The Brave New World of Persuasion

From time to time I write about thoughts I have and the philosophy I follow when it comes to marketing - eliminating stereotypes when thinking about your customers, the parallels between generational values and the importance of knowing the "inner self" of your customer.

Be sure to check out the newest edition of Grokdotcom, the newsletter from Future Now, Inc.  Created by my partners Bryan and Jeffrey Eisenberg (and "behind-the-scenes" contributions from Lisa Davis), this issue nails it, especially when it comes to creating the right kind of content for your websites.  Converting visitors into customers is what they're all about.  Here are some of their tips:

• Create personas to represent each of your market segments.

• Look beyond the demographics of your market segment. Demographics rarely tell us what we need to know about what is relevant to each segment's buying process. Instead, look to the topology of your business and the dimensions of complexity in your sale.

• Consider EVERY brand touch-point as an opportunity or step in the persuasion process for your segment. Even post purchase touch points.

• For mass media efforts, find needs and motivations that are shared across several personas (segments), and use those to create the most potent messages.

• Where a persona (market segment) has a deeply felt need that is unique and divergent from other segments, seize the opportunity to develop a strong message. It may not be a mass appeal message, but if executed properly, it can be very effective.

• Avoid stereotyping your personas (market segments). All IT buyers do not share the same motivations. All women do not behave the same. All Hispanics do not have the same goals. You get my drift.

Read the entire newsletter for more great stuff and links to other valuable content.  This is the new wave of persuasion on the web - are you ready?

Comments

[Yvonne DiVita]

This is superb, Michele. I was just telling a new client the other day that I get so much valuable information from the blogosphere -- and this proves it. A must read for anyone in business today. I'm clicking over to the entire newsletter now...