Persuasion Tool #9 – Door In The Face (Perception of Value)
I know you’ve met people that need your product, want your product, like your product, and can afford your product, but you still get resistance. Let’s continue with the four R’s of resistance. We’ve talked about eliminating risk. We’ve talked about creating a compelling reason. Now let’s spend time on resources.
Here is the thing about resources – it’s not just the money. It could be the time. Maybe they feel like they don’t have the time to do it. It could be the money. That’s a big one, and we’ll talk about that. Maybe they don’t have the support from the people around them.
Now realize, when someone says they don’t have the time or especially if you hear it’s too expensive, you’ve blown your presentation. You haven’t built the value. They don’t see why they should do it. Are they comparing your product or service to a used car or a Rolls-Royce?
This is how the human brain works. When we see something, based on past experience and knowledge, we’re going to assign a value to it. (It is usually wrong) So, again, when they say it’s too expensive, you haven’t built the value of your product or service.
Let me give you an example of perception. This is what I will do at my seminar. I’ll hold up a CD and ask the audience, “How much is this CD worth?” I’ll get estimates anywhere from 10 cents to $2,000. Ten cents on a blank CD, maybe $10 for music, maybe $100 for personal development, maybe $2,000 for software. Same CD – different perception of value. What is your audience’s perception about your product, your service, your idea?
How can you build the value and make it a no-brainer to purchase your product? One great technique is called DITF, or door in the face. Basically, you come with a large and unreasonable request that you know will be rejected. You can do this during a negotiation, during your presentation, or during the conversation about price. You start high and they are probably going to decline. In their mind it is too much time, too much effort or too much money. Then once you have established a base line of value or effort, you follow up with a second smaller, more reasonable request.
A great example is auto insurance companies. That policy’s will be around $2,000 a year. You’re like, “Whoa that is too expensive. Then you will hear…. Wait a minute. You’re a non-smoker and your kids are on the honor roll,” and they go down the list. “Oh, we can do that for $950 a year.” They’ve established the value at $2,000. Now it’s $950. You feel like you are getting a great deal.
Here is an interesting study that was done with college students. This is using door in the face. So, they go up to students and say, “Hey, would you do a 15-minute survey?” and 25% said, “Okay.” Now, watch what they did. This is door in the face, right here, in action. “Hey, will you do a two-hour survey?” “Whoa, whoa, no, I don’t have the time.” “Well, will you at least do a 15-minute survey?” By starting with the higher amount of time – It doubled the compliance from 25% to 50%.
That’s what door in the face does. It adjusts the perception of value. It could be buying a product or asking for help on a committee or budget request. This technique puts things in perspective and dramatically increases the chances people are going to comply. Here’s additional research on DITF. This was done at a blood drive. So, the blood drive already started. People were giving blood. The researchers would approach people walking by and say, “Hey, will you donate blood today? Come on, this is a great cause,” and 31% agreed. Now here is the door in the face in action for the next group. “Hey, will you donate blood every two months for the next three years?” “Whoa, whoa, that’s a big commitment.” “Will you at least donate today?” The yes’s went from 31% to 49%. The main reason the door in the face technique is so effective is because the contrast between the two requests makes your prospects feel like they’re getting more or less than they would have if they’d gone with the original offering.
Your prospect feels like they’ve made a fair compromise and you got exactly what you wanted in the first place. Now, if it’s a negotiation, you might want to start as low or high as you can. This works to create a base line or a starting point to the negotiation.
Application
When you look at your product, your service, start as high or as low as you can. Now, you don’t want to get in the insult zone. You want to make sure that people see the value and understand why you’ve started there, then create the additional value. Then you come back with your final offer. If you just start at the average price, there’s no wiggle room, and it’s difficult to build the value. It is easy for people to spend $20 for $100 in value. This technique is powerful. You heard the research. This is a powerful tool. Use this tool and you’ll see a big difference in the ability to influence and persuade.