Have you ever wished you were more creative?

If you do creative work, have you ever suffered from a creative block and been stuck wondering what exactly is wrong, and how you can get yourself out of it?

Of course you have, I mean, who hasn’t!

Today, you’re in luck — you are about to read one of the most comprehensive posts on understanding creativity and spurring on creative thinking that’s ever been compiled.

With over two-dozen research studies and academic papers cited, you’ll finally get a clearer view on the creative process out of the muddy advice often found on un-scientific takes on the subject.

Let’s dig in!

How to Boost Your Creative Thinking (and Be More Creative)

When it comes to creativity, one of our biggest concerns is usually how we can be more creative, or come up with better ideas.

Research in this area is all over the place, but I’ve gathered some of the most practical studies out there to help you utilize specific techniques that can boost your creativity.

All of these studies are useful for everyday creativity in daily life, so try a few out for yourself and see which ones work best for you.

1.) Restrict yourself

Later on I will show you how external restrictions can hurt creativity, but right now I’m talking about internal restrictions, which can actually be used to boost creativity!

The research shows that an insidious problem that many people have is that they will often take the path of “least mental resistance,” building on ideas they already have or trying to use every resource at hand.

The thing is, the research also suggests the placing self-imposed limitations can boost creativity because it forces even creative people to work outside of their comfort zone (which they still have, even if they are a bit “weirder” than most).

One of the most famous examples is when Dr. Seuss produced Green Eggs & Ham after a bet where he was challenged by his editor to produce an entire book in under 50 different words.

I’m no Dr. Seuss, but I’ve found (and I’m sure other writers can relate) that when I’m suddenly restricted to writing something in 500 words when I had planned to write it in 800 words, it can lead to some pretty creative workarounds.

Try limiting your work in some way and you may see the benefits of your brain coming up with creative solutions to finish a project around the parameters you’ve set.

2.) Re-conceptualize the problem

One thing that researchers have noticed with especially creative people is that they tend to re-conceptualize the problem more often than their less creative counterparts.

That means, instead of thinking of a cut-and-dry end goal to certain situations, they sit back and examine the problem in different ways before beginning to work.

Here’s a candid example — as a writer who handles content strategy for startups, my “cookie cutter” end goal is something like “write popular articles.” The problem is, if I approach an article with the mindset of, “What can I write that will get a lot of tweets?”, I won’t come up with something very good.

However, if I step back and examine the problem from another angle, such as: “What sort of articles really resonate with people and capture their interest?”, I’m focusing on a far better fundamental part of the problem, and I’ll achieve my other goals by coming up with something more original.

So, if you find yourself stagnating by focusing on generic problems (“What would be something cool to paint?”), try to re-conceptualize the problem by focusing on a more meaningful angle (“What sort of painting evokes the feeling of loneliness that we all encounter after a break-up?”).

3.) Create psychological distance

While it’s long been known that abstaining from a task (again, more on that later) is useful for breaking through a creative block, it also seems that creating “psychological” distance may also be useful.

Subjects in this study were able to solve twice as many insight problems when asked to think about the source of the task as distant, rather than it being close in proximity.

Try to imagine your creative task as being disconnected and distant from your current position/location. According to this research, this may make the problem more accessible and can encourage higher level thinking.

4.) Daydream… and then get back to work!

Although study after study confirms that daydreaming and napping can help with the creative thought process, there is one piece of research that everybody seems to leave out…

One study in particular shows that the less work you’ve done on a problem, the less daydreaming will help you.

That is, daydreaming and incubation are most effective on a project you’ve already invested a lot of creative effort into.

So before you try to use naps and daydreams as an excuse for not working, be honest with yourself and don’t forget to hustle first!

5.) Embrace something absurd

While I’ll be covering the case for “weird” experiences in more detail later on, for now you need to know that the research suggests that reading/experiencing something absurd or surreal can help boost pattern recognition and creative thinking.

(Subjects in the study read Franz Kafka, but even stories like Alice in Wonderland have been suggested by psychologists)

The conclusion was that the mind is always seeking to make sense of the things that it sees, and surreal/absurd art puts the mind in “overdrive” for a short period while it tries to work out just exactly what it is looking at or reading.

I like reading interesting short stories like The Last Question or browsing absurdist art at places like r/HeavyMind when I’m looking for some inspiration.

6.) Separate work from consumption

Also known as the “absorb state,” this technique has been shown to help with the incubation process (much more on that later) and is far more effective than trying to combine work with creative thinking.

It makes sense too — we are often in two very different states of mind when absorbing an activity and when we are trying to create something.

I’ve found that my writing breaks down when I try to handle research + writing at the same time, and I’m much better off when I just turn off my “work mode” and consume more inspiration in the form of reading, watching, and observing.

7.) Create during a powerful mood

For a long time, the research has pointed to happiness as being the ideal state to create in.

Recently though, a relatively new study (2007) on creativity in the workplace made this bold conclusion:

Creativity increased when both positive and negative emotions were running high…

The implication seems to be that while certain negative moods can be creativity killers, they aren’t as universal as positive moods (joy, being excited, love, etc) in that sometimes they may spur creative thinking rather than hinder it.

I don’t want you to put yourself in a bad mood to create something, but next time you’re in a strong emotional state, try to sit down and focus that energy on creating something, the end result could be worthwhile.

8.) Get moving

Is there any wonder that ‘Exercising more” is one of the most desired good habits in the entire world?

Some research even suggests that exercise can actually boost creative thinking as well, due to it’s ability to get the heart pumping and put people in a positive mood. It’s similar to how other research shows that thinking about love can produce more creative thoughts; it’s not necessarily the act, it’s the change in mood.

If you’re stuck in a creative rut and want to take a break, try including exercise while your brain is subconsciously at work, it may help to speed up your “Aha!” moment.

9.) Ask, “What might have been?”

According to the research surrounding the process of counterfactual thinking, looking at a situation that has already occurred and asking yourself, “What could have happened?” can boost creativity for short periods of time.

According to an analysis by Jeremy Dean:

• Analytical problems are best tackled with a subtractive mind-set: thinking about what could have been taken away from the situation.
• Expansive problems benefited most from an additive counterfactual mind-set: thinking about what could have been added to the situation.

The Case for Really “Weird” Experiences

“Creativity comes from looking for the unexpected and stepping outside your own experience.”

— Masaru Ibuka

Think about some of the most creative people you know (yourself included!)… chances are, they would be described as somewhat ”weird” when compared to less creative people.

According to the research, the cause of this is often that these people have had abnormal things happen to them, or they pursue different experiences outright (maybe those two things are correlated?).

Researchers have found, for instance, that creative people tend to have had a traumatic event occur in their lives (such as parental loss, as noted in this study).

…but you don’t need to worry about needing a tragic event to be creative! Researchers have also found that creative people are more likely to pursue strange experiences as well, such as this research that reveals that living abroad is linked to creativity in the general population.

In a more recent study (2012) on creativity, the lead researcher concluded that…

“…diversifying experiences help people break their cognitive patterns and thus lead them to think more flexibly and creatively.”

A belief that many people hold, but now there is empirical proof: comparisons with various control groups have shown that a diversifying experience — defined as the active (but not vicarious) involvement in an unusual event — increased cognitive flexibility more than active (or vicarious) involvement in “normal” experiences.

Why is this the case?

The answer isn’t totally clear, but some research points to things like habituation and stagnation as being creativity killers, and these two things are generally “fought” with novel and unique experiences.

An important consideration then, is what constitutes “weird” for each person? The research at this point seems to indicate that it is more about the weirdness in relation to the person at hand, or that doing things outside of your normal habitual patterns can be enough to stimulate creativity, rather than there being a set of “weird” things to do that work for everyone.

So be sure to go out there and push your comfort zone… just don’t get too weird!

Can You Increase Creativity by Thinking About Others?

One interesting paradox in the realm of creativity seems to be what most of us would call, “beginner’s luck.”

In fact, a few studies have hinted that one factor that often blocks people’s creativity is their existing knowledge.

If, for instance, you are writing a song, you are likely the kind of person that saturates themself with the particular style of music you create. This familiarity is often at odds with “originality,” as your head is filled with melodies and you tend to feel that, “This has been done before…” when trying to create something new.

Many creative people struggle with this problem, but what can be done about it?

According to research surrounding the Construal-level theory of psychological distance, the answer may lie in thinking about the creative process in more “abstract” terms rather than in concrete terms.

As an example…

When thinking about a trip you might take to Paris next summer, you might focus on how much fun it would be or how great it would be to sit in a café and watch the world go by.

When thinking about a trip to Paris you are going to take next week, though, you focus on what you are going to wear, how you are going to exchange money, and what you will do when you encounter Parisians who speak no English.

In other words: Instead of getting down to the “nitty-gritty” when trying to be creative, you should try to distance yourself from the problem you are solving.

