Whether you realize it or not, we are all continuously being persuaded through the advertising that emerges throughout our day-to-day lives. Say you’re out running errands and you see an ad for a seasonal Starbucks coffee— suddenly, you imagine the warm, decadent taste… it brings comfort and peace. Next thing you know, whether it’s the same day or a week later, you find yourself standing in line at a Starbucks looking to try that new delicious seasonal flavor. That right there is an example of effective persuasive advertising. Persuasive advertising is essential in any marketing campaign; and when executed in the right way, it can bewitch consumers’ thoughts and feelings towards buying your product or service. Creating effective persuasive ads isn’t as easy as one might think. Many big companies often miss the mark with their advertising, and it, unfortunately, loses them a lot of time and money. Take Pepsi as an advertisement example: remember that cringe-worthy 2017 Superbowl commercial with Kendall Jenner? The underlining message of “drinking Pepsi will solve all of America’s problems” is a true example of persuasive advertising that was totally ignorant to the current political climate at the time. Keep in mind, negative retaliation like this is rare, but what is arguably even worse, is when your ad is forgotten altogether. So how do we avoid that? How do you get people to do what you want them to do? Well, you’re in luck as this article contains advice from renowned advertisement sorcerers that will be able to break it all down for you.
What Is Persuasive Advertising?
Persuasive advertising essentially leverages the emotional needs and desires of the consumer and convinces them to purchase your products or services— it’s basically advertising that has a sprinkle of enchanting fairy dust on top. With this form of advertising, you must focus on quantifying the value of your product or service and effectively delivering that message to your target audience. Otherwise, they won’t understand or be aware of the value it brings to their lives.
How Does It Work?
To be able to use persuasive advertising, you’ll first need to understand how to properly execute an ad that enchants the masses. Think of it like casting a spell on someone— make them come to the realization that your product will improve their quality of life in some way. There are many persuasive techniques in advertising, but we will share with you the ones that we’ve seen provide the greatest results.
- Carrot and Stick
A horse (your customer) will walk towards a carrot (your product) if it is dangled in front of him. Horses love carrots, so make sure your audience loves your product too.
Donkeys (your customer) will avoid a stick (customer pain point) if it is brought to their attention. Donkeys hate sticks, so keep them aware of what could happen if they don’t buy your product.
- Scarcity Principle
Everyone loves to feel elite when they own a product that has exclusivity. Remind your target audience that everyone wants your product and that it’s going fast. This will give a sense of urgency to your customers that will drive them to buy.
- Use Second Person
When you use the pronouns “you” or “your,” you’ll be able to better engage your audience because it will feel more like you are talking to them specifically. People want to feel like they are cared for as an individual, so using this tactic will feel more personal and persuade them into a sale.
- Give Your Audience Control
Everyone wants to feel like they have a sense of control over their lives. So when you give your audience a choice between two products or services rather than one, they won’t feel like they are being forced into buying and are more likely to make a purchase.
When you can understand and properly execute these methods, you’ll see an overall increase in engagement that will boost both your lead generation and conversions. If you think these techniques are good, wait till you see what other words of “wizdom” Wizard of Ads has in store. Contact us to start the extraordinary evolution of your business’ advertising today!
Is Persuasion in Advertising Good or Bad?
The word “persuasion” alone can bring about both positive and negative connotations. Some can see it as a form of manipulation and while this can be true in some cases, it’s ultimately up to you to be sure you use your persuasive advertising with integrity, not dishonesty. As long as you are being honest about the value your product promises to your customers, there’s no need to worry if you’re abusing the sacred power of persuasive advertising. When you are genuine, intuitive to the needs of your audience and deliver on your promise, nothing but good karma will come your way. As a business owner, you should always consider this within every aspect of marketing that you do.
6 Principles of Persuasion According to Dr. Cialdini
Let’s introduce you to Dr. Cialdini, one of the most noteworthy names regarding the art of persuasion. Dr. Cialdini is the author of “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” where he compiles a list of the six principles of persuasion based on a collection of findings in Psychology research. The book was written over 30 years ago, but his scientifically proven techniques are still being used by marketers and business owners today. His methods have been able to significantly boost company conversion rates across a wide range of industries– and why wouldn’t they? When you can master the art of persuasion, you’ll have complete control over your audiences’ actions and its outcome: increased conversion rates and exponential revenue growth. If you want to wield the power of persuasion, then look no further. We’ve got every detail of Dr. Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion right here.
Reciprocity: When you give a little, you get a little
Those who give to others are more likely to receive something in return. Kind acts of service make people feel special and cared for, which in turn gives them a sense of indebtedness towards you. This is a perfect way to set up a potential customer to gladly carry out a specific request that you may have of them— whether it is to write a review, buy a new featured product or post about you on social media. Psychologically, we humans are wired this way, so use it to your advantage! To get the most success out of this tactic, here are three key factors you’ll need to consider:
- Offer something first so they feel indebted to you.
