“We love in others what we lack in ourselves, and would be everything, but what we are.” – Richard H. Stoddard, Born Jul. 2, 1825. You can drive a lot of human behavior very easily if you know who and what your mark wants to be instead of who and what they currently are. Envy. …
It’s Not What The Target Craves to Have, But Who They Desire to Be Read More »
“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up people to collect wood and don’t assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery, Born Jun. 29, 1900. One of the hardest ways to get people to do what you want …
Two Sneaky Methods For Writing So That People Will Obey Read More »
“Nature never deceives us; it is we who deceive ourselves.” – Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Born Jun. 28, 1712. What I love about this quote is that people generally believe it, and that makes it easy to trick them. “Nature” is an amorphous idea that most people would struggle to define. But it’s “real” and it’s “truth” …
People Believe This, And You Can Use It To Manipulate Them Read More »
“The active part of man consists of powerful instincts, some of which are gentle and continuous; others violent and short; some baser, some nobler, and all necessary.” – Francis W. Newman, Born Jun. 27, 1805. One of the mistakes a novice persuader can make is to attempt to work on the mark’s logic. But that’s …
To Persuade Quickly: Attack Instinct Via Emotions, Then Logic Read More »
“Great advertising, in and of itself, becomes a benefit of the product.” – George Lois, Born Jun. 26, 1932. What old George is saying here is that objects (like products, for example) all have a story. They just do. Someone invented those products, for some purpose, to solve some problem, to sell to some person, …
If They Don’t Buy Into the Story, They Won’t Pay For the Product Read More »
“Words are loaded pistols.” – Jean-Paul Sartre, Born Jun. 21, 1905. I like this quote a lot as it relates to persuasive writing. Much better than that Shakespeare bullshit about the pen being mightier than the sword. That just makes people cocky and ineffective. Good persuasive writing paints the untenable scenario for the reader. Wronged. …
“I think those who object to my characterizing man as simple want somehow to retain a deep mystery at his core.” – Herbert A. Simon, Born Jun. 15, 1916. You are a chimpanzee in shoes. Your “self” is a hallucination being had by a computer made of meat. Civilization is a byproduct of …
Chimpanzees In Shoes: Or Why This Job Is So Easy… Read More »
“Gossip is essentially storytelling: storytelling about people whom we know.” – Mona Simpson, Born Jun. 14, 1957. I think gossip – as a tone – is an under-appreciated angle when it comes to persuasion and influence. *leans in to closer* Listen… Gossip isn’t just a story about people we know – it can be the …
Turn Your Pitch Into Gossip, and People Lean in Closely Read More »
“If language did not affect behavior, it could have no meaning.” – Kenneth L. Pike, Born Jun. 9, 1912. There are a buncha idiots out there who frown upon the use of language for deliberate persuasive aim. You know them. They hate commercials. They think marketing is evil. They probably brag about not owning a …
Any Message That Isn’t Deliberately Persuasive Is Wasted Read More »
“Diamonds are intrinsically worthless, except for the deep psychological need they fill.” – Nicky Oppenheimer, Born Jun. 8, 1945. The former chairman of DeBeers says diamonds are worthless. Yet go to a jeweler and see what this worthless item sells for. Certainly not at a price that reflects the worth. Why the markup? Solely due …