This coincides with other research that seems to point that coming up with “decisions” for others often results in more creative answers than when making decisions for oneself.

For instance, in one study on the matter, researchers had individuals perform a variety of creative tasks while varying the psychological distance between the task by having them either perform the tasks while thinking of themselves, or perform the tasks while thinking of others.

(The researchers used both creative & logic problems in this test)

As an example, it’s known that most people are notoriously bad at creating “unique” aliens because they often just mimic animal parts.

When the researchers asked the participants to draw an alien for a story that they would write later, they struggled and produced more aliens that contained typical animal traits.

When asked to draw an alien for a story that someone else would later write, the subjects were more likely to create novel traits (evaluated by independent raters) than their counterparts.

Other research in this area has found similar results, with a variety of different logic tests as well, thus making a strong claim that the phrase…

Learn as though you need to teach.

…may in fact translate well to creativity. Essentially, create as though you need to teach, or more generally, create as though the produced outcome will be for someone else.

Many artists and other creatives have made similar (albeit less scientific!) claims that support this notion, that perhaps the best way to be creative is to get your work out there and “escape” your own knowledge of the craft by pretending that you are being creative on behalf of someone else.

That will help you think about the problem more abstractly and avoid just repeating the solutions you already know about.

How to Break Through Creative Block

Running into a “creative block” is extremely frustrating for anyone, but especially so for those people who regularly do creative work.

(Or whose jobs depend on their creativity).

There is definitely a feeling of helplessness when you need to make progress with an idea but you just can’t seem to do it.

I know I feel extremely jealous when I come across quotes like this (from author James Dickey):

I don’t understand how a writer could ever get writer’s block, so-called. My problem is having too much…and being unable to get it all down.

I wish I had that problem!

For the rest of us, whether you’re swamped with too many options at once, or worse, you can’t conjure a single creative idea at the moment to save your life, mental blocks can really put a damper on your creative efforts.

The crazy thing is this… we often find a solution when we simply step away from the problem and come back to it later. Younger me would always do this with tough video games, and these days I find the same thing happens when I’m stumped on a new article or project.

You’ve likely had this happen too, and you come back wondering, “Why couldn’t I get this the first time around?!”

It’s due to an amazing process in the brain called the incubation effect, part of the 5 proposed stages of creativity:

1. Preparation
2. Incubation
3. Intimation
4. Illumination or insight
5. Verification

The problem with these stages is that the one used to break through creative block (Incubation) is somewhat mysterious and vague; we know taking a break is apart of it, but what else is there?

One thing is for certain: it definitely works. Around ~50 separate studies on Incubation + creativity have been conducted, and over 3/4 of them have found a major effect (others found smaller effects on creativity or no effect, but that is to be expected).

In addition, recent research (2012) has revealed that when people are interrupted while doing a creative task, they are much more likely to produce creative ideas when they resume the task if they’ve been told that they will need to do it again.

What this means: Those people who were interrupted during the creative task and not told they would have to do it again were unable to produce many creative ideas. Conversely, those people who were told they would resume the task came back with more creative ideas.

Researchers concluded that perhaps planned breaks allow people to unconsciously work on tasks, leading to the “Aha!” moment that we all know and love, which often comes out of nowhere.

This means that beating mental block takes more than just a random break, and that creative people may benefit from having planned breaks where they are motivated and know that they will be tackling the problem again.

In other words…

To come up with creative solutions to problems, your chances are increased by incorporating breaks into your work-flow.

Sound familiar? Regular Sparring Mind readers will recognize this…

It is the exact same thing I mentioned in my “Science of Productivity” article, where researchers found that planned breaks from intense work sessions improved awareness and focus.

Now it looks like it also improves creativity!

So, to maximize the effectiveness of your incubation periods and to spur on more “Aha!” moments, try not to let yourself get mentally fatigued by taking planned creative breaks to let your unconscious work on the problem that has you stumped.

How to Kill Creative Thinking

Although many people say they want to foster creativity, it is often the case that employers (or other authority figures) will unintentionally stifle creativity by placing too many restrictions.

This is important to consider when evaluating how we might kill our own creativity because of the restrictions we tend to place on ourselves to appeal to the norm.

According to research from Harvard professor Teresa Amabile, there are 6 main ways that we tend to strangle our own creativity and the creativity of others (when we are in leadership positions).

They are as follows…

1.) Role mismatch

Of all the creativity killers, this is probably the one you expected the most.

The fact of the matter is that when people are assigned to tasks/jobs/roles/creative projects that they have no interest in or passion for, their creativity takes a hit.

More importantly, however, role mismatch means undertaking a creative project that that stretches one’s abilities, but also feels like it is within one’s capacity to do.

This could correlate with other research that shows people are most happy when they feel they are busy, but not rushed. Tackling a project that strains your skills (a la “deliberate practice”) but that is ultimately within your grasp feels most satisfying (even if it is scary at first), and these types of tasks are when role + project line up nicely.

When roles are mismatched, however, it is a recipe for stifled creativity and unsatisfactory results.

2.) Too much end-goal restriction

While creative restriction can have creativity benefits (above we recalled the famous story of Dr. Seuss writing “Green Eggs and Ham” on a creative bet), when work is too restricted by the end goal, creativity suffers.

The researchers noted that in organizations or groups, other restrictions that killed creativity included the shifting of goals too often, and implicitly communicating that new methods are not welcome.

(ie, “We do things by the book around here.”)

With narrow guidelines on reaching end goals, creativity is not usually abundant.

3.) Strict ration of resources

While many “trendy” companies today love touting their Foosball tables and beanbag chairs in their lobby, the research shows that it is mental restrictions that tend to hack away at creative thinking.

Although many people pride themselves on their “comeback kid” abilities to do things at the last minute, a huge majority of truly creative work requires plenty of time and enough resources to be seen to completion.

This can be especially frustrating because the “ideas” may already be there, but when executing a project to completion, it may never see the light of day (or be fully polished) unless it has enough time and external resources (money included).

4.) Lack of group diversity

Homogeneous groups are actually more likely to get along, but they suffer from another big problem…

You guessed it — they produce less creative results.

As a solo creative person, this is still important to you: the company you keep (and you who consult with about your work) could be playing a role in your creativity.

If you’re surrounded by like-minded people all of the time, you may find yourself in an echo-chamber where creativity cannot thrive.

5.) Discouragement

As we saw above, most people are fearful of creativity despite the fact that they say they support it.

One more insidious facts about this aspect of human nature is that too much discouragement is actually a creativity killer.

Constant criticism, endless evaluation and negative comments really do begin to have their effect on creative people. Once people get the sense that all of their ideas are going to be stringently picked apart and bashed if they fail to deliver, they will choose to stop producing them.

Since no idea or finished work goes without some critique however (even the classics), it is important for creative people to create some semblance of a barrier to negative comments so that it doesn’t effect their work.

Or if you prefer the dictum of today…

Haters gonna hate.

6.) No positive feedback

Many of us try to come off as humble, but let’s be real honest, it feels GREAT when something we’ve worked very hard on generates a positive response or outcome.

According to Amabile’s research, praise and positive feedback are also very necessary for creative people, who thrive on having their ideas impact the lives of others.

Without support, motivation and work ethic to get creative projects done will wither away.

This can be hard for beginners especially, so if you come across a creative project from a relative nobody, invest in your entertainment by leaving them some positive feedback!

Creativity in Groups: Why Brainstorming Doesn’t Work

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but study after study has shown that when it comes to producing the best, most useful ideas, brainstorming just doesn’t work.

People in brainstorming groups have been found by researchers to produce fewer and lower quality ideas than when working alone.

Here’s why researchers believe this is the case…

1. Social loafing: Research in the area of “social loafing” shows that when people are in groups, they are less likely to fully commit themselves because others will pick up the slack (bystander effect anyone?)
   
2. Production blocking: When other people are talking, the rest of the brainstorming group has to wait. This causes some people to lose focus of their ideas, dissuade themselves from mentioning them, or just plain out forget some of the insights they just fleshed out.
3. Evaluation apprehension: Simply put, although many brainstorming groups try to leave evaluation out until later, contributors know that other people are judging their ideas when the state them. When you are by yourself, you have more time to build an idea before presenting it to anyone.

If that’s the case, then why even bother with brainstorming?

There are 2 big reasons…

The first is that research (particularly from professor Ben Jones) has shown that collaboration is indeed an important part in coming up with brilliant ideas. Data on collaboration seems to point to scientists today doing more collaboration, and reveals that in many instances, two “so-so” ideas are made great by collaboration.

The second has to do with the way that groups work. When everyone feels like they’ve contributed, group projects tend to be more successful. In other words:

People who have participated in the creative stage are likely to be more motivated to carry out the group’s decision.

