Saturday 6 October 2012

Impact


People aren’t moved by logic, or by ethics (by what’s right or deserved). They are moved by emotion:

1.       Anger.
2.       Dominance. Authority. Power. Energy. Charisma. Conviction. Power-differentials. Promise of safety. (as in you show these things)
3.       Surprise/novelty, exciting.
4.       Inspired, hopeful, important, ten feet tall. Passion. Vision. Optimism. Enthusiasm. Aspiration.
5.       Momentum. Feel good-factor.
6.       Humour.
7.       Story.
8.       Fear. (especially fear of loss)
9.       Status, competitive.
10.   Kinship. Group mentality. Hatred of others. Leverage difference.
11.   Sentimentality and nostalgia.

Basically make them anticipate experiencing pleasure or pain in the future, in all their shades. Or tell a story about someone else experiencing these emotions, and people’s empathy will allow them to imagine these feelings in themselves.

What makes emotion more powerful? Contrast. Impact is all about contrast. Something loving followed by something ambivalent and thoughtless increases attraction. Hot followed by cold makes the cold colder and the hot hotter. And so on.

Rule number one: don’t be boring.

Rule number two: don’t be right, make an impact.

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