The Unconscious Reason Why People Don't Buy From You

By: Robert Greenshields

If you want people to respond positively to your marketing, it has to work at an unconscious level.

But one of the key things that most people don't know about the unconscious mind is that it can't process a negative. For example if someone asks you not to think of a pink elephant, you have to think about pink elephants first.

So you have to be careful about using words like ‘not' and ‘don't' because they are ignored by the unconscious mind. For example, in safety information, saying "don't fall" immediately puts in mind the idea of falling.

You therefore need to be very careful to choose the right words. Otherwise the effect will be the opposite of what you intend.

So it's crucial to concentrate on positive language. You need to talk about what you want the client to do or to think.

An example of this was an investment presentation where one speaker talked about his range of products, saying: "There is no risk. There's no chance of losing your money."

Another speaker talked about a similar range of products. But he said, "I can't guarantee that your money is going to be completely safe but you can be sure that we're going to look after your money and get you the best returns possible."

After the presentation, the line of people was much larger for the second person than the first. The second person was using positive language. The first person was, in a sense, saying the same thing, but he is talking in negative terms.

What's happening is that the audience's unconscious minds are clearing out the ‘not' words. All they're hearing is the bad news. They are focused on "risk" and "losing money." Whereas in the second presentation, all they are hearing is "safe," "guarantee," and "growth."

Too often in communication, people put the focus on the opposite of what they want by using negatives. As the unconscious mind will not process these negatives, it's important to say it exactly the way that you want it.

This doesn't mean you shouldn't point out the negative consequences of an action or someone's problems – these can be useful approaches. The key is to be aware of the effect of your words on someone – it may be the opposite of what you intend if you use words like ‘not' and ‘don't'.

Another element of this is that the unconscious mind wants to follow specific instructions. So be precise about the action you want someone to take. Ask for what you want – ‘Order Today', ‘Sign up Now!'

To put this to work for you, make sure the language in your communication and marketing conveys the message you want – and not the opposite. And be specific about what you want people to do.