Linguistics
Calls to Action
- Keep Positive Words Near Brands and Actions
- Prime the Motion Action in Desired Behaviors
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Bring Interactions to Touchable Areas
- Write Button Text That Feels Natural to Say
- Increase the Ratio of Positive Selections
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Reduce the Fluency of Rejection Options
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Ease the Symbolic Motion of Progress
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Counterbalance a Desired Action
Framing
- Remove Empty Space Below Sales Copy
- Reframe Products to Be Newer
- Write Copy That Is Easy to Imagine
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Align Copy With Brand Emotionality
- Specialize For Roles, Not Actions
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Reinforce a Desired Attitude
- Describe Your Enjoyment With Production
- Describe Impacts on Other People
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Imply the Benefits of Your Product
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Describe Your Product With Directional Consistency
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Help Customers Imagine the Purchase
- 🔒 - Unlock
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Avoid Meaningless 100% Claims
- Depict the First Step As Completed
- Digits Convert Higher Than Words
- Mention the Growing Popularity of a Behavior
- Choose the Right Type of Scarcity
- 🔒 - Unlock
- Insert Customer Names Into Purchases
- 🔒 - Unlock
The Psychology of
Copywriting
A List of Tactics to Boost Conversions From Sales Copy
![Home inspection summary: porch is stable, faucet looks good, I don't see termites](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F4Rvgpx1ZjQSouUptkWhU36%2F3442507f85b7838b23bbf8d55402f1f3%2FList_Completed_Actions_in_the_Present_Tense-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
List Good Actions in the Present Tense
These actions feel like they're still happening.
Services feel more valuable in the present tense.
After inspecting a home, a contractor might say:
- Past: Faucet looked good.
- Present: Faucet looks good.
Each sentence activates a different mental image:
- Faucet looked good. Work is completed.
- Faucet looks good. Work is still happening. Even now.
In one study, people believed that John painted more houses when they read an ongoing action (John was painting houses) instead of a completed action (John painted houses; Matlock, 2011).
Ongoing frames depict a mental image of the labor:
!["John painted houses" with an image of John standing in front of a house, and "John was painting houses" with an image of John physically painting a house](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F7olvpIiz0cbubwY2VcR12l%2Fb0325240804c1c4e9471974fa318fb25%2FVerb_Aspect_Mental_Imagery-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
It also happens with customer reviews.
Researchers analyzed 2 million Amazon reviews, and they confirmed that reviews get more helpful votes when they're framed in the present tense (Fang & Maglio, 2024).
- ...was great. Benefits have stopped.
- ...will be great. Benefits haven't happened yet.
- ...is great. Benefits are still happening.
Takeaways:
- Check Your Service-Related Copy. When possible, frame completed actions in the present. Check service reports, sales calls, outreach messages, and customer support.
- Fang, D., & Maglio, S. J. (2024). Time perspective and helpfulness: Are communicators more persuasive in the past, present, or future tense? Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 110, 104544.
- Matlock, T. (2011). The conceptual motivation of aspect. Motivation in Grammar and the Lexicon, 27, 133.
![Sling seats replaced with sling chairs](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F5jTChH27v83hTNKUAWEPwr%2F77b551685dc17b07e72b9157c8e9b319%2FAlternate_the_Phonetic_Flow_of_Words-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Diversify the Flow of Words and Sounds
Add variety in written copy by alternating phonemes, word lengths, sentence lengths, and emotional content.
Copy should flow seamlessly.
How can you tell whether copy is flowing? Read it aloud.
Copy is read through inner speech: You speak these words in your mind (Yao & Scheepers, 2015).
Thus, copy that is hard to say will be hard to read.
Add variety too (e.g., different words, sentence lengths). Eating the same food becomes repetitive and boring without variety (Rolls et al., 1981). Copy is no different.
What to Diversify
- Starting Phonemes. I found a patio set on Target that described “sling-style seating” and “space-saving storage" which are tongue twisters. Alliteration can be persuasive in branding and advertising, but it can be a detriment in long-form copy. People are slower to read sentences with repeated sounds: The sparrow snatched the spider swiftly off the ceiling (McCutchen et al., 1991).
- Ending Phonemes. Likewise, replace “sling seating” with "sling chairs."
- Adjoining Phonemes. It's hard to read “chairs sling” because of the adjoining “s” phoneme.
- Word Length. It's hard to read many small words (e.g., free you up to do the things you love).
- Sentence Length. Read these short sentences. The writing might seem fine. Heck, it might seem engaging. But soon you’ll notice something. This writing is becoming repetitive. Your brain wants a change. It's bored with short sentences. It wants a long sentence. So let’s add a long sentence. Notice how this new sentence feels refreshing and invigorating because of its lengthy prose; it feels like a breath of fresh air that your brain has been seeking.
- Emotional Content. Movies and written copy are more successful when they shift unpredictably between different emotions (Berger et al., 2021).
- Bold and Italics. Especially on emotional words—like exciting or frustrating. Readers internally speak these words with stronger emotionality, intensifying their engagement (Yao & Scheepers, 2015).
Related Applications
- Sequence Words in Alphabetical Order. Customers preferred the slogan Bufferil eases pain because each word was positioned in alphabetical order. Something felt right (King & Auschaitrakul, 2020)
- Berger, J., Kim, Y. D., & Meyer, R. (2021). What makes content engaging? How emotional dynamics shape success. Journal of Consumer Research, 48(2), 235-250.
- King, D., & Auschaitrakul, S. (2020). Symbolic sequence effects on consumers’ judgments of truth for brand claims. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 30(2), 304-313.
- McCutchen, D., Bell, L. C., France, I. M., & Perfetti, C. A. (1991). Phoneme-specific interference in reading: The tongue-twister effect revisited. Reading Research Quarterly, 87-103.
- Rolls, B. J., Rolls, E. T., Rowe, E. A., & Sweeney, K. (1981). Sensory specific satiety in man. Physiology & behavior, 27(1), 137-142.
- Yao, B., & Scheepers, C. (2015). Inner voice experiences during processing of direct and indirect speech. Explicit and implicit prosody in sentence processing: Studies in honor of Janet Dean Fodor, 287-307.
![Your flight has arrived early 😄 is better than Your flight has been delayed 😔](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F4bYGEKkRQ7BlkimVCfn7du%2Fc45097d030aef360fec8bf5174f76698%2FEnd_Positive_Statements_With_Emojis-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
End Positive Statements With Emojis
Emojis intensify whichever emotion is depicted.
Are emojis persuasive?
They can be. AirBnb hosts increase their bookings when they include smiling emojis in messages (Shuqair et al., 2024).
But you need to be careful.
Emojis Should Be
- Supplemental. Don't replace copy (e.g., it's so 😂). You should be to remove emojis without reducing comprehension (e.g., it's so funny 😂). Indeed, supplemental emojis get more likes, retweets, clicks, and purchases (Maiberger et al., 2023).
- End of Sentences. Use them as a supplement conclusion. Keep this in mind 🧠.
- Facial. Smiling faces activate contagion — viewers are triggered to smile because their facial muscles become activated. Indeed, anthropomorphized emojis induce more engagement (Shuqair et al., 2024).
- Positive. Facial emojis activate whichever emotion is depicted. Researchers confirmed this effect in a text exchange with AirBnb hosts. Compared to no emojis: Happy emojis increased satisfaction while confirming the booking, whereas sad emojis decreased satisfaction while mentioning a delay (Shuqair et al., 2024). No emojis are better than sad emojis.
