27 of the Worlds Most

Powerful Written
Persuasion Techniques
by Lou Larsen

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................... 3
1. APPEAL TO THEIR IDENTITY..........................................................................................................4
2. USE THEIR HIERARCHY OF VALUES............................................................................................5
3. INVOKE EMOTIONS......................................................................................................................... 5
4. MOTIVATE YOUR READER.............................................................................................................6
5. SHOW THEM THE CONSEQUENCES.............................................................................................6
6. ASK QUESTIONS............................................................................................................................. 7
7. REFRAME POSSIBLE OBJECTIONS..............................................................................................7
8. USE QUOTES................................................................................................................................... 8
9. EMPLOY METAPHOR...................................................................................................................... 9
10. COMPLIMENT & FLATTER............................................................................................................ 9
11. SHOW NO GRAY AREA
............................................................................................................................................................ 10
12. BELONG TO A SPECIAL GROUP................................................................................................10
13. HAVE THEM MAKE A COMMITMENT..........................................................................................11
14. CHANGE THEIR LIFE .................................................................................................................. 12
15. OVERCOME INERTIA................................................................................................................... 12
16. ADD PRESUPPOSITIONS............................................................................................................ 13
17. USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS TO MAKE CLAIMS.................................................................13
18. USE CURIOSITY, SECRETS, & FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE.....................................................14
19. INTENTION & TEMPTATION........................................................................................................ 15
20. CONNOTATION............................................................................................................................. 16
21. TRANSUBSTANTIATION.............................................................................................................. 17
22. TELL STORIES............................................................................................................................. 17
23. DARE THEM................................................................................................................................. 19
24. IT'S THEIR IDEA........................................................................................................................... 20
25. MAKE THEM FEEL GUILTY......................................................................................................... 20
26. INJECT RIDICULE, DOUBT, SUSPICION....................................................................................21
27. MAKE THEM FEEL APPRECIATED.............................................................................................22
CONCLUSION..................................................................................................................................... 23
PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE WORKSHEETS......................................................................................24
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOU
............................................................................................................................................................ 29

Copyright Lou Larsen

INTRODUCTION
They who influence the thoughts of their times, influence all the times that
follow. They have made their impression on eternity.
Influence and the psychology of persuasion. Whether you are writing an
advertisement, an email to a friend, an inter-office memo, hoping to change a
family member's actions, or trying to convince a group of people to come over to
your way of thinking, you need to know the methods top persuaders use to
change people's thinking and get them to take action.
You'll discover what makes people tick and to get the gears moving in their heads
to get them to take the action you want them to take.
Here is a collection of the most persuasive techniques used by politicians,
advertising copywriters, spin-doctors, propaganda writers, lawyers...anybody who
has to change an individual's mind--or groups of people's minds--quickly.
A person could use these techniques to get people to do things they wouldn't
ordinarily do, change their beliefs, get them to change their minds, convince them
of something, get them to make a move. Whatever your motivation, you'll find
the tools you need here in this ebook
I'll give some short examples for each technique in an advertisement using the
fictitious Special-J Dog Food. I've tried to sum up each technique with a sentence
or two, but you could expand each one into a few sentences or paragraphs. That
would make the techniques you are using much more powerful.
Toward the end of this ebook you will find the worksheets you can print out and
use to develop your persuasive strategies.
Here we go:

Copyright Lou Larsen

1. APPEAL TO THEIR IDENTITY

Who a person is and how they see themselves is an incredibly important influence
tool, maybe the most important of them all. If you can tie in what you want with
what their identity would do in a similar situation, you'd have a very good chance
of getting him or her to do it. As a matter of fact, if you're convincing enough,
you would cause inner conflict that would compel them to act in the way you
want.
Of course people have more than one identity. They combine with their roles in
life and how they see themselves. Many of these are fairly universal: being a
good parent, a good friend, a good manager, being interesting, honest, etc.
Another use of the Appeal to Their Identity is the use of Labels. What positive
label could you put on the person(s) you are writing to? Here are some frames
you can use for labeling someone:
* You're a natural _______. ("You're a natural entrepreneur.")
* You're not the type of person who _______. ("You're not the type of person who
would lie ." The label here? Honest.)
* One thing I really like about you is _______. ("One thing I really like about you is your
open-mindedness.")
* Unlike other ______, you're ________. ("Unlike other managers, you're generous.")
The above frames are very useful in buttering a person up before asking them to
do something for you. You would use one of the above frames and then make a
request that would cause a conflict with the label you gave them. So, if I used
the, "Unlike other managers, you're generous, " I would then, later on, ask for a
raise or a loan of some sort.
Here are a couple of examples I might use when selling to dog owners:
Pet parents always serve their dogs Special-J Dog Food.
Caring pet owners feed their dogs Special-J Dog Food.
While you're writing, ask yourself, "Who is this person?" Who does she think she
is?" "What roles are important to him?" "What positive, complimentary label can I
apply to him or her?"