- Offer something exclusive so they feel special.
- Personalize the offer so they feel connected to you.
Commitment: Compell them to stick to the decision they have already made
When most of us make any kind of commitment, we are more likely going to stick to that commitment than not out of pure convenience. But how do we get our prospects to make that final commitment? When you can offer a sense of consistency to your target audience, they will feel a sense of urgency to commit to your product because it is from a company that they can trust. This promotes customer loyalty and leaves you with less time spent on persuading your prospects and more time connecting them to the solutions that you can provide them. To get the most out of this principle, be sure to follow these three guidelines:
- Request small actions from customers first as they are easier to achieve.
- Encourage your customers to make public commitments so are less likely to back out.
- Offer your customers rewards for fulfilling your action requests.
Social Proof: Things that are popular or endorsed by people we trust are more likely to gain our trust
We see it everywhere now in this new age of social media influencers, and that is exactly what they do: influence. They influence consumers to buy your product with the appeal that they are a relatable person you can trust or hold in high regard. And that is essentially what social proof is. Your target audience has a higher chance of purchasing your product if the people in their social circle, whether online or in-person are raving about it. It’s like word-of-mouth advertising but with a modern twist. The social proof technique in persuasive advertising has been increasingly successful over the years because it simply works. Whether your influencers are experts, peers, celebrities, groups or existing customers, it will do you good to have some backup to build credibility within your brand.
Principles of Liking: Requests from people we like are more likely to be honored
Are more likely to believe in someone that we like or someone that we don’t like? The answer is obvious, right? That is what the principles of liking are based on. Your target audience will hold credibility in the people that they favor as they align with their values in one way or another. Therefore, when your product or service is broadcasted from a more popular individual, the likelihood of it being purchased goes way up. Now, when we say popular, we’re not limiting to just bloggers, celebrities or social media influencers. It could simply just be the peers of your prospects as well. Here are some key factors that make the liking principle so effective:
- Visual appeal: An attractive and well-designed brand or product will be a magnet to your target audience.
- Form relationships: Prioritize engaging your audience and having conversations with them. This will build a relationship with your customers that holds value and credibility.
- Relatability: When you can connect to your audience like a peer and not a company just trying to get money from them, it builds a level of trust, comfort and familiarity.
- Brand Association: Encourage your audience to connect certain ideas and values with your brand. This will instill your brand in their minds when they are constantly reminded of what you stand for.
Principle of Authority: We pay attention to people who appear to be experts in their fields
How often would you say you do your own research on a product or service that doesn’t involve another expert's opinion? I bet it’s not very often. As consumers, we tend to turn to the experts in their given field for direction when looking to purchase a product. It provides us kind of safety blanket and is awfully more convenient and time-saving to do so. You see this a lot in content creating that includes the phrases “experts say,” “research shows,” or “scientifically proven.” This establishes a level of credibility that is unmatched because it’s all just in the facts.
Principle of Scarcity: When you believe there is a scarcity of something, you desire it even more
Another large contributing factor to utilize in persuasive advertising is the principle of scarcity. This essentially means that our minds tend to convince us that something hard to obtain is usually better than something easily available. Therefore, when we establish scarcity with our product or service, it increases its value, its demand and its exclusivity— and as human beings, we all want to be invited to the “cool kids table. ”So how do you make your product “cool” and develop that sense of urgency within your prospects? By using tactical, promotional vocabulary in your advertising. Some examples of the language you can use to effectively trigger your customers’ sense of urgency are “Limited supply!”, “Limited time only!”, “One-of-a-kind Special!” or “Exclusive offer!” Implementing these kinds of phrases will be sure to drive your customers to make a quick decision to purchase.
Build Ads with Empathy
It’s not enough to just have a great product, you also need the right marketing strategy in place that will reach your target audience and make them want what you’re offering. The best way to do this is by following Dr. Cialdini’s six principles of persuasion to create powerfully persuasive advertisements. That way, your ads are built with empathy for customers rather than solely focusing on selling something. That means knowing who they are, where they spend their time online, what messages resonate most deeply with them and so forth— all while delivering the value and credibility they yearn for to keep them coming back. Although, accomplishing all of this isn’t easy to do alone. That’s where we come in. At Wizard of Ads®, we help out clients create ads that are new, persuasive and engaging. We know you are great at what you do, and so are we. Contact us today and we’ll help you take your business to the next level. We have an elite team that provides the perfect storm of higher quality leads that generate more sales for the highest profitable growth.
Ryan Chute
Helping small businesses become BIG brands with a holistic marketing strategy that speaks the same language across all sales and marketing channels.
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