Picture this: you’re at the supermarket, staring at two bottles of juice. One claims to be 100% pure juice, while the other simply states it’s made with fresh-pressed oranges.
You want the healthiest option, but here’s the kicker: the 100% pure claim might mean you’re getting juice loaded with as much sugar as candy. So, you’re doubting it a little bit.
In fact, I’m going to show you the scientifically proven framework for writing product claims that can boost the purchase intent of your customers by over 8%. It’s the exact opposite of what many marketers are doing.
What if I told you that trying to promise perfection in your products actually hurts your sales?
Today, we’re going to explore why the phrase “100%” might be the most expensive mistake in your marketing.
The Psychology of Skepticism
Let’s break down the science of why customers run away from promises of perfection. This isn’t just theory; it’s based on a research paper called the “Effects of pseudo-relevant 100% Claims.” Understanding how your customers’ brains work when they encounter sales claims is key.
When people see absolute claims like “100%,” their natural skepticism kicks in right away. Imagine you’ve worked hard to build trust with your potential customers, only to use the wrong marketing words and destroy that trust behind your back. But don’t worry; I’ll show you how to create a marketing claim that bypasses your customers’ BS detector and makes them buy more.
Why Perfect Claims Fail
Think about it: when was the last time anything was really 100% perfect? Your brain knows this instinctively. Researchers found that products claiming to be 100% pure were judged to be 7.5% worse than those making more modest claims. So, by calling your product “100% pure,” “100% best,” or “100% guaranteed,” customers actually perceive you as worse than someone making less of a claim.
Here’s the weird part: even if a company tells the truth about being 100% pure, it still backfires. Research shows people trusted juice more when it claimed to be 99% pure versus 100% pure. It’s like our brains have a built-in BS detector that goes off whenever something seems too perfect. When something sounds too perfect, our brains look for the catch.
Researchers discovered that these absolute claims trigger what they call the “overconfidence effect,” where excessive confidence actually damages credibility.
Creating Effective Claims
If you want to know what to do with claims about your product to increase sales, I have a free mini-masterclass called Scale with Science that shows you how to test and use strategies like the one in this article to scale your business without wasting marketing dollars.
The SVM Framework
Let’s talk about what successful brands do instead. The most successful brands in the world never use 100% claims. They understand something that most businesses don’t. Instead of making perfect promises, they focus on concrete benefits. Here’s a powerful three-part framework for writing claims that build trust and drive sales, which I call the SVM framework:
- Specific: Vague perfection claims like “100%” decrease trust. Be precise about what makes your product different. For example, instead of saying “100% pure juice,” say “pressed from Valencia oranges within 24 hours of picking.” Specificity builds trust.
- Verifiable: When customers can verify claims themselves, product evaluations increase by about 8.1%. Your claims need to pass the “prove it” test. Instead of saying “100% satisfaction guaranteed,” say “If you don’t double your sales in 90 days, we’ll buy back the course.”
- Meaningful: Focus on benefits that matter to the customer’s decision. Instead of saying “100% natural,” say “no added sugars or preservatives.” This is meaningful to health-conscious consumers.
This framework works because it gives customers concrete information they can trust, avoiding the natural skepticism that perfect claims trigger. Research shows that products using specific, verifiable, meaningful claims saw purchase intent increase by over 8% compared to those claiming perfection.
Now you understand why the strongest claims often lead to the weakest sales. Remember, in marketing, authenticity beats perfection. If you want to learn more about using scientific principles to grow your business, check out my video on the scientific process to guarantee sales success.
