Reciprocity

상호성

Receiving useful help can change the context of a later request.

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html
<div class="reciprocity"><div class="recipRow"><b>ASK FIRST</b><span>SIGN UP</span><i>→</i><span>VALUE?</span></div><div class="recipRow helpful" id="helpful"><b>HELP FIRST</b><span>ANSWER</span><i>→</i><span>OPTIONAL ASK</span></div><div class="recipFoot" id="recipFoot">COMPARE THE ORDER</div></div>
css
@media(min-width:700px){body>div{transform:scale(1.45)}}.reciprocity{width:min(88%,570px);font:800 clamp(10px,max(1.7vmin,1vw),14px)/1.1 sans-serif}.recipRow{display:flex;align-items:center;gap:clamp(4px,1.5vmin,10px);padding:clamp(7px,2vmin,14px);margin:clamp(7px,2vmin,14px) 0;background:var(--surface);border:2px solid var(--line);opacity:.6;transition:.4s}.recipRow.active{opacity:1;border-color:var(--accent);box-shadow:4px 4px 0 var(--accent-2)}.recipRow b{width:clamp(66px,20vmin,140px);flex:none;color:var(--accent)}.recipRow span{flex:1;min-width:0;text-align:center;font-size:clamp(10px,max(1.4vmin,1vw),12px)}.recipRow i{font-style:normal;color:var(--accent)}.recipFoot{color:var(--muted);margin-top:clamp(8px,2vmin,16px);letter-spacing:.06em}
js
const rows=[...document.querySelectorAll('.recipRow')];const foot=document.querySelector('#recipFoot');let at=0;function show(){rows.forEach((row,i)=>row.classList.toggle('active',i===at));foot.textContent=at?'USEFUL ANSWER, THEN A CHOICE':'REQUEST BEFORE VALUE'}show();setTimeout(()=>{at=1;show()},500);setInterval(()=>{at=1-at;show()},2400);

Reciprocity is the tendency to respond to help or a favor one has received. In marketing, it can explain the sequence of offering useful information before inviting a further action.

The demo compares an immediate signup request with answering a question before offering an optional signup. Its arrows show sequence only and make no claim about conversion lift.

Do not impose an unwanted gift to create obligation. Free information should stand on its own, and declining the later request should carry no penalty.

When to use

Use it when answering a real customer question before inviting signup.

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