Invisible Influence: The Power to Persuade Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere

3

Practice Deframing

The next discovery in the 2005 South Africa study was which “offer frame” results were seen to be the most effective.1

The study tested the offer frame in a number of ways:

• The positive/negative frame: “If you borrow elsewhere (from us), you will pay R100 Rand more (less) each month on a four-month loan.”
• The monthly saving/total saving frame: “If you borrow from us, you will pay R100 (R400) Rand less each month (in total) on a four-month loan.”
• The percentage points/total percent frame: “If you borrow from us, your interest rate will be 4.00 percent lower!” versus “If you borrow from us, you will pay 32 percent less each month on a four-month loan.”

Survey says?

By far, the most profitable frame was the loss frame.

Additionally, descriptions in terms of actual money were much more effective than percent or interest rates.

As a technique, here’s what you need to know:

Create a word picture that creates a moderate amount of tension if the person doesn’t connect with you or if a client doesn’t do business with your company. In other words, in a selling situation, what will the client lose if they do not do business with you?

People fear loss and think about it all the time. But this is different than random considerations. You are intentionally inducing the process of deframing.

Deframing is more effective in some contexts than others. Consider what is potentially going to be lost, and compare it to the cost of being with you or doing business with you.