Many years ago, I didn’t have the ability to hire professional movers. Instead, like most university students, I would rent a truck, like U-Haul van, pack everything myself, and then ask some friends to help me load and unload.
It was a cheap but effective option when friends were willing and available. In one instance, a friend backed out at the last minute, and I was stuck.
There was too much to move with just 2 people, and I needed a 3rd. So my brother called a friend and he dropped everything to immediately help. This friend, let’s call him Rob, saved the day.
I remember the feeling I had for the following years: if Rob needed anything, and I pretty much mean anything, I would have been there for him.
Even after I learned about the reciprocity rule, I still felt greatly indebted to him.
The reciprocity rule is a social norm where if someone does something nice for you, you feel like you should do something nice for them in return. Often the something nice in return is of equal or even much greater value.
Salespeople leverage this rule in business transactions, and you can use it to build trust with a Salesforce client. Do something nice and unexpected for them, and they will make many attempts to repay the favor.
The takeaway
Like all “social hacks”, please use the reciprocity rule for good. When properly used, it can be a powerful agent to build trust and a sense of debt.