The Law of Candor

When you admit a negative, the prospect will give you a positive.

It goes against human nature to admit a problem. For years, the power of positive thinking has been drummed into us. "Think positive" has been the subject of endless books and articles.

So it may come as a surprise to you that one of the most effective ways to get into a prospect's mind is to first admit a negative and then twist it into a positive."

'Avis is only No. 2 in rent-a-cars.'

'With a name like Smucker's, it has to be good.'

'The 1970 VW will stay ugly longer.'

'Joy. The most expensive perfume in the world.'

What's going on here? Why does a dose of honesty work so well in the marketing process?

First and foremost, candor is very disarming. Every negative statement you make about yourself is instantly accepted as truth. Positive statements, on the other hand are looked at as dubious at best. Especially in an advertisement.

Sponsored By: Brand Aid

Comments

[Farhan Lalji]

Problem is getting buy-in to take on a negative or realistic approach to messaging. How do you convince other stakeholders (management) that this is a good idea?