Book Review of The Small B!G – Are you trying to change the choices people make, get them to alter their behavior in some way? And having very little luck?
Then The Small B!G: Small Changes That Spark Big Influence is the book for you. In 52 short chapters, the experts explain actionable, tiny steps to take that really work. – Book Review of The Small B!G read on…
Impressive Authors – Book Review of The Small B!G
The authors are Steve J. Martin Noah Goldstein and Robert Cialdini, all three experts in the art of persuasion. The book was published in 2014 by Grand Central Publishing.
Dr. Cialdini is probably the best known due to his previous book, Influence, rated as one of the Top 10 Marketing Books of All Time by Inc. Magazine. He is president of Influence of Work.
Noah Goldstein wrote YES! with the other two, which was a bestseller. He is a professor at the Anderson School of Management at UCLA.
Steve Martin regularly writes for the Harvard Business Review and other magazines. He is the director of Influence at Work in the UK.
Go Small to Get Results – Book Review of The Small B!G
The authors base the suggestions in the book on recent research and studies, drawing from cognitive psychology, neuroscience, behavioral economics and social psychology. They show that it isn’t necessary to use large amounts of money, emotional presentations or reams of information to get people to change.
In a time of informational overload, people are more likely to shift their beliefs or actions if influenced by small suggestions and the way you present your requests. It’s all in the context.
Practical Persuasion – Book Review of The Small B!G
One of the most important ways to get people to do what you want is to use social proof. An example from the book shows how effective it can be, even among recalcitrant taxpayers. In Britain, tax authorities sent two types of letters to people who were slow paying their taxes.
Their first letter mentioned legal penalties and fees that were sure to follow if the money wasn’t paid quickly. The rate of slow-payers who sent money was 57%.
The next letter mentioned that most people pay their taxes on time. Seems like an innocuous fact. But using this type of social proof bumped up the rate of payments to 86%. That’s a hefty increase, adding millions to the Treasury.
It shows the power of social proof, telling people what others have done so they will follow along. No one wants to be left out!
Write It Down! – Book Review of The Small B!G
Another practical idea offered by the authors was to have people repeat the date and time of a new business appointment. In a doctor’s office, this decreased the number of patients not showing up by 3%. That doesn’t seem like much, but it counts in a busy medical facility.
Then a variation was used. Patients were asked to write down the specifics of an appointment. This reduced the number of no-shows by a whopping 18%.
Businesses of All Sizes – Book Review of The Small B!G
The book has 52 suggestions like these, each in its own easy-to-consume chapter. You can dip in to find something that looks immediately helpful. But if you read them together, they form a cohesive whole.
These tips work in all types of groups and for companies of all sizes, even those looking to discover new business opportunities. That’s because they are geared to persuading people. And they are essentially the same wherever you encounter them.