Copyright Lou Larsen

2. USE THEIR HIERARCHY OF VALUES

This technique can tie into the one above. People place a value on practically
everything. And that includes time, goods, ideas, people, etc. But they do have
priorities. They will compare the characteristics of one thing to another to
determine which one is more valuable to them, especially if they have to make a
choice.
How can you tie in what you're offering with one or more of their highest values?
Some of the fairly universal values (at least here in the west) are these: love,
health, attractiveness, security, safety of family, pleasure, impressing others,
happiness.
Think of something fairly expensive you bought recently. Why did you buy it?
What value(s) of yours made it appeal to you? What would have stopped you
from buying it? What would have had to happen for you to pay twice the money
for it? Whatever your answers to these questions, they show the values you
applied to your purchase.
An example:
What's more important to you, saving a few bucks or your dog's health?
Questions to ask yourself while writing: Whats important to this person? "How
can I make my offer just as valuable?

3. INVOKE EMOTIONS
As any professional advertising copywriter knows, you sell something by getting
the prospective customers' emotions involved. Propagandists and spin-doctors
know this too. Positive emotions like hope, anticipation, love, and negative
emotions like anger, loneliness, disgust can spur people into action.
You also need to use emotionally charged words that add impact to your writing.
Try to pull out bland words and head to a thesaurus to find words that have a
punch.
An example:
Show the love for your dog that he or she shows you.

Copyright Lou Larsen

Ask yourself, What emotions do I want to invoke, and how can I do it?

4. MOTIVATE YOUR READER

Why should they do what you ask them? What's in it for your reader? What do
they get? What's the incentive? What are the major benefits of doing what you
are asking them to do? Make big promises. Promises you can keep if you don't
want major fallout later. A great way to get your readers motivated is to use a list
of benefits, just pile on all the great benefits of what you are offering or what
they will get when they do what you are asking.
Here's an example:
When you feed your dog Special-J Dog Food, you'll notice your dog will :

Be more content and happier

Sleep better
Have a shinier, healthier coat
Be less likely to get sick
Recover from injuries faster
Have cleaner breath

While writing, ask yourself, "How can I motivate my reader(s) to act now? How
can I light a fire under them? What are all the benefits they will get if they act?"

5. SHOW THEM THE CONSEQUENCES

How will your readers lose out by not doing what you suggest? Paint a word
picture for them. What pain will they experience if they don't do as you ask. This
doesn't mean make threats. That will set up resistance. Just tell them some of
the negatives of not doing what you want, choosing an alternative to what you
are offering...or doing nothing.
An example:
Many dog foods are not nutritionally balanced, especially imported dog
food. The last thing you need is for your dog to get sick, start losing his or
her hair, becoming listless, just because you have been serving your dog
canned food that isn't as healthy.
Copyright Lou Larsen

An important point when using this technique is to NOT dwell on the negatives for
too long. People are exposed to negative news all day long. If you spend too
much time on the consequences, you might lose them. Keep it short.
Ask yourself, "How will they lose out if they don't act now?" "What pain will they
experience if they don't do as I ask.?"

6. ASK QUESTIONS
When you ask lots of questions of your readers, you get them involved. And
once they are involved, you can lead them where you want them to go. One old
time use of questions in sales and copywriting is to ask several questions in a row
that get the prospective customer to say "Yes". This will, more often than not, get
them into a positive mood and more receptive to your request.
Another good way to use questions in your writing is to make suggestions rather
than orders.
"Why not order now while you are still on this website,: instead of just using
"Order now!!" Questions are an ideal way to insert embedded commands.
Some examples:
How do you know your dog is getting the proper nutrition heshe
deserves?
Why not treat your dog to Special-J Dog Food today?
When writing try to put in a few questions to get your readers involved.

