By Anagha Rao
Have you ever tried to buy a car from a pushy salesperson? Have you ever had marketers come up to your door and try to sell you their products? In situations like these, salespeople use compliance techniques to convince people to buy their products. Compliance techniques are psychological tactics that marketers use to persuade people. But how do these salespeople convince us to buy things we didn’t know we needed? And why is it so hard to just say no?
The Foot-in-the-Door technique is a psychological technique that works by proposing a small request and then proceeding to ask for something larger if they agree to the smaller request. For example, let's say a friend asks you if you can explain a specific concept for math class. This is a small, reasonable favor so you gladly do it. A week later, the friend asks if you can do the entire assignment for them. This is a larger request, so would you do it? The Foot-in-the-Door technique works because once someone agrees to a small request, it becomes more difficult for them to say no to the requestor. This is because they develop a bond with the requestor that they feel obligated to honor. However, in order for this technique to work, the larger request must be similar to the smaller request. Another example of this would be when a salesperson knocks on your door and asks you for a glass of water. Once the homeowner agrees to this favor, the salesperson will use this as leverage to ask them if they want to watch a demonstration about what water filter works the best, which is the bigger request.
Another popular technique is the Door-in-the-Face technique. This technique involves the requestor asking for a large commitment of time or money, and when the other party refuses, the requestor makes a smaller, more logical request. Psychologically, people fear social rejection and have an inherent need to please others, and when they refuse a request, social guilt kicks in. This social guilt allows them to say yes to the second request as a way of making up for saying no to the first favor. For example, let's assume someone wants a 10% bonus from their boss. By using the Door-in-the-Face technique, they would ask for a 20% bonus and once the boss rejects their offer, they would come down and ask for 10% instead of 20%. This would make them seem reasonable for compromising and increases the chance that the boss agrees.
Next, let's talk about the low-ball technique: a compliance strategy where the persuader gets a person to commit to a small, low commitment offer that they have no intention of keeping. Then, the persuader will modify the offer to be a higher cost or commitment. Since a person has already said yes to a request, they have already committed themselves. This makes it more difficult for them to say no if the request becomes unreasonable, which increases the chance that they will say yes. For example, when buying a car, usually the salesperson promises you a limited-edition offer at an ultra-low price but must “check” with his manager if this is acceptable. Then, the salesperson returns and says the manager would not agree to the deal and the price is raised. Most people agree to the higher price.
The last technique we will be discussing is the break and fix technique. This compliance technique is often used when stating the price of an item. In this technique, the persuader says something strange or unconventional and contrasts this statement with something rational. In this way, the buyer’s mindset is shifted to make you more willing to agree with what the persuader says next. In a study from The Balance Careers, psychologists told one group of customers that a pack of eight cards cost $3.00. They told the second group that “a package of eight cards costs 300 pennies, which is a bargain.” In the study, only 40% of the first group bought the cards, but 80% of the second group made the purchase. This is because the words “300 pennies” seemed abnormal, but combining it with the clarifying phrase, “which is a bargain,” shifts the customer’s mindset to be more willing to spend the money. Sometimes, persuading someone is not about what you say, but how you say it. Learning these persuasive techniques has several benefits, like helping you recognize the techniques salesmen use to convince buyers to buy things. Or, helping you convince others to help you with homework or buy you a smoothie.
Educational Content
What are the four different compliance techniques?
The Foot-in-the-Door technique is a psychological technique that works by proposing a small request and proceeding to ask for something larger if they agree to the smaller request. The Door-in-the-Face technique involves the requestor asking for a large commitment of time or money and when the other party refuses, making a smaller request that seems more logical. The low-ball technique is a compliance strategy where the persuader gets a person to commit to a small, low commitment offer that they have no intention of keeping. The break and fix compliance technique are often used when stating the price of an item. In this technique, the persuader says something strange or unconventional and contrasts this statement with something rational.
What are some examples of these techniques?
Food-in-the-Door: Let's say a friend asks you if you can explain a specific concept for math class. This is a small, reasonable favor so you gladly do it. A week later, the friend asks if you can do the entire assignment for them. This is a larger request—would you do it?
Door-in-the-Face technique: Let's assume someone wants a 10% bonus from your boss. By using the Door-in-the-Face technique, they would ask for a 20% bonus and once the boss rejects their offer, they would come down and ask for 10% instead of 20%.
Break and Fix technique: According to a study from The Balance Careers, psychologists told one group of customers that a pack of eight cards cost $3.00. They told the second group that “a package of eight cards costs 300 pennies, which is a bargain.” In the study, only 40% of the first group bought the cards but 80% of the second group made the purchase. This is because the words "300 pennies" shift the customer’s mindset and helps them see the value in what the persuader is saying.
Low-Ball technique: When buying a car, usually the salesperson promises you a limited-edition offer at an ultra-low price but must “check” with his manager if this is acceptable. Then, the salesperson returns and says the manager would not agree to the deal and the price is raised. Most people agree to the higher price.
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