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1-Page Summary of The Small Big

Overview

Influence explains how people are persuaded. It talks about the different techniques used by salesmen, advertisers and con artists to get us to say yes. Knowing these principles will allow you to persuade others, as well as defend yourself against manipulation attempts.

A message isn’t enough to persuade someone. Every person’s values and opinions are different, so a good message can have a totally different effect on each of them.

In this article, you’ll learn some small tips that will make a big difference in your ability to convince people. Whether it’s at home or the office, these techniques can revolutionize the way you approach persuasion.

By the end of this article, you will learn how to get people to show up for their doctor’s appointments. You will also understand why focusing on business failures is better than studying successful businesses. Moreover, you’ll know why graffiti leads to littering.

Big Idea #1: To get people to commit, you should make a few small changes.

Did you know that some small changes can make a huge difference in your ability to persuade someone? It’s not just about being crafty; persuasion is important. If we don’t persuade others, then we lose money as a society because people don’t fulfill their commitments.

The healthcare industry suffers from a lack of commitment. One example is the phrase “DNA,” which stands for “Did Not Attend.” This happens when you schedule an appointment but don’t show up. In the UK alone, this has cost £800 million in losses.

Governments and businesses have a responsibility to collect money on time. However, late or absent payments often result in fees for governments, organizations and customers.

Even small changes can have a big impact.

You might think that if we offered people rational reasons to turn off lights, they would do it. But persuasion science studies suggest otherwise. There is a better way: put garbage bins under the light switches so workers will be predisposed to flip them as they throw their trash away when leaving the office. This is just one of many small changes that can have big effects on behavior.

Big Idea #2: When you change your environment, it can influence your behavior.

Before you start preparing for a negotiation, choose the right location. It can influence your strategy more than you think.

The environment in which we find ourselves can affect how responsible we are. For example, a study of bike riders showed that they were more likely to behave responsibly when there was an advertisement on their bikes.

When researchers added graffiti to the alleyway adjacent to a shopping centre, 69 percent of people threw advertisements on the ground instead of putting them in the trash.

Another study showed that different environments can affect how we act. For example, one group of participants was better at solving creative problems in a regular-height room than a low-ceilinged room.

Even the way you arrange your seating can affect how people respond to information or proposals. Scientists found that circular arrangements led to more attention being paid towards what would be best for their group, while angular and square arrangements made people think more about themselves.

Changing the venue can affect negotiations. In one study, researchers found that when groups were assigned to either home or visitor status before a negotiation, those with the home status performed better than visitors in their negotiations.

Big Idea #3: People tend to conform, and follow the majority.

We think that we make decisions based on our own thoughts, but it’s actually influenced by those around us. This is called social proof.