Be Persuasive!

Getting right down to it, arguably the biggest component of being persuasive with others has to do with Trust. Do they trust you? How much rapport have you built with your potential customers (and current ones)? How well do they feel they know you? More importantly, how much do they feel you understand them? Do other customers speak well about you in the form of testimonials? Those are all empirical field reports on how well you're accomplishing your mission in your business.nnAs far as writing persuasive Web copy is concerned, you've got to connect with them on an emotional level. You've got to use the right phrases. You need to make the reader feel like you're talking directly to them -- one-on-one, like no one else is in the room.nnOf course, you want them to take action as well, so you'll want to end your copy with a call to action. What is it you want them to do RIGHT NOW? It is OK to hit them over the head with it and use the Law of Scarcity to your advantage. It's there for a reason—-it works. I highly recommend you use it. It's another big component of being persuasive.nnAs I've written before, it really helps to write in a funny manner. Captivating Web copy is vital to keep 'em coming back, and you want 'em to keep coming back. Funny is capitvating. It holds attention. It's also an excellent rapport-builder. We are drawn to (and want to hang-out with) those who build positive emotional experiences in others. And there really isn't a more positive emotional experience than making someone laugh. It's been said that the act of making another person laugh is the greatest Mitzvah [act] you can do for someone else. It's proven. It works. Can 'ya feel it?nnPeople prefer you to be chummy with them. It's very rare to see people who prefer business professional-types of relationships. (No one I know would admit to that.) They want someone to look out for 'em! They want someone to talk to them the way their friends do! They want to do other things besides work. Lord knows we're thinking about other things besides work, anyway, particularly those stuck in cubes all day long. They want a break from their daily grind...one of the things the Fine People at The Onion know (and perform) well. I love that site! Hilarious! We can learn a lot from The Onion. nnOne of the keys I always keep in mind is my audience. I ask myself the following questions, "If I were to be receiving this email right now, what would I want to read about? What certain word use would draw me in? How would I make it different? What would hit home with me? How would I feel when I read this email/article/blog post/ebook? Then, I hammer-out another piece on topic XYZ, trying to make it as friendly, readable, persuasive, funny, and chummy as possible. People won't tolerate any more boredom in their lives than the copious amounts which already exist. BORING! I know I don't. Do you?nnFor those of you who are interested further in the Art of Persuasion, I have some recommended titles for you:nnInfluence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert CialdininYes!: 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive by Noah J. Goldstein, Steve J. Martin, and Robert B. CialdinnCovert Persuasion: Psychological Tactics and Tricks to Win the Game by Kevin Hogan and James SpeakmannnAll of these titles are available dirt-cheap on Amazon. Check 'em out! Happy Reading.