I think it was my law school roommate and dear friend K who first told me about the upsell nod. When she worked as a waitress, she was instructed to upsell booze to her tables by nodding as she presented the drink menu. Her inquiry, "Would you like to hear about our famous drink specials?" would be accompanied by subtle nodding, and the hapless customers were supposed to nod along all the way through an extra round for the table.
Wow! Could persuasion be so simple? I tried it on Greg: "Do you want to order take out tonight [nod nod nod nod nod]?" He agreed, but I attributed it less to my maniac head bobbing and more because he knew the alternative would be Cheerios for dinner again.
Despite my doubts, I find myself using the technique on Baby C. "Ooooh, look! Yummy applesauce! You LIKE applesauce!" [Then I nod vigorously and shove in a bite, nod some more, and repeat the routine.]
Baby C is clearly on to me. Tonight, with bedtime imminent after a bath and two stories, she started to point her mouth--her sign for being hungry. She's been trying to postpone bedtime lately, and I was doubtful. "Are you really hungry?"
She NODDED. "Applesauce!" she said. Then she looked at me, smiled, and nodded firmly again. "Applesauce."
No, I didn't fall for it. But I am a little concerned that I'm out of tricks, and she's not yet two. I wonder what technique the restaurant used to get customers to order dessert?
I'll have to try the take out nod on my husband
ReplyDelete