Point it out!

6:50am
Saint Paul

I have to confess, I’ve cheated a bit.

I’ve been adding some double-greater-than symbols to my email Subject lines and From fields.

You see, what started off as a small experiment… “pointing out” what action you want people to take, such as clicking a link or looking at a specific part of a photograph… well, putting the symbols in the email info itself just helps draw people’s eye.

Of course, it’s just a tactic, and one that could backfire. Tactics come and go.

That’s OK though. I’m here to learn and share with you what I’ve learned.

For example, yesterday’s email about Hanlon’s Razor and how Incompetence is Commonplace… triggered an Unsubscribe from a gentleman in a Canadian Oil Company’s IT Department.

The irony writes itself.

If you’re here to learn with me, excellent. If you have to go, I understand.

For those still here… if you want other people to take action, pointing out that action may seem ridiculous… but remember that people are lazy and don’t really want to think.

If you can tell them… and show them… exactly what to do next, you’re a step ahead.

One famous example comes from the pages direct marketing sales letters.

At the bottom of a page, the writer will actually tell you, “Turn to page 2.”

“Oh, ok!” thinks the reader.

All this to say, make the next steps clear and simple for your persuasion prospect.

Keep your focus,

Jeffrey