Since not all creative work can be done alone, some sort of collaboration is necessary in order to make sure no ideas get passed up, and to ensure that the entire group feels involved in actually putting the ideas into action.

So what is the answer to this dilemma?

Well, according to brand new research (2012), the internet may be the savior for brainstorming. Specifically, the use of Electronic Brainstorming was found to be more effective in coming up with the best non-redundant ideas in groups.

How does it work?

First, it follows the older rules of ‘Brainwriting,’ which includes the following:

1. Don’t criticize.
2. Focus on quantity.
3. Combine and improve ideas produced by others.
4. Write down any idea that comes to mind, no matter how wild.

The difference is that instead of using things like post-it notes (that ‘Brainwriting’ suggests), things like internet chat rooms or instant messaging are utilized.

It seems to work well because it allows members to see ideas flowing all at once, but it solves some of the problems with face-to-face brainstorming. When it’s done online, each person doesn’t have to wait for the others to stop talking and they are less worried about being evaluated.

I prefer to use tools like Campfire for this, but any group chat software should do the trick.

The Character Traits of Creative People

Since creativity seems to thrive with individuals and sometimes collaboration rather than group work, what sort of traits are often found in especially creative people?

As with all creativity research (since it is a very large and complex topic), the results are a bit muddy, but a collection of the research seems to point to a few traits that are found regularly in creative people.

Below we’ll discuss a few that are more common in those people with creative skills (note that this does not mean that all creative people have these traits!)

1.) Creative people are eccentric

Breaking news: the sun is hot!

Everyone saw this coming, but more interesting is looking at what ways creative people are more eccentric.

One interesting finding from Harvard is that creative people tend to have lower “latent inhibition,” defined as:

…an animal’s unconscious capacity to ignore stimuli that experience has shown are irrelevant to its needs.

Thus, creative people tend to be able (maybe through a combination of nature + nurture?) to take in more detail due to their ability to not block out “irrelevant” details.

Perhaps this is why most of us see a red wheelbarrow, and creative poets can visualize a Red Wheelbarrow.

2.) Creative people often feel “isolated”

Despite the hollow cries of introverts everywhere, creativity is not necessary associated with being an introvert or an extrovert.

Creative people have personality traits of all types, and being outgoing is not limiting to creativity. One thing that recent research has looked into though, is if creative people have a feeling of “isolation” among peers, even when they can make friends and colleagues easily.

This may be caused by their inability to relate to regular conversation as easily, or that their conversational partners cannot follow their “more creative” train of thought (if that sounds arrogant, don’t worry, I’ll be taking them down a peg later on).

There has also been some research on especially creative people and social rejection, indicating that a feeling of rejection of peers and a desire to feel different (thus, embracing the rejection) may spur on more creative activities.

Lastly, creative people seem to be less trustworthy of others (on average) than non-creatives, which may play a part in this feeling of isolation.

3.) Creative people are both smart + responsible and irresponsible + immature

There are numerous studies that show creativity positively correlates with intelligence, but after a certain point, the correlation dips off.

Conversely, some research conducted on creative geniuses has shown that immaturity often goes hand-in-hand with creativity (as you might be able to imagine).

The thing is, there is a very fine balance between this responsible + irresponsible nature in very creative people…

Without discipline, creative works cannot be achieved, and creative people are known for long extended blocks of work (being “wrapped up in” a project). Conversely, the immaturity shown in many creative people likely goes hand-in-hand with their ability to produce novel ideas.

4.) Creative people are often arrogant

Is it easy to get along with creative people?

Although research on “agreeableness” and creativity shows no strong correlation either way, newer research that examines subsets of agreeableness points to a new finding…

As it turns out, while not all creative people are this way, there is strong negative association with humility and creativity, meaning creative people tend to be braggarts.

This could likely stem from reinforcement and the ego, with successful creative people constantly being told how creative they are.

5.) Creative people are a bit… crazy

If this section felt too much like ego-stroking, well… it’s time to take creative people down a peg!

There has been a plethora of research that shows creative people are a tad crazy… and kind of mean.

For instance, many studies show that creative people are better liars than their peers, and other research has shown that creative people were:

• More likely to cheat on a game in the lab
• Better at justifying their dishonesty afterwards

…and get this: Creativity was more closely associated with dishonesty than intelligence! (Remember how I said that creativity only coincides with intelligence up to a certain point?)

Other research has shown that creative thinking is unusually high in criminals and lawbreakers.

Most troubling (and direct) of all, a few studies have found that creative people score higher on psychoticism, which includes traits like less empathy, being cold, and egocentricity.

Worse yet, the advantage that creative people have (discussed above) in having lower levels of “latent inhibition” may open them up for a variety of mental illnesses.

There, now creative people can hop off their high-horse.

Now it’s Your Turn…

After a couple of weeks of research, days of writing, and 5000 words, this article is a wrap!

Now I want to hear from you…

1. What did you think about this research on creativity? Did any of the studies surprise you?
2. Do you strongly agree/disagree with any of the conclusions I came too? (These articles aren’t complete without a little debate in the comments!)

Thank you for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

Images by Andres, Dan, Jonatan, Logan, Felipe, Northcoast, Jacqui, Michael, and Zen Pencils

In today’s busy world, we seem to be obsessed with the idea of “productivity” and “work hacks”.

It’s easy to see why: being able to get more done allows us to get ahead in life, and even gives us more time to do the things we love outside of work.

The problem we run into, however, is that it is easy to get motivated, but hard to stay disciplined.

This is because most of us look at productivity in the wrong way: it’s not about signing up for the latest task management tool (which, admit it, you’ll use for a week and soon abandon) or chaining yourself to your desk, it’s about understanding the science behind how your brain works, and using it to your advantage.

Today, we’ll look at what science has unveiled about the human brain and productive work, and you’ll learn how to tackle the biggest pitfalls that sabotage your ability to get things done.

All You Need to Know About Productivity (in a 3 Minute Video!)

My first ever video related project, get excited!

Okay, so a 3 minute video might not be able to contain all the research I’ve compiled on the subject, but it seriously covers all of the essentials!

In it you’ll learn…

• Why worrying about having “more willpower” is a fool’s game
• How world class experts stay productive… and what they do differently
• The science behind why better energy management = a more productive you
• Big pitfalls that lead to busywork and procrastination

So go ahead and watch it, and enjoy.

Once you’ve done that, and you’re still itching to know more, scroll down: there are a dozen studies and 2000+ words waiting for you.

Abandon All Willpower, Ye Who Enter Here

The first thing we need to acknowledge in the pursuit of a more productive lifestyle is the mountain of evidence that suggests willpower alone will not be enough to stay productive!

According to research by Janet Polivy, our brain fears big projects and often fails to commit to long-term goals because we’re susceptible to “abandoning ship” at the first sign of distress.

Think of the last time you went on a failed diet…

You stocked your fridge with the healthiest foods & planned to exercise every day… until the first day you slipped up. After that, it was back to your old ways.

To make matters worse, research by Kenneth McGraw was able to show that the biggest “wall” to success was often just getting started. Additional research in this area (surrounding the Zeigarnik Effect) suggests that we’re prone to procrastinating on large projects because we visualize the worst parts and thus delay in getting started.

What do our brains prefer to do instead? According to researcher John Bargh, your brain will attempt to “simulate” real productive work by avoiding big projects and focusing on small, mindless tasks to fill your time.

“Big project due tomorrow? Better reorganize my movie collection!”

Perhaps worst of all, numerous studies on the concept of “ego-depletion” have provided some astounding evidence that suggests our willpower is a “limited resource” that can be used up in it’s entirety!

With all of that stacked against us, what hope do we have? What can we possibly do to be more productive?

In order to figure this out, one of our best bets is to observe the habits of some of the world’s most productive people.

Fortunately for us, numerous researchers have done exactly that, and their findings on the “secrets” of productivity will surprise you.

The Habits of Productive People

If I were to ask to describe the practice regiments of world-class musicians, you’d probably envision a shut-in artist who plays all day long and then tucks in their instrument at night.

Amazingly though, research by Anders Ericsson that examined the practice sessions of elite violinists clearly showed that the best performers were not spending more time on the violin, but rather were being more productive during their practice sessions.

Better yet, the most elite players were getting more sleep on average than everyone else!

How is that possible?

Subsequent research by Anders reveals the answer: the best players were engaging in more “deliberate practice”.

That is, they spent more time on the hardest tasks and were better at managing their energy levels.

Think of it this way: if you were trying to get better at basketball, you’d be much better off practicing specific drills for a couple of hours rather than “shooting hoops” all day long.

Since deliberate practice requires you to spend more “brainpower” than busy work, how can you implement it without draining your willpower?

The first answer isn’t very sexy, but it’s necessary: the best way to overcome your fear of spending a lot of energy on a big project is to simply get started.

