In
advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a Product (business), product or Service (economics), service. Advertising aims to present a product or service in terms of utility, advantages, and qualities of int ...
, a soft sell is an
advertisement
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a Product (business), product or Service (economics), service. Advertising aims to present a product or service in terms of utility, advantages, and qualities of int ...
or
campaign that uses a more subtle, casual, or friendly sales message. This approach is the opposite of a
hard sell
In advertising, a hard sell is an advertisement or campaign that uses a more direct, forceful, and overt sales message, as opposed to a soft sell.
The term is also used to describe aggressive sales techniques used by company representatives, pa ...
.
Theorists have examined the value of repetition for soft sell versus
hard sell
In advertising, a hard sell is an advertisement or campaign that uses a more direct, forceful, and overt sales message, as opposed to a soft sell.
The term is also used to describe aggressive sales techniques used by company representatives, pa ...
messages, in order to determine their relative efficacy. Frank Kardes and others have concluded that a soft sell, with an implied conclusion rather than an overt hard sell, can often be more persuasive.
Soft sell is also less likely to be irritating to consumers.
See also
*
Hard sell
In advertising, a hard sell is an advertisement or campaign that uses a more direct, forceful, and overt sales message, as opposed to a soft sell.
The term is also used to describe aggressive sales techniques used by company representatives, pa ...
*
Advertising
Advertising is the practice and techniques employed to bring attention to a Product (business), product or Service (economics), service. Advertising aims to present a product or service in terms of utility, advantages, and qualities of int ...
*
Psychological manipulation
In psychology, manipulation is defined as an action designed to influence or control another person, usually in an underhanded or subtle manner which facilitates one's personal aims. Methods someone may use to manipulate another person may includ ...
Notes
References
*Herbert E. Krugman. An Application of Learning Theory to TV Copy Testing. ''The Public Opinion Quarterly'', Vol. 26, No. 4 (Winter, 1962), pp. 626–634
*Frank R. Kardes. Spontaneous Inference Processes in Advertising: The Effects of Conclusion Omission and Involvement on Persuasion. ''The Journal of Consumer Research'', Vol. 15, No. 2 (Sep., 1988), pp. 225–233
*
David A. Aaker, Donald E. Bruzzone. Causes of Irritation in Advertising. ''Journal of Marketing'', Vol. 49, No. 2 (Spring, 1985), pp. 47–57
*Frank R. Kardes, Maria Cronley, Thomas Cline. ''Consumer Behavior,'' p. 212
Advertising techniques
{{business-stub