Don't Omit The Omission Bias From Your Thinking

Is inaction your biggest marketing risk? Maybe? Could be? Possibly? 1

Research shows that humans naturally judge harmful actions more harshly than harmful omissions - even when the outcomes are identical. For marketers, this cognitive bias presents a strategic opportunity.

Instead of highlighting what your product does, emphasize what prospects lose by not acting. Frame inaction as the risky and therefore uncomfortable choice.

The most persuasive marketing doesn't push people to act - it makes them uncomfortable with inaction. When prospective customers feel that not buying is actively harmful to their goals, conversion follows naturally.

This approaches addresses both risk aversion and loss aversion while sidestepping common resistance to change.