Dive summary:

• Often, salespeople and marketers fall over themselves to do favors for prospects and clients, but research shows that if you can get someone to do a certain type of favor for you, it is much more powerful.
• If you can get a prospect to do you a small, unusual favor, then they are more likely to want to say yes to a subsequent, bigger favor.  The example given by the researcher is letting someone on the street know you have a bad back, and asking them to tie your shoe.  Subsequent asks received a lift in "yes" responses.
• Research has shown when the initial request is more demanding, the person is less likely to want to perform subsequent tasks for you.

From the article:

When salespeople hope to close a deal, they may try doing favors for the client. In fact, scientists who study human behavior know that the opposite strategy can work: if you can get someone to do YOU a small favor, they are much more likely to grant a bigger one. This has been shown to...