Closing Thoughts

[1] https://www.baltimoresun.com/obituaries/bs-md-ob-lary-lewman-20130715-story.html

During the course of this book, we started with the big picture then looked at a wide variety of tools and techniques to deliver our message. We covered a lot. It is easy, especially given the last several chapters, to think that persuasion revolves around the tools we use to create our messages.

Easy, but wrong.

Our persuasiveness isn’t determined by the software we use but the messages we create with it. These messages should be founded upon trust, delivered with enthusiasm, focused on a specific audience, and presented to grab the viewer’s attention.

Here are seven thoughts on persuasion that flow through every chapter:

•    Persuasion is a choice that we ask each viewer to make.

•    Planning is essential. Design your story with a specific message for a specific audience with a clear and focused Call to Action telling them what to do.

•    All messages are perceived as one-to-one, even if we are speaking to many people at once.

•    Our audience is deeply distracted; our first goal is to capture their attention.

•    The Six Priorities are core to capture and guide the eye of the viewer.

•    Write less, and make every word count.

•    The story and emotions in our visuals are as important as the words we use.

Even at our persuasive best, the viewer still needs to decide whether they will listen to us and follow our recommendations. We can’t control their decision; we can only influence it. This is why the act of persuasion will always be a creative art.