Tactic 39 of 99
The Silent Majority
Name the norm and people fall in line.
What it is
Tell people what most others do and they tend to do it too. Robert Cialdini and colleagues tested hotel cards: a message saying most guests in the hotel reused their towels got more reuse than a plain environmental appeal. Wesley Schultz and colleagues found similar effects with home energy use. The norm becomes the guide.
Spot it
“Most people choose...” “The majority of customers...” “Nine out of ten...” Ask where the number comes from.
Counter it
Ask: “Most people where? Who counted?” Then ask the better question: “Is it right for me?”