“Commitment”, the dreaded “C” word

Try giving a child the following choices:
(a) Go out and play now and do your homework later.
-OR-
(b) Do your homework now, and go for a movie later.

I’ll bet 8-out-of-10 will pick choice (a), because even though they are truly getting a better deal out of (b). they realize that “later” may just never happen, because “later” hasn’t been defined. Something else could come up, and the movie plan could be put off for another time or another day.

Now try this instead of the earlier (b):
(b) Do your homework now, and we’ll go for “Spiderman 2” for the 4:30 show.

It is still basically the same plan – homework first, then a movie.

However, the difference now is that you have made (b) a lot more specific – you have named the exact movie and the exact show you are going to watch it at. The percentage of 90% vs 10% could dramatically shift in favor of (b), because now they know you are serious; because now it’s no longer “go for a movie later“, but “going to Spiderman 2 at 4:30”.

You were vague earlier. Now you are specific. It shows that you are serious. You can’t get out of it that easily now that you committed to a specific movie at a specific time. You are showing commitment.

If you were trying to sell discourage them from them doing (a) and trying to “sell” them plan (b), which (b) would you pick: the former or the latter?

Yes, even children are influenced by signs of “commitment” – don’t you think your customers and potential customers are the same way?

Commitment is not just for those dating or married. It is for everyone in any kind of relationship.

* Friend/Friend
* Boyfriend/Girlfriend
* Boyfriend/Boyfriend
* Girlfriend/Girlfriend
* Husband/Wife
* Parent/Child
* Student/Teacher
* Employer/Employee
* Merchant/Customer
* Your job/You
* Your Business/You

Got commitment? Will win – regardless of what the game is.

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