Task Framing

Additional tasks feel easier if the first step is already completed.

Sequence of 3 steps (view this image, read this tactic, share this tactic) with the first step already completed

Goal-Gradient-Thumbnail-min

Mention a First Step That's Completed

Research shows that additional tasks feel easier if the first step is already completed.

A Fred looks like a Fred. A Jasmine looks like a Jasmine. This face-name similarity only emerges in adulthood, which suggests that faces conform to names throughout our lives. Perhaps we're driven by a self-fulfilling prophecy (e.g., adopting certain hairstyles).

People Look Like Their Names

Participants could discern these beliefs from faces.

Atheists and Christians Look Different

Black people experience animalistic dehumanization, while Asian people experience mechanistic dehumanization.

Different Types of Racism

You just read this subject line

Parentheses Effect

Mid-sized amounts pull customers to the lower end of their purchase range.

$1.00 fruit with $0.50 discount being limited. Limit of 1 or 9 is correct, but limit of 3 is wrong

Restrict Discounts to a Small or Large Quantity-min

Limit Bulk Discounts to a Small or Large Amount

A new study shows why moderate anchors can reduce sales.

Online checkout with gift wrapping option for $4.99 inside vs outside parentheses

Show Prices in Parentheses-min

Do Prices Feel Cheaper in Parentheses?

Numerical Anchoring

Momentum Effects

Visual ratings are more persuasive because of anchoring and momentum.

3.5 rating is better in stars, rather than digits

Show Ratings in a Visual Format-min

Show Ratings in a Visual Format

When you rewatch a video, the actions seem rehearsed and less spontaneous. Even important videos (e.g., trial evidence) seem less genuine and believable with repeated viewings.

Rewatching Increases Skepticism

Conservatives prefer traditional and familiar behaviors.

Liberals Are More Likely to Use Self-Checkout

AI Has Learned How to Deceive

When To Use Italics

Slanted fonts look fast and animated, so customers want to act sooner.

Use Italics for Urgency-min

Convey Urgency With Italics

A new study found that italics convey urgency because this text resembles a fast-moving object.

Should You Push Before and After Photos Closer-min

Should You Push Before and After Photos Closer?

Starbucks Effect

Customers prefer order tracking by name (vs. number).

Coffee shop order on counter with a cup that has Amy written on it

Insert Names-min

Insert Customer Names Into Purchases

Customers prefer retailers who track orders by name (vs. number).

Pricing Plan-min

Do Prices Feel Expensive When They Consume More Space?

5 vs Five

Customers expect to see digits, so these numbers "feel right."

Replace five with 5 in the statement five grams of protein

Digits Convert Higher Than Number Words-min

Digits Convert Higher Than Words

Shirt on transparent background vs shirt on solid background

Do Backgrounds Protect Products-min

Do Backgrounds Protect Products?

5 vs. Five

Pseudo Claims

Customers notice these claims, and they resist buying these products.

Avoid Meaningless 100 Claims-min

Avoid Meaningless 100% Claims

Some marketers insert 100% into meaningless claims, yet these claims are less persuasive. 

We assume our viewpoints are always correct. So when people disagree with us, we don't believe they're disagreeing. We believe they're not listening.

Disagreement = Poor Listening

Customers are less persuaded by voice narrators with ambiguous genders because they sound less familiar. But this effect would probably fade with more exposure.

Gender-Ambiguous Voices

People felt more relaxed and spent more time eating if they were listening to slow (vs. fast) music.

Slow Music, Slow Eating

Pain Ranking

App payments feel less painful because these funds are separated from bank accounts.

Pain of paying scale progressing from cash to accounts to apps

Request Payments From App Balances2-min

Request Payments From App Balances

Spending money feels painful, but some methods are less painful. For example, which app is more painful: Venmo or Zelle?

Want to know if your price feels expensive? I just posted a simple framework that can help.

The Cliff Test

Role Framing

Roles are more persuasive than actions because they describe permanent benefits with implicit social cues. 

A course "for writers" is better than a course "on writing"

Specialize For Roles, Not Actions

Steps in a service being illustrated with twisted arrows

Depict Time in Easy Motions

Depict Time and Effort in Easy Motions

Good Vibrations

Customers are more likely to buy products when they feel a vibration or see a visual change while selecting them.

Add Vibrations During Purchases-min

Add Vibrations to Product Selections

Customers are more likely to buy products when they feel vibrations while selecting them.

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