Go down a suburban street, and you might stumble upon the next sign. It’s probably messy due to bad formatting and inconsistent font size. Here’s one I saw in Houston.
The source
One line stuck with me. It reads, “Window cleaning continues.” I love this board because it shows something that many marketers forget. K&C Window Cleaning does not try to persuade you with flashy slogans or insider claims. They are very stealthy, and that makes them work very stealthily.
Although ads are about influence, no one wants to be sold to. Instead, this brand uses psychology to make people think, “Some people use the service, so maybe it’s time to clean my windows.” The idea feels natural and nothing feels forced.
Content
We follow the actions of others
Back in 2008, legendary researcher Robert Cialdini conducted a groundbreaking study. Set over 80 days in a mid-range hotel in the American Southwest, the three researchers conducted experiments in 190 rooms. Their goal was to encourage guests to reuse their towels. Inside the room, they tested various signs with more than 1,058 guests.
First, they tested a common local message that says, “Help save the environment.” The guests said the message would probably appeal to them. But the researchers also tested the message that “most guests reuse their towels.” The results were surprising. 
The environmental appeal encouraged 35% reuse, but the suggestion that most guests reuse towels increased reuse to 44%. But, they added a third message: “Most guests in this room reuse their towels.”
This had an even greater impact. Now, about 50% of guests reused old towels, up from 35% in the control. The takeaway is simple: we follow the actions of others.
So, if the neighbor pays to clean the windows, we will consider doing the same. But marketers forget one important thing: Buyers don’t like to feel pressured.
We don’t like to feel forced
Messages like “we’re the most popular” and “we’re the first” work, but they’re not perfect. Nicolas Guéguen in 2000 showed that people tend to act when they feel independent, not forced.
This study tried to persuade French passengers to leave a coin for a bus ticket. The researchers tried two messages, which yielded strikingly different results:
- “Excuse me, can you bring me some coins to get on the bus?” 10% agree
- “Excuse me, can you bring me some coins to take the bus? But, you are free to accept or decline.” 47.5% agree
This method, which invented the “but you’re free to say no” method, has been proven in many different domains, online and offline. A 2013 meta-analysis found that the effect worked in 42 different domains.
That brings us back to the K&C Window Cleaning brand. Take all this advice to heart. It shows actions taken by others, but does not force the reader into a corner.
- It doesn’t say, “We are the most popular window cleaners in Houston.”
- It says, “Window cleaning in progress.”
And many other companies are doing the same. They don’t say they are loved; they prove it.
My favorite example comes from Sam Tatam’s great book, Evolutionary Ideas. At his favorite cafe in Sydney, Australia, the owners say, “We’re popular.” Instead, they demonstrate by sticking their customers’ loyalty cards on the wall.
You can say. Show. It will make your message more effective.
Make decisions feel natural
If you believe in your offering, you’ll want to brand it as the best, brightest, and most popular. Resist the urge. The best sellers let customers make their own decisions by showing value. The most influential thing you can do is make your customer feel like the idea was theirs all along, supported by peers who have also benefited.
