Nobody’s Perfect

Magnificent Publications specializes in persuasive publications. We just read an excellent book on the subject, Yes! 50 Secrets from the Science of Persuasion, so far distributed only in the United Kingdom. Over the next few weeks we’ll be sharing some of its insights with you.

How can you get your audience to trust in your strengths? Draw attention to your faults.

Research shows that if you mention a weakness of your own, your audience is more likely to find you honest, and therefore believe you when you start listing all your virtues.

But which faults? We all have plenty to choose from.

First and most obviously, don’t pick a major one, one actually likely to alienate your audience.

Second and less obviously, do pick one intrinsically linked to your strengths.

[Social scientist Gerd] Bohner created three different versions of an advertisement for a restaurant. One message featured only positive attributes, … [for example] the restaurant’s cosy atmosphere. A second message mentioned these positive features in addition to some unrelated negative ones. For example, in addition to mentioning the cosy atmosphere, the advertisement stated that the restaurant couldn’t offer dedicated parking. The third message described certain positive features and added some related positive ones. For instance, the ad described the restaurant as very small, but it also mentioned that it had a cosy atmosphere.

…[A]lthough both types of two-sided messages produced increases in … perceived credibility, the evaluation of the restaurant was highest after the two-sided message in which the positive and negative attributes were related.

Small and intimate, remote but spacious, complex yet rewarding, dated but totally entertaining … who wouldn’t believe claims like these?