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Let’s face it: You want more people to agree with you.
What you might not know already is that most people want to agree with you impulsively. They want to support you and champion your cause. All you have to do is give them a reason.
The reason does not have to be the most logical one you can come up with; it just has to be prefaced with the word “because.” Prefacing with the word “because” highlights the reason for your audience.
Here is an example of John F Kennedy using a very simple reason to justify the Moon landing mission and prefacing with the word “because.”
“We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…” John F Kennedy 1962
Start video at 1:50 minutes
Out of all the reasons JFK gave in his speech, “we are doing it because it’s hard,” is the one most quoted.
It’s crucial to use the word “because” if you want to be persuasive
A study by Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer demonstrated the power of because. It showed that using the word because while requesting something from a stranger increased compliance by 34%.
That’s huge!
Ellen’s group sent a stranger to cut to the front of the photocopy line at the university copy center.
In the first try the stranger said:
Can I cut in front of you to make copies? – 60% of the people let the stranger cut
In the second try the stranger said:
Can I cut in front of you to make copies, “BECAUSE” I am late to class? – 94% of the people let the stranger cut
As you can see already 34% increase in compliance.
In the third try the stranger said:
Can I cut in front of you to make copies, “because” (and they made up a silly reason like) my cat is sick? – 93% of the people let the stranger cut.
In the third try you can see that the reason does not have to be a good one. As long as you have a reason and it’s prefaced with the word “Because.”
Put it to use:
1 – Start giving reasons to your audience any time you want them to be persuaded
2- Start prefacing the reasons you give with the word because.
Here are some great examples of how to use because:
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You need product ____X____ because…
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I use service ____Y____ because…
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We need to think ____W_____ about ourselves because…
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You want to approve this project because…
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You should join our team because…
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We have to be first in this category because…
You want people to agree with you. You want your projects to be approved. You want your group to get resources and funding. After all, that’s the primary reason you communicate in a business setting.
Start tipping the odds in your favor. Start using “because,” and you might notice upwards of 34% increase in compliance. Because most people want to believe you, want to agree with you, and want to support you. All you have to do is give them a reason.
