Copywriting Technique #12: Put on the lab coat
Authority is an important technique in copywriting
Do you know the Milgram experiment?
In 1962, Stanley Milgram's experiment demonstrated that three-quarters of the average population can be persuaded by a pseudoscientific authority to mistreat a stranger.
His subjects were asked to follow the instructions of their experimenter and give another person an electric shock if he answered a question incorrectly.
For each wrong answer the voltage should be increased.
The subjects could have finland telegram screening stopped the experiment at any time - but most of them did not.
On the contrary:
The "Volt button" was like a one-way street that only led in one direction: up.
If the "punished" had not been actors and had received real electric shocks, 3/4 of them would have died during the experiment.
When an authority speaks, we obey.
For your copywriting this means:
Authority increases trust - and thus sales.
An example?
Copywriting Example for Authority
And one more thing:
Copywriting Example #2 for Authority
For you this means:
When you position yourself as an authority, you can use that power to your advantage.
How does it work?
Use the symbols of authority in your copywriting:
Uniforms (police uniform, doctor's coat, white construction worker's helmet, Rolex)
Social Proof (testimonials, awards, quality seals)
YOUR expert status (Known from: TV appearances, articles in specialist magazines, bestselling author).