foot in the door
/ˌfʊt ɪn ðə ˈdɔːr/
securing a small commitment before requesting a larger one
foot in the door in a sentence
“Would you sign this petition? Now, would you donate?”
Origin of foot in the door
From salespeople preventing door closure
Related Words
door in the face
making a large request first so a smaller one seems reasonable
anchoring
setting a reference point that influences subsequent judgments
reciprocity
leveraging the human tendency to return favors
social proof
showing that others have already done what you're asking
Socratic questioning
leading someone to insight through carefully crafted questions
planting a seed
introducing an idea subtly so it grows in the other's mind