Because: To Persuade, Give A Reason
You may think that using “because I said so” is a terrible justification for something. In truth, however, it’s probably effective.
Do you know why, though?
For example, saying “you should subscribe to the Levers of Persuasion newsletter” isn’t as convincing as “you should subscribe to the Levers of Persuasion newsletter because you’ll learn to increase your influence and impact.”
“BECAUSE” IS EFFECTIVE
As Robert Cialdini writes in Influence:
“A well-known principle of human behavior says that when we ask someone to do us a favor we will be more successful if we provide a reason.”
For example, Influence cites a study where people tried to cut in line at a photocopier. When people asked to cut in “because they were in a hurry”, compliance skyrocketed.
But more importantly, the reason you give doesn’t even need to be legitimate.
In the photocopier study, the researchers found that people could also successfully request to cut in line if the reason they gave was “because I need to make a copy”.
Think about it; that “reason” isn’t legitimate. It just states the obvious. “Can I cut in line for the photocopier because I need to make a copy?”
Yet, 93% of people complied with the request.
Providing a reason is a powerful lever of persuasion.
WHY GIVING A REASON WORKS
Your brain is lazy and defaults to easiest path of thought. When you give someone a reason for a request, you give their brain an easy out for why that person should comply with your request.
As Scott Adams explains in Win Bigly, providing a reason gives people “a rationalization for what [they] wanted to do anyway.”
DON’T LET YOUR WHY BE IMPLIED
Even if your reason is obvious, you should still state it when you make your request.
For example, if you’re fundraising for a university scholarship, you should ask: “Please donate because [X type of students] need your support.”
That would be much more effective than just asking “please donate to your alma mater.”
HOW YOU WILL LEVERAGE “BECAUSE”
- Copywriting & Sales — When selling something, always state a “because.” For example, “you should buy this house now because there are several other potential buyers” (note that this taps into social proof and scarcity, too).
- Negotiating Your Salary — When negotiating a starting salary or subsequent raise, provide a reason to justify it. Remember, your “why’ can be arbitrary (think about the photocopier study above). So your reason doesn’t need to be particularly strong. “I’d like a raise of $X because I add value to [X] type of deals, like I did on [recent example].”
- Asking for Donations — As noted, when fundraising, you should provide a because.
- Asking for Discounts / Customer Service — When asking for discounts, freebies, or dealing with customer service to resolve an issue, provide a “because” in your requests. “I’d like a discount because I’ve been a loyal customer for 3 years.”
How have you leveraged giving a “because” to persuade and influence? Where have you seen it used by others? Share your expertise in the comments.
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