As a business blogger, you’re not expected to have the persuasive skills of Socrates. Still, you need something of an ability to win people over with logically sound arguments. Below, find a few of the most common traps of weak logic that can destroy your credibility. Many of these business fallacies are the product of laziness, and others are intentional and just as destructive.
If Not This, Then Obviously That
The “either-or” fallacy. It’s listed high because it’s so common and just too easy to commit. Many arguments in business writing can be oversimplified to the point of perceived dishonesty. These questionable arguments can prop up examples, but they’re also easily busted.
Perhaps you’re writing to convince a homeowner to upgrade to your brand of basement water pumps. You point out that an entire street of homes recently suffered flood damage, and none of them had your pump in place, whereas the home on the hill had the pump and escaped unscathed. The situation obviously would have been different if the first group of homes had your pump, right? Forget that they were built on floodplain and no amount of pumping will keep up with a heavy rainfall. Your argument might work in some cases, but many homeowners will see through the fallacy and take a harder look at other, more credible options.
Remedy this by writing comprehensively. Be honest, and state upfront that your product or service should be taken into account with other factors. Charts and graphics can help you illustrate more variables, as well.
Cherry-picking Your Facts
Unless you’re in the business of objective fact-finding, you’re probably guilty of this in some form or another.
Say you write for a distributor of Apple products, and you want your review of the anticipated new iPhone to be as favorable as possible. Your readers will notice if you only make mention of its sleek design and faster speed with no mention of its flaws. They’ll see it as dishonest.
Avoid this by making a conscious effort to give due credit to an opposing point of view. The iPhone is user-friendly, but critics have complained about its more restrictive aspects. Even if you’re unable to get every fact out there, your attempt to be objective will go noticed, and you earn credibility. Your ultimate goal of promoting Apple is intact.
Sweeping Statements
Blanket statements can be dangerous when placed in certain contexts.
For example, you write for a distributor of RF signal level meters. You probably shouldn’t claim that everyone prefers your equipment to that of the competition. Who knows; maybe a handful of customers across town disagree. As with most of the fallacies we’ve mentioned, this can be avoided by sticking with specifics.
This category can be lumped with the fallacy known as “bandwagoning,” meaning selling an idea on the premise that it’s what everyone believes, so how can it be wrong? Prove your point with specific examples. No need to say that your product or service is for everyone, just for the people with whom you can actually do business.
The Straw Man
This fallacy is more common in politics, but it exists in business, as well. This concept is based on crafting an ideology, assigning it to an individual (justly or not) and then attacking this straw man.
For instance, you might be in the business of selling dermatologist website designs. You describe your competitor as peddling cookie-cutter templates with little variety and poor customer service. That might not be true, but you’re attacking this contrived image instead of basing your argument on facts. The risk is that your competitor gets wind of this and calls you out, and you’re forced to correct your statement. This can decimate your credibility, so it’s best to stick with objective facts.
The fallacies of business writing are seemingly endless. If you know of others or have any suggestions for avoiding them, please feel free to comment below.
ioana moise October 22, 2012 at 5:41 pm
i really must say this article is in very pure wording. I admit it, the company has much more cautious about their Blogger blog content as the amateurs. The important thing is to build trust, and if you are an amateur still, people will not trust you and your product.
julythomas May 9, 2012 at 10:15 pm
Thanks for sharing such a valuable information. It’s really amazing and helpful for us.
In my opinion, all this is called “fair competition”. People can understand when you are trying to make your rival’s product appear bad and it is not respectful to anyone if you do that. You better advertise your product, not anti-advertise another product.
TJ McDowell May 7, 2012 at 4:28 pm
I remember in college taking a course in logic where we broke down different commercials that were airing. Essentially none of the advertising stood up to the “logic” test – meaning that without any emotion and based only on the facts that it makes 100% sense. I think there’s a definite limitation to looking at things just from a logical perspective though too. People who are always logical are often pretty boring to be around…even to themselves.
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Jane May 3, 2012 at 2:38 pm
I’m not sure if all the four fallacies mentioned are fallacies at all times in business blogs. It depends more on the type of business that you’re writing for and the type of users you’re targeting.
Mark May 3, 2012 at 2:22 pm
Sticking to the facts is a very good idea as your readers and customers will always appreciate your honesty and frankness. In the past I have been asked a question that I did not know an answer to so I said flat out that I did not know the answer to the question, but I would do some research and find out.
Being that honest helped me build my readers trust and paid off several months later when I released a product because my readers had trust in me for telling them the truth not what they wanted to hear.
Derek Donnelly May 3, 2012 at 11:39 am
Service and quality and telling the truth and having good manners. A lot to be said for ‘granddad’s’ ethics (did he actually have them?
) We have found that 94 per cent are either very satisfied or satisfied with our customer service, product quality and cost based on those principles. Still working on the 6%!
Gisselle May 2, 2012 at 8:14 pm
I agree.. It is very important to the clients and customers to be honest with them because with that, you will earn their loyalty and trust.. Later on you will see how it will benefit you..
Ari Wahyudi May 2, 2012 at 7:28 pm
My favorite fallacy is cherry picking, I guess. It’s hard to be objective when you already pick some specific niche.