The Zeigarnik Effect (mentioned above) is a construct in our minds that psychologists have observed in numerous studies on “suspense”. One such study gave participants “brain buster” puzzles to complete, but not enough time to complete them. The surprising thing was, even when participants were asked to stop, over 90% of them went on to complete the puzzles anyway.

According to the lead researcher:

“It seems to be human nature to finish what we start and, if it is not finished, we experience dissonance.”

It’s the same thing that happens when we become engaged in a story in a book, movie or TV show: we want to see how it ends!

You can use this knowledge to your advantage by just getting started on that next big project, knowing that first step really is an important one in being productive.

Once you’ve gotten started though, you need better methods of staying productive and engaging in “deliberate practice” in order to avoid doing busy work.

How to Work Like an Expert

A multitude of research has shown us that discipline is best maintained through habits, not through willpower.

According to Tony Schwartz, CEO of The Energy Project, most people hold their productivity back by not rigidly scheduling work & rest breaks throughout the day.

Since most of us are worried about our willpower, we don’t push ourselves to our maximum productive output: instead of “giving our all” for brief productivity sessions, we distribute our effort throughout the day, leading us back to busywork to fill our time.

What should we do instead?

Schwartz often cites a research study conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration that revealed how short breaks between longer working sessions resulted in a 16% improvement in awareness & focus.

Research from Peretz Lavie on “ultradian rhythms” matches up with these findings: longer productive sessions (of 90 minutes) followed by short breaks (of no more than 15-20 minutes) sync more closely with our natural energy cycles and allow us to maintain a better focus and higher energy level throughout the day.

The best part? Both of these studies on energy management match up with the practice schedules of the world-class violinists: the most common practice regimen for the “cream of the crop” players was a 90-minute block of intense practice followed by a 15-minute break.

The moral of the story: It’s hard to be productive while trying to maintain high energy levels through your entire day.

It’s much easier for your brain to approach a 90-minute session of productivity when it knows that a 15-minute break is coming up afterward.

Instead of trying to conserve your energy for multiple hours, we are at our most productive when we break big projects down into smaller chunks and plan a recovery period right after.

For projects done on your own time, try scheduling blocks of 90-minute work sessions with a planned cool down time of 15 minutes directly afterwards. When you know a break is on the horizon, you won’t try to “pace yourself” with your work, and will be more inclined to dive into the difficult stuff.

While great for tackling the toughest parts of large projects, this technique doesn’t really address many problems related to discipline, an important part of staying productive for more than just a day or two.

Fortunately, we have research in this area that will change the way you approach discipline and that will get you to start using systems to maintain and track your progress.

The Art of Staying Disciplined

One segment of the population known for struggling with discipline are those who addicted to hard drugs.

Given their disposition for being unable to commit to many things, you might be surprised to find that during an experiment testing the ability of drug addicts to write & submit a 5 paragraph essay on time, those who wrote down when & where they would complete the essay were 90% more likely to turn it in!

These findings have some interesting correlation with those related to discipline in “normal” people: in a study examining the ability of average people to stick with a strict dieting plan, researchers found that those participants who rigorously monitored what they were eating were able to maintain far higher levels of self-control when it came to maintaining their diet.

Last but not least, Dan Ariely and colleagues conducted a study involving college students and found that students who imposed strict deadlines on themselves for assignments performed far better (and more consistently) than those who didn’t.

These findings were especially interesting because Ariely noted that students who gave themselves too generous of a deadline often suffered from the same problems as students who set zero deadlines: when you allot yourself too much time to complete a task, you can end up creating a “mountain out of a molehill”.

Since we now know that tracking our progress is a key component of productivity, how can we implement this practice into our daily routine?

One method is to use an Accountability Chart to track what work you’ve completed during your 90-minute productive sessions, similar to how the dieters tracked their food consumption.

To easily implement one into your daily routine, simply create two-columns on a piece of paper, Google Docs spreadsheet, or even a whiteboard.

• Column 1 will list the time-span of one of your productivity sessions.
• Column 2 will list what tasks you’ve accomplished in that limited time-span.

Don’t include any columns for your 15-minute breaks, as those times are for your own sake and means to replenish your willpower.

This seemingly simple strategy works incredibly well for 2 very specific reasons:

Tracking your progress in this way has been proven by Dr. Kentaro Fujita to increase self-control because you’ll be exposed to the work you’ve actually accomplished, and not the (inaccurate) assumption of work you might construe in your head. (Forcing yourself to write down the fact that you spent 2 hours on Reddit doing no work guilt trips you into not doing it again ).

Progress tracking is also a known strategy for stopping yourself from engaging in “robotic behavior” (also known as ‘busywork’), a habit that researcher John Bargh describes as the #1 enemy of goal striving.

Productivity & Multitasking

With a work schedule, an energy management strategy and a task-tracking system in place, the last challenge we have to face is that of multitasking.

The danger surrounding multitasking lies in how our brains perceive it: according to a 1999 study, we have a tendency to view multitasking as really effective from the outside… after all, shouldn’t productivity increase if we are doing multiple things at once?

The science shows us that this is an absolute falsehood: Researcher Zhen Wang was able to show that on average, multitaskers are actually less likely to be productive, yet they feel more “emotionally satisfied” with their work (creating an illusion of productivity).

Worse yet, Stanford researcher Clifford Nass examined the work patterns of multitaskers and analyzed their ability to:

1. Filter information
2. Switch between tasks
3. Maintain a high working memory

…and found that they were terrible at all 3!

According to Nass:

“We were absolutely shocked. We all lost our bets. It turns out multitaskers are terrible at every aspect of multitasking.”

How can we fight back?

The best way is to simply block ourselves from distracting elements that may cause us to multitask.

When working on the computer, be sure to use tools like Controlled multi-tab browsing and StayFocusd (Chrome extensions) to block distracting sites and limit the amount of tabs you can have open.

The next best strategy is to create an evening planning ritual where you select a few priority tasks to accomplish the next day.

The reason this method works far better than planning your daily tasks in the morning is because research from the Kellogg School (not the cereal ) has shown that we drastically miscalculate the amount of focus we’ll be able to maintain in the future: that is, we strongly believe that we’ll be able to quickly plan our day the next morning, but when tomorrow rolls around without a game plan to get us started, we’ll likely fall back into our old multitasking ways to avoid doing any real work.

You can create an evening planning ritual with a simple pen & paper or use an online tool like TeuxDeux each night. List only priority tasks (the “big 5”) for the day and be sure to include completed tasks in your Accountability Chart when they are completed.

Last but not least, since the research has shown us that we are terrible at “winging it” when it comes to completing big projects, split large tasks up into smaller segments so your brain won’t view the assignment as something that is so large that you must multitask to complete it.

(For instance, instead of listing “Work on research project” as a daily goal, try something like “Finish introduction” or “Find additional sources” as a task you can complete)

The Instant Replay

That was a lot of research covered in quite a long blog post.

(I like the sound of my own voice… er, the sound of my own typing?)

Since that’s the case, here’s a quick recap to help you get your productivity system started…

Understand that willpower alone will not save you: Your productivity shouldn’t be reliant on your sheer force of will alone. Sure, mental toughness will get you a long way, but in order to stay disciplined over time, you need to acknowledge the usefulness of systems for keeping yourself on track.

Give yourself the ability to go “all-in”: Working harder on the stuff that matters is going to drain you mentally & physically. Don’t be afraid of giving yourself multiple breaks throughout the day. It’s better to “chunk” productivity sessions into 90 minute periods (followed by 15 minute breaks) in order to keep yourself sharp and to alleviate the stress of pacing your energy throughout the entire day.

World class experts utilize this strategy, so it ought to be good enough for you too!

If it’s not worth measuring, it’s not worth doing: Okay… that might be a bit of an exaggeration.

Seriously though, tracking has been PROVEN to be the best way to stay diligent about your progress. Create an accountability chart to list what productive things you’ve gotten done throughout the day. You’ll see how much you’re really accomplishing.

Multitasking is your enemy: Treat it as such. Block out unwanted distractions and as Ron Swanson would say, “Never half-ass two things, whole-ass one thing.”

Plan your day the night before so you won’t get consumed with the wonderful distractions of the internet when you start your day.

It’s your turn…

Leave a comment below letting me know what you thought about this research.

1. Did anything make you re-evaluate how you view productivity?
2. Do you particularly agree (or disagree) with any of the conclusions I’ve drawn?

Thanks for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

Images by Andre, Ben, Alex, Paco, Kevin, Doublenaut, Manufactura, DeeperDish

Stories are a very integral part of being persuasive.

You’d think that as a guy that loves research and data, I’d be averse to storytelling as a whole.

As an entrepreneur though, I can’t be.

Those in sales and marketing have known for a long time that stories trump data when it comes to persuasion because stories are easier to understand and relate to.

