Some of you may know that I have a weekend job helping my husband Brenton at his open inspections. With a big house at a first open, we can sometimes have up to 50 people visit in a 45-minute window.
I am the ‘meeter and greeter.’ I dog-sit puppies, corral small children, smile, welcome people in, and hand out brochures.
I also have the slightly awkward job of collecting names and phone numbers.
Here Is What I Have Learned
If I ask their details the moment they walk in, it feels abrupt and a bit confrontational. So, instead, I chat first. I welcome them, smile, hand them a brochure and then ask for their name and number.
It was only later that I realised I was naturally using two of Robert Cialdini’s principles of persuasion.
1. Likeability
I smile, greet them warmly, thank them for coming and open up a conversation. When we like someone, we unconsciously assume that their intentions are good, their ideas are credible and their requests are reasonable. A tiny moment of rapport lowers the barriers to ‘yes.’
2. Reciprocity
I give them something — a brochure, information, a moment of attention — before asking anything in return. When someone gives us something, even something small, we feel a subtle social pull to reciprocate.
Everything becomes more comfortable. People relax. They’re more open, and 95 percent of people happily share their details without hesitation.
If you’re passive nothing gets done. If you’re pushy you kill relationships. To persuade is human, and we all do it, every day.
- Giving birth to a business - September 3, 2026
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- The Rules of Attention - July 31, 2026