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Micah May 2, 2012 at 12:14 pm
Honesty is probably one of the best ways you can improve your sales. Be honest about your product or services weak points, and reframe it into a strength. There are many large brands that do this very successfully.
This is a great way to earn your customers trust, and as we all know, people only by from those they know, like a trust.
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Lisa May 2, 2012 at 3:03 am
I like what Charles said. It is sometimes hard to write for your business blog and not being too “sales” like in your messages. Yet at the same time you want to choose words like buy instead of see. You need to create an action from your readers too.
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Zeeways May 1, 2012 at 3:04 am
thanks for valuable posting I Do agreed along with the four misconceptions which can damage our Business Blogging.
business blogger need to be much more sensible about their blog page content than the new comers.
John Hannah April 30, 2012 at 7:11 pm
Good points, Chris. It reminded me of conversations I’ve had with a philosopher friend of mine. Your journalism training is shining through!
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Nick Stamoulis April 30, 2012 at 9:19 am
Since you own your business blog you feel like you can essentially write whatever you want. This is somewhat true, but what you say needs to be backed up with facts. A good business blog is a credible source.
Taylor April 30, 2012 at 1:26 am
Good content these are some great things to be aware of and I don’t think I have intentionally done any of these, I think this is a bad idea and Business bloggers do not have different rules than non-business bloggers.
Charles Daniels from Michigan Web Design April 29, 2012 at 7:32 pm
Agreed on the use of ‘straw man arguments’ being an indictment on you as a business person. Always best to emphasize your strengths as opposed to putting down your competitor’s. Momma always said if you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything at all. Words to live by.
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Jacko April 27, 2012 at 8:41 am
If you have to build straw man arguments to sell your product or service that should tell you something.
Hey why do you think the straw man techniques work so well on the infomercials? They are hilarious.
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Marnie Byod April 26, 2012 at 9:12 pm
This is one of the things that we should aware especially in business blogging. Thanks for the information and I do believe that is would help to anybody who do not aware about this.
Steven Papas April 26, 2012 at 6:54 pm
In website building you need to be able to hit on the mark that you want to. You have to be a sniper and not just a shotgun. These 4 fallacies seems to be all aim towards that direction.
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Nishadha April 26, 2012 at 2:41 am
I guess anyone who reviews something is cherry picking, especially if he is promoting the product or the service as an affiliate.
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Grady Pruitt April 24, 2012 at 11:33 am
These are all some great things to be aware of. I don’t think I have intentionally done any of these, but I might want to take a look just to make sure that I haven’t. Thanks for sharing these great things for us to think about
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Steve April 23, 2012 at 12:55 pm
Cherry Picking facts is a big one. As you point out, most of us have been guilty at one time or another. But really, when you are honest about the warts too, it ends up being so much more believable, and can actually increase click thrus (if you write strong copy)
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Anton Koekemoer April 23, 2012 at 6:26 am
Excellent stuff – Especially the part of the straw man. I couldn’t agree with you any more on this , being a straw man can be really negative to your business and the Business Relations to the customers. If someone is not enjoying what they do – then you cant expect them to make a success of the project especially if you batter them constantly.
Great post , thanks for sharing.
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Jack Sander April 23, 2012 at 5:21 am
Even if there are a lot of money involved in the game, I consider that business bloggers should use proper arguments in favor of their products. Attacking the competition just to make it weaker is not a fair technique, from my point of view.
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Pete Goumas April 22, 2012 at 5:57 pm
Hi Chris,
I agreed with the four fallacies that can ruin our Business Blogging. In business blog, content should be relevant otherwise when people come on business blog and if the business bloggers are not careful in their blogging content then it might result in losing people trust.
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Anna April 22, 2012 at 5:18 pm
I admit it, business blogger have to be much more careful about their blog content than the amateurs. The most important thing is to build up the trust, and if you seem to be an amateur, people won’t trust you and your product. We all have to be an expert of our niche to be a successful advertiser/marketer.
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Bishwajeet April 22, 2012 at 3:54 am
Business Bloggers need to persuade others and thats the most important quality a business blogger should have . Until and unless you can influence people you are no one.
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Amit Sharma April 22, 2012 at 12:51 am
I agree with what Missy said above, Business Bloggers are no where different than the usual one’s. It’s just the facts, basics, knowledge and practical knowledge that makes the difference. Apart from that they do know how to handle the on going situation in a right possible way. Some steps might ruin their business, but what does it takes to be truthful to ourselves as well as others.
Missy April 20, 2012 at 9:14 pm
Business bloggers do not have different rules than non-business bloggers. They’re just as responsible for gathering correct facts, illustrating properly and so on as others. But I can see how some might sway one way versus the other to gain a competitive advantage – although in the long run, this is not a good or smart idea.
Hopefully this is not a widespread common practice among business bloggers.
Rashmi Sinha April 20, 2012 at 6:50 pm
In my opinion, all this is called “fair competition”. People can understand when you are trying to make your rival’s product appear bad and it is not respectful to anyone if you do that. You better advertise your product, not anti-advertise another product.
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Alisson Rogers April 20, 2012 at 11:19 am
I know that I am guilty of pointing out the good points on products that we review and sell to our customers and skip over the bad ones. But those times that I have highlighted and addressed the flaws, I have actually seen better sales and conversions – I really think that people appreciate it when you are honest with them.