Other Applications
- Use Many Emojis to Grab Attention. Based on 200k AirBnB listings, new sellers increase their bookings when they insert multiple emojis in their listings because they stand out (Orazi et al., 2023). But the emojis needed to be supplemental; substitutive emojis reduced conversions.
- Don't Mix Emojis and GIFs. Including both reduced app subscriptions and usage because the UI looked cluttered (Bashirzadeh et al., 2022).
- Bashirzadeh, Y., Mai, R., & Faure, C. (2022). How rich is too rich? Visual design elements in digital marketing communications. International journal of research in marketing, 39(1), 58-76.
- Maiberger, T., Schindler, D. & Koschate-Fischer, N. Let’s face it: When and how facial emojis increase the persuasiveness of electronic word of mouth. J. of the Acad. Mark. Sci. (2023).
- Orazi, D. C., Ranjan, B., & Cheng, Y. (2023). Non-face emojis in digital marketing: Effects, contingencies, and strategic recommendations. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 51(3), 570-597.
- Shuqair, S., Pinto, D. C., Herter, M. M., & Mattila, A. (2024). Emojis as heuristic cues: The multifaceted role of emojis in online service interactions. Journal of Consumer Behaviour.
![A bucket of zal fried chicken](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1Hu29usVfteKFGcJ9b2hCb%2F83a16e88e3d98b31362ee8acac083df1%2FRemove_Meaningless_Words_From_Product_Descriptions-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Remove Meaningless Words From Products
Products seem more expensive (yet worse in quality) when described with unfamiliar words.
Do you know what zal means? Me neither.
Researchers found that meaningless descriptions (e.g., zal fried chicken) reduced sales. These products seemed more expensive, yet worse in quality (Baskin, & Liu, 2021).
It’s not just zal. Marketers sprinkle impressive words (e.g., industrial, disruptive, esoteric) in their copy, yet these words remain meaningless to many customers.
Exceptions might exist, but you could probably remove these words from your materials:
- full-bodied
- artisanal
- industrial
- disruptive
- esoteric
- opulent
- eco-friendly
- avant-garde
- Baskin, E., & Liu, P. J. (2021). Meaningless descriptors increase price judgments and decrease quality judgments. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 31(2), 283-300.
![A sequence of steps seems less coherent with different models in each step](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F4E0QtYx5GKrPsFxMxZ3Jtw%2F4bf31c7b830d9c501f8feb8d2262784b%2FUse_the_Same_Model_in_a_Sequence-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Immerse Readers Into a Coherent Narrative
Help readers imagine a seamless flow of imagery.
Copy should have linguistic continuity.
Customers read copy by imagining a series of mental images, so you should strive to maintain this unbroken sequence:
...subjects try to integrate each incoming sentence into a single coherent mental model (Ehrlich & Johnson-Laird, 1982, p. 296).
Keep the Same Protagonist
Sometimes I'll catch myself intermingling subjects:
- Customers are influenced by...
- We are influenced by...
- You are influenced by...
But different protagonists create a disjointed story.
Same with graphics. Any series of images should include the same person to reinforce the same narrative.
Keep the Same Visual Perspective
Read these sentences:
- Mary was reading in her room; John went in to talk to her.
- Mary was reading in her room; John came in to talk to her.
The first sentence is harder to read because you start by immersing yourself inside Mary's room, but it quickly forces you to imagine the outside of her room.
Similar effects happen with product images. A collage of hotel images (e.g., pool, lobby, beach) can make it difficult to imagine a consistent narrative because of these shifting perspectives (Jiang et al., 2014).
You can (and should) show different perspectives. Just don't pair these images with narrative-driven copy because it will be harder to imagine.
Keep the Typical Sequence
![Bottles of shampoo and conditioner are better with shampoo positioned first](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F5hTtmu8Y5YOpMnOqxxkGb0%2Fca6f4dd0f5931501862813e5f957677a%2FImmerse_Readers_Into_a_Coherent_Narrative-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Arrange products in the sequence they are typically used:
- Shampoo, conditioner
- Detergent, fabric softener, dryer sheets
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash
Customers will envision this usage more easily.
Linguistic Tips
- End Sentences With a Concrete Image. Avoid ending sentences with prepositions: What time are you leaving at? Prepositions often imply that an object is appearing next, so an abrupt ending feels jarring. Plus, it's harder to expand this imagery in the proceeding sentence because there is nothing tangible to expend.
- Begin Sentences With the Previous Object. Imagine this setup: The knife is in front of the pot. The glass is behind the dish. The pot is on the left of the glass. Confusing, right? But you can ease the readability by swapping the last two sentences: The knife is in front of the pot. The pot is on the left of the glass. The glass is behind the dish. Start sentences with the ending idea from the previous sentence so that you maintain an unbroken flow of imagery (Ehrlich & Johnson-Laird, 1982).
- Jiang, Y., Adaval, R., Steinhart, Y., & Wyer Jr, R. S. (2014). Imagining yourself in the scene: The interactive effects of goal-driven self-imagery and visual perspectives on consumer behavior. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(2), 418-435.
- Kamalski, J. (2007). Coherence Marking, Comprehension and Persuasion on the processing and representations of discourse (Doctoral dissertation, Netherlands Graduate School of Linguistics).
- Langer, E. J., Blank, A., & Chanowitz, B. (1978). The mindlessness of ostensibly thoughtful action: The role of" placebic" information in interpersonal interaction. Journal of personality and social psychology, 36(6), 635.
![Packaging that says low sodium chicken as a wrong example, and a buy button near the text 100% secure as a good example](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1ck0CMWeaqxEApj1oADiqa%2F8eff907f73fd718cc525f811ee70a300%2FKeep_Positive_Words_Near_Brands_and_Actions-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Keep Positive Words Near Brands and Actions
Customers group these items as a unit, translating this cluster into a mental image.
Customers group nearby objects.
Two nearby objects can fuse into a single object.
![Three equidistant rectangles are grouped as three objects, while two nearby rectangles and one far rectangles are grouped as two objects](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F2eEolAtuXTflN9qvDaKC2P%2F01e9a7c0754ab23e617036c83516a7ed%2FGestalt_Proximity_Grouping-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Same with words.
Customers translate clusters of words, not individual words. A small $5 fee seems cheaper than a $5 fee because smallness infuses with the price (Rick et al., 2008).
Or compare these descriptions:
- Customers find that the chair is comfortable.
- Customers find the chair comfortable.
The second version conveys more comfort because chair and comfortable are closer together (Lakoff & Johnson, 1980).
Embrace Assurances
You can depict actions to be more desirable by including positive words nearby.
See a purchase button? A positive statement (e.g., Instant Access, 100% Secure) can infiltrate this mental imagery, depicting this behavior as more pleasant.
Which assurance is best? Try to validate the purchase.
Researchers tested different types of assurances at the largest fashion retailer in China.
Pressure Messages
- Supply - Only X products left
- Time - Deal ends in X hours
- Social - X people bought this item in the last 24 hours
Assurances
- Choice - Won't it be your best choice?
- Style - This item especially fits your casual style
- Fit - Check out the perfect size for you
Pressure messages boosted short-term sales, but they reduced long-term profit due to a sharp increase in returns:
Pressure-driven nudges slightly outcompete the assurance-initiated equivalents, as the former increase sales by 2.2 times, and the latter do so by 1.9 times… However, assurance nudges reduce product returns by more than 69.3% relative to the levels achieved with the former (Ghose et al., 2024, p. 519).
Avoid Negative Frames
In addition to keeping positive words near brands and actions, you should also push away negative images.
Sometimes copy will depict the absence of something harmful. Our product:
- Doesn’t leak.
- Has no BPA.
- Won’t scratch your car.
