Attack with Credibility

American voters think of successful Republicans in Congress as being reliable and practical. The same voters think of successful Democratic members of Congress as intelligent and empathic.
     So say researchers at Emory University and University of British Columbia.
     Even if they are correct, what does it have to do with running a retail business? As I think you’ll see, the link has to do with keeping your credibility.
     The Emory/British Columbia researchers began their project by assembling a collection of photos of actual candidates in U.S. congressional races during years 2000, 2002, and 2004. Then they asked the participants in the study to rate a selection of the photos on a number of personality traits. These traits included ones related to competence, such as reliability, effectiveness, and practicality. The list also included traits associated with intelligence, such as cleverness and talent in discerning the motivations of others. The study participants were not told the name, party affiliation, or congressional district of the candidates in the photos.
     The research found that when the physical appearance of a Republican candidate had higher associations of competence than of intelligence, the candidate was more likely to have won her or his election battle. For Democratic candidates, the winning combo was a physical appearance with higher associations of intelligence than of competence.
     Why?
     Because voters are more likely to believe campaign promises from a candidate fitting the personality image associated with the political party.
     If an attack ad during the campaign had been targeted at a Republican candidate who looked more intelligent than competent, votes migrated toward the Democrat. But not so much if the Republican candidate looked more competent than intelligent, as the terms “competent” and “intelligence” had been defined by the researchers. With attack ads lobbed against the Democratic candidates, it worked the other way around.
     The effect was strong enough to give an edge to candidates with mugs which fit.
     Salesmanship consists of persuading other people that what is of benefit to you is also of benefit to them. It’s easier when the seller and shopper share a common view of the product, service, idea, or political candidate. Your credibility as an expert helps. So does the credibility of your claim. Claims which are more consistent with the shopper’s current view are more likely to persuade.
     When you choose to attack stable shopping habits, work within the perceptions of your audiences.

For your profitability: Sell Well: What Really Moves Your Shoppers

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Party Right…Or Left or Middle

Image at top of post based on photo by Ronda Darby from Unsplash