We’ve almost all
found ourselves out to dinner at Olive Garden at one point or another. You’re absolutely stuffed from your “Italian”
dinner, but your waiter or waitress brings your party a generous pile of Andes
mints along with a smile and your check.
Unless you hate chocolate and mints, you’re instantly put into a good
mood. Will you be more inclined to
leave a better tip? The concept of
reciprocity is that if someone does something beneficial to you or for you, you
instinctually want to return the favor. Robert
Cialdini, a psychologist at Arizona State
University who studies how human behavior is affected by social rules, reported
that if there is a mint on a tray with a check, the tip was 3.3% higher than
usual. If there were two mints on the
tray, servers received a 20% higher tip.
This speaks volumes about the power of reciprocity.
How
can companies utilize this social phenomenon?
- Free apparel/items-handing out T-shirts or mugs at an event with your printed logo on it. Not only will they be wearing/using these items promoting your brand, they’ll feel indebted to your company.
- Free trials-get consumers to try your product for free. They’ll feel appreciative. If you provide them with a positive experience, they’ll be hooked!
- Free Knowledge-share your insights with potential customers on your blog. If your knowledge benefits the reader, they’ll not only have respect for you, they’ll provide their email or other contact information to receive later blog updates.’
There
are plenty of ways to utilize the principle of reciprocity in marketing, and it
does not have to be expensive. But remember,
we must give something away BEFORE we ask or expect someone to return the
favor.
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