Are you incorporating stories into your copy? Are you utilizing them on your blog?

If you’re anxious to understand and tap into the power of storytelling, get ready to jot down some notes!

Why You Need to Incorporate Storytelling

Storytelling works.

But why should you have to incorporate this flowery style into your writing?

A lot of folks are averse to telling stories because they believe that “the facts” are the most persuasive pieces of content they can deliver.

It’s not, and here’s a visualization that helps to explain why:

Am I telling you that it’s better to say nothing in a memorable fashion?

No, of course not.

Instead, the point that I’d rather make is that how you say something is just as important as what you are saying.

If you refuse to recognize this, you risk having your good information become lost in a sea of less-worthy content.

Here’s the thing: While we are all often resistant to the idea of being told what to do, we are very susceptible to agreeing with the “moral of the story” due to how it is presented to us.

How Stories Affect the Mind

It would be nice to be able to ethically influence people into becoming more favorable about your offering, right?

Of course!

The question then is this…

Do stories really hold that much influence?

According to research by psychologists Green & Brock, they do.

In fact, it’s likely that you greatly underestimate how much stories affect you!

The reason that stories work so well on us is that we are susceptible to getting “swept up” in both their message and in the manner of their telling.

Quite literally, stories are able to transport our mind to another place, and in this place we may embrace things we’d likely scoff at in the “harsh, real world”.

Think about this example: You’ll often see politicians create a “story” for their campaign, and focus a lot of their efforts speaking with the public in crafting and standing by these stories.

Creating the story of “tough guy who is harsh on crime and supports states rights” is easier to understand than discussing the complexities of how the administration plans to actually tackle the crime rate.

You see this being utilized every day on platforms as big as TED talks to speeches by world leaders.

Instead of only discussing the “information”, they begin talks with phrases like, “Imagine if you will…”, and as we’ve seen, it’s with very good reason: stories help sell arguments of all types, from, “I believe that these liberal/conservative points of view are correct,” to, “I believe this product is suited for my goals.”

This information is useless, however, unless we address how to write better stories.

How to Create Better Stories

The #1 trait of a persuasive story is how “engaging” the story is.

There are a million writing blogs that will go on and on about how to craft amazing stories, but is any of that (potentially good) advice backed up by research?

In fact, there is an additional study conducted by Green & Brock that addresses just what makes a story engaging.

Here’s what they found:

1.) Suspense works just as well as you’d expect

The “cliffhanger” just may be the oldest trick in the writing book, especially writing for television, but there is a reason why it’s used so often…

It works!

Despite our numerous exposure to this method, our brain just can’t “get over” suspenseful moments: it’s a relationship that just won’t die, we will always want to know what happens next!

In fact, suspense works so well that the hotly debated Zeigarnik Effect would have you believe that it’s the best way to kill procrastination.

Research in that areaseems to point to humans being much more inclined to finish something that has already been started (researchers interrupted people doing “brain buster” tasks before they could complete them… nearly 90% of people went on to finish the task anyway, despite being told they could stop).

Suspense in stories really allows you to create addictive content, as long as the suspense appears early enough in the post to activate the Zeigarnik Effect.

2.) Creating detailed imagery helps craft the setting YOU want

Want to get people swept up in your stories?

Tell them what they are getting swept up in to, and they will respond.

Could any of us relate to the heroic deeds in tales like those of the Lord of the Rings without Tolkien’s exquisitely detailed descriptions of the dangers of Mordor or the perils faced by Frodo and Sam?

The imagery paints the picture of any good story, we could say that [Spoilers if you haven't read/seen Lord of the Rings] “Frodo and Sam fight a giant spider,” but Tolkien spends an entire chapter on the ordeal, taking the time to help the reader visualize the ferocious nature of the enemy and the bravery of our heroes who persevere despite their many weaknesses (doubt, fear, dismay, etc.)

Implementing the “real” into a fantastic setting often helps create a better connection with the reader.

I don’t know the feeling of encountering a spider the size of a house, but I do know what terror feels like, and I also know how hard it can be to persevere in the face of immense doubt of your abilities.

These “all-too-real” elements of a fantastical story make it easier to relate to.

3.) Literary techniques (like metaphors or irony) are essential pieces of memorable stories

As with most highschool kids in the United States, I was required to read a lot of the “staples” of highschool literature.

By far my favorite work was Animal Farm, a story that serves as a great example of the power of the many literary techniques at your disposal.

In the beginning, the story in Animal Farm seems quirky at best: When the de-facto leader of the animals, Old Major, dies, two pigs called Snowball and Napoleon take over and see out his “vision”, which they interpret to be the driving out of Mr. Jones, the farm owner.

Snowball is eventually chased away by Napoleon, and Napoleon begins to enact new rules for the Animal Farm, which begin to become warped as Napoleon and the pigs become more like their previous masters, culminating with the memorable phrase revealing what the rules have truly become:

ALL ANIMALS ARE EQUAL, BUT SOME ANIMALS ARE MORE EQUAL THAN OTHERS.

Needless to say, there is a lot at work under the surface of this story, as it is an allegorical tale that relates the events of the rise of Stalin and the Soviet Union before the second World War II.

Suddenly, a book about pigs taking over a farm begins to serve as a cautionary tale on how political dogma can be turned into malleable propaganda.

There are many literary techniques and a countless amount of examples, I’m simply serving up this particular one to show you a singular instance of a writer using them to turn a seemingly simplistic story into a extraordinarily memorable and highly controversial work of art.

4.) Modelling works because change is easier with an example

If you want someone to change a behavior (or become more inclined to taking a desired action), then you can “model” it with a story.

The character in said story should go through the transformation that you would like the reader to go through.

The transportation effect is really evident here: people place themselves in the situation being told, reimagining themselves as the main character.

Oftentimes, they are made to see why the choices made were the right choices.

Strangely enough (or maybe it’s not so strange…), I often see web hosting providers showcase stories of customers past “cheap web-hosting nightmares” in which the customer describes a situation where they were freaking out from their site being down after receiving massive exposure, eventually “learning their lesson” and vowing to never again use anything but ______ [insert whoever is selling].

Positive stories are also used quite often, stories where individuals solve a huge menace in their life or get to where most people would like to be serve as transportation vehicles to recruiting new people to the cause.

If you run a fitness based business (as an example), highlighting a tale of triumph over the generalized disadvantages of being out-of-shape to accomplish what previously seemed like “impossible” fitness results is a great way to get people fired up to become more interested in fitness.

6 More Characteristics of Highly Persuasive Stories

Now, a post on Sparring Mind wouldn’t be complete without an additional study to compare things to (reliable information is the result of complimentary research).

I really enjoyed a recent analysis (and the actual research) discussed in a piece by Roger Dooley, author of Brainfluence (great book, that’s my aff link).

Dooley discusses what a difficult time lawyers have in persuading the jury during a tough case, and the comparison he makes to your typical “car salesman” is spot on:

One of the toughest persuasion tasks is convincing a jury in a courtroom.

Car salespeople have it easy by comparison – they control the environment and have the undivided attention of the customer.

Imagine if you were in a Lexus showroom listening to why you should buy one of their vehicles, and at your elbow was a BMW salesperson, periodically objecting to the Lexus pitch and then delivering her own.

That’s the situation in a courtroom – arguments presented by one side will be directly (and mercilessly) attacked by the other side.

So, how do the top lawyers overcome this?

Researchers Melanie Green (of UNC, mentioned above as well) and Dr. Philip Mazzocco (OSU) conducted research on that very question, and their results reveal 6 interesting characteristics of persuasive stories, which we can compare to the earlier study.

Their research was called Narrative Persuasion in Legal Settings: What’s the Story?, and in the piece they discuss why stories are much more influential than facts (again, a conclusion backed by numerous studies) through their ability to change emotional beliefs in a way that “logical” arguments just can’t touch.

Knowing what we know about how emotions effect people’s reaction to written content, we can conclude that this is some research that warrants a closer look.

So, what were the 6 characteristics?

1.) Delivery

Similar to how a good joke turns into a great joke with perfect delivery, Mazzoco and Green’s research pointed to delivery in the courtroom being of the utmost importance.

This translates to writing in a similar fashion: pacing and deliver of the story matter as much as the content.

What does that mean?

Well, it is largely determined by the author’s ability to keep the “flow” of the story going and to deliver during pivotal moments, the same way a good prosecutor may begin to bare down on a witness that starts to show signs of “cracking”.

Memorability also matters as well, check out this hugely viral story on Reddit entitled “Today you, tomorrow me.”

You’ll notice the main line is delivered in a way that creates a lasting impression.

2.) Imagery

Without very specific and stirring visual cues in a story, listeners (or readers) may not be as totally immersed as they could have been with something to “see.”

