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Call it the small commitment paradox. You’ll make
more sales if you ask for
less at the end of your sales pitches.
That’s right. Asking for
less yields
more, according to a study detailed in
“Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be
Persuasive” a new book by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J.
Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini.
In the study, solicitors went door-to-door seeking donations for the
American Cancer Society. Half of the time the solicitors would say
“Would you be willing to help by giving a donation?” Half of the
time they would also
add the following to the end of their pitch: ” . . .
even a penny will help.”
The prospects in the “even a penny will help” category were more
than twice as likely to give something.
But here’s the kicker. The “even a penny will help” donors
did not give smaller donations.
The size of their donations were just as large as the other half of
the donors.
So what does this all mean for your sales pitches? When you’re
asking for a commitment from a prospect, try asking for a small
commitment. It seems to make prospects more likely to buy by making
the process seem less intimidating. And even though you’re asking
for less, the size of the purchase will likely be the same.
At Speechworks we
help our clients learn how to communicate in a way that connects and
persuades. If you’re interested in becoming a great communicator
give us a call at 404-266-0888 or check out our website at
www.speechworks.net.
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