The Persuasion Trick That Took Sales From 15% to 55% | Robert Cialdini
The Persuasion Trick That Took Sales From 15% to 55% | Robert Cialdini  
Podcast: The School of Greatness
Published On: Fri Nov 06 2026
Description: Two small words and one pause cut a restaurant’s no-shows by 67%, and the science of persuasion behind that will change how you ask for things.Dr. Robert Cialdini, a research psychologist who wrote Influence: The New and Expanded Psychology of Persuasion, sat down with Lewis to walk through the seven principles he found after secretly training in sales programs. Lewis credits the book with turning his broke, couch-surfing years into a business that took off within months.Kids handed a balloon at the door led their parents to buy 25% more food, and asking “Do you support the Boy Scouts?” lifted popcorn sales from 15% to 55%. Cialdini shares why you should ask for advice instead of feedback, and why “Congratulations on your commitment” beats praising progress.He also gets honest about his own struggle to say praise out loud, a habit he picked up from parents who held it back. Now he makes himself say it, which costs nothing and changes the mood of any room he walks into.Your next email or sales pitch will look different after this, and so might your next hard talk with someone you love. Start by giving first and pointing to what is already true.Influence, New and Expanded: The Essential Guide to the Psychology of Influence and Persuasion in Everyday LifePre-Suasion: A Revolutionary Way to Influence and PersuadeIn this episode you will:Triple your yes rate by asking one pre-suasion question before your requestMaster the seven principles of influence Robert Cialdini uncovered training undercoverTurn cold outreach into replies using similarity and genuine praise in your first lineHarness reciprocity by giving something meaningful first, before you ever askDiscover how unity builds a “we” that makes compromise easierUse loss aversion ethically so people act now instead of drifting awayFor more information go to https://lewishowes.com/2003More SOG episodes we think you’ll love! Get More From Lewis! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.