can I get you A N Y T H I N G else?

I work in the service industry, at a coffee shop to be exact, and it never ceases to amaze me the power of saying "Can I get you anything else?". This instantly plants the idea in consumers minds that maybe they do want something else. Maybe they don't just want that latte, they would actually like a muffin to go with it. If I'm asking if they want anything else, it may be rude to say no, but rather choose something else that they maybe didn't even want in the first place.

I see it happen all the time - and I believe we are all prone to do it. When the waiter or waitress at a restaurant automatically brings the dessert menu, it is much harder to turn it down. All of those delicious options right in front of you, how can you resist? When the idea is planted that we shoud be getting more than what we are already getting, it becomes much harder to turn down.

These examples show the power of a nudge. Someone is nudging you to get more than you wanted, but it becomes much harder to say no. Just that little extra push can be the difference between getting the consumer to buy or not to buy...