7. REFRAME POSSIBLE OBJECTIONS

What would stop someone from doing what you want them to do? What possible
anxiety could they feel about doing what you ask? Write down all they could
possibly reject about your offer or request. Then take your list of possible
objections and reframe them. Put a spin on them or change their perspective.
Example:

Copyright Lou Larsen

 Special-J Dog Food contains micro-capsules to release nutrients into your

dog's body all throughout the day, keeping her immune system running at
peak levels, lessening the chance she will get sick. (THE POSSIBLE
OBJECTION IS: "All dog food is the same.")
What you DON'T want to do is ignore any possible objections. By not bringing
them up, you risk looking like you're hiding something, or you are making your
offer sound too good to be true by leaving those objections out.
Ask yourself, "What would stop this person from doing what I want?" "How can I
put a more positive spin on this objection? ""What else could this mean?" "What's
not apparent to them?"

8. USE QUOTES
Authority and Social Proof are incredibly convincing ways to persuade. Just by
quoting an expert or a celebrity (in the form of quotations), or satisfied customers
(in the form of testimonials) you ramp up the persuasive content of your writing
quite a few notches.
Another benefit of using quotes in your writing is that they attract the eye when
put inside quotation marks.
Example:
"Nine out of ten veterinarians feed their dogs Special-J Dog Food."
"My dogs love Special-J Dog Food. They're healthier, happier, and look great!"
~ Marlin Perkins
When writing your piece, ask yourself where you can find quotes and testimonials
that will support your case.

Copyright Lou Larsen

9. EMPLOY METAPHOR
The use of metaphor (and analogies and similes) have been used to influence,
persuade, educate, and convince for thousands of years. Most of the Bible and
other religious books are written in metaphor. It's another powerful technique.
How is what you want them to do like something they love to do? What are the
parallels between the two?
If you are selling a product, how is your product like something else very
desirable? The classic advertising positioning statement "ABC is the Rolls-Royce of
printer inks" uses metaphor for this effect.
Here are some examples:
Special-J Dog Food is like an immunity booster shot for your dog.
It's the canine Fountain of Youth!
Ask yourself, "What is my offer like?"

10. COMPLIMENT & FLATTER

If you can pull it off, make your reader feel special. This technique might be a bit
transparent when writing to cold audiences (people you don't know), but if you
know them or you know the type of people they are (like a certain car owner),
you should compliment them, especially if you have something negative to tell
them.
If you can't think of anything nice to tell your reader (C'mon!), you can always do
what Joe Gerard (Guinness Book of Records' World's Greatest Salesman used to
do: mail them cards that said "I like you!" inside. He swore that this technique
worked miracles.
You're an intelligent dog owner, there is no doubt about that.
It also ties in quite well with Technique 1 ("Appeal to Their Identity").
Ask yourself, "What do I appreciate about this person?" "What do I like about this
person?" "How can I compliment them with sounding like a brown-nose?"

Copyright Lou Larsen

11. SHOW NO GRAY AREA

Point out to your readers that there really isn't any choice in what you have to
offer. They have only a very positive outcome if they do as you say or a very
negative one if they don't. Which one are you going to choose?
You can (or will) do/have/be (POSITIVE), or (NEGATIVE).
An example of this technique:
You can give your dog nutritious, balanced meals, or you can take him to
the vet every month.
When you are writing your piece, ask yourself how your readers don't have a
choice. It's only black or white.

12. BELONG TO A SPECIAL GROUP

Because of our tribal nature, we almost always seek out people who are similar to
us. Veterans, collectors, artists, even people who have the same illnesses are all
groups that come together in rapport.
There are a few variations on this technique that you can use alone or in
combination:
a) people who already belong to a special, desirable group
b) people who don't belong to a special group...BUT WANT TO
b) having a mutual enemy
c) getting on the bandwagon or being left out
Each one would require a different approach.
Here are some examples using each of the variations above:
a) To all you pit bull owners out there....
b) Here's how you can become a pit bull terrier lover too...
c) The State wants to take your pit bull away!
d) If you own a pit bull terrier, this is your last chance to join Pit Bull Owners of America.
"A sharply defined enemy is a far stronger argument for your side than all the
words you could possibly put together." ~ Robert Greene
Copyright Lou Larsen

10

Of course this technique works well with Technique 1 ("Appeal to Their Identity")
because when you are part of a group, it's also a party or your identity or a role
you take on.
When using this, ask yourself, "What groups of people does my offer appeal to?
What are their interests and desires? What group of people would my target want
to belong to?" "Can I start a desirable group of my own?"

