I found an interesting article on my flight to London on the on-board magazine. It was about a neat psychological persuasion trick.
Imagine you are approached one day by someone introducing themselves as a local youth centre worker. They want to persuade you to become a volunteer. In fact, they have a specific task in mind: “Would you be willing to escort a group of children on a trip o the zoo this weekend?”.
You politely decline, thinking that the youth centre has it's work cut out persuading people to sign up to such a scheme. And you would be right. Only a few people were willing to say 'Yes' to such a request.
But the next day the youth centre is able to triple its success rate by making one small change. Remarkably this change costs nothing to implement.
“Would you be willing to become a counselor at the centre?” people are asked. The representative the goes on to explain that this would involve two hours of their time every weekend on a programme that lasted three years! No surprise when everyone refuses. But immediately after they do, they are asked, “Well, if you can't do that would you at least go on a zoo trip with some kids this weekend?” The result? A 300 per cent increase in people who say 'Yes'.
This zoo trip appeal was, in fact, part of a study carried out by persuasion researchers keen to understand how people respond to concessions. What this study, and others like it, have found is that we are more likely to say 'Yes' to smaller requests immediately after we have said 'No' to larger ones. One reason is that people feel more psychologically obligated to give concession to those who have given them a concession first.
Children seem to intuitively know this. When they want the mommy to buy them a kitten they know to always ask for a horse first!
Suggested reading:
Posted in: Debate
TAGS:conceding animation, conceding victory, conseding victory, how good persuasion, jim knox twitter, persuading people become volunteer, victory youth themes
9 Comments
Dave Doolin & Vladimir
Back to plugins indeed! I had a short spell in hospital and the plugins book arrived the day after I got home, so has been good reading in bed. I'm going to run through it again and then work through your examples one at a time.
I also got a WordPress Themes book at the same time from the same publisher. Now it's busy busy busy as I recuperate.
Yes, very good standard persuasion practice. Zig Ziglar covers some of this as well in Closing the Sale. As long as it's win/win, it's all good. I'll pick up the book shortly. I'm using one of your themes on one of my sites, and it looks really good.
Strangely.tv, the story is probably apocryphal, it pops it in a lot of persuasion and sales literature.
Jim Knox: there's persuasion, and there's manipulation... let me guess, she used a lot of guilt and shaming language...? But this is off topic... back to plugins...
Thas pretty cool i am going to implement it today and see how it does! Thanks your great Vladomir!
This is a very interesting article and explains alot about human's need to be accepted and compromise is the most used tool for that acceptance. We use compromise in all our relationships and those that are highly skilled in compromise usually get all that they originally wanted. I speak from experience, I am Divorced and broke, she was a master at compromise...
Well you got me, I do have a secret agenda, but if I told it it wouldn't be a secret anymore, would it? ;)
Okay Vladamir.
I've ordered your plugins book. So what are you really after? ;-)
Actually that's a very good point you've made there. Can you remember if the magazine article was sourced anywhere? I'd like to find more about it.
It is, of course, one of the things that you worry about as a parent - the verbal dexterity, that is. Warning your children to 'not do this' and 'don't do that' with strangers is all well and good. I always tried to instill a bit more common sense and savvy into them instead of straight commands by rote. It seems to have worked as they've all made it to adulthood!
The same ploy is used by governments to get things done as well. Usually, a 'leak' will suggest some awful new law or tax is coming. Then there'll be a huge outcry, the government will 'backdown from their original demands' and actually instigate the plan they had in mind all along with everyone's complete acquiescence!!
thats awesome , am gonna us that !
WOW, that is some powerful stuff. Understanding human physchology is a major step towards any successful venture.
thats what we tried to do when i was working as a suits sales man in a retail store. always make the customer buy the most expensive merchandise in the store even if they don't intend buying it, there is still a big chance they won't reject a cheaper deal.