persuasion Basically, an initially large and almost unreasonable request is made, likely to be declined-hence the "doorintheface" as the prospect rejects the proposal. Then a second smaller and more reasonable request is made. People accept the second request more readily than if they'd just been asked outright because the relativity between the two requests makes the second one seems so much better. The technique is effective because social standards state each concession must be exchanged with another concession. When you allow a rejection, it is considered a concession. The person you are persuading will then feel obligated to agree with your smaller request. Demonstrating this point, researchers first asked college students to donate blood ever)' two months for three consecutive years. Requiring a long term commitment of not only time, but also of physical and emotional responsibility, the request was overwhelmingly turned down. When a day later the same students were asked to donate blood just one time-on the following day-49 percent agreed. The control group, wherein students were only approached with the second request, only demonstrated a 31 percent compliance rate. The study continued the next day. As students showed up to donate blood, they were asked if they would provide their phone numbers so they could be called to see if they'd donate again later on. Of the first group (those who'd been given both requests), 84 percent consented to giving their phone numbers. Of the students in the control group, only 43 percent agreed to give their phone numbers.5 The main reason the doorintheface technique is so effective is because the contrast between the two requests makes your prospects feel like they are getting more less than they would have if they'd gone with the original offering. They feel like they've made a fair compromise, while you get exactly what you wanted in the first place. Alan Schoonmaker, author of Negotiate to Win: Gaining the Psychological Edge, makes an especially interesting point: A conservative first offer also creates the bargaining room needed for the mutual concession ritual (you give a little; they give a little; you give a little; and so on). You may regard this ritual as silly, but many people insist on it. If you do not perform it, they may feel you are not negotiating in good faith. ... It is far better for them to feel that they have defeated you, that they have driven you right to the wall. Lay the foundation for their victory with an initial offer that creates lots of bargaining room."6 By way of example, pretend your local scout troop is canvassing door to door to ask for donations to the scouting program. They ask you to donate $200, saying that all the other neighbors have donated this amount. After some discussion, the scouts ask for a $50 donation. You feel relief and give them $50-and you feel lucky that you got away with giving less than your neighbors. persuasion