Invoke the influence of reciprocity

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So the next time you need to justify your price, defend a company policy, or position your solution against a competitor’s, summoning the word because might just be the mind trick you need!



Reciprocity is one of the oldest and most powerful forces in business. It’s an incentive-based behavioral equation; I want something from you and in exchange, I offer something in return. For example, I want my kids to brush their teeth and go to bed on time without a fuss, and in exchange, I may offer extended TV time the next day. Simple, right? Well as it turns out, the order of operation here is more important than we think!

In the earlier example of hotel towel reuse, the researchers hoped to promote guest compliance by offering to donate a portion of the energy savings to a not-for-profit environmental protection organization.


A “You do this for me, I’ll do that for you” proposition honduras telegram data similar to my children’s bedtime routine. Interestingly, this incentive resulted in no additional degree of compliance with the request. However, when the researchers reversed the order of the incentive by stating that they had already donated a portion of the anticipated savings to the not-for-profit environmental protection organization, the degree of cooperation increased by 45%!

What this means in a business context is that as sales professionals we should be focused on adding value to our customers at every interaction in advance of any ask. For example, instead of pinging your prospects with the all too familiar “Just checking in,” emails or phone calls, why not send them a third-party article, study, or business book you feel they’d enjoy? (i.


e. the “just thinking of you” approach). Or how about making an introduction to a like-minded customer or third-party expert who can help them in their role? There are dozens of things you can do to add value to that customer and build reciprocity, but the key is whatever you do, it has to be no strings attached. While you hope that one day the other party will reciprocate the favor (i.e. give you access to their business or ultimately make a purchase), your gesture needs to stand alone as a value-added experience whether they do or not.