persuasive

Whenever singer John Mayer sings his romantic song, "Your Body is a Wonderland", I can't help but think of web sites and usability. As a usability consultant, I see the devotion to his lover, and the time he spent uncovering every detail of her being, as the way most web site designers think we approach their web sites. When the lyrics arrive at "Take all your big plans; And break 'em; This is bound to be a while", I start giggling. It makes me think of Amazon.com. I'll explain why.

Certain types of writing involve doing your utmost to persuade the reader to accept your recommendations. Business examples of persuasion include:

Most folk don't enjoy having to write proposals, memos, reports and the dozen other things that seem to get in the way of their *real* work. Nonetheless, if it's your job to do it, you need to be able to do it well.

The most profitable and often overlooked free publicity generator is the news release. News releases are not only great marketing tools but also far more credible and believable than advertising since they appear to come from an objective third party. All too often, however, business owners view news releases as a form of advertising. If you're guilty of this, the media will most likely tell you that you should have called the advertising department instead.

Is all communication persuasive, aimed at convincing others to act or think as we wish? Sometimes it seem like it is. At the least, we can say that much of what we communicate has a persuasion component in it. Consider this article, which takes an editorial rather than an overtly persuasive approach. Yet, the underlying premise is that strategic communication works more effectively than communication without a conscious purpose. So, I'm trying to persuade you that one approach (the strategic) to communication works better than another.

Busy executives do not have the time to learn the intricate delivery skills and "glitz" of the professional public speaker.

Most folk don't enjoy having to write proposals, memos, reports and the dozen other things that seem to get in the way of their *real* work. Nonetheless, if it's your job to do it, you need to be able to do it well.

Wouldn't it be incredible to be able to consistently convert 3-5% of your visitors into eager buyers?