If a prosecutor wants to convict a man of assault, he is (without a doubt) going to paint a picture for the audience of the suffering of the defendant, and will likely use expressive language to evoke a feeling of sympathy from the jury, who (as they listen) visualize the potential suffering of the man/woman in front of them. (Words like: victim, violated, abused, atrocious, attack, malicious, etc.)

Many studies show that the brain “lights up” in reacting to imagery, truly transporting the reader to the events being described (recall any good story you’ve read or heard, you know that you placed yourself “there” during it’s telling).

3.) Realism

via Laura Zalenga

As I mentioned, I love finding complimentary evidence because it helps us in being more certain that the strategies we are using are accurate.

That being said, check out this quote from Dooley on the importance of realism:

Even if you are painting a fictional picture with the story, its elements need to relate to the reality that the audience is familiar with, for example, basic human motivations.

Doesn’t that remind you almost exactly of what I was talking about with the Lord of the Rings example? (in the earlier study)

It seems that we can conclusively say that the human mind is able to relate to and absorb stories much better if there is a “human” element in the story that is easy for the audience to imagine, even when the actual tale may not be.

4.) Structure

One example I can’t help but think for this point is the film Memento and it’s subsequent praise & criticism for it’s plot structure.

The debate is over the telling of the main character’s story, which happens entirely in reverse (he has amnesia, and the viewer watches the ending of the movie and slowly views events preceding it).

The critics of the film point to the fact that it is quite hard to enjoy the film a second time: the suspense is really just imaginary because the plot is so confusing when you watch it backwards.

Great movies, they would argue, can be enjoyed again even when you know what’s coming.

That’s because they use an effective structure that keeps you glued to the screen to see what’s next, even if you already know (obviously losing it’s effect over time for most people)

This research would agree, showing that people prefer stories that follow a logical manner, and that elements of suspense are most effective when established early to keep people engaged.

5.) Context

Context can often have a significant impact on the persuasiveness of a story.

If the teller of a story comes off as not being genuine, as incompetent, or as just an “unlikable” person, it can have an averse effect on the story itself.

I’ve often noticed that stories on places like Reddit tend to flop when they are over-exaggerated or use language that is too flowery (not “real”).

Dooley also addresses the importance of more basic surroundings (in a literal sense), such as the detrimental effects of a noisy courtroom or a cluttered and messy website for instances online.

It is often a good idea to address these concerns of the audience by establishing the storyteller (be it you or someone else) as sincere and credible enough to listen to.

6.) Audience

Certainly the factor that you have the least “control” over, both in the courtroom and for your content.

People vary to such a great degree that the same story can have either a large or very minimal impact on them.

Dooley mentions that jurors often go through a selection process and that lawyers are careful in keeping their eye out for “suitable” or “unsuitable” members.

While you won’t necessarily be doing the same thing with customers, you can do the same thing with your content: a thriving, engaged audience is only created when you determine who you don’t want reading your content along with who you do.

Be sure to establish in your unique selling proposition (and your subsequent content) just what kind of reader your really after, and what kind you aren’t.

Beyond the “Digital Campfire”

If you’re familiar with the works of Steven Pinker, you’ll recognize the incredible importance that language has played in human history in the preservation of information (stories being used to because they were… *SURPRISE!* …easier to remember).

Today, a huge contribution of the internet is to serve as our generation’s “digital campfire”.

When it comes to selling, however, facts remain an important compliment to stories.

The research by Mazzocco and Green also discusses evidence that points to two ways in which the human mind processes information:

1. Rational appraisal
2. “Experiential”

Experiential is the way most closely associated with stories, as it is when our minds (as the researchers put it):

“…[construct] an imaginary world filled with quasi-experiences.”

Meaning, we can relate to stories due to their general message, even when we haven’t had the same exact experience.

Even more interesting?

The researchers would suggest we can only operate with one at a time.

This would insinuate that you should use both the power of stories and the “logical” argument in different phases.

We make our decision emotionally (and, to varying degrees, unconsciously), and then let our rational processes justify that decision with facts.

Use stories to activate the experiential side of your reader’s brain, and you’ll have won their attention and interest.

When you back those stories up with facts, you’ll have won their trust.

Over To You

Not as much to ask you about for this article, although as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

Images by SoftFacade, Nick, Kirby, Colin, Tiki & Jim Benton, Laura Zalenga

Have you ever wanted to be more persuasive, convincing, or if nothing else, understand how others try to influence you?

…Of course! Who hasn’t?

In all honestly, the more you know about social psychology and social influence, the better.

Not only will you be more prepared when trying to convince others, but you’ll also be aware of when others are trying to unethically convince you! (Not all persuasion is created equal)

If this is your goal, reading a healthy selection of world renown psychology books is a must.

Fortunately, there are many out there, and they cover a wide variety of topics (social influence, marketing, persuasion, social constructs, etc.) and all of them are very approachable: these aren’t boring science papers, they were written for the typical person interested in psychology.

As an aid to you in your journey, I’ve prepared this extensive list of the 50 best social psychology books out there, free of charge.

The Importance of Reading

Oh no, it’s like 3rd grade all over again!

Seriously though, you can do yourself no greater favor than picking up and finishing at least 1 good book every other week (or 1 every week if you are able!)

Just think about all the information that books contain: in the world of the internet, we’re often impressed to hear when somebody has spent days or weeks on a single written piece, but books can often take far longer, even years to write in some instances.

When it comes to books in areas like psychology, you also have the benefit of very intelligent people doing ALL of the grunt work and relaying their findings to you in a form that will take less than a couple of hours to digest.

Think about that!

Some pscyhologist conducts experiments over the span of 3 years and you get to read, digest, and comprehend his findings in as little as 2 hours!

By reading books related to intensive studies, you are able to essentially “jumpstart” your brain and learn what researchers and professors learn in a fraction of the time.

I can’t think of a single better way to empower your brain (and yourself) than that.

About the List

The 50 greatest books in the realms of social psychology, neuromarketing and just plain understanding your brilliant brain await you!

The only other thing I’d like to add is that to ensure an unbiased presentation, I have decided to include ZERO Amazon affiliate links to any of the books below.

I want you to be able to enjoy them without having to worry about, “Is this guy pushing these books on me in order to get an affiliate comission?”

The answer is no, so enjoy, and if you want to help me out, share the list with a friend.

Final note: While all of the books below will deal with the human mind, not all of them are purely scientific. Some books deal on persuasion from a marketing standpoint or look closely at social interaction, and not all of the authors have a scientific background.

1.) The Social Animal

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Social-Animal-Elliot-Aronson/dp/1429233419/

In my humble opinion, the greatest general overview of social psychology ever written.

This book seems to be in such high demand that the Amazon prices are often outrageous (shout-out to my Mom who was able to find this bad boy for $15 as a birthday gift ).

The demand is warranted however, few books will give you as in-depth, interesting and just a generally well written overview of social psychology quite like Elliot Aronson’s classic.

A must-read if you can obtain it, consider it the best presentation of “social psychology 101″ ever.

2.) Influence: Science and Practice

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Influence-Practice-Robert-B-Cialdini/dp/0205609996/

Honestly, you’d be missing the point entirely if you didn’t include this book in any list associated with the psychology of persuasion: this is considered the gospel on the subject!

Cialdini’s now infamous work deserves the amount of praise it gets.

Not only is the book easy to follow with tons of excellent examples (explained in laymen terms), Cialdini also spends the time to go into why these studies played out as they did.

Lastly, he addresses how to defend yourself from persuasion techniques that wish to harm you rather than ethically convince you (scammers, people selling faulty products knowingly, disingenuous attempt to persuade, etc.)

A true classic.

3.) Yes! (50 Scientifically Proven Ways to be Persuasive)

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Yes-Scientifically-Proven-Ways-Persuasive/dp/1416576142/

Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this book, but just be forewarned that this should be used as a compliment to the other “meatier” entries on this list.

While the book is informative, the studies are grazed over pretty quickly, not much depth is given to any individual study.

It does make for a great “rabbit hole” read.

This is where you find out about a study, look up more about it, find more related studies, and “go down the rabbit hole” searching for new material.

A great starting point to getting your feet wet in a variety of persuasion related studies.

4.) Thinking, Fast and Slow

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Thinking-Fast-Slow-Daniel-Kahneman/dp/0374275637

Without a shadow of a doubt, one of my all time favorites.

Trying to go over what this book digs into would take me a whole post in itself, so allow me to just gush…

This book is damn awesome, read it!

Seriously though, for behavioral research, there are few books that touch the scope and breadth that Dan Kahneman dives into with this masterpiece

Mr. Kahneman holds a Nobel Prize in economics as well, and this aspect shines through in the book’s many examples.