13. HAVE THEM MAKE A COMMITMENT

When people make a commitment to an idea, they tend to find it very difficult to
change their minds without creating conflict or anxiety (called, Cognitive
Dissonance). This is a little more difficult to do in one-way writing (say an
advertisement or a sales letter), but it can be done.
For an advertisement, You would first ask your readers a question where they
would most likely say yes. Then you'd continue with your writing. Finally, you'd
remind them of what they said yes to.
For example:
Do you love your dog? (THEN I'D CONTINUE WITH THE BODY COPY OF THE
AD.) Earlier in this article (letter/ad), I asked you if you loved your dog.
What better way to show your love for her by giving her a delicious and
nutritious meal...
For a more personal correspondence, say an email, online chatting, or a letter,
you could ask one of these questions:
I thought you said you were....,
"I thought you said you were a Conservative. That's not what a Conservative
would say."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Didn't you say you...,
"Didn't you say you loved animals? Why would you eat meat..."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don't you think (UNDESIRABLE TRAIT or TYPE OF PERSON) is
(NEGATIVE LABEL)? IF THEY AGREE...LATER FOLLOW UP.
YOU:Don't you think being a cheapskate is a horrible?
Copyright Lou Larsen

11

HE: Yeah, sure.

<<<LATER>>>
YOU: Hey, can I borrow twenty bucks?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------When writing your piece, find out how you can get your reader to make a
commitment, even a small one: donating a little money, trying something, even
saying "yes" to something, etc.

14. CHANGE THEIR LIFE

Most people are unhappy with their lives...or at least a some aspect of it. Many of
them want change. But they don't know how to change, or if they do, they are
too afraid or lazy to do so.
How can what you are offering change your target's life for the better? Your offer
must do more than change lives though, it has to change lives with the least
amount of effort. What many people are looking for is the Magic Pill. Something
where they wake up and their lives are magically different.
As you know, your dog's life affects your whole family. You, your spouse,
especially your kids are affected by the health of your beloved dog.
Your offer can probably change your readers' lives for the better someway,
somehow. How?

15. OVERCOME INERTIA

The first rule here is to simplify the steps they need to take. Don't go into too
much detail as to what they have to do. Narrow their choices or options down. It's
been proven that people won't take action if they have too many choices available
to them.
It also helps to show them the consequences of not acting now (See Technique 5
"Show Them the Consequences").
Top persuaders often create urgency by telling their readers how scarce their
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12

offer has become. You can use a time deadline, a limited quantity, a limited
supply of a freebie/bonus/premium, or a soon-to-arrive price increase to get your
readers off their butts.
Some examples:
Get a 25% discount of Special-J Dog Food before November 10th.
Receive a bottle of Special-J Puppy Shampoo with every case of Special-J
Dog Food. But please hurry, we only have 53 bottles left.
Ask, "How can I increase the urgency of my offer?" "How can I add a deadline?"

16. ADD PRESUPPOSITIONS

These are compelling ways to put thoughts into people's heads without even
verbalizing the thought. You can find more on presuppositions and what they are
here. Here's a quick way to incorporate presuppositions into your writing: Use
questions.
This requires a little more thought than Technique 6 ("Ask Questions") presented
above. Just think of what you want your readers to believe about your offer or
product. Then put it into a question form.
Some examples:
Do you know of any other dog food that makes your dog healthier than SpecialJ Dog Food? (NOTE: Whether they answer yes or no, by answering the question
they imply that Special-J Dog Food will make their dog healthy.)
How are you going to handle your dog's new found vitality and playfulness?
When writing, ask yourself how you are going to imply your claims.

17. USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS TO MAKE CLAIMS

This one is used a lot by the mass media. Why? Because it lets claims slip into
readers' minds without resistance. If I say, "XYZ tablets let you lose weight while
you sleep," you probably won't really believe it; you've heard claims like this all
the time. But if I ask, "How has XYZ tablets helped thousands of people across
the USA lose weight while they sleep?", it has a better chance of being accepted
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13

without resistance.
Take a claim that you want to make, and try out different types of questions to
frame it in.
Example:
How does Special-J Dog Food help your dog live a longer, healthier life?
How will you handle your dog's new found vitality?
When you are writing, ask yourself, "How can I put some of my claims into
question form?"

