Psychological Triggers from Joe Sugarman

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joe sugarman triggers list

Joe Sugarman’s list of “psychological triggers” is basically a cheat code for persuasion. Every great ad, sales email, or landing page quietly uses a few of these.

Marketing Analysis

This chart shows the emotional buttons humans already have built-in — your job is to press the right ones. Triggers like “urgency,” “belonging,” or “value” are shortcuts to motivation. Great marketers mix and match a few to move people from “hmm” to “heck yes.”

Why It Works

  • Uses core human desires (security, status, connection)
  • Builds trust and authority fast
  • Reduces friction in the buying decision
  • Sparks curiosity and emotion
  • Encourages immediate action

Examples

  • Amazon’s Prime countdown = urgency + instant gratification
  • Apple’s product drops = exclusivity + simplicity
  • Kickstarter videos = involvement + hope
  • Nike ads = belonging + credibility
  • Charity: Water stories = guilt + human relationships

Analyzed by Swipebot

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