10 Mental triggers to persuade your audience of (almost) anything

Humans often show similar behaviors, even being very different from each other. This human nature can be used to persuade anyone of (almost ) anything.

Persuade, not manipulate.

1. The minimum effort effect on decision-making

The law of minimum effort can be applied to both physical activities and decision-making processes, says Daniel Kahneman in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow.

Yes, we are all lazy in some way.

And what does all this have to do with persuasion?Everything!

• The more fields you ask your audience to fill in an email subscription form, the fewer the subscriptions;
• Better font settings and readability scores lead to more readers;
• A simple and clear call-to-action produces more clicks.

2. Anticipation is a key to happiness

Anticipation is a fundamental step to find happiness, according to the author of The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin.

Having a goal to be pursued, makes us automatically happier in the present.

How to use anticipation to persuade others?

• When launching a product or service soon;
• Showcasing its features and how it can help people by touching their pains and desires;
• If it is well done, even those who do not need the product can feel attracted to it.

Good advertising affects our imagination, and the act of wanting something can end up being more enjoyable than possessing it.

Either way, with high expectations, we'll be likely to make a purchase when it's available.

3. We tend to remember incomplete tasks

If something still needs to be done, that's easier to remember than completed tasks.

To persuade someone to join your email list, you can simply add call-to-actions like:

• CTA for name fields: How can I call you?
• CTA for email fields: Insert your best email;
• CTA for click buttons: Click NOW;

The chances of following it become much better since the visitor has already made a small commitment by reading that.

It's like an unfinished conversation.

You feel that's something is not done and it keeps punching your brain.