18. USE CURIOSITY, SECRETS, & FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE

In the 19th century PT. Barnum was an expert at making the public curious about
what he was doing and what his exhibits were. He was able to draw million of
people to his shows and make himself a very wealthy man.
And the power of curiosity, secrets and forbidden knowledge still work in the 21st
century.
When writing, leave out some important information that you will only tell them if
they do what you want them to do (call, come in, join, etc). And make sure you
tell them. Like the proverbial cat that got killed, you will draw many of your
readers in.
Now when you give someone some secrets or forbidden knowledge, you create a
feeling of indebtedness in your readers. They will feel they owe you something.
This "something" can be an action you want them to take.
Another way to invoke curiosity is to pain a verbal picture of all the benefits they
will get if they do what they say. Use visual words to get them involved and to get
their imaginations working. This is a classic method used in direct response sales
letters.
Buy a case of Special-J before next Saturday and get a special gift your
dog will love.
Here's a way to make sure your dog is free of any skin diseases, it's
something only veterinarians know....(follow up with a short method that
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14

most people don't know).

Ask yourself how you can get your readers' curiosity involved. What do you know
that they don't know? What can I teach them that is not known by many people?

19. INTENTION & TEMPTATION

Why are you reading this ebook? Is it perhaps you want to have greater influence
over people? Why would you want to do that? More money? More control?
Whatever your reason is, that's your intention.
And your intention is created by two forces that you have probably heard of
before: pleasure and pain. But the real motivating factor is this: the people you
writing to are moving towards pleasure, away from pain...or both.
Because this is why people do what they do. Their intentions lead to their
motivations which lead to their actions.
Usually both forces are at work in our motivations. So behind you is your
unpleasant past (PAIN) and ahead of you is a future of health, wealth, glory, and
happiness (PLEASURE). But only IF you do as I say. If you DON'T, you'll still
experience your pain and it might even get worse. But if you do, you will
experience pleasure. Tempt your targets with delights.
Here are some examples:
Make your dog the happiest on the block with Special-J.
Stop your dog from getting sick by giving him Special-J.
When you are writing, ask yourself, how you could tie your reader's intention with
what you want them to do.

Copyright Lou Larsen

15

20. CONNOTATION
Connotation is where you want to tell someone something without actually telling
them. That is a bit confusing, so let me explain.
If I want to tell a reader that my friend John is rich, I could straight out tell him:
"My friend John is rich."
But I want to tell a reader using connotation, I would say:
"My friend John has 20 million dollars in the bank."
Here's another example...
If I want to tell my readers that my friend Susan cares about the environment, I
can tell them right out:
"My friend Susan cares for the environment." or "My friend Susan is an
environmentalist."
If I want to use connotation, I'd say:
"My friend Susan went down to Louisiana to help clean up the beaches after that
oil spill. She's staying there until the beaches are spotless."
Do you see what I'm going? I'm using EXAMPLES of the activity to tell my reader
what I want them to believe.
Using stories is a great way to add connotation.
Another way to use connotation is by using authority. If you are a known
authority on your offer, or you know an authority who is willing to vouch for what
you are offering, you will have a built in method of convincing your target to
come over to your side or to buy what you are selling. Advertisers who use
celebrities to endorse their products do this all the time.
An example:
Dr. Jones, the man who created the Special-J formula used to surprise
visitors to house when he told them that his dogs were twenty years old.

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16

21. TRANSUBSTANTIATION
This term was coined by copywriter Michael Masterson. He took the word from
Catholicism where bread and wine stand for the body and blood of Jesus Christ.
And we use it in writing to make what we are selling--a product, a service, or an
idea--appear more valuable.
Samples include making a car seem like a jet fighter, reading the Wall Street
Journal means you'll be a success in business, a weekend in a hotel becomes a
min-holiday.
An easy way to use this potent technique is to use something from NLP called
Chunking Up. When we chunk up, we go up a level (or a few levels) to something
more abstract.
To chunk up we ask ourselves, "What is this an example of?"
Let's apply it to a car. "What is a car an example of?" We can say "vehicle,"
"mode of transportation," "manufactured object," etc.
Let's use Mode of Transportation. Now we ask ourselves this question: "What is
another, very desirable, mode of transportation?" We can then go on to other
modes, such as "train," "cruise ship," "horse," "jet fighter," etc.
Next we use Metaphor (Technique #9) to find similarities. We do this by asking,
"How is this car I'm selling like a jet fighter?"
An example:
Special-J is a gourmet meal and a health-booster in a can. Your dog will love
you for it!
How can you make your offer seem loftier, much more than it is to the eye?

