The Frame Game
How One Word Can Shift Sales in Your Favor
How neuroscience proves the way you describe your product changes how people feel about it — even when the facts don’t.
Don’t you think it’s strange…
That two descriptions can say the exact same thing —
…and yet one sells, while the other dies on the shelf?
In 2017, a group of researchers ran a study using EEG brain scans to explore this very paradox. Their question:
Does the way we frame a product description change how the brain reacts — even when the data is identical?
Turns out, yes. And not just a little.
The results should permanently change how you write your offers, your ads, and your product pages.
The Study: Neuroscience Meets eCommerce
Participants were shown basic product descriptions online. But there was a twist:
Half the descriptions were positively framed (e.g., “80% lean”)
The other half were negatively framed (e.g., “20% fat”)
The actual content was the same.
The only difference was the framing.
When researchers scanned the participants' brains, they saw something fascinating:
Positive frames triggered stronger P2 and LPP signals — associated with reward, attention, and pleasantness
Negative frames triggered higher N2 activity — a marker of conflict detection and cognitive resistance
In plain English?
Positive framing makes the brain say “yes” faster.
Negative framing makes the brain hesitate and re-evaluate.
This isn’t theoretical. It’s biological.
The Invisible Sales Killer
Here’s the harsh truth most founders miss:
Your product doesn’t live in your customer’s world. It lives in their frame of perception.
And if you frame it wrong, you lose — no matter how good it is.
Think about these examples:
95% success rate vs 5% failure rate
Includes unlimited access vs No limits imposed
Backed by 30-day guarantee vs Can be returned within 30 days
Boosts memory by 30% vs 30% less forgetfulness
Which ones feel safer? Smoother? More inviting?
That’s not just preference — it’s neurological fluency.
How This Shows Up in Your Business
You don’t need an EEG scanner to see this in action. Here's how attribute framing shows up (and how to flip it):
1. Pricing Pages
❌ “Costs $497”
✅ “Just $1.36/day — less than your morning coffee”
Why it works: You shift the frame from a one-time loss to a habitual, justifiable gain.
2. Guarantees & Risk Reversal
❌ “No refunds after 14 days”
✅ “Try it risk-free for 14 days. If it’s not for you, cancel anytime.”
Why it works: Even though the policy is identical, the first signals threat. The second signals safety and control.
3. Email Subject Lines
❌ “Don’t miss your bonus — last chance”
✅ “Claim your bonus before it’s gone forever”
Why it works: The first activates scarcity through loss. The second blends scarcity with opportunity.
4. Product Features
❌ “Blocks 95% of UV rays”
✅ “Let only 5% of UV rays through”
This is one case where negative framing wins — it amplifies danger in safety-focused categories (e.g., sunscreen, insurance, antivirus).
Pro Tip: When your product prevents pain, negative framing can increase urgency.
5. Ad Copy Headlines
❌ “Stop losing leads”
✅ “Unlock more leads every day — automatically”
Why it works: Both speak to the same issue, but one frames the future as abundant, the other frames the present as broken.
When in doubt, lean on gain frames for higher-converting cold traffic ads.
Bonus: The “Flip Test” Framework
Here’s a fast framework you can run today.
Go to your:
Website homepage
Sales letter
Product page
Email sequence
Ask this:
What if I flipped the frame? Would it feel safer, faster, or more rewarding to the brain?
If the answer is yes — test it.
Because sometimes, the difference between a 1% and 5% conversion rate…
…is just the shape of a sentence.
The Deeper Truth
You don’t just sell products. You sell frames of reality.
You sell what it means to take action.
You sell what it feels like to trust you.
You sell how the story lands in your customer’s brain.
And the crazy part?
You can change the story without changing a single fact.
One word. One reframe. One tweak in language.
That’s all it takes to make a product feel like a no-brainer instead of a no-go.
That’s the real power of neuromarketing.
And that’s why every great brand must become a master framer.
TL;DR
Framing affects perception even when facts stay the same
Positive framing increases attraction, ease, and trust
Negative framing can increase urgency or resistance (choose wisely)
Audit your messaging with the Flip Test
In marketing, facts inform — but frames decide