a single source, nothing corroborates it

Let them change their mind without losing face

A sceptic defending a position will not be argued out of it by more evidence, because conceding costs them standing in front of everyone watching. Give them a reason their earlier choice was sensible at the time, say the world changed rather than that they were wrong, admit you held the same doubt, and lay the case out so they reach the conclusion themselves.

The method

1. 01

   Give the reader a defensible reason for whatever they failed at before.

2. 02

   To shift a sceptic, do not pile on facts and do not tell them their current choice is wrong: say the world has changed, and admit you held the same doubt yourself before you saw the evidence, so they can update without losing face.

3. 03

   Do not push the argument; lay it out so the reader convinces themselves.

What it returned

• From Blair Warren's short formulation of persuasion

• Dickie Bush's thread on ChatGPT opens by naming his own earlier scepticism and then shows what changed his mind, which let doubters move position without a bruised ego.

Sources

• Confirmation Bias - Why We Buy 🧠Katelyn Bourgoin · customercamp.co · Give naysayers ‘an out’ · undated
• My guide to conversational copywritingHarry Dry · Marketing Examples · 6/ Don't persuade · undated
• 27 words that sum up the psychology of copywritingHarry Dry · Marketing Examples · undated