Yet customers need to imagine these negative events to understand the meaning (see Béna et al., 2023). Replace any negative images (e.g., won't damage skin) with a pleasant image (e.g., soft and gentle on skin) to maintain positive emotions.
Even healthy food should probably relocate fat free or low sodium to be further away because of these negative connotations (Mai & Hoffmann, 2015).
Or try morphing negative words into positive frames:
- Leak-proof
- BPA-free
- Scratch-free
Doesn’t leak implicitly conveys something leaking, but leak-proof conveys durable material.
But you can still include regular negations:
- Nike: There is no finish line.
- Coke: Can't beat the feeling.
- Google: Do no evil.
Brands get more social engagement with negations because these statements seem powerful and truthful (Pezzuti & Leonhardt, 2023).
- Béna, J., Mauclet, A., & Corneille, O. (2023). Does co-occurrence information influence evaluations beyond relational meaning?. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 152(4), 968.
- Coulter, K. S., & Coulter, R. A. (2005). Size does matter: The effects of magnitude representation congruency on price perceptions and purchase likelihood. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 15(1), 64-76.
- Ghose, A., Lee, H. A., Nam, K., & Oh, W. (2024). The effects of pressure and Self-Assurance nudges on product purchases and returns in online retailing: evidence from a randomized field experiment. Journal of Marketing Research, 61(3), 517-535.
- Rick, S. I., Cryder, C. E., & Loewenstein, G. (2008). Tightwads and spendthrifts. Journal of consumer research, 34(6), 767-782.
- Lakoff, G., & Johnson, M. (1980). The metaphorical structure of the human conceptual system. Cognitive science, 4(2), 195-208.
- Mai, R., & Hoffmann, S. (2015). How to combat the unhealthy= tasty intuition: The influencing role of health consciousness. Journal of Public Policy & Marketing, 34(1), 63-83.
![Lined pattern below buy button](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F51YkZoofO3Wrt1aJU3Qrph%2F0f2f983db01b86fbe9dcdb58023b5bcc%2FInsert_Touchable_Cues_Near_Desired_Actions2-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Prime the Motion Action in Desired Behaviors
Nearby actions seem easier because the haptic cues activate your muscles.
Most behaviors involve a motor action.
Therefore, try activating the muscles in this behavior.
In one study, participants were asked to turn a knob once they understood a sentence, and they turned the knob faster when this rotation matched the sentence (e.g., Katie opened a water bottle) because their muscles became activated (Zwaan & Taylor, 2006).
In fact, any motor action should induce more physical actions.
Customers who type their query into an ecommerce website are more likely to buy than customers who speak their query (King et al., 2022). If you're already typing, it feels easy to type a credit card. Vocal interactions would require a larger mental shift to imagine this behavior.
How to Apply
- Say Click, Tap, or Type. Merely reading these words can ease these behaviors.
![Subscribe text field that says Type your email](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F2dIbapDhkYooHWtMRBMZ4v%2Ffa9055d94c860d7e47e97473ce287870%2FMotor_Word-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
- Tell Retail Passerbys to Walk In. Replace "we're open" with a more direct "Walk in, we're open."
- Show Hands. Add hand graphics on tip jars, donation bins, vending machines, or any medium where customers insert money. Customers feel ownership of these hands (Luangrath et al., 2022).
![Tip jar with hand graphic donating money](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F6lK89fW2bxkxIPcYQyXk0O%2Fccc248eb9b7be2c01d5ef40240609194%2FInclude_Hands_in_Motor_Illustrations-min__1_.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
- Show Graspable Cues Near Writing Tasks. Shoppers were 3x more likely to write their contact details for a loyalty program when the tabletop poster showed a vegetable peeler with the handle on the right, which primed the motor action of writing for right-handed shoppers (the majority of the population; Maille et al., 2020).
![Leftward handle converted at 0.2%, whereas a rightward handle converted at 0.6%](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F4YDYAMqqi2g3tj6VUNXa1a%2F6b1e2974c41c94503a654d5da19aeced%2FHaptic-Cues-Study-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
- Insert Textures Near Buttons. Customers can imagine this bumpy texture, and they blame this imageability on their desire to touch.
![Red button with dot pattern below](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1pYQ7guTgNnNC10UhzPVnr%2F96370de2a09c38be343d536c37a597f4%2FTarget-Haptic-Example-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
![Monthly price with a dotted underline above the buy button](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1skW0asKkYYW5RPKNGNU7k%2F0bf46ca0682997d061ea595d12eca130%2FSlack-Haptic-Cue-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Caveats
- Prime Speaking in Sales Scenarios. Most people renew an insurance contract by talking to a sales rep. In these scenarios in which speaking is a key modality, vocal bots convert higher than motor interactions (Zierau et al., 2023).
- King, D., Auschaitrakul, S., & Lin, C. W. J. (2022). Search modality effects: merely changing product search modality alters purchase intentions. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 50(6), 1236-1256.
- Luangrath, A. W., Peck, J., Hedgcock, W., & Xu, Y. (2022). Observing product touch: The vicarious haptic effect in digital marketing and virtual reality. Journal of Marketing Research, 59(2), 306-326.
- Maille, V., Morrin, M., & Reynolds-McIlnay, R. (2020). On the other hand…: Enhancing promotional effectiveness with haptic cues. Journal of Marketing Research, 57(1), 100-117.
- Zwaan, R. A., & Taylor, L. J. (2006). Seeing, acting, understanding: motor resonance in language comprehension. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 135(1), 1.
- Zierau, N., Hildebrand, C., Bergner, A., Busquet, F., Schmitt, A., & Marco Leimeister, J. (2023). Voice bots on the frontline: Voice-based interfaces enhance flow-like consumer experiences... Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 51(4), 823-842.
![Blue purchase button on top of white background](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F6PHvP3GcT4Y5B6QasJ9lNk%2Fd2d31d2055fd807321cb4f25e78a49b6%2FBring_Buttons_to_the_Foreground-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Bring Interactions to Touchable Areas
Buttons feel clickable when they look physically closer.
Buttons shouldn't impact a purchase.
But they do.
Customers evaluate purchase decisions by imagining two scenarios:
- Consuming a product (outcome)
- Acquiring a product (process)
Easy-to-click buttons can strengthen process simulations. Customers can easily imagine themselves completing the next step, blaming this vivid imagery on their desire to complete the next step.
Place Buttons In These Locations
- Bottom. Bottom locations feel physically closer to us (Vecera et al., 2002). On mobile devices, purchase buttons should usually be located near the bottom of the screen. But it can vary on desktop. Interestingly, in a pilot study with a desktop mockup, I confirmed that short people prefer buttons at the bottom, while tall people prefer buttons at the top.
- Right. My pilot studies also confirmed that right-handers prefer buttons on the right, while left-handers prefer buttons on the left. Right-handers comprise most of the population, so these locations will usually convert better. That's why product pages typically place buy buttons toward the right side.
- Foreground. Insert something behind buttons so they look physically closer to the user.
- Vecera, S. P., Vogel, E. K., & Woodman, G. F. (2002). Lower region: a new cue for figure-ground assignment. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 131(2), 194.
!["Buy Now!" button with the exclamation point crossed out](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F4YLNTMLousHq5jw27IgTtW%2F0c44a09ced894339b6260c84335ea89a%2FAvoid_Cutesy_Text_and_Exclamations_in_Buttons-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Write Button Text That Feels Natural to Say
Users will speak these words in their mind, so this text should feel natural.
Reading triggers inner speech.
You speak these words in your mind (Alderson-Day & Fernyhough, 2015).
