Walk down a suburban street, and you might stumble across a following sign. It\u2019s probably messy with poor formatting and inconsistent font size. Here\u2019s one that I saw in Houston.<\/p>\n\n
Source<\/em><\/a><\/p>\n One line stuck out to me. It reads, \u201cWindow cleaning in progress.\u201d <\/em>I love this board because it showcases something that most marketers forget. K&C Window Cleaning doesn\u2019t try to persuade you with flashing slogans or in-your-face claims. They\u2019re far more subtle, and that subtly makes them more effective.<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n While ads are about influence, no one wants to be sold to. Instead, this sign uses psychology to get people thinking, \u201cOther people are using the service, so maybe it\u2019s time to clean my windows.\u201d The idea feels organic and nothing feels forced.<\/p>\n Table of Contents<\/strong><\/p>\n We follow the actions of others<\/a> Back in 2008, the legendary researcher Robert Cialdini ran a notorious study<\/a>. Set up over 80 days in a mid-priced hotel in the American Southwest, the three researchers ran tests in 190 rooms. Their goal was to encourage visitors to reuse their towels. Inside the room, they tested different signs with over 1,058 guests.<\/p>\n First, they tested a standard environmental message saying, \u201cHelp save the environment.\u201d Guests said this message would be most likely to persuade them. But the researchers also tested a message that read \u201cmost guests reuse their towels.\u201d The results were surprising. <\/p>\n The environmental plea encouraged 35% reuse, but the suggestion that the majority of guests reused their towels boosted reuse to 44%. But, then they added a third message: \u201cMost guests in this room reuse their towels.\u201d<\/p>\n\n This had an even greater impact. Now, almost 50% of guests reused old towels, up from 35% in the control. The takeaway is simple: we follow the actions of others.<\/p>\n So, if a neighbor pays for window cleaning, we\u2019ll consider doing the same. But marketers forget one important element: Consumers don\u2019t like to feel forced.<\/p>\n <\/a> <\/p>\n Messages like \u201cwe\u2019re the most popular\u201d and \u201cwe\u2019re number one\u201d work, but they\u2019re not perfect. Nicolas Gu\u00e9guen<\/a> in 2000 showed that people are more likely to act if they feel autonomous, not forced.<\/p>\n The study attempted to persuade French commuters to spare some coins for a bus ticket. The researchers tried two messages, which yielded surprisingly different results:<\/p>\n \u201cSorry, would you have some coins for me to take the bus, please?\u201c <\/em>10% agree<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cSorry, would you have some coins for me to take the bus please? But, you are free to accept or refuse.\u201d 47.5% agree <\/strong><\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n This method, coined the \u201cbut you are free to refuse\u201d technique, has been proven in multiple different domains, both online and offline. A 2013<\/a> meta-analysis found that the effect worked across 42 different domains.<\/p>\n That brings us back to K&C Window Cleaning\u2019s sign. It takes all this advice to heart. It showcases the actions others take, but doesn\u2019t force the reader into a corner.<\/p>\n It doesn\u2019t say, \u201cWe\u2019re the most popular window cleaners in Houston.\u201d And plenty of other companies do the same. They don\u2019t say they\u2019re popular; they prove it.<\/p>\n My favorite example comes from Sam Tatam\u2019s wonderful book, Evolutionary Ideas<\/a>. At his favorite cafe in Sydney, Australia, the owners don\u2019t say, \u201cWe\u2019re popular.\u201d Instead, they show it by sticking the loyalty cards of their customers on the wall.<\/p>\n\n Don\u2019t say it. Show it. It\u2019ll make your message far more effective.<\/p>\n
\n We don\u2019t like to feel forced<\/a> <\/p>\nWe follow the actions of others<\/h2>\n
We don\u2019t like to feel forced<\/h2>\n
\n It says, \u201cWindow cleaning in progress.\u201d <\/p>\n