I used to jokingly end all of my LegalEase consultations with some version of this:
“I am going to send you a contract. You can read it. This is NOT ClickFunnels. It does not become $40,000 if you do not sign up in the next 15 minutes, and there are not only two slots left.”
I have since found out that other marketing companies genuinely do stuff like this with lawyers. Let me be very clear. I get that it is a sales tactic. I even get that it can be an effective sales tactic.
But if I am interested in working with you for 10, 20, or 30 years, I do not care about a sales tactic. I want a brand that you can be proud to work with. Sometimes, those two things are mutually exclusive.
That being said, it is effective, or at least it can be, because it is a clear use of one of Robert Cialdini’s six Principles of Compliance.
The 6 Principles of Compliance
- Reciprocity
- Scarcity
- Authority
- Commitment and Consistency
- Consensus or Social Proof
- Similarity and Liking
1. Reciprocity
There is a study where two people were asked to perform tasks together, but one of them was secretly part of the experiment. Afterward, the planted participant tried to sell the other person raffle tickets.
In half of the cases, the planted participant was given two cokes and gave one to the other person. In those cases, the average number of raffle tickets purchased was double that of the control group.
They also asked whether the person liked the one who gave them the coke. It did not matter. They still bought twice as many raffle tickets.
That is reciprocity. Same concept as the Hare Krishnas giving you a flower before asking for a donation.
To make this even more impactful for your firm, the gift must be aligned with the ask. For example:
- An estate planning firm offering a free medical DNR form
- A personal injury firm giving a free ebook on property damage claims
- A criminal defense firm providing a guide on the bail and bond process
These are directly related to your legal work and, in theory, are more effective at driving compliance, in this case hiring your firm.
A Lannister always pays his debts. And while they did a lot that was not normal human behavior, reciprocity is normal human behavior across all cultures.
2. Scarcity
Act now or the price goes away. Act now, there are limited spaces.
The entire point of scarcity is to stop people from thinking critically about your offer and push them to act.
That is why I find it distasteful, especially for lawyers.
But it works on the human mind in the moment.
In another study, people were interviewed while cookies were on the table. In some rooms there were ten cookies. In others, there were two. People rated the cookies as tastier in the rooms with only two cookies.
In a third room, people initially saw ten cookies. Another person then came in, removed eight, and said there had been a mistake. Those participants went wild for the cookies.
You are more than welcome to use scarcity to your advantage. Just be honest about it.
If there are truly only two slots left, say so.
If your trademark package is genuinely going from $1,500 to $2,000 in 2023, tell them.
Just do not always have some fake sale or artificial limit on your work.
3. Authority
There was a doctor who ordered an auditory test on a patient’s right ear and wrote it as “R Ear.” Someone read it as “rear” and performed the test on the patient’s butt.
Why? Because we trust doctors.
Look at how many ads use people who only played doctors on TV to sell products.
Do I have T-Mobile because I love Scrubs and they use Turk and JD in their ads? No. I swear. Well… probably not.
This is also why con artists wear fancy suits and call themselves judges or bank managers. Authority matters.
I wear a Hawaiian shirt because I enjoy it and it makes me more approachable, even if it slightly downplays authority.
Think about the image you portray and how you demonstrate expertise.
Brain scans show that when people are told an expert’s opinion on a two-sided issue, fewer areas of the brain light up when they answer the question again. The brain does not need to work as hard. It can just repeat the expert.
Be the authority that removes the burden of decision making, especially when someone is choosing who to hire.
4. Commitment and Consistency
Imagine you go to the Kentucky Derby and place a bet on a horse. When are you most confident in that horse?
Right after you place the bet.
You are more confident after the decision than before because confidence aligns with the action you just took.
This is why intense fraternity hazing creates such loyalty. People convince themselves it must be worth it.
For law firms, do not haze your clients. Seriously, do not.
But do ask for reviews or feedback right after they hire you. That is when they are most committed to their decision.
Then they can stay consistent with those positive thoughts. Just make sure you deliver excellent service throughout the case.
Also, the more expensive you are, the more commitment clients tend to have. Price becomes your version of hazing.
Again, do not haze your clients.
5. Consensus and Social Proof
This builds naturally from commitment and consistency.
I once received an email from a client complaining about our work. I owned it and tried to make it right. But oddly, the email also brought me some joy because they explained that this experience must be unusual given how many people rave about us.
That social proof gave us the opportunity to fix the issue rather than have them assume we were bad at our jobs.
Use this everywhere.
Share reviews in follow up emails. Share them on social media. Reference them in client conversations.
This is how doomsday cults work, so use it for your law firm, and for good.
The more closely the person giving the testimonial matches the prospective client, the more powerful it is.
A glowing review about a car accident case is less impactful if the current client needs a will.
6. Similarity and Liking
This dovetails perfectly with social proof.
We are more compliant with people we find attractive. Not why you are here, I know. I have come to terms with that.
We also like people who are similar to us. This is absolutely why you are here, and you are welcome, or I am sorry.
Similarity increases compliance.
This is why you need a clear ideal client. I know I hammer this constantly, but everything comes back to it.
If you still do not have a clear ideal client, click here.
Your clients do not need to look alike physically. But the more they have in common, such as location, profession, or legal need, the stronger all of this becomes.
We also tend to like what feels familiar. If you flip a photo of yourself vertically and show it to friends, you will prefer a different version than they do because you are used to seeing yourself in the mirror.
This is gold for social media. You might have hated me at first, but like a fungus, I grew on you.
Another fun fact. We tend to trust taller people. Again, not why you are here.
Final Thoughts
Go forth and create more positive compliance. Done the right way, it helps build a firm you can be proud of and a better life overall.
Next week, I am not going to talk about Bruno. No, no, no. But I am going to talk about how to write better emails and manage your inbox more effectively.
Until then, have a wonderful weekend. And may your law firm never pass on buying the newer firm down the block, only to watch them thrive and get a Netflix show made about their last store, like Blockbuster.
The greatest flex of all time. If you disagree, please tell me what tops it. I genuinely want more options.
Also, the Blockbuster in the show does not look like the actual last Blockbuster. If you want to see what it really looks like, here is me trying to explain videos to my four year old in front of the store.