How to sway people, from Justice Sotomayor "I was fifteen years old when I understood how it is that things break down: people can’t imagine someone else’s point of view." So writes Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her memoir, My Beloved World. Sotomayor's book is packed with insights about persuasion, including: Logic = power. Sotomayor … [Read more...] about ‘Imagine someone else’s point of view’
Persuasive writing
One more phrase to avoid
Enough already with the 'At XX, we …' construction At Wylie Communications, we believe that writers should write and that approvers should check the facts and leave the headlines alone. At Wylie Communications, we understand that it makes you sick when nonwriters garble your beautifully constructed headlines. At Wylie Communications, we know that you sit up at night, … [Read more...] about One more phrase to avoid
Push the envelope
Get them to open the offer Will they open your sales letter? That depends on the: 1. Envelope A No. 10 or monarch envelope look like personal or business correspondence. A 6-by-9-inch one stands out, but looks like junk mail. Envelopes with windows look more promotional than those without. 2. Teaser copy Blind envelopes sometimes pull better than those with sales … [Read more...] about Push the envelope
Trigger happy
USDA’s MyPlate puts its money where your mouth is One of my brilliant clients at Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield once wrote in a healthy-eating column: “Instead of our steak being the size of a deck of cards (a standard, four ounce serving), it’s often the size of small laptop computer.” I’m not a steak woman, but I do like my brie-on-brioche sandwiches to be at least as … [Read more...] about Trigger happy
Make it about me
Focus news stories on MOI “A few years ago, my former newspaper did a study in which interviewers asked readers who or what was most important to them. Their answer was in some ways surprising. Many did not say their families, children or God. Instead, their answer was: ‘Me.’” — Dick Weiss, former writer and editor for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Screenwriter Nora Ephron … [Read more...] about Make it about me