December 18, 2005
Cialdini, the waiter, and the mints
Cialdini illustrates reciprocity with the story of a waiter who presented a table of four with their bill, accompanied by four mints. His tip went up. When he offered two mints each with the check, the tip increased. But when he gave each diner a mint, then hesitated and gave each a second as a “special” gesture, his tip went up even more. “Not because of the second candy,” Cialdini explains, “but because it was personal and unexpected.”
The waiter, he adds, was clearly a “smuggler” of influence, one who uses the system and eventually, loses credibility.
To capitalize on the reciprocity principle, he insists, you must be a detective of influence, someone who genuinely looks for real favors or provides service above and beyond expectations… making it “wise,” he repeats, “to say yes.’”
Fascinating stuff. Go read it and let me know what you think. Do you use any of these tactics?
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