22. TELL STORIES

Many years ago when I was working as a junior copywriter in the direct response
department of a New York City advertising agency, I was stumped for an angle on
a product one of our accounts was selling.
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17

My boss at the time, Russel Doceti told me the best way to sell something:
"Tell 'em a story."
"Whaddya mean 'a story'?"
"Lou, people love stories. Our lives are filled with stories: movies, books, newspaper
articles, soap operas on TV, conversations at the dinner table. Tell 'em a story."
"Yeah, okay. How can that sell anything?"
"The best, most persuasive, longest lasting direct response ads tell some kind of a
story. Look, you've got different types of stories you can sell with: you can use a Case
Study Story where a person or company succeeded with the product...
"You got Consequence Stories where someone in the target market failed because
he or she didn't use the product...
"You can try I-Empathize-With-You Stories where you tell your story of failure of using
the other guy's products and how you found success and enlightenment by using the
product you are now selling...
"Another one you can use is Origination Story where you tell how the product was
created. So choose one or two and see where it takes you."
And that's what I did. I did my research and came up with a dynamite Case Study. I
incorporated into my sales letter for their product. It did really well for years.
Which reminds me of a story...
Last year my sister was upset. Her wire-haired terrier was listless, had no appetite, he
lost his spark. The vets she went to couldn't help. I told her that I read somewhere that
a dog's diet can be vital to a dog's well-being. Captain Obvious, right?
But what I didn't know is that many commercial dog foods contain various additives,
like preservatives that, over time, have a negative effect on a dog's health.
However, one dog food, made in the USA, has all the nutrients a dog needs to stay
healthy but without all those chemicals that can be detrimental to a dog's well-being.
This super dog-food, Special J has veterinarians across the USA and Canada raving
about it.
So I told my sister about it. Since she had really nothing to lose, she bought some and
put about half a can in Sparky's favorite Snoopy bowl. He smelled it, took a little
nibble...and went back to sleep. A bad sign? Not really. Prior to that, he would just
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smell the food and walk away.

But it gets better:..
The next morning ALL THE FOOD WAS GONE from Sparky's bowl! He loved it. Over
time Sparky got his pep back, chewing on his favorite toys again, harassing the
neighbor's cats. My sister is ecstatic. She raves about Special J (I bet if she tried some,
she wouldn't ;-)) to her friends and family members with dogs. A true convert.
How can you sell your products, services, ideas with a story or stories? Master the
art of storytelling and you will be as compelling as the best persuaders.

23. DARE THEM

I bet you can't find the mispelled word in this paragraph. When you throw down a
challenge, you urge people on to do what you think they can't do. Ego comes in
and the have to prove to you that they can.
In advertising copywriting, there is a variation on the dare called "The Take
Away", where you are selling something...but wait!... you might not qualify. So
the prospective customer might have to jump through some hoops in order to
prove that he or she is worthy of buying the product.
The Art Institution of America would put its ads on matchbook covers and in
magazines with a sketch of a cartoon character that you had to draw...Then you
would send it in to the school, and the experts there would evaluate it to see if
you had the talent to be admitted into their school.
If you really wanted to learn how to draw, you were kept on pins-and-needles
waiting for their reply. And of course, you were being primed by the company to
do just that.
As an aside, the cartoonist Robert Crumb had a brother who sent a sketch that
wasn't ANYTHING like the drawing, and he was still accepted!
Some examples:
We dare you to try Special-J for two weeks and see if your dog is happier
and healthier at the end!

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 We only offer Special-J to dog owners who are serious about giving their dogs
the best. And because of that, we must have you sign this affidavit....
When you are creating your piece, consider ways to dare or take away from your
targets.

24. IT'S THEIR IDEA

There's a term in the persuasion sciences called "reactance" where if a person
realizes you are trying to manipulate or persuade him, he will become more
resistant and not comply.
One way around reactance and resistance is to make your target think your idea
is his or hers. They will accept the idea more if they think it came from
themselves. They gave YOU the idea and you're just repeating back to them.
Questioning techniques are a good way to make your target think your idea is
their idea. "Didn't you tell me...." "You told me...., didn't you?" "I remember what
you said about...And I couldn't agree more!" You would just have to remember
something that person said and change it around so it agrees or ties in with your
ideas.
One way to tie in their idea with one of yours is to find out how their values ties in
with what you are offering.
Example? Here:
Didn't you tell me you wanted your dog to eat better and healthier?
You told me you wanted to try giving Special-J to Brownie last month,
remember?

