I just love this smart advice on how to sell a used car.
I love it because it plays on so many subtleties I have been learning about on persuasion.
First, you are not a dealership. You are selling a single car which is a limited supply.
Second, you make appointment times the same which creates an increase in competition.
And with customers competing, possibly buying before another one can get the chance, the deadline tactic is introduced.
Here’s one final one for free: Don’t forget reciprocity!
If it’s hot outside, you might even have some cold lemonade on hand to give everyone!
Because he knew how to construct a good ad, he usually received an array of calls from potential buyers on Sunday morning. Each prospect who was interested enough to want to see the car was given an appointment time—the same appointment time. So if six people were scheduled, they were all scheduled for, say, two o’clock that afternoon. This little device of simultaneous scheduling paved the way for later compliance because it created an atmosphere of competition for a limited resource.
-Robert Cialdini, Influence
