Beige
Don Juan
There I was... standing 12 feet from the edge of a 200 feet building... with a rope attached to my back.
My whole confidence disappeared.
- Guys, now I'm beginning to fear.
- Just go here - a guy pointed the edge - you'll hear "Ready, set, go", on "Go" you jump forward. Not to the left, not to the right, forward.
I made a small step in the direction of the edge and I froze.
- Sorry, I won't do this. - I wanted to quit
- Don't look down... Good. Now: a small step.
I did another small step. There was a guy standing behind my back holding me and not allowing me to back off. Finally my small steps led me to an edge. I was standing there watching clouds.
- Ready...
- No, not yet.
I backed off a step. After a while he convinced me to move closer again. I was standing for a minute on the edge when I heard it again..
- Ready...
- Set...
- Go!
Those guys were great persuaders, they managed to convince me to jump. They didn't argue with me, they didn't assure me that it was safe. They forced me to do small steps which ultimately led me to the edge.
When you want to persuade someone into doing something make him do small things first.
To give you a real-life example - let's imagine that you want to get a girls' phone # and she doesn't want you to give it to her. I personally would quit at this moment - if she doesn't want then it's her loss, but this situation clearly shows how this strategy works.
- So, what's your #?
- I'm sorry, I don't give out my number.
- Ok, so just take out your pen.
(she's smiling but obviously isn't going to take it out)
- C'mon, you don't have to write your #, just take out your pen.
(she gets her pen)
- Now, a piece of paper.
...
- C'mon, taking out a piece of paper did never kill anyone. Just a piece of paper, you don't have do write your #.
(she gets out a piece of paper)
- Now write down your name.
- Your rules don't forbid you writing your name, c'mon.
(she writes out her name and understands that it leads to the final question)
- And your phone #
(you may add: - You won't have to talk with me when I call if you decide not to.)
Persuading a person into jumping is a lot easier when he/she is already standing on the edge.
As I said - I wouldn't use this strategy in above situation because I think that it's amoral in this case but it clearly shows what's the idea and there are many other opportunities for using it. It even works when you want to force yourself to do something! "I'll just sit next to that girl" "I'll just ask her for a time" "I'll just continue conversation".
Go for it