Ah, rhymes. They take us back to the good old days of Mother Goose and Dr. Seuss. They’re catchy, easy to understand, and according to a recent study, they can even make your sales pitches more persuasive.

Sometimes, Rhyme EQUALS Reason

In the study, social scientists took obscure rhymes and modified them to remove the rhyme while retaining their original meaning. “Caution and measure will win you treasure” became “Caution and measure will win you riches.”

The scientists then had participants read each saying and rate it for accuracy. Even though participants had said they believed rhyming did not indicate accuracy, they subconsciously perceived the rhyming statements to be more accurate.

So What?

Why is this important? Because it proves that rhymes can make your entire sales pitch more credible. And at a time when the internet crawls with spammers and scammers, this boost of credibility  could mean the difference between a sale or another lost customer.

Rhymes also make your sales pitch more memorable. Just think of all the rhyming slogans tucked away in your brain:

•  The best part of waking up is Folgers in your cup.

•  Don’t get mad; get GLAD.

•  The quilted, quicker picker-upper

•  Timex takes a licking and keeps on ticking.

While rhyming has an equal effect on both sexes, it’s an especially great tool for business women, because it allows them to boost their sales power without hype or false promises.

49 Other Ways To Be Persuasive

The study mentioned above comes from Robert Cialdini’s new book, “Yes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive.” If you’re new to Robert Cialdini’s work, you should also check out Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion. It’s not only a compelling read; it’s also the top resource in sales and marketing psychology.

(If you’ve ever wondered why a particular sales pitch convinced you to buy something you didn’t really need, this book will explain why.)

What are some of your favorite rhyming sales slogans? Leave them in the comments section below.