When Can Asking For A Little Go A Long Way?
by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini

Presumably a very little person first said, "Good things come in small packages." Whoever coined the phrase, it's clear that this person understood the power of thinking big by going small.

Throughout this book, we've attempted to provide evidence to support our claims that we can successfully and ethically move people to say yes. But in certain situations and environments, it's also important to understand why people say no to reasonable requests, such as a request to donate to a legitimate charity.

Along with several colleagues, one of us set out to do just that. We thought that when asked to make a donation, even those who would genuinely like to support the charity in some way say no because they can't afford to donate very much and they assume the small amount they can afford won't do much to help the cause. Based on this reasoning, we thought that one way to urge people in this situation to donate would be to inform them that even an extremely small sum would be helpful to the cause, essentially legitimizing such contributions.

To test this hypothesis, our research assistants went door-to-door to request donations for the American Cancer Society. After introducing themselves, these research assistants asked the residents, "Would you be willing to help by giving a donation?" For half of the residents, the request ended there. For the other half, however, the research assistant added, "Even a penny will help."

When we analyzed the results, we found that this diminutive disk of copper and zinc was worth its weight in persuasive gold. Consistent with our hypothesis, people in the "even-a-penny-will-help" condition were almost twice as likely as those in the other condition to donate to the cause (50 percent vs. 28.6 percent).

On the face of it, the study suggests that when you want assistance from others, simply pointing out that even a small offering would be acceptable and worthwhile to you is likely to be an effective strategy. Still, is there a possibility that adopting an "even-a-penny-will-help" strategy could backfire? Although the number of people who donated almost doubled when people were told that even a penny would help, might their donations have been smaller than those in the other condition? After all, those residents were informed that even a single cent would help, which might have led them to give a smaller donation than they ordinarily would. We looked at the size in donation amounts and were happy to find that there was no difference in the average donation per contributor. What this means is that the "even-a-penny-will-help" request should come out ahead of a standard request not only in the number of people who donate, but in the overall amount collected from your efforts. In our study, for instance, for every hundred people we asked, we collected seventy-two dollars in donations in the "even-a-penny" condition compared to only forty-four dollars in the standard condition.

There are several applications of the "even-a-penny-will-help" approach in the workplace. To coworkers regarding a community project, "Just an hour of your time would really help." To a colleague whose handwriting is illegible, "Just a little more clarity would help." To a busy prospective client whose needs must be more fully understood, "Even a brief initial phone call would help." The chances are that this little step in your direction won't prove so little after all.

Here's to YES!,

The Authors

P.S. Whether you are in Network Marketing or just curious about how to be more influential in everyday life, Yes! shows how making small, scientifically proven changes to your approach can have a dramatic effect on your persuasive powers. The bottom line: Get (and read) this book!

© 2008 by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini. Reprinted by permission of Free Press, a Division of Simon & Schuster, Inc, NY.

From YES! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be More Persuasive by Noah J. Goldstein, PhD, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. Cialdini, PhD.

MLM Success Store Pages
MLM Books & CDs - Total Success Pack - The MLM System