All 99
Tactic 67 of 99

The Head Start

A loyalty card with two stamps already on it gets finished.

What it is

People work harder to finish something when they feel they’ve already started. Joseph Nunes and Xavier Drèze tested car-wash loyalty cards: a card needing eight stamps with none filled, and a card needing ten stamps with two already filled. Same eight washes to go. The second card got completed far more often: 34% against 19%.

Spot it

“You’re already 30% there!” Free points just for signing up. Progress bars that start half full.

Counter it

Ask: “Would I start this from zero?” Free progress is a hook, not a reason.

Related tactics

68The Sunk Cost HookThe more they’ve put in, the harder it is to walk away.69The IKEA EffectLet them build it and they’ll love it.61The Foot in the DoorStart small. The big yes follows the small one.