What’s The Most Persuasive Word in the English Language?

Category: Copywriting No Comment November 2, 2011

Do you ever need to persuade anyone of anything? If so, you’re going to want to turn off all distractions and watch the above video because it’s going to give you a little known key of human persuasion.

Because it’s so powerful – you can use this secret word in sales copy, your blogs, offline marketing, or just convincing a friend to pay for dinner.

What’s this copywriter’s secret which can bump up my conversions in sales and marketing?

Quite simply it’s the word, “because”. This happens to be one of the most powerful words in the English language.

Why? Because we have been conditioned since birth that anything that follows the word because automatically justifies what came before it. No, this doesn’t turn people into zombies ready to do your bidding 100% of the time. But it will increase your chances of gaining compliance in communication.

There was an interesting university study done where there would be people in line for a copier. (I’m getting flashbacks to waiting for copiers at the school library). A research assistant would try to cut in line by saying something like, “do you mind if I go in front of you because I need to make some copies?”

Many many times people would say “OK” even though her reason was pretty crappy.

Then, she would do the same thing but eliminate only the word “because”. Her success rate was suddenly terrible.

You might try this yourself by split-testing some copy with and without the word because and seeing which gets the better results.

Next time you’re out with your friends try something like, “do you mind picking up the tab for dinner because I’m really stuffed.” It’s worth a try, right?