by Katrina Hook - Nancy Harhut started her career in a marketing agency. Working on campaigns for various companies got her thinking: What gets people to say yes? “I’ve had a long-term interest in why people do what they do, and how we can make the most of that influence,” she says. “When we sent something out into the world, we wanted people to read it and respond.” Years of research later, Nancy has five tips and tricks to maximize your influence on your audience.
1. Accommodating Autopilot
“People don’t have a lot of time to think,” Harhut says. “We think, but often we’re just responding.” Nancy believes that many human reactions are automatic behaviors, such as saying “bless you” after a sneeze. Communicators need to understand hardwired responses and how to take advantage of them. “If we want someone to do Y and we know showing X gets our viewers to do Y, let’s show them X!” Recognizing how the audience will respond is a critical part of sending any message.
2. Display Cognitive Fluency
Cognitive fluency is the idea that people prefer what is easier to understand and are more likely to think that simpler concepts have more truth. “When someone is cognitively fluent,” Nancy says, “We’re more likely to be persuaded by them. Our defenses go down because when we believe someone is telling the truth. We’re more open to listening. We feel more confident in our ability to decide.” Harhut stresses the importance of utilizing cognitive fluency at all times in to get the right message to the audience.
3. Language and Aesthetics Matter
When surrounded by other industry professionals, it’s easy to get caught up with jargon or go in-depth with a subject that might not be entirely relevant to the consumer. Communicators must be cautious about using hard-to-decipher language or misusing text spacing. “If you open your email to a large wall of words, you aren’t going to want to read it,” Nancy says. Utilize bullet points, bold important details, and don’t be afraid of white space. Studies show that using a difficult-to-read typeface makes people think what they just read about is difficult to do. If the information isn’t easily consumable, the reader will move on.
4. Rhymes are Associated with Reason
Behavioral scientists have found that rhyming phrases are easier to remember and people find them more believable. “The human brain encodes words that sound alike or contain similar sounds near each other, which makes them easier to retrieve. When something is easier for the brain to retrieve like this, it feels right,” Harhut says. “Rhymes may seem like a gimmick, but they actually have a scientific basis.”
5. Keep your Message Relevant
“Don’t misuse behavioral science,” Nancy urges. She highlights the ethical responsibility communicators have to not mislead the public. “We have a lot of power, and it needs to be wielded responsibly. Don’t say something you wouldn’t say to your mother.” What is shared with the public must benefit both parties to maintain a healthy relationship.
Hear more from Nancy
Tune into Nancy’s session with us at noon ET on Friday, April 18 to hear more tips and tricks about constructing emails. “If you’re a communicator, you need to get your message noticed,” she says. She looks forward to sharing helpful wording and phrasing to help your audience understand, remember, and respond to your email.
Register
https://www.iabcphiladelphia.org/7_surprising_new_ways_to_increase_opens_and_clicks
Katrina Hook is a communications intern and an advertising and public relations student with a passion for storytelling. She finds joy in uplifting others through her writing and creating spaces for shared adventures. Katrina loves appreciating the little things in life and enjoys traveling, running, reading, and painting.