25. MAKE THEM FEEL GUILTY

Personally, I don't like this technique. But to leave it out would make this ebook
incomplete. You can use it at your own peril because when you do, people will
resent it, especially if you get them to act by making them feel guilty.
You might recognize some of these language patterns from your own life: they
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are often used by family members and peer groups to try to make you do
something you don't really want to do.
Here are some of the patterns to make a person feel guilty (continuing with the
dog food examples.:
Don't you even care about....? As in, "Don't you even care about your
dog?"
If you really wanted...., you wouldn't... As in, "If you really wanted a
healthy dog, you wouldn't be giving her that cheap canned food."
Everyone knows why... As in, "Everyone knows why you don't feed your
dog the best possible food."
A (DESIRABLE TYPE OF PERSON) would/wouldn't... As in, "A true
caring pet owner wouldn't be feeding her dog Vet's Choice."
Check your internal experience when reviewing these patterns. Not a very nice
experience, is it? As mentioned before, I'd think twice before using these
patterns.*
*I got most of these patterns from The Gentle Art of Verbal Self Defense by Suzette Haden Elgin.

26. INJECT RIDICULE, DOUBT, SUSPICION

I hesitated to include this technique because if used incorrectly or done obviously,
it will make you look bad and you'll lose the position you are seeking with your
target.
What we want to do here is to make the other side look bad: a moving away
strategy.
Now what I mean by ridicule is not the person herself or her decisions, but the
choice she might make that isn't the one you want her to make. You want to
make her other options look less desirable.
It's still a fine line though. In Salesmanship 101, salespeople are told never to put
down the competition, especially by name. To do this would make you look
desperate in the eyes of the customer.
A way around this is to tell the problems another customer had with a
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competitor's product, or a common problem with a competitor's product but not

using the name of the product or the company allows the salesperson to
generalize about other companies in that industry without naming names and
looking like they really need the sale.
A good way to plant doubts in people's heads is to say you heard a rumor. You
can make these up and just say you heard it or read it somewhere like a
newspaper, the Internet (it's gotta be true now), or on the radio, etc. And a great
thing about "hearing a rumor" is that it helps start SPREADING THE RUMOR.
An example:
Health inspectors found cockroach and spider eggs in Vet's Choice pet
food.
When writing to persuade, ask yourself how you can cast doubt on your
competitor's product, or opponent's ideas?

27. MAKE THEM FEEL APPRECIATED

Keeping up with the Joneses, showing off, impressing others. Most people on this
planet have the need to be wanted and appreciated. Indeed, many people are
starved of this, and will go through great lengths to try and get some
appreciation. From childhood to adulthood, we constantly need to be appreciated,
for what we are, what we've done, and what we have.
If you've worked in an office environment and you witnessed a supervisor take all
the credit for her staff's work...and you watch the people in the office just seethe
with resentment, you will know how powerful a technique this can be.
So in your writing, you can work two ways (or use both). If you can honestly say
you appreciate the person for who he is, what he does, what he did, what he has,
you will have him coming over to your side.
If you can show that your product (or using your idea, or joining forces with your
or your cause) will have him impressing others or getting the appreciation he
craves, you will be able to have him take action much quicker with more gusto.
Here's an example continuing with our Special-J Dog Food:
Imagine this: You've taken your dog to the park for a walk. And you notice
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people are staring at your beautiful dog and wonder how you keep her so
beautiful and healthy.

CONCLUSION
There you have twenty-seven ways to influence and persuade....
...When working on your project, keep sentences fairly short. One mistake I see
quite often in ads and other forms of persuasive writing is sentences that are too
long. The longer your sentences, the more difficult they are too read, and the
more likely they will be ignored.
You can mix and match these techniques depending on your project. The US
military's Psychological Operations (PSY-OPS) has had a lot of success with leaflet
drops over enemy territory.
They are often quite small in size and need to get the job done quickly. They tend
to use Technique 3 ("Invoke Emotions"), Technique 4 ("Motivate Your Reader"),
and Technique 5 ("Show Them the Consequences").
For something like a billboard, demonstration placards, or bumper stickers, where
space and time are at a premium, you could use Technique 6 ("Ask Questions") or
Technique 9 ("Employ Metaphor").
You now have a ton of power in your hands. You've turned your pen (or
keyboard) into a formidable weapon. Please use this power ethically. I don't know
if you've already begun to notice how great you feel because of this power.
Thanks for reading this ebook. Clearly, you are an incredibly intelligent person.
And I like you, I really do. And if you need a hand writing persuasive advertising,
just send me an email (loularsen@gmail.com)
"It takes tremendous discipline to control the influence, the power you have over other
people's lives." ~ Clint Eastwood