Since buttons represent a 1st person declaration, they should produce inner speech that feels natural. Otherwise, something will feel wrong. And users will blame this negative emotion on the requested action.
How to Apply
- Mimic Their Tone of Voice. Avoid cutesy text (e.g., Count Me In) and exclamations (e.g., Buy Now!).
- Mention the Immediate Next Step. The text Buy on Amazon can feel weird because this step isn't immediate. After clicking this button, users would still need to read the product details and evaluate the purchase. The text View on Amazon feels more natural and less effortful.
Caveats
- Measure Conversions in Later Stages. Even though Buy on Amazon might reduce click-through rates, this text could increase conversions in later stages by extracting more commitment. Clicking this button will spark a battle of cognitive dissonance that requires users to reject this commitment to the purchase.
![Row of vegetable trays being divided into more units](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F4RHR89F7Dw84nfiZ4vyiwQ%2Fe48e7110bbb965974975a2f5a8298edc%2FIncrease_the_Ratio_of_Positive_Options-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Increase the Ratio of Positive Selections
You pull or push equal amounts from discrete categories.
Imagine a selection of options.
Like these investments:
- Stocks
- Mutual Funds
People distribute resources equally:
…[for] decision tasks in which people are called on to allocate a scarce resource (e.g., money, choices, belief) over a fixed set of possibilities (e.g., investment opportunities, consumption options, events)…they are biased toward even allocation (Fox et al., 2005, p. 338)
Investing $10k? You might invest $5k in stocks and $5k in mutual funds.
But if you see a third option — treasury bonds — your dispersion will be further diluted:
- $3.3k in stocks
- $3.3k in mutual funds
- $3.3k in bonds
Or consider two trays of food:
- Healthy
- Unhealthy
You can influence people to choose more healthy food by partitioning this category into more units:
- Healthy—Vegetables
- Healthy—Fruit
- Unhealthy
Now more healthy food will be chosen merely because of the larger ratio of options.
Follow this strategy for ratings or self-assessments. Provide a greater selection of positive ratings so that people are biased to rate positively and reinforce this attitude toward your brand.
For example, Netflix offers three ratings for their content:
- Not for me
- Like this
- Love this
![Three ratings including Not for me, Like this, and Love this](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F7CeLLNOWfSe0DDOTQ4xhG7%2Fa2527f763cfc5d9275bdfce4153ab375%2FNetflix_-_Positive_Ratio-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Two ratings — Not for me and Love this — would cause more people to choose Not for me, leading them to infer that Netflix isn't as valuable as they believed because they keep disliking their content. And their middle rating — Like this — implies more positivity than a more realistic average like Meh.
- Fox, C. R., Bardolet, D., & Lieb, D. (2005). Partition dependence in decision analysis, resource allocation, and consumer choice. In Experimental business research (pp. 229-251). Springer, Boston, MA.
![Buy Now with "Later" option underneath, and this option looks visually ugly](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F38RiMpAcl4CO7Sm9NuADjq%2F58a41207b08773c79e58cc4791fbf413%2FDisplay_Ugly_Rejection_Options.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Reduce the Fluency of Rejection Options
Design rejections that look ugly or sound unnatural.
Purchase buttons should look pretty.
When customers view a button, they contemplate the decision: Hmm, should I click?
A pretty button can activate positive emotions that become attributed to the decision: Hmm, something feels right. I must want to click.
Rejections are different. You don't want clicks. Follow the opposite advice and reduce the fluency of these options.
How to Apply
- Make Them Ugly. Weird fonts, wide spacing, or unbalanced designs. Customers blame this disfluency on the decision: Hmm, my gut is telling me to click the other option.
- Insert Unnatural Phrasing. Customers read button text inside their head; it's called inner speech. If it sounds natural — something they would typically say — they are more likely to click. But you want the opposite. Try replacing "No Thanks" with "Postpone the Decision."
- Insert Mean Phrasing. "No thanks" is common, yet polite and natural. Try a blunt "No."
![Customer review and list of benefits with empty space crossed out in each](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1YQKYNySOkMMKniyX8Df5p%2Faffa9e2d1c9648c1daabf1c27fcaa43c%2FRemove_Empty_Space_Below_Sales_Copy-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Remove Empty Space Below Sales Copy
Customers believe that marketers were unable to fill this space with additional benefits.
Be careful with empty space.
Even though it can optimize visual layouts, it can also reduce persuasion.
Across 7 studies, messages were less persuasive when they were surrounded by empty space (Kwan, Dai, & Wyer, 2017).
!["100% Satisfaction" performs better with constricted space around it](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F2iSeMqUw8fk1feiCcG9w8r%2F101cbe6e249d8cd1c363f68c83046644%2FExample-Empty-Space-Persuasion-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Empty space is most harmful below arguments. Readers infer that you were unable to fill this space with additional reasons, so your message seems less credible.
"a communicator who intends to convey a strong opinion is likely to use all of the space available to elaborate his or her position, whereas a communicator who is less confident... may leave space unused." (Kwan, Dai, & Wyer Jr, 2017, p. 450)
Plus, it triggers an anchoring effect. Your benefits might "feel smaller" if they consume a small fraction of available space.
![Benefits in a pricing plan that consume 33% of available space](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1OwCCG5shOBlYNcqbNE1RC%2F13df5f263976996fa98d7c2233158f0a%2FExample-Pricing-Plan-Empty-Space2-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Try shrinking this canvas so that customers receive 100% of potential benefits.
- Kwan, C. M., Dai, X., & Wyer Jr, R. S. (2017). Contextual influences on message persuasion: The effect of empty space. Journal of Consumer Research, 44(2), 448-464.
![Shirt with message that said it arrived 2 days ago](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F2xEVSzzgLLEOGLAO2Vs6dg%2Fd571f6662db761fec7f378c94bbceda9%2FReframe_Products_to_Be_Chronologically_Newer-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Reframe Products to Be Newer
Products seem better merely because they're new.
People like new stuff.
It's a recent finding called the mere newness preference (Jie & Li, 2022).
How does it work?
Well, I just called it a “recent” finding. Based on this mere newness, you think the study is more important. Even though it could be garbage.
And it's been replicated: The same headphones seemed more innovative when they were a week old (vs. a year old; Min, 2023).
Innovative ideas are likely to be the most recent ones… this observation is so prevailing that its reverse causality (i.e., recency is innovative) may also seem to be the case (Min, 2023)
Why It Works
- Evolution. Researchers argue that it stems from evolution: "Over millennia of evolution, humans have developed a taste for fresh foods due to their greater nutrition content and disgust toward decaying foods due to their possibility for illness (Jie & Li, 2022, p. 2)"
- Proximity. New products feel subconsciously closer to you in the present. A study from 20 years ago might seem boring, while a new study – even the same finding – would seem relevant because it’s closer to you.
![A timeline from past to future where somebody is standing in the middle at the present. A new marker is closer to them than an old marker.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F614rcno9LESDRYkJqwH0Cd%2F1878db8efff5d83d5396685ff1e462bc%2FNewness-Distance2-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
How to Apply
- Frame Products With the Most Recent Date. Production date, release date, purchase date, etc.
- Always Mention Products That Newly Arrived. Fresh cars at a dealership seem better than identical cars that have been sitting on the lot, even if nobody has driven them.
- Embrace the Word Today. An ice cream shop could mention "Today's Flavors" even if they're permanent.
- Reframe Scarcity For Fresh Products. Only 2 left can boost sales for limited editions. But in other scenarios, this message could imply leftover options that nobody wanted. Perhaps try the opposite framing — newly arrived 2 days ago — to motivate customers to buy fresh options that won’t stay fresh much longer.
