There's nothing quite as icky as a clingy brand.
You know the ones. The pop-ups that don’t have a 'close' button, the "we’re sorry to see you go" emails that read like a messy breakup, and the sales copy that feels like it’s holding you at gunpoint.
In the world of behavioural science, this triggers psychological reactance.
Basically, as soon as we feel our freedom of choice is being threatened, we dig our heels in and do the exact opposite of what you want.
The magic phrase: BYAF
Over 42 psychology studies involving 22,000 people have confirmed one simple trick: the "but you are free" (BYAF) technique.
By simply adding a phrase like "but you are obviously free to choose" or "no pressure either way" at the end of a request, you can double the chances of someone saying yes.
Why it works for us Brits
We’re a sceptical bunch, aren't we?
We have a built-in bullshit detector for the hard sell.
When a brand says, "here’s why we’re great, but honestly, it’s your call," it does three things:
- Removes the threat: It de-escalates the salesy tension.
- Builds instant authority: Only a brand that's truly confident in its value gives the customer the keys to the exit.
- Affirms autonomy: It makes the customer feel like the hero of the story, not the victim of a funnel.
How to use it in your copy
No gatekeeping here. We're on a crusade to prove to the world the value of content, like the Knights Contemplars, if you will... Anyway, this is how to weave it into your journeys:
- On CTA buttons: Instead of "buy now or miss out", try "start your trial. Cancel anytime in one click".
- In your proposals: End with: "we’d love to work with you, but we only want to move forward if this feels like the right fit for your team. You’re free to say no".
- In lead magnets: "Download the guide if it helps. If not, no hard feelings".
The Red Clay take: The best way to get someone to walk through your door is to make sure they know the lock isn't turned behind them.
Trapping people into decisions that don't really feel comfortable taking only increases returns, not to buy more, but to refund, deactivate and delete.
And people (especially Brits) love to talk about their bad experiences, so this will get broadcast. So you'd lose brand integrity and revenue from servicing a person who didn't want to be at your party anyway.
