Extending the External Validity of the FITD Effect to the Industrial Marketplace

Abstract

The foot-in-the-door (FITD) effect has been extensively researched in prosocial settings. Several researchers have advocated its use as an influence strategy in marketing settings although no empirical evidence has previously been published regarding its operation in industrial/ economic settings. This study experimentally tests the effect in an actual industrial marketing setting. The organization in which the study was carried out markets telecommunications products and the study sample exposed to the influence strategies consisted of potential customers — general managers and marketing managers representing industrial firms in the wholesale trade sector.

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