When we try to persuade, we often face a choice between focusing on being effective or liked by others.

This occurs because effectiveness comes from creating arousal, whereas liking comes from positive feelings.

Fortunately, approaches that promote both excitement and positivity are also most liked and successful!

Persuasion can be challenging because it often involves two different goals. On one hand, we want our persuasive approach to be successful at changing the opinions and behaviors of others in our favor. On the other hand, we also want the appeal to be likeable and improve our relationships with others, too.

Sometimes, however, those two goals can be in conflict. Specifically, a persuasive approach may be successful and effective at changing behaviors, but disliked and destructive to our relationships. With that problem in mind, Hornik, Ofir, and Rachamim (2016) conducted a meta-analysis on over 1,200 advertising experiments to explore the relationship between the likeability and success of various types of persuasive appeals. Their results highlighted the best approaches we can take to be both likeable and persuasive. So, let’s take a look!

Hornik, Ofir, and Rachamim (2016) began their analysis by reviewing different kinds of persuasive messaging. The goal was to identify specific types of messages and categorize them through various features. In doing so, the team identified 7 types of persuasive appeals:

Sex Appeals involve using attraction and physical desirability to create positive emotions and arousal in others. This approach both maintains attention and is psychologically rewarding.

Humor Appeals incorporate irony and........

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