How to frame your words so people take action

Hello writer friend,

Getting people’s attention is one thing. Getting them to take action is another.

There’s a reason some messages are more persuasive and memorable than others. Why some ads or headlines catch your attention and make you want to stop the scroll and buy, donate or share.

That reason is framing.

Framing – the way you present information – makes a BIG difference to how an audience responds to your words. It can (and does) mean the difference between people taking action or not.

In this issue, we’re going to look at which sort of framing works best.

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Does negativity sell?

You can choose to frame your message using a negative slant, or you can take that same message and frame it positively. 

Both work. To an extent. 

Many of us have heard about the benefits of negative framing in copywriting and journalism. 

In some situations, negative framing can work. It can be effective in creating a sense of urgency or scarcity, or to emphasise the problem that your project / cause / service / product solves.

Whereas positive framing works when you want to:

• Inspire, motivate or encourage your audience

• Build trust and rapport 

• Emphasise the value or quality of your project or cause

• Create a positive association with your brand or message

So, kinda… always then. 

For me, anyway. 

I don’t want to use fear tactics, scarcity and guilt to manipulate people into doing what I want them to do. I want to build trust, present my messages with hope, and ask them to take action.

Which is lucky for me, because positive framing works.

Why positive framing works

Positive framing taps into our memory and recall. It helps us remember details, see different perspectives and plan our next move (e.g. take action). It activates the areas of the brain associated with creativity, problem-solving and learning. 

Negative framing, on the other hand, impairs memory and recall. It activates the brain regions associated with stress, anxiety and fear. I don’t know about you, but this sort of emotional reaction does not inspire me to take positive action. More like bury my head in the sand and do nothing.

I’m your audience: example 1

As a human moving through the world (and scrolling my phone), I take action more often when messages are framed positively.

With negative framing, the copy usually states the very thing I’m trying to avoid, therefore subtly reinforcing it. 

Here’s what I mean. Say you’re crafting copy to encourage people to donate to a climate change cause. I’m your target audience. 

You:

Me: Don’t state the things I don’t want! You’re reinforcing all the bad! I don’t want all the bad!

You: OK, how about this:

Me: Phew. That’s better. I feel hopeful and positive I can be part of the solution. Here’s a ton of money. [opens purse]

The first option is factually correct. It includes all the information you have on the issue. It’s not wrong. But it’s framed differently.

I’m your audience: example 2

Let’s look at another example from the nonprofit world. Here you’re trying to raise funds for a project that provides clean water to a community that needs it. You could use negative framing to say:

Or positive framing to say:

Again, both statements convey the same information, but they have different emotional impacts. And again, I feel sort of powerless with the first option, whereas the second message makes me feel like I can actually help. [opens purse]*

Get the idea?

How to use positive framing in your messaging

Here are some tips:

🙌 Focus on the positive outcomes of taking action, rather than the negative consequences of not taking action.
Example: Instead of saying, “Don’t miss this opportunity to save money”, say, “Take advantage of this opportunity to save money”.

🗨️ Use positive words and phrases in your copy.
Example: Instead of saying, “This is a problem”, say, “This is a challenge”. Instead of saying, “This is hard”, say, “This is rewarding”.

🙏 Use positive images, rather than negative ones.
Example: Instead of showing a person looking sad and downbeat,  show somebody looking happy and hopeful. Instead of using a dark, foreboding scene, use a bright, optimistic setting.

Important note on framing

I’m not saying negative framing never works. But positive framing works more often and as a longer-term strategy.

And, as well as positive framing just plain working, I also think we have a responsibility as writers and communicators to get this right. There’s enough negativity in the world.

I’m definitely not saying let’s minimise the injustices and horrors many people are living through in the world – all our messages need to be bold. 

What I am saying is that people take action when they have hope, agency and the sense that we can change things if we all work together towards a solution.

There are already plenty of negatively framed messages online for people to pick through and not take action on. Don’t let yours be one of them.

*I don’t actually own a purse.