5.) Switch: How to Change Things When Change is Hard

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Switch-Change-Things-When-Hard/dp/0385528752/

The Heath brothers (Dan Heath and Chip Heath) put out some of my favorite material on the subject of persuasion (more on that later).

Their book Switch aims to answer the question: “Why is it so hard to make lasting changes in our companies, in our communities, and in our own lives?”

Specifically, why is it so hard to change things that have become commonplace?

The book is structured very well (as is their other entry on this list) and incredibly readable; you can tell that a lot of effort was put into breaking the book down into appropriate sections and making it easy to pick up by anyone.

6.) The Art of Choosing

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Choosing-Sheena-Iyengar/dp/B0085RZDMK/

If you are a believer in the expression “less is more”, I have to ask… why have you not read this book yet!

This is the quintessential read on how human beings make choices and what external influences affect those choices.

I first came across Sheena Iyengar’s work through finding out about her infamous “jam study” through an online publication.

Needless to say, I was in love (call me! ) and had to pick up her book.

It’s a fantastic read and very enjoyable all the way through, I happen to consider Sheena a great writer as well as a great researcher.

7.) How We Decide

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/How-We-Decide-Jonah-Lehrer/dp/0547247990/

This is a great compliment to Sheena Iyengar’s above work, coming in the form of this expanded book by Jonah Lehrer.

While the book is largely concerned with neuroscience, I can accurately describe it as a very “light” read; Lehrer isn’t out to overwhelm his audience, and in fact, neuroscience nerds like myself may actually be looking for more.

Be sure to pick up this book and not Lehrer’s earlier work by the way, this is essentially an upgraded version of that.

While Lehrer recently ran into some problems over at the New Yorker, remember that nothing from that situation effects the great insight that this book provides.

8.) Stumbling on Happiness

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Stumbling-Happiness-Daniel-Gilbert/dp/1400077427/

Despite the title of this book, this isn’t a “self-help” book by any means.

It is more concerned with the process in the mind than on ways you can “be your best self!”

One commentor pointed out a quote that fits the book well: ”The first principle is that you must not fool yourself – and you are the easiest person to fool.”

It’s a fitting quote because the entire book reveals how your brain is essentially hard-wired into doing the exact opposite!

Fortunately, Gilbert’s incorporation of research and insightful ancedotes make this one of the most enjoyable (and least “hoo-rah”) positive psychology books out there.

9.) Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Drive-Surprising-Truth-About-Motivates/dp/1594484805/

Again, a book that may seem like self-help, but really isn’t.

Drive spends a majority of it’s time focusing on what gets us motivated in the workplace.

It examines the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators that allow us to keep pushing, and questions which methods of utilizing both (with intrinsic being far more important) are the most effective for both employees and employers.

The book is a really important read, and I love how Pink tackles the subject, but I couldn’t help but agree with the highest critical review: the book has some padding.

If you don’t mind a few sections going on a bit longer than they should though, this book is a must read.

10.) Predictably Irrational

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Predictably-Irrational-Hidden-Forces-Decisions/dp/006135323X

I highly enjoy Dan Ariely’s work, but boy is this book disheartening!

Few books will make you question your own decisions quite like this one; Ariely shows how seemingly mundane or meaningless changes can greatly impact our behavior when we don’t realize what’s going on (which is a majority of the time, heh).

As a sample, check out his famous pricing study on the Economist, you’ll see how small changes can really play with our perception of things.

I would put this book squarely on the “understanding your brain” spectrum of our post title, but this book also has some fantastic insights on persuading others if you closely examine the given examples.

11.) Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Fascinate-Your-Triggers-Persuasion-Captivation/dp/0061714704

I’ll avoid the entirely too awful pun of calling this book “fascinating”, but I will say that it is an enchanting read.

I have two main comments on Sally’s writing: the first is a slight critique, in that the book often tries to take more established ideas and make them sound entirely new.

The second is full of praise: it’s hard to title a book with the word “Fascinate” if it’s not a page-turner, and Sally’s writing will definitely hook you until the end.

She also leaves readers with an actual gameplan when ideas are brought up, which I loved.

I enjoyed Sally’s speaking and picked this book up when someone recommended to me, and now I’m recommending it to you because it’s an insightful look at persuasion.

12.) Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Made-Stick-Ideas-Survive-Others/dp/1400064287/

Definitely one of my favorite marketing books ever written (Heath Brothers again, no surprise here!), but it’s not something that can only be enjoyed by marketers (as I noted in the intro).

A quote from Mark Twain is included in the book’s description: “A lie can get halfway around the world before the truth can even get its boots on”, and the authors offer an explanation as to why these ideas can stay with us for so long.

I feel like we all find ourselves asking a similar question at times, as to why something caught on so quickly while something else (that may have been superior) faded away.

Diving a little deeper than the answer of “better marketing”, this book aims to address (and largely succeeds) the 6 ways certain ideas just stay with us while others slip away.

13.) Numbers Rule Your World: The Hidden Influence of Probabilities and Statistics on Everything You Do

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Numbers-Rule-Your-World-Probabilities/dp/0071626530

This book is probably the most unique of all of the books on this list.

I certainly wouldn’t call it a book about persuading others, but it does address what could have been an incredibly boring topic for some readers (the application of statistics and how they affect you) and turned it into a really easy read.

I approached this book expecting to slowly crawl through it, but there are a ton of great examples and Fung does a truly fantastic job of using stories to get his points across.

Whether you’re a “numbers guy” (or gal) or just want to take a laymen’s look at statistics and their involvement in the current affairs of the world around you, you’ll enjoy this book thoroughly.

14.) The Honest Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone (Especially Ourselves)

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Honest-Truth-About-Dishonesty-Everyone—Especially/dp/0062183591/

In case it hasn’t been made apparent so far (look 4 books up), I’m a big fan of Dan Ariely’s work!

There are some bold claims in this book (that, perhaps, honesty is but a choice between benefit from cheating and our psychological motivation), but Ariely makes some compelling arguments to back up each point addressed.

As with Predictably Irrational, you’ll come away with a lot of questions, but in a good way: you’ll begin to re-think things that were formerly “obvious” in the context of what you just learned from Ariely.

Many people (myself included) have commented on how powerful the last two chapters are in particular: is there ever a context where cheating becomes socially acceptable?

Ariely forces you to ask these and other meaningful questions, and the result is a very powerful message with some great research & examples to comb through.

15.) The Power of Habit (Why We Do What We Do)

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Power-Habit-What-Life-Business/dp/1400069289

This book came highly recommended, and I enjoyed it, but I have some thoughts…

While the author does a great job of splitting up habits into appropriate sub-groups (habits of individuals, habits of successful organizations, habits of societies) and in showing how habits actually operate in the brain there is one shortcoming…

The book doesn’t show you how to break any habits!

Maybe my expectations were set for a different kind of book, but I found the lack of this aspect being addressed as a bit un-fulfilling.

All that said, the book is still a very easy read and a great look on how habits manifest in the brain.

16.) Brainfluence: 100 Ways to Persuade and Convince

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Brainfluence-Persuade-Convince-Consumers-Neuromarketing/dp/1118113365

This is another book that focuses more on serving up “bite-sized” analysis of multiple studies rather than diving deeply into a few.

As such, it serves as a fantastic jumping-off point and one of those “rabbit hole” books that I mentioned above: you’ll find yourself following up on multiple experiments in order to learn more.

One fantastic thing that Roger Dooley (see his very enjoyable blog on Forbes) has done is to break these studies up into separate categories (something that was failed at in the Yes! book above).

With sections like ‘Brainfluence Copywriting’ and ‘Brainfluence Branding’, you can tell what sort of studies you are about to get into.

In some instances, I found the sources to be somewhat lacking: links to other books instead of the actual studies, for instance (but don’t let that stop you from picking up what is an otherwise great read).

17.) Neuromarketing: Understanding the Buy Buttons in Your Customer’s Brain

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Neuromarketing-Understanding-Buttons-Customers-Brain/dp/078522680X

This is, frankly, one of the best beginner books for those interesting in neuromarketing or “brainy marketing” as it is so affectionately referred to.

This means two things:

1. The book is a very easy read; studies are not cited in-depth and the content can be easily consumed
2. If you’re not new to this space, this book can seem a little simplistic

For instance, you could read my post on how to create viral content and cover a whole section of this book on “arousing emotions from buyers” in a single blog post, but if you’ve never encountered this stuff before, this book (along with Influence, #2 on the list) are must-haves for beginners.

Those who have read a few of these books already can probably give this a pass.

18.) The Branded Mind

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Branded-Mind-Neuroscience-Really/dp/074946125X/

This book is not an easy read. That being said, it is a rewarding read if you can make it through.

In essence, Du Plessis makes the argument that emotions are not in conflict with rational behavior, and that they in fact can cause rational behavior.

