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Copywriting
Tactic

Mention a Negative, Yet Irrelevant Trait of Your Product

Readers prefer “two-sided arguments” that describe benefits and drawbacks.

We take longer, but we're higher quality

Overview

Amazon shows positive and negative reviews.

Amazon page with positive and negative reviews showcased

Readers feel more comfortable buying this product because the decision feels more cautious and informed (see Rucker, Petty, & Brinol, 2008).

Plus, customers believe that products follow a zero-sum mechanism: If one trait is weaker, another trait must naturally be stronger.

Therefore, mention a negative (yet irrelevant) trait about your product. This trait will seem inferior, and customers will believe that other traits (which are more important) perform better.

  • Rucker, D. D., Petty, R. E., & Briñol, P. (2008). What's in a frame anyway?: A meta-cognitive analysis of the impact of one versus two sided message framing on attitude certainty. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 18(2), 137-149.