now, let's look at some universal principles of influence like reciprocity, consistency, authority, and scarcity. These principles, backed by behavioral research, can help us understand how to capture attention, create environments that are conducive to persuasion, build a sense of community and connection with an audience, and ensure changes persist beyond the pre-suasive moment.

But what about the ethics of persuasion? It's important to note that unethical techniques can actually harm profits in the long run. So, pre-suasion should be seen as a way to ethically guide attention and shape associations, making an audience more open to your message before you even begin to deliver it.