3. Harness the power of a default optionThe evidence is overwhelming that presenting one option as a default increases thechance it will be chosen. Defaults—what you get if you don’t actively make a choice—work partly by instilling a perception of ownership before any purchase takes place,because the pleasure we derive from gains is less intense than the pain fromequivalent losses. When we’re “given” something by default, it becomes more valuedthan it would have been otherwise—and we are more loath to part with it.Savvy marketers can harness these principles. An Italian telecom company, forexample, increased the acceptance rate of an offer made to customers when they18called to cancel their service. Originally, a script informed them that they wouldreceive 100 free calls if they kept their plan. The script was reworded to say, “Wehave already credited your account with 100 calls—how could you use those?” Manycustomers did not want to give up free talk time they felt they already owned.Defaults work best when decision makers are too indifferent, confused, or conflictedto consider their options. That principle is particularly relevant in a world that’sincreasingly awash with choices—a default eliminates the need to make a decision.The default, however, must also be a good choice for most people. Attempting tomislead customers will ultimately backfire by breeding distrust.