As far back as 300BC Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle gave interesting insight into how to persuade audiences, and his lessons still stand true today. He identified three main persuasive appeals that form the foundations of rhetoric:
1. Ethos – appeal to authority or credibility.
2. Pathos – appeal to emotions.
3. Logos – appeal to logic.
Ethos: The he-said-she-said trick
Word-of-mouth advertising, testimonials, celebrity endorsements and social proof are meal tickets when it comes to persuasion. Outside referrals conveys that others had a positive experience with the product or service. Leveraging others’ words in your copy makes whatever you’re selling much more believable than if it came straight from the horse’s mouth. Robert Cialdini, author of Influence: the Psychology of Persuasion claims that people will only do things they see others doing; therefore name-dropping can really make a difference.
Pathos : Get down to the nitty-gritty emotions
Emotion is one of the driving forces behind most human behavior, so in many cases it’s effective to appeal to readers’ emotions when trying to persuade them. Never underestimate the value of emotional appeals, which tap into collective feelings and human responses to achieve their intended response. Be genuine, but don’t overdo it, as too much may make your writing fall flat. Emotive and compelling copy works.
Logos: Benefits over features
If you communicate the benefits of the product or service you’re writing about, you’re much more likely to convince audiences. Do not confuse this with listing off features. Psychological researchers have proven that people are more likely to comply with your requests and calls to action if you give them a simple reason why. Copy that focuses on consumer rewards has been shown to trigger brain activity that mimics the reaction of experiencing the benefits themselves. Dial up the effectiveness of your copy by giving audiences a logical reason to choose what you’re offering.
