How to say no to a friend selling you something
Persuasion techniques can be… well, persuasive. Short-term benefits may have long-term losses, like expensive and risky purchases. When an aggressive marketing campaign is putting you in 2 minds, you can use any new information you get to confirm why your old decision is good enough. This can be useful to prevent a salesperson who isn’t willing to let go.
For example, you may find a new gym membership attractive,
but your cost-free routine in a public park may be just as good. Suppose the gym salesperson has also pressed all your health insecurities to make you feel you need the membership. In this case, you can use Retrofit Bias to twist anything you know to rationalize why your cost-free routine is better. While this happens unconsciously, doing it deliberately still feels natural. More importantly, how you explain your rationalization might help you say no better.