Guest Post by Michael Alex Wasylik from perpetualbeta.com.
A Persuasive Profession
When you think of people who know you to use words to persuade, you
might think of salesmen, writers, lawyers, or politicians. Few people
realize that good waiters (and of course, waitresses) also know how to
use the power of words to influence the buying behavior of their
customers. After all, the bigger the check and the happier the
customer, the larger the tip. So take a look at some of the things
this waiter did to juice up his persuasiveness and boost his bottom
line.
Invocation of a Higher Power
Our waiter did not, of course, come out and try to convert us to any
particular faith. But he did invoke a higher power than himself before
rolling out the list of lunch specials. Remember the last time you
heard about the daily specials? Odds are, it started something like
this: "And today's specials are…"
Flat. Boring. Weak. Not working, unless the specials themselves are
made to sounds tantalizing with vivid language. But our server did
something different - he opened up with:
Our chef recommends…
See why that's different? These aren't just specials… these are
entrées the chef himself would eat if he were at our table. Before
he's even finished his sentence, he's opened us up psychologically to
whatever follows - because what he's about to say doesn't come from
him, but from an authority. And research shows, humans respond more
frequently to requests from a figure of authority. Your readers will,
too.
Everyone Else Is Doing It
So let's say you didn't want to get the special. Or were torn between
two. If you asked this waiter for his suggestion, what's he likely to
say? Another waiter might say, "The fried scallops are my favorite."
Again, weak. Who cares what the waiter thinks? My waiter would have
said:
Everyone who orders the glazed grouper loves it.
Why is this better? It invokes the power of "social proof" - the
deep-down human need to be part of the herd, to seek safety in
numbers. After all, if "everyone" else liked it, odds are pretty good
you'll like it too. Sold!
The Feel-Good Event of the Year
Everyone who's ever waited table or been waited on knows that the
server will check on the table a couple of times to make sure everyone
at the table has what they need. When they do, they'll often use the
language of deprivation: "Can I get anything else for you?" In other
words… what's missing? What did I forget?
A better approach, but still not the best one, is the server who comes
up to you and says, "How is everything?" The hope is, of course, that
you'll respond positively. But why hope? Why not just come right out
and demand a positive response? Here's what our waiter asked:
So, gentlemen… is everything delicious?
Well, heck yes! Most people, unless specifically unhappy about some
aspect of their meal, will answer that question with one word: "Yes!"
There are two main reasons for this, and two main effects. First, the
reasons.
We want to be liked and likable. Most of us don't like to go stirring
up conflict. So was it delicious? If it's even close, we're prone to
agree rather than disagree, and then have to explain why - that would
be a huge hassle. (Especially if we ordered the "chef's
recommendation!") But also, if we picked the restaurant, and picked
the menu item, and it was delicious, well, that makes us geniuses,
right? We pick delicious food at outstanding restaurants with chefs
who give the best recommendations. And our friend across the table can
go out and say, "Hey, you should go to lunch with Mike! He picks the
best lunch places."
So we're inclined to agree that our meal was not just edible, not
merely good, but delicious. And by extension, so are we. Now that
we're geniuses of selecting lunch cuisine, what impact does that have
on this waiter's bottom line?
When we get the check, and we're calculating the tip, we're more
likely to tip 20% instead of just 15% because, hey, the meal was
delicious. That's a 33% jump in pure profit.
And before we ask for the check, maybe we want to look over a dessert
menu, because that cheesecake is almost certainly going to be even
more delicious than the grouper. (Much to the chagrin of my waistline
- cheesecake almost always beats out grouper in the "delicious"
category.) So the total bill, the one we use to start calculating a
tip, will be bigger as well. And that means the tip is bigger.
But there's one other important effect. We've committed ourselves, in
public, and in front of our friends, that the meal was delicious. They
probably did the same. And when we feel good about the dining
experience, we're more likely to come back, and bring our friends. And
our friends are more likely to do that, too. And for restaurants as
well as most businesses, repeat customers are the best kind of
customers to have… just like repeat vistors are the ones that will
sustain your blog over time. Everyone prospers.
What's In the Doggy Bag?
"Well, Mike…" you're thinking "That's all great, but I'm not a waiter.
How do I bring this home to my site?"
Simple. Next time you're trying to persuade your audience to do
something - subscribe to your feed, download a report, even buy a
product, try at least one of these three things:
1. Invoke the power of a higher authority to influence decisions. Get
a testimonial from someone famous. Quote a rating from an industry
watchdog. Earn and use the Better Business Bureau logo on your
website. Partner with someone well-known in your niche. Or become the
authority yourself: write a book, set a record, win a contest. Get
creative and you'll see opportunities to invoke authority in every
post.
2. Promote safety in numbers. What's your best-read article? Your most
popular post? Your most-downloaded report? Get specific - offer
numbers, names, references, or testimonials. If someone else likes
what you do, then the next reader is more willing to take the chance
on you.
3. Make your readers feel fantastic about their decision tospend their
time with you. If you've provided legitimate value to your readers,
they should feel fantastic. Gently remind them of this in your follow
up: "Thanks for subscribing to my email feed! I hope you find every
post as exciting as the one that madeyou subscribe."
Our chef recommends that you try all three, and watch how they impact
your bottom line.
About the Author
Michael Alex Wasylik is a Florida lawyer who first started blogging in
1999. He currently writes for the Florida Foreclosure Fraud weblog and
his personal site, perpetualbeta.com - which he's sure you'll find
absolutely delicious.
from: Blog Tips at ProBlogger.
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