It’s hardly a mind-blowing secret to say we buy from people we get along with. Everyone knows this, and it’s why Liking is one of Cialdini’s influence principles.

I’m not sure if people understand how powerful this is, though. I once signed up to a *mumble*-thousand dollar training program on the other side of the world, and 85% of the decision was from how much I liked the trainer.

The other 15% was checking logistics and compatibility with my life plan. But hey, you can make anything work if you want to.

Now, you might call me an idiot – an overly emotional, sentimental wuss just looking to get scammed.

And you might be right.

But did I make the smart decision in this case?

Damn straight I did – the course was better than anything my rational, analytical brain could have projected.

Now, of course, obvious caveats:

Even if people like you, they won’t trade gold for mud. You need a valuable offer (because if you sell them junk, hey, they’ll stop Liking you). It’s not perfect, just like every other influence principle.

It’s darn powerful though.

Become likeable enough and people will go out of their way to hire you.

How does content marketing feed into this?

When you’re constantly adding value to someone, they come to learn your style of writing – your voice, if you will. And a good voice is addictive. If you sound like everyone else, you’ll sit under the “everyone else” label in people’s minds.

If you sound like you, though – unique, recognisable, appealing?

Well, you get your own special category. You stand out. And that is four-fifths of influence right there.

Now, the thing is that you won’t be Likeable to everyone. You need to accept that going in – some people will hate your voice. And that’s okay. The fact they respond at all proves you stand out.

Indifference is far worse.

Besides, let the haters go, because you’ll have enough fans to occupy your time.

A unique voice plus consistent, valuable content plus time equals fans. It’s neurology – you can like one article and never associate that to its author, but you can’t avoid it after dozens.

Not with a relationship built over weeks.

Not when you Like something on a regular basis.

This is one of the keys to content marketing’s power. By showing up in their inboxes or wherever, exactly when they expect you, carrying gifts, making an offer but not putting any pressure on anyone…

You become distinctive, valuable and therefore influential.