![Retail store shelf with a sign that says "Stocked this morning" and a farmer's market with jars of honey that has a sign that says "Bottled Today"](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1KNCTWaWBmRbiZSkYUQEo8%2F1270c1ac60a25a7552beb5e1e7b99318%2FNewness-Applications-min.png%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
- Jie, Y., & Li, Y. (2022). Chronological cues and consumers’ preference for mere newness. Journal of Retailing, 98(3), 527-541.
- Min, B. (2023). Because it is brand new! Recency heuristic for product innovativeness evaluation. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(3), 1023-1041.
![Bag of chips with 10 grams, and "grams" is replaced with "pieces"](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2FHHw8Sclz0ZmUCBHJs2MLY%2F879eb9616982468ace4963dc6d774c0c%2FChoose_Words_That_Are_Easy_to_Imagine-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Write Copy That Is Easy to Imagine
Help readers simulate your product experience.
Help readers imagine using your product.
Stronger simulations wil induce stronger emotions (and desire).
Therefore, replace vague copy with concreteness:
- Features. Replace ounces or grams with bags or pieces (Monnier & Thomas, 2022).
- Actions. Replace sign up for an account with create a username and password.
- Benefits. Replace easy to use with a specific reason. Minimal features? Beautiful interface? Quick 2-min onboarding? Automates tasks? Same with durable: Can drop it? No tearing? Heavy? Long-lasting? Other vague culprits: quality, powerful, high-performance, fast, reliable, premier, best.
If a customer is trying a shirt, a salesperson could say:
- THAT looks great!
- That TOP looks great!
- That SHIRT looks great!
- That GREEN T-SHIRT looks great!
Each subsequent example is more concrete.
![Salesperson progressively getting more concrete with word choices from "that" to "top" to "shirt" to "green tee-shirt"](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F3iHniQxVICNY1KjyCTkb0G%2Fe5a8efc00ea88257a7c13950fa81957b%2FSalesperson_-_Concrete_Words-min.png%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
And this imagery is persuasive. Customers imagine themselves using your product, so this imagery intensifies their emotional response because they can simulate the benefits (Packard & Berger, 2021).
Replace any vague placeholders:
- This service can…
- This makeover can…
Or consider support messages.
- I can’t add a new product to your order. But you can cancel the current order, then add a new item.
- I can’t add those jeans to your order. But you can cancel the shoes, then add the jeans.
How to Apply
- Fill Sentences With Semantically Related Words. Your brain is a web of knowledge. Reading the words DEEP, SALTY, FOAM will activate the related concept SEA because of spreading activation (Collins & Loftus, 1975; Topolinski & Strack, 2008). Try fueling these flames of activation. Selling a coffee brewer? Replace make coffee with brew coffee so that these related words — brew and coffee — merge their activation into a stronger burst, resulting in more vivid imagery.
- Suggest Relevant Ideas For Your Product. A life insurance plan was preferred when it covered death by terrorism compared to death by any reason. Even though any reason was objectively better, people struggled to imagine possible scenarios (Johnson et al., 1993). Help people imagine buying food containers by providing specific examples of food they can store: soups, sauces, stews, meats, fruits, veggies. Sell copywriting services? Replace broad services of marketing or emails with specific applications of product launches, newsletters, etc.
- Monnier, A., & Thomas, M. (2022). Experiential and analytical price evaluations: How experiential product description affects prices. Journal of Consumer Research, 49(4), 574-594.
- Packard, G., & Berger, J. (2021). How concrete language shapes customer satisfaction. Journal of Consumer Research, 47(5), 787-806.
![Citrus orange drink with Vitamin C, citrus moisturizer with ascorbic acid](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2Fq96yV1BzdltZEoHoOcjhN%2F085ec751f2f90aeaa8671bd98edbe740%2FAlign_Copy_With_Product_Type-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Align Copy With Brand Emotionality
Pair emotional copy with emotional products, and rational copy with rational products.
Should copy be rational or emotional?
The best copy is aligned with the brand.
An emotional drink converted better with Vitamin C, but its scientific equivalent Ascorbic Acid converted better for a rational drink (Tok et al., 2024).
Scientific rationales can feel weird for emotional products:
- Our rigorous scientific development process ensures that Zoza cookies taste delicious, indulgent, and gooey.
That blurb converted better without the scientific preface (Philipp-Muller et al., 2023).
Perhaps Brooklinen should reword dual-core structure in their pillow copy:
![Pillow description that says "dual-core structure"](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F7HPpShzemp4frGfJPvXBfC%2Fb12610f73915b7daae9fa6ea16e3539c%2FDon_t_Use_Science_to_Sell_Emotional_Products-Pillows-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
How to Apply
- Reconsider AI Features in Emotional Niches. Do you really need them?
- Explain Why Science is Necessary. A brief disclaimer minimized backlash.
- Use Informal Pronouns for Warm Brands. Address customers with informal pronouns (e.g., tu in Spanish) if your brand is relatable (Leung et al., 2023).
- Write Emotional Copy for Infrequent Buys. Customers rely on feelings for rare purchases (e.g., homes, birthdays, furniture) because they feel justified in deviating from the norm of rational decisions. A rational ad for tea bags converted better with everyday shoppers, while an emotional ad converted better with infrequent shoppers (Cheng et al., 2024).
- Cheng, Y., Zhang, K., & Zhuang, X. (2024). Follow your heart or your mind: The effect of consumption frequency on consumers’ reliance on feelings. Journal of Business Research, 175, 114543.
- Leung, E., Lenoir, A. S. I., Puntoni, S., & Van Osselaer, S. M. (2023). Consumer preference for formal address and informal address from warm brands and competent brands. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 33(3), 546-560.
- Markowitz, D. M., & Shulman, H. C. (2021). The predictive utility of word familiarity for online engagements and funding. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(18), e2026045118.
- Philipp-Muller, A., Costello, J. P., & Reczek, R. W. (2023). Get Your Science Out of Here: When Does Invoking Science in the Marketing of Consumer Products Backfire?. Journal of Consumer Research, 49(5), 721-740.
- Tok, D., Chen, X., Chang, C. T., & Chu, X. Y. (2024). “Ascorbic Acid” or “Vitamin C?” When and how scientifically or commonly named ingredients enhance product evaluations. Psychology & Marketing, 41(10), 2537-2550.
- Wadhwa, M., & Zhang, K. (2015). This number just feels right: The impact of roundedness of price numbers on product evaluations. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(5), 1172-1185.
![A course "for writers" is better than a course "on writing"](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F6eC46U69qwCLzpXojAW70d%2Fff1323706a2baf38729b0434c749d351%2FSpecialize_For_Roles__Not_Actions-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Specialize For Roles, Not Actions
Roles are more persuasive than actions because they describe permanent benefits with implicit social cues.
Most products do [something] for [someone].
Imagine a course on writing.
Which side is more persuasive: A course...
- ...on writing?
- ...for writers?
I'd argue that roles are more persuasive than actions.
1. Roles Are Permanent
Compare these:
- Jennifer enjoys dogs a lot
- Jennifer is a dog person
Both seem similar, but Jennifer seemed more enamored with dogs when she was described as a dog person (Walton & Banaji, 2004).
Same with these examples:
- ...is a coffee-drinker VS. drinks coffee a lot
- ...is a night person VS. stays up late
- ...is a baseball fan VS. watches baseball a lot
Verbs are fickle — they depend on the day, time, and more.
But nouns? They're permanent.
Therefore, a course "for writers" will convey permanent benefits.
2. Implicit Social Proof
Consider each mental image:
- ...on writing: Prospects imagine the act of writing.
