If You Scratch An Advisor’s Back, Will They Scratch Yours?

You scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours.

A phrase that dates back to the English Navy during the 17th century.

Yet the concept of reciprocity is as old as human interaction itself.

In his newly updated book, Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion, Robert Cialdini dives into six universal principles of influence, one of which is reciprocity.

One big takeaway was his suggestion for how to handle the ‘thanks’ that come when you do for others.

If you’re like me, you have a standard reply of, “No problem.”

Or, “My pleasure.”

Or, “It’s no big deal.”

Cialdini suggests, in an effort to best cultivate reciprocity, a better response would be, “Of course, I was glad to do it. It’s what long-term partners do for one another.”

In the case of a new(er) relationship we’d say, “I was glad to do it, I know that if the situation were ever reversed, you would do the same for me.”

Both replies fertilize the seeds of reciprocity.

Which can later be harvested for more meaningful advisor and COI partnerships.

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This post was originally published in the Wholesaler Masterminds Sunday Night Email.
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