Reciprocity
Give something first and people feel obliged to give something back.
What it is
A favour received creates a quiet debt. People repay it with attention, information, a purchase or a referral, often out of proportion to what they got. The gift has to feel genuine and unconditional; a gift with strings is a transaction, and transactions do not create obligation.
The research
Participants who were brought an unrequested soft drink by a confederate later bought twice as many raffle tickets from him as those who received nothing.
Regan, 1971
How to use it
Give the useful thing away
A free audit, calculator or template that solves a real problem earns the reply that a cold pitch never gets.
Deliver value before the form
Show the result first, then ask for the email to save or send it.
Personalise the gift
A note or a tailored recommendation reads as a favour. A generic download reads as marketing.
Related
Sources that shaped this entry: Digital Psychology, growth.design.