- ...for writers: Prospects imagine a group of writers taking your course.
Roles contain social proof. And these hypothetical people belong to the same ingroup as prospects, so this effect is further magnified.
3. Validation for Newcomers
Some purchases can validate a role.
If writers are buying your course, they will inherit this designation (i.e., become an official writer) by merely purchasing it.
Takeaway
- Sprinkle Roles Throughout Copy. You can still mention actions too. Just don't forget to include roles.
Caveats
- Foster a Growth Mindset. Customers were less likely to sign up for a training program for "leaders" because it seemed difficult (Savani & Zou, 2019). But this hesitation was resolved by describing leadership as a skill that could be developed.
- Harder With Diverse Segments. You might need action-framing if your product caters to many types of people.
- Savani, K., & Zou, X. (2019). Making the leader identity salient can be demotivating. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, 25(2), 245.
- Walton, G. M., & Banaji, M. R. (2004). Being what you say: The effect of essentialist linguistic labels on preferences. Social Cognition, 22(2), 193-213.
![Netflix ratings of Not For Me, Like This, and Love This are better than Hate It, Meh, and Love It](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2FuZ0YBkfCQMUa5rHWuJOez%2F4504bb13f32b461abf2fce227dc623f4%2FReinforce_Their_Desired_Attitude-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Reinforce a Desired Attitude
Help customers affirm positive sentiments toward your brand.
Attitudes are plagued with uncertainty.
Customers are unaware how they truly feel in many scenarios, often determining their attitudes by judging their behavior: Hmm, I'm eating. So I must be hungry.
You can influence attitudes by orienting attention toward these behaviors. For example, Netflix provides three ratings for their content:
- Not for me
- Like this
- Love this
All ratings are positive because any negative sentiment (e.g., Dislike This) would create a self-fulfilling prophecy: Hmm, guess I hate Netflix content. So why am I subscribed?
Replace Sorry With Thank You
Imagine that a contractor is 1-hour late. You might hear:
- Sorry for for the wait.
- Thank you for waiting.
Sorry reduces satisfaction because customers infer that something negative has happened to them, whereas thank you implies that customers are forgiving and patient. So they act forgivingly. This example has been replicated across dozens of scenarios (You et al., 2020).
Frame New Customers as First-Timers
WiderFunnel boosted conversions for a nonprofit by asking visitors to select an option. I'm a:
- Regular donor
- Occasional donor
- First-time donor
New visitors affirmed their identity as a first-time donor, which compelled them to donate. An option like "I've never donated" would have reinforced this passive inaction.
Rationalize Negative Behaviors
You always hear: It doesn't hurt to ask.
Well, it can hurt. If you reject or ignore a call to action, you might convince yourself that you dislike this brand: Hmm, why didn't I share their message? Guess I don't like them (Gvili & Levy, 2024).
Always rationalize inaction with a positive spin. If customers scroll to the end of your catalog without clicking any products, show a link to your Product Quiz. Blame their inaction on indecisiveness, not apathy.
Same with skipping behavior. Users who skipped an option to contribute to their savings account were less likely to contribute in the future because contributions seemed less important. Users needed to see a follow-up message that reinforced the importance of savings (Reiff et al., 2023).
![A request to enroll now or in 6 months converts better when these two options are divided into two screens instead of a single screen](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F2qgIajN0m2r26OjE0pduMX%2F1990e28e35ca9984d4759cda870862a4%2FSequential-Commitments-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Highlight a Customer's Loyal Behavior
Customers feel loyal to a brand if their actions resemble a loyal customer. Perhaps mention competing alternatives they've ignored:
...if a salesperson identifies a consumer who is likely to purchase an Apple iPhone, making them aware of a Samsung promotion could cause them to experience resistance toward that offer and result in the purchase of supplemental services like insurance as well as branded accessories (Pratt et al., 2023).
- Gvili, Y., & Levy, S. (2024). Vive la résistance: a boomerang effect of resisting incentivized eWOM on consumer trust. International Journal of Advertising, 1-23.
- Pratt, A. B., Robinson, S. G., Voorhees, C. M., Wang, J., & Giebelhausen, M. D. (2023). Unintended effects of price promotions: Forgoing competitors’ price promotions strengthens incumbent... Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 51(5), 1143-1164.
- Reiff, J., Dai, H., Beshears, J., Milkman, K. L., & Benartzi, S. (2023). Save more today or tomorrow: the role of urgency in precommitment design. Journal of Marketing Research, 60(6), 1095-1113.
- You, Y., Yang, X., Wang, L., & Deng, X. (2020). When and why saying “thank you” is better than saying “sorry” in redressing service failures: The role of self-esteem. Journal of Marketing, 84(2), 133-150.
![We enjoy helping small businesses is better than we help small businesses](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F28I0BAN1KtE4t5CuYBnVIs%2F8b7f1d641bba2628441c308b474db526%2FDescribe_the_Effort_and_Enjoyment_of_Production-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Describe Your Enjoyment With Production
Buyers spend more money when sellers enjoy creating a product or service.
How is your product made?
Try describing your enjoyment with this process (Paley et al., 2024).
Describing enjoyment:
- Boosted a Facebook ad CTR by 40%
- Enhanced perceived quality
- Increased willingness to pay
And this strategy is underused — e.g., only 0.1% of Etsy sellers and 4% of Upwork freelancers mention their enjoyment in creating products or services (Paley et al., 2024).
Why It Works
- Higher Quality. Enjoyment implies motivation and lack of automation.
- Less Reactance. Direct claims trigger suspicion: We help small businesses. Readers will question the previous statement, as if this agency doesn't help small businesses. Indirect claims can distract readers from questioning the core assertion: We enjoy helping small businesses. Now readers will question this enjoyment instead of the main benefit of providing help.
How to Apply
- Describe Products As Complex Yet Enjoyable. A bartender earned more money when they enjoyed making a complex cocktail, but not a simple cocktail (Paley et al., 2024).
- Charge Higher Prices. Researchers confirmed that Upwork freelancers charge lower prices when they enjoy their service, yet buyers are willing to pay higher prices for them (Paley et al., 2024).
![Hand washing sign in hospital bathroom is more persuasive when the purpose is to protect patients instead of yourself](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F1IQUEbCcMxJOQ2VO52L7HV%2Fd2100d85518b9c3cd7351ea6856866b5%2FDescribe_Impacts_on_Other_People-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Describe Impacts on Other People
Hospital staff were more likely to wash their hands when a message framed the benefits toward patients (vs. themselves).
Everyone is self-interested.
But not always.
Sometimes you can boost persuasion by describing how a specific action could benefit other people.
For example, a hospital influenced more people to wash their hands when they described the benefit toward patients (Grant & Hofmann, 2011).
- Hand hygiene prevents you from catching diseases.
- Hand hygiene prevents patients from catching diseases.
Why It Works
- Blind Optimism. Nobody expects a car accident to happen, so they feel unmotivated to buy something that might prevent one. Therefore, describe how this decision (or lack thereof) could impact other people. Suddenly readers are no longer gambling their own safety – they are gambling the safety of their family and loved ones.
- Emotional Transfer. Mentioning "your family" can transfer positive emotions to the product (Fisher et al., 2023).
How to Apply
- Frame Discounts for a Significant Other. Mention other people who can benefit from your coupon (Fisher et al., 2023). You'll also activate a specific budget (e.g., family budget), narrowing the scope and capability of these funds so they feel less painful to spend (Pomerance & Reinholtz, 2024).
