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You might not use the word reciprocity every day, but it has a simple meaning that can be used as a very powerfull tool. It is one of the most common and basic norms of human culture and psychology.
A simple way to put it is that you feel obliged to repay when you are given something. You may be given something physical, like a free sample, or a service. However the giver might ask for something quite different in return.
Reciprocity is one of the key principles of influence, or persuasion, as written by Robert Cialdini in ‘Influence: Science and Practice’. In his book he discusses six basic social and psychological principles that are the basis for successful strategies used to achieve influence.
Free samples is a widely used way used for two reasons. One is the obvious one so the customer can try the product and see if it’s something they like, and then if they are interested they are more likely to buy because they were given the free sample or service.
The more you give, the more you are likely to get in return. Say you sell skin care products. Rather than just giving a potential customer a sample sachet, you could give them a full facial with the products. Not only do they feel the need to reciprocate more, by giving more you also increase trust.
I’ll leave building trust for another post, but I’ll leave you with this wise secret to lasting client relationships:
“People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”
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