Marketing the 13 powerful words

A study conducted at Yale University identified 12 words that people responded to the most. So we have 12 very powerful words; “words of power”. Unsurprisingly, the first five have to do with basic human desires. Desires are unions in our deepest places that are always ready to respond to something.

These words, when people are exposed to them, register with their emotions to elicit attention and response. The first five are: health, money, love, security, and savings. Any of these words, used to describe the benefits of a promotion, will attract attention because they “hit a nerve.”

There is another basic human yearning in various potential clients to experience something new or to be on the lookout for news. The first cause is boredom; the second is the result of the image of oneself: wanting to be perceived as “modern”. The three powerful words that apply to this concept are: New, Discovery, and Breakthrough. These terms should be placed in an opening statement or at an angle for emphasis.

Three words were found that instill a sense of security and credibility: Easy, Guaranteed, and Proven. These words give people confidence that they will not have a problem with the product or service, nor will they be disappointed.

The last of the 12 words is you. This makes sense, remembering that the best ads scream “what’s in it for me (you).” Remove the word “me” from your ads and replace it with yours, directly linked to benefits. This generates more impact.

You may have noticed that the title refers to 13 words. Well, Yale missed one. I can guarantee (there is one of those words) to you (another) that it is a proven fact (another) that “FREE” is one of the most powerful words in the English language in terms of marketing, if not the most powerful. “Two for the price of one” doesn’t work as well as “buy one get one free.”

Observe your own reaction to powerful words and assume that your reaction level is normal, because it likely is.

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