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PERSUASIVE LANGUAGE WORKSHEETS

You might want to print these sheet out and work on them off your computer.
Remember "your target" is the person or people you want to influence. "Your
offer" could be your product, your service, your cause, your ideas.
First, who is your target and what do you want them to feel and do?
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1. APPEAL TO THEIR IDENTITY. Who is this person? What can they become with your
offer? How will your offer affect their roles and identity?
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2. USE THEIR HIERARCHY OF VALUES. What's important to this person? How is your
offer even more important?
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3. INVOKE EMOTIONS. How can I get my target excited about my offer? Can I get my
target angry or anxious? How about hopeful?
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4. MOTIVATE YOUR READER. How can I get my target motivated? How can I get them
to make a move?
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5. SHOW THEM THE CONSEQUENCES. How will my target lose out if they don't do as I
ask? How will they lose if they go with a competitor? How will they lose if they don't do
anything?
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6. ASK QUESTIONS. How can I get my target involved in my writing? What can I ask
them to get them thinking?
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7. REFRAME POSSIBLE OBJECTIONS. Why would my target refuse to do as I ask?
What would stop them? How can I counter these objections?
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8. USE QUOTES. What famous person can I quote that would support my argument?
Do I have any satisfied customer testimonials I can use? If I can't find anything, what
sentence can I put in quotes but not attribute it to anyone?
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9. EMPLOY METAPHOR. What is my offer like that is very desirable. How can I describe
my offer in terms of something else that my target likes?
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10. COMPLIMENT & FLATTER. What can I say to show my target that I like them?
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__________________________________________________________________________
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11. SHOW NO GRAY AREA. How can I show them they have no choice? That the
situation is really only black or white.
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12. BELONG TO A SPECIAL GROUP. What group am I part of (or am creating) that my
target would like to be part of? What special group would they like to be part of and
that ties in with my offer?
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13. HAVE THEM MAKE A COMMITMENT. How can I get them to commit to what I'm
offering? How can I get them from not backing down or changing their mind?
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14. CHANGE THEIR LIFE. How will my offer change their lives for the better, making it
richer and more rewarding?
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15. OVERCOME INERTIA. What can I say or do to get my targets to ACT RIGHT NOW
without delay?
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16. ADD PRESUPPOSITIONS. What do I want to imply about what I'm offering? What
negative assumption might they have and how can I eliminate them?
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17. USE RHETORICAL QUESTIONS TO MAKE CLAIMS. What claims or promises can I
couch in question form?
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18. USE CURIOSITY, SECRETS, & FORBIDDEN KNOWLEDGE. What secrets am I going
to let my target in on once they do as I ask?
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19. INTENTION AND TEMPTATION. What pain is my target in? What pleasure do they
want? How can I tempt them?
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20. CONNOTATION. What do I want my target to think about me, my offer, my cause
without actually stating it? How will I approach it?
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21. TRANSUBSTANTIATION. What higher ideal does my offer belong to? How can I
convey it to my reader?
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22. TELL STORIES. What story or stories am I going to tell my target? Successful case
study? How I failed and then succeeded? How my offer came about?
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23. DARE THEM. How can I goad my target into action? How might I intimidate them
into action?
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24. IT'S THEIR IDEA. How can I convince my target that my offer is actually their idea?
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25. LOYALTY & GUILT. How can I make my target feel guilty about not acting or taking
my side?
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26. RIDICULE, DOUBT, SUSPICION. How can I get my target to doubt my competition?
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27. MAKE THEM FEEL APPRECIATED. How can I make my target feel appreciated?
How can my offer help them impress other people?
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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR YOU

Can't be bothered writing your own persuasive

advertising copy? Not to worry, you can contact me
and I'll help you concoct potent messages designed to
get people to BUY NOW. Click here to find out more.

Want to learn more on how to use language to

persuade? Get NLP Language Patterns for Advertising
today. Inside this ebook and software package you will
find everything you need to get people to ACT NOW!
Just like professional persuaders! Click here to get NLP
Language Patterns for Advertising.
Any other questions feel free to CONTACT ME: loularsen@gmail.com

Copyright Lou Larsen

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