It might surprise you, but being persuasive is something we learn, hone and refine at a very young age.

A perfect example? Peer Pressure

Think back to a time when you really wanted a friend to do something, or your friends really wanted you to do something. It may have been to try a cigarette, sneak out for a party, skip school, make a crazy jump on your bike (see below…)

Wait Amy… does it have to be bad things?

Ah, no. Good point. I’m just harking back to my memory of influencing and being influenced (just kidding – I was an angel.)

I pick these these examples because you’ve probably found yourself in a situation where you’ve thought “How on earth did I let myself get talked into that?!”

And there’s a good chance someone was using the following formula on you.

Disclaimer: we are NOT talking about pressuring your customer

The beauty of the formula is that you can swipe it for good use. To encourage your customer to sign up, try out, buy or get in touch and connect them with something they’re going to love.

But for the time being, let’s travel back in time…

You’re with your friends. They want you to do something and so the persuasive rhetoric begins…

1. You’ve never seen / experienced anything like it
2. It’s perfect for you
3. Everyone’s doing it
4. You’re going to love what it can do for you
5. It’s soooooo easy…

Sound familiar?

[Amy, poised on bike looking at a home made ramp that to her 8-year-old eyes seems as tall as a house]

Brother: Go on Amy… make the jump, it’s the highest ramp we’ve ever made. You’ve never done one this big before (1).

Amy: Ummm

Brother: You can do it! You’ve cleared all the other ramps. You’ve got this. (2)

Amy: It looks a bit too high

Brother: Come on – Tom, Paul and I have all made the jump. We did it okay. (3)

Amy: Looks a bit scary

Brother: It’s not! It’s amazing, when you get up speed and go off the top it’s like you’re flying in the air. It’s so cool! (4) And it’s easy to do. Just go back to where the school fence is, that will give you time to pick up enough speed and then once you hit the ramp you’ll be away! (5)

[Amy tentatively cycles over to the starting point. Watched on by her brother’s friends (and other older brother’s friends who are smoking by the Cricket Pavilion) she feels she can do this. She wants to know what it feels like and to be part of the group…

Kicking off, she pedals until she’s at full speed. She hit’s the ramp… but then falters. A moment of hesitation and a pause in cycling means she loses speed. Rather than fly off the ramp into the air and land with glory, her speed slows even more, but not enough to stop before going over the top.

The ramp is very high.

Like a car teetering on the edge of a cliff in an action movie, Amy’s front wheel is the first to dip over the end of the ramp. She’s committed to the fall. Over the handle bars she goes in slow motion, landing in a crumpled heap at the bottom on the grass, twisted around her bike.

“Ooooooohhhhhhh.” Is heard from all around the playing field, a collective wince in empathy.

Her brother cycles up to her.

Brother: Errr… you’re alright aren’t you? Just… don’t tell mum right?

Growing up in the rural countryside meant we often had to make our own entertainment. Sometimes it went well, sometimes it didn’t.

But the best times were when everyone was on board.

When the local children were keen to join in with the latest game, scheme or craziness. As a result I saw this formula of persuasion being used time and time again to get friends to take part in things, and I’ve no doubt you can relate to either using it, or having it used on you.

If you have children, they seem to be particularly good at this!

Using this for your business (video tutorial and handout)

This week was the last Copywriting Lab of the year and I walked through this 5 step process to show how you can use this practically to improve your landing page copy. (I even include 2 real-life businesses in the hot seats to show you how to apply the process and write great copy).

Sign up here to get instant access to the tutorial.

It’s free to watch and will be available until Monday 14th December. You also get a practical handout to help you plot your own “Story of Persuasion.” Giving you key selling points you can use to get people on board with your product, service or ideas.

Last chance to join Write With Influence at this price

In other news, it’s the last chance to get a lifetime membership to Write With Influence for £127. On Monday 14th December the price will be going up to £197, and won’t be coming down again. Click here to read about the benefits of being a member.