![Coupon that says Save $10 for youyr family](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F7f6PTJcu41JRY1GPA4jHRQ%2Fbc37ba99a959f6fa140f7decb17f1941%2FFrame_Discounts_for_a_Significant_Other-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
- Grant, A. M., & Hofmann, D. A. (2011). It’s not all about me: Motivating hand hygiene among health care professionals by focusing on patients. Psychological science, 22(12), 1494-1499.
- Fisher, G., McGranaghan, M., Liaukonyte, J., & Wilbur, K. C. (2023). Price promotions, beneficiary framing, and mental accounting. Quantitative Marketing and Economics, 21(2), 147-181.
- Pomerance, J., & Reinholtz, N. (2024). Cut me some slack! How perceptions of financial slack influence pain of payment. Psychology & Marketing, 41(5), 1100-1114.
![Ad for chair, our chair is soft is replaced with Your new home](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F50J744dw6KEnYCeAaD0l7w%2F177b4f35e85879e930d0334499910666%2Fimply_the_Benefits_of_Your_Prouct-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Imply the Benefits of Your Product
Let customers generate the meaning themselves.
Copy should be clear and direct.
This advice is everywhere, yet it leads to copy like this:
- Our chair is soft.
- Our drill is powerful.
- Our software is easy.
Yawn. Booooring.
Plus, this copy seems less truthful. Customers are skeptical, so they subconsciously imagine the reciprocals of direct claims:
- Our chair isn't soft.
- Our drill isn't powerful.
- Our software isn't easy.
Strive to imply your benefits instead (Kardes, 1988).
- Our chair is soft. Hmm, is it actually soft?
- Your new home. Hmm, must be soft and comfortable.
In the second version, a slight tweak has allowed readers to become the source of this meaning — and naturally, they trust themselves more than marketers.
Another example:
- Tide will clean your clothes really well. Hmm, does it clean clothes really well?
- The freshness of the outdoors, now in liquid form. Hmm, must be refreshing.
How to Apply
- Display Safety Certifications. Asserting that your product is safe doesn't inspire confidence because of the harmful reciprocal (e.g., your product isn't safe). Imply safety through certifications, case studies, and other indirect ways so that readers infer that your product is safe.
- Kardes, F. R. (1988). Spontaneous inference processes in advertising: The effects of conclusion omission and involvement on persuasion. Journal of Consumer Research, 15(2), 225-233.
![Boost energy by increasing a hormone is better than decreasing a hormone](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F6aFW5bNfIP8pTF1YHlp9mP%2F785abafca9f4331e3439a711f5d3aed0%2FDescribe_Your_Product_With_Directional_Consistency-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Describe Your Product With Directional Consistency
Products should consistently increase or decrease.
What is your product benefit?
Some products create an increase or decrease:
- Skin creams reduce wrinkles
- Shampoos increase silkiness
- Air fresheners remove odors
And you might depict a separate change:
- Increase in skin cells
- Increase in blood flow
- Reduction of hormones
Both directions should be consistent even if they're unrelated (Bharti & Sussman, 2024).
Customers preferred:
- An energy supplement that increased a hormone
- A sleep supplement that decreased a hormone
Why It Works
- Processing Fluency. Something feels right, and we blame the product.
How to Apply
- Tweak Your Explanation. Does your cream reduce wrinkles? Describe the reduction of collagen, rather than the increasing turnover of skin cells (Bharti & Sussman, 2024).
- Tweak Your Branding. Does your supplement reduce anxiety by increasing chemicals? Perhaps it should increase calmness instead.
- Describe an Increase When Possible. Explanations with an increase often converted better. Similar effects occur with size: Bigger seems better, even if size is irrelevant to actual benefits (Silvera et al., 2002).
- Borrow the Right Metaphors. Citizens preferred different solutions for crime: They preferred social reforms and treatments for a crime virus, yet they preferred attacking the problem with harsh enforcements when it was a crime beast (Thibodeau, 2016).
Related Applications
- Align Directionality of Discounts. Discounts should reduce losses for prevention needs (e.g., save 30% on a first aid kit), but increase gains for acquisition needs (e.g., extra 30% off for bulk purchases; Ramanathan & Dhar, 2010).
- Bharti, S., & Sussman, A. B. (2024). Consumers Prefer Products That Work Using Directionally Consistent Causal Chains. Journal of Consumer Research, ucae066.
- Ramanathan, S., & Dhar, S. K. (2010). The effect of sales promotions on the size and composition of the shopping basket: Regulatory compatibility from framing and temporal restrictions. Journal of Marketing Research, 47(3), 542-552.
- Silvera, D. H., Josephs, R. A., & Giesler, R. B. (2002). Bigger is better: The influence of physical size on aesthetic preference judgments. Journal of Behavioral Decision Making, 15(3), 189-202.
- Thibodeau, P. H. (2016). Extended metaphors are the home runs of persuasion: Don’t fumble the phrase. Metaphor and Symbol, 31(2), 53-72.
![After you buy is stronger than when you buy which is stronger than if you buy](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F3nDZJtA8RdASP7aHEkSkSe%2F2e4b00fc9a80a30f56071dff2ba326e8%2FDescribe__Hypothetical_Actions_With_More_Vividness-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Help Customers Imagine the Purchase
Vivid images strengthen their emotions.
Customers make decisions by simulating the outcome and process.
Buying a new suit? You imagine the outcome (e.g., looking good, getting hired), then you subtract the negative emotions of the process (e.g., spending time and money).
A surplus of positive emotions will affirm this decision.
![Example that illustrates the decision process for buying a new suit. You imagine the benefits of the outcome (e.g., looking good, getting hired). Then you subtract the costs associated with the process (e.g., spending $500, effort to find a suit). Then you calculate the net to see if the positive emotions from the benefits feel greater than the negative emotions from the costs. A surplus will yield an affirmative decision, while a deficit yields a rejected decision.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F6p4Ve6Qv0b6sRJJkvZF5TU%2F0ee33a293d79017a311ccfa333c3c939%2FSimulation_Fluency_-_How_We_Make_Decisions_-_Suit-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Therefore, you can influence decisions by intensifying these outcomes and processes:
- Vividly imagining your suit will increase positive emotions
- Vividly imagining the purchase will make this behavior seem easier, thereby reducing the negative emotions
Try increasing this vividness by immersing readers into a narrative of buying.
Read this sentence:
- If you win the lottery, what would you do?
You just read an IF-THEN statement. Even though the IF portion is hypothetical, winning the lottery now feels more realistic because you imagined this scenario.
...if–then statements trigger a mental simulation process in which people suppose the antecedent (if statement) to be true and evaluate the consequent (then statement) in that context... evaluating a conditional will heighten belief in its antecedent more than in its consequent (Hadjichristidis et al., 2007, p. 2052).
It works in any scenario:
- If you [desired behavior], how would…
Examples:
- If you watch this course…
- If you work with our team…
- If you create an account…
But ideally, replace if with a stronger hypothetical:
- If is uncertain
- When is more certain, but not guaranteed
- After is most certain (and vivid) because it already happened
Other Applications
- Say You or Your. These pronouns increase engagement through heightened immersion (Cruz et al., 2017).
- Show the Unboxing. Show somebody opening a delivery with your product: Hmm, do I want these pans? I can see myself buying them. Guess I want them. These purchase simulations are more motivating than usage simulations (Zemack‐Rugar & Rabino, 2019).
![Product page that shows 1st person visual opening a package with the product](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F3HLUpkTnA8OybQQGtWmW3h%2Fe3eb48ed5fdb972e9543ae94b467faa9%2FShow_the_Unboxing-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Caveats
- Leave Something to Be Desired. Too much vividness can satiate desire. People eat less candy if they just imagined eating candy because they satisfied their craving (Morewedge et al., 2010).
