There is no Persuasion without Interest. Start there.

8:34am
Saint Paul

Someone asked,

“What are some effective ways to persuade someone who has lost interest in something?”

Persuasion means you’re showing a person (or a group) reasons to move forward with an action or belief.

So if they’re not interested, you must get them interested before they can possibly be persuaded.

There are a number of ways to spark interest.

Here are ten that marketers (and Hollywood, and the Media, and others) use all the time:

Continue reading “There is no Persuasion without Interest. Start there.”
Posted on Categories Opinion

Opening Doors… No Talent Required

10:59am
Saint Paul

“They’re all pretty much the same,” says Andi Schmied about some of the most expensive condos in Manhattan.

Andi booked tours with realtors who thought she was a billionaire, just so she could get in to photograph these high-end homes.

“The engineering–these towers being so tall and thin–means there’s little room for play or experimentation. They’re so boring; and the architects who accept the jobs are boring, too.”

That’s a problem for some people. But not everyone.

Not everyone wants a creatively designed home. They want an expensive home.

Continue reading “Opening Doors… No Talent Required”
Posted on Categories Opinion

Soft Power, Softer Pillows, and Ice-Cold War

12:12pm
Saint Paul

The cold war wasn’t just fought with stockpiles of weapons.

There was also nation-building happening on both sides.

America supported our allies, most notable West Germany. Russia supported theirs, including East Germany and Bulgaria.

And capitalism—through NATO and free trade—supported America’s aims… with a much softer message of prosperity and peace, not war and weapons.

Continue reading “Soft Power, Softer Pillows, and Ice-Cold War”
Posted on Categories Opinion

What Happened to your Dreams?

4:54pm
Saint Paul

One thing the book The Creative Ambush hammers on is,

What dreams have you given up on?
And why?

Last week I met with a university student who is majoring in marketing.

Over coffee, I asked about his marketing and business classes, what he’s learning, what his plan might be after college.

Was he learning to write headlines? Advertisements? Design UX? Understand KPIs?

Continue reading “What Happened to your Dreams?”
Posted on Categories Opinion