- Hadjichristidis, C., Handley, S. J., Sloman, S. A., Evans, J. S. B., Over, D. E., & Stevenson, R. J. (2007). Iffy beliefs: Conditional thinking and belief change. Memory & cognition, 35(8), 2052-2059.
- Johnson, E. J., Hershey, J. C., Meszaros, J., & Kunreuther, H. (1993). Framing, Probability Distortions, and Insurance Decisions. Journal of Risk and Uncertainty, 7(1).
- Cruz, R. E., Leonhardt, J. M., & Pezzuti, T. (2017). Second person pronouns enhance consumer involvement and brand attitude. Journal of Interactive Marketing, 39(1), 104-116.
- Morewedge, C. K., Huh, Y. E., & Vosgerau, J. (2010). Thought for food: Imagined consumption reduces actual consumption. Science, 330(6010), 1530-1533.
- Zemack‐Rugar, Y., & Rabino, R. (2019). The impact of visualizing use versus acquisition of a product on the appeal of its complement. Psychology & Marketing, 36(4), 251-265.
![Juice bottle that says 100% juice](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F60eZCkuJf5n1nDkr64upa5%2Fbd4968f007b25876dff3ed771bf4d11c%2FAvoid_Meaningless_100_Claims-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Avoid Meaningless 100% Claims
Customers notice these claims, and they resist buying these products.
Doesn't 100% feel enticing?
- 100% organic
- 100% guarantee
- 100% effective
And sure, those examples are likely persuasive.
But consider these claims:
- 100% juice
- 100% milk
- 100% tasty
Some marketers inject 100% claims into questionable phrases:
...the term “100%” is sometimes coupled with an otherwise informative attribute (e.g., “juice” or “tasty”) to create a claim that, upon closer inspection, is meaningless—because the concept of perfection is not well defined with respect to the focal attribute (Munichor & Levontin, 2024, p. 720)
Are customers persuaded by these pseudo claims?
Turns out, no. They actively resist them (Munichor & Levontin, 2024).
In fact, they preferred 99% juice to 100% juice.
They even scorned people who bought 100% juice, believing them to be less successful, intelligent, and high status.
Takeaways
- Stick to Relevant Claims. Don't needlessly insert 100%.
- Shift from 100% to 101%. Ironically, this framing — a number that seems even less relevant — can be more persuasive. Customers preferred a hotel with a 101% (vs. 100%) satisfaction guarantee (Munichor & Levontin, 2024). Still unclear why.
- Munichor, N., & Levontin, L. (2024). The effects of pseudo‐relevant 100% claims. Psychology & Marketing, 41(4), 719-733.
![Person choosing a more expensive uberX ride that arrives at 1:58pm. The cheaper uber pool ride arrives at 2:01pm](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F2jYcDQ5mLGv0r4cTorqMwY%2F0cd6047f5bfed567943b2a7aab30b588%2FTime-Constraint-Constrain_Waiting_Periods_Within_Round_Intervals-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Keep Waiting Periods From Passing a Round Number
1:58 PM feels sooner than 2:01 PM
Time is categorized into brackets.
Customers prefer a more expensive UberX if it arrives within the same hour (e.g., 1:58pm). Crossing a time bracket (e.g., 2:01pm) feels longer even if the difference is trivial (Donnelly et al., 2022).
![7:00pm to 9:30pm feels shorter than 7:30pm to 10:00pm, despite being the same length](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F5trUe7ty7nf4Ddt8IzTpdz%2Fd9bf94244e1adc8c748df6ad19d40a8f%2FTime-Constraint-Time_Frames-min.png%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
Therefore:
- Minimize brackets for negative events (e.g., layovers).
- Maximize brackets for positive events (e.g., lunch break).
Why It Works
- Anchoring. This effect resembles just-below prices in which $4.99 feels cheaper than $5.00. Much like a one-cent difference, a one-minute difference can be deceptively powerful because your brain overemphasizes the unit difference.
![A charm price like $4.99, compared to a round price like $5.00, occurs with time intervals. 4:59pm feels sooner than 5:00pm](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F7fUHV4TG6OkQvPX3xFlfeA%2F9a0a0218e4f14d30bf3cf66aa0355b24%2FTime-Constraint-Prices_vs_Time-min.png%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
How to Apply
- Shipping. Imagine that today is August 23. Free shipping feels worse if the product arrives in September, while expedited shipping feels enticing if the product arrives within the same month of August.
![Amazon popup for selecting shipping method. The user chooses a more expensive option that arrives by August 25, compared to free shipping that arrives September 1 (a new month)](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2FNtNqyThgD66q5DOBgtxiL%2F894364388329df2c1a8c7de84288d292%2FTime-Constraint-Shipping_Speed-min.png%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
- Store Hours. Perhaps extend store hours from 8:30pm to 9:00pm so that you reach a new time bracket. This extra 30 minutes will feel like 60 minutes.
- Length of Benefits. Access to customer support might end on the final day of a month (e.g., August 31). Why not shift this timeline a single day (e.g., September 1) so that it feels like an extra month.
- See Results By. Frame results within the current time bracket (e.g., end of the month, quarter, or year).
- Meetings. A 45-minute meeting is preferred from 1:00pm to 1:45pm (vs. 1:30pm to 2:15pm). However, meetings seem more productive when they span more time brackets. People estimated they could accomplish more tasks during seemingly larger time windows.
![Participants estimated they could complete more tasks between 10:25am and 2:10pm, compared to 10:05am to 1:50pm, even though the absolute time difference was the same.](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F2PhGjTtK0cEaDI9VNjj26p%2Fabcc06db29e257be729a1a93a01b8ded%2FTime-Constraint-Number_of_Tasks-min.png%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
- Life Decisions. Would a 17-year old be tempted to pursue a 2-year degree that finishes in their teens? Would an 18-year-old be less intimidated with a 4-year degree since both programs end in their twenties?
- Donnelly, K., Compiani, G., & Evers, E. R. (2022). Time periods feel longer when they span more category boundaries: Evidence from the lab and the field. Journal of Marketing Research, 59(4), 821-839.
![125% more feels like 25% more](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fimages.ctfassets.net%2Fsm4pjcjvw1eb%2F172ehFxUFTUlVWSCVDy2Q8%2F4c1ec9fd8e8a23ddc54fcae3641530ac%2F125_Percent_Feels_Like_25_Percent_More-min.jpg%3Ffm%3Dwebp&w=3840&q=50)
125% More Feels Like 25% More
A "more" percentage feels like an "of" percentage.
Customers believe that:
150% more than [number] = 150% of [number]
But these variations are different:
- 150% of 100 = 150
- 150% more than 100 = 250
Customers equate these statements, but they differ by a full 100 percent. That’s why it’s called the Off by 100% Bias (Fisher & Mormann, 2022).
![Person looking at packaging that says 125% more and thinking it means 25% more](https://images.ctfassets.net/sm4pjcjvw1eb/OpvmRBw28Q9rvWJ0tlIcd/c6d4c8a7a22004c7a3d4716a9efabc4e/Math-is-Hard.gif?fm=webp)
Therefore, be careful with percentages that depict a relative change. Suppose that you increased a product’s battery life from 4 hours to 9 hours.
- Don’t say: Battery lasts 125% longer.
- Say: You doubled the battery life.
The latter is technically smaller, but it sounds bigger.
- Fisher, M., & Mormann, M. (2022). The off by 100% bias: the effects of percentage changes greater than 100% on magnitude judgments and consumer choice. Journal of Consumer Research, 49(4), 561-573.