As mentioned though, this books requires some patience: if you love pop-psy only, be prepared for a challenge, this book reads more like a college textbook than a “I’ll kill 5 minutes by reading this”.

I struggles with the book a bit more than usual until I came across this fantastic review which recommends a revised reading order.

Bottom line: if you’re willing to put in the effort, you’ll get a lot out of this book, this is definitely one of the most compelling & challenging books on the list.

19.) The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Paradox-Choice-More-Less/dp/0060005696/

I really enjoyed this book, it makes you think a lot about, well… the paradox of choice: is having a ton of options at your disposal good for the brain?

Schwartz argues that decision-making was a lot simpler years ago, and while the majority of the book focuses on a “buying angle” (see things like buyer’s remorse and others which are closely related to choice), the lessons here can be carried to many of life’s aspects.

An abundance of choices has a tendency to trick our brain into thinking a lot of choice is a good thing, when that is not necessarily the case.

While Schwartz is very much an academic, the book reads quite fluidly and won’t trip you up with an abundance of scientific terms, although each point made is backed up quite eloquently.

20.) Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Brandwashed-Tricks-Companies-Manipulate-Persuade/dp/0385531737/

This is one of those amazing crosses between understanding marketing to utilize it for your entrepreneurial endeavors or to simply understand how brands try to persuade you.

Some of the examples aren’t so mind-blowing (groceries using crates to make fruit seem “farm-fresh”) but others are really interesting.

I wish Lindstrom would have done a bit more analysis on each study, as he seems to just take each at face value.

That being said, the studies cited are really interesting and very revealing in how easy it is for marketers to trick us.

21.) The Compass of Pleasure

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Compass-Pleasure-Exercise-Marijuana-Generosity/dp/0143120751/

The subtitle of this book is just too damn good…

How Our Brains Make Fatty Foods, Orgasm, Exercise, Marijuana, Generosity, Vodka, Learning, and Gambling Feel So Good

Ha!

If you’ve ever wanted to know why cigarettes are one of the most addictive substances of all time or how dopamine can turn your brain into a slave for pleasure, this is the book for you.

I would forwarn that this isn’t really a book to help addiction, but for understanding the nature of addiction and the processes in the brain.

22.) The Buying Brain

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Buying-Brain-Secrets-Subconscious/dp/0470601779/

There is another book by Lindstrom (2 above) called Buyology that often comes highly recommended when discussing books of this ilk… but I would say that you should skip that book and get this one instead.

Pradeep creates a great overview of the emerging neuromarketing space and does so with a lot of good concrete examples.

I enjoyed that specifically because many books have a problem of simply citing the research at hand: as a guy who regularly reads research papers, I appreciate the exposure to new research, but I could have just read it myself.

This book avoids this problem by giving “actionable” (even though I hate that word) steps for implementing.

23.) The Secret Life of Pronouns: What Our Words Say About Us

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Secret-Life-Pronouns-Words/dp/1608194809

You all know that I’m very interested in the psychology of language and in particular, how psychology plays a role in storytelling.

This books digs into how language can reveal a lot about a person.

Some archetypes that are focused on include gender, affluence, liars, sadness, introverts vs. extroverts, and a variety of others.

While the research in this book was excellent (and often collaborative), I wanted more!

I felt like more examples could have been used in particular, but as for what’s there, it’s great.

24.) Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me)

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Mistakes-Were-Made-But-Not/dp/0151010986

If you head waaaaay back up to #1 on this list, you’ll see that I’m an Elliot Aronson groupie.

If I could define this book in one word though, it would be: frightening.

Even more so than Ariely’s contributions, this book exposes how everyone is at risk of refusing to admit to their mistakes, even when the evidence is conclusive.

The research is accurate and cited appropriately, the book is still an easy, enjoyable read, and it’s from the guy who wrote my favorite social psych book of all time (with a talented co-author)…

What’s not to love!

25.) Social Engineer: The Art of Human Hacking

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Social-Engineering-The-Human-Hacking/dp/0470639539

While this book specifically addresses social engineering (surprise), there are many psychological aspects that turn this into a very intriguing read on influence.

The book definitely has a very… antagonistic approach, but that’s because of the subject matter (people are referred to as “victims” and the activities are defined as “exploits” and “attacks”… because that’s what they are).

It’s kind of like watching those shows where a former thief shows the homeowners how easy it was to break into their house.

Except with this book, manipulation is the subject at hand.

26.) The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Lucifer-Effect-Understanding-Good-People/dp/0812974441/

This book focuses on the findings from the legendary Stanford prison experiment.

If that research has fascinated you in any way, you need to check this book out; it essentially offers an “inside look” at much of the data from the study, including things like transcripts.

It’s a compelling look at how even “normal” people fall into the roles of situations that many of us in the first world can hardly imagine happening (or would like to deny).

The last chapter is also quite intriguing for those familiar with the experiment: the author outlines a program intended to build resistance to mind-control strategies.

Scary stuff, but a necessary read.

27.) Obedience to Authority

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Obedience-Authority-Experimental-Perennial-Classics/dp/006176521X/

Another book that is a “tell all” about (yet another) fascinating, provocative, even horrifying psychology study known as the Milgram experiment (after the lead researcher).

If you are unfamiliar with the study, it was meant to test whether or not people would obey authority even when they were asked to do something that they knew was wrong (in this case, shocking other participants, or at least believing they were).

It details many accounts of participants showing signs of severe distress, yet continuing on with the applied shocks as actors in another room (pretending to be other subjects) screamed cries of pain.

This book is a necessary read in understanding the construct and inherit dangers in authority.

28.) The Optimism Bias

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Optimism-Bias-Irrationally-Positive/dp/0307378489

Tali Sharot’s in-depth look is one of the better efforts to analyze the current research (along with Sharot’s own research) on optimism, memory, and their connections to our emotions and actions.

My single gripe with the book is that it is too long. I wouldn’t normally make a statement like this, but what I mean is that certain parts of the book feel a bit wordy, although given the topic and the tendency to pick apart certain aspects of research, it’s understandable.

I still feel like the content could have been more concise, but as for what’s there, it’s great.

This is no pop-psy self-help book, this takes a look at some incredible research from a leading expert.

Definitely worth picking up if you’re interested in neuroscience and studies on memory.

29.) Mindfulness

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Mindfulness-Merloyd-Lawrence-Ellen-Langer/dp/0201523418/

Harvard Professor (and author) Ellen Langer would assert that “robotic” behavior (mindless) can lead to a lot of pain in life.

I would agree, and the fact that so many other books on this list show just how susceptible we are to that sort of behavior, I’d say it’s a problem worth worrying about.

The aim of this book is therefore to be more “mindful” of our actions and to notice when automatic behavior begins to take over.

Again though, as a few disappointed reviewers have noted (read the description, sheesh…), this is NOT a self-help book, the focus is more on the process rather than a “hoo rah, change your life” kind of attitude.

Not that books like that are wrong in anyway, it’s just not what this is.

30.) Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Sway-Irresistible-Pull-Irrational-Behavior/dp/0385524382/

While I did really enjoy this book, there is certainly some merit to the top critical review on Amazon: “This book is a rehash of other, better books.”

That’s not to say that Sway isn’t an enjoyable read, it’s that it has predecessors that dive into concepts more deeply.

One of these is Influence (#2 on this list for a reason! ), so at the very least, the book is in good company in terms of the things it talks about, it just did so much later and from a bite-sized perspective.

Again though, this book can serve as a fantastic “rabbit-hole” read that helps you find a TON of other great studies to check out.

The content is also quality stuff and will be new to you  if you aren’t an avid reader of psychology books, so don’t be afraid to give this one a go.

31.) Redirect

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Redirect-Surprising-Science-Psychological-Change/dp/0316051888

Wilson’s focus on this book can be summed up in two large, overarching points (IMO):

1. Using the process of “story editing” to change our perception
2. That what is true of culture is also true of individuals

Again (noticing a trend here?), this book seeks to understand and to pass on knowledge, not to help you change your life.

(Although obtaining this knowledge would certainly help with that)

This book, being all about subtlety and subtle changes, does a good job in giving relevant examples that make somewhat opaque descriptions a lot easier to relate to.

This is a very interesting book and one of few that strays into the positive psychology territory, definitely worth checking out.

32.) Brain Rules: 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Brain-Rules-Principles-Surviving-Thriving/dp/0979777704

I really liked one reviewers stance on this book: “It’s like MythBusters for the brain!”

Throw misconceptions like you can’t teach an old dog new tricks out of the window, because Medina does a great job of finding relevant research to put claims like that to bed.

Funnily enough (or perhaps not), this book often appears on leadership lists, despite not being an outright leadership or management book.

I’d say that it’s main two topics seem to hinge on productivity and relationship management, so it is easy to see why a business and leadership oriented crowd would enjoy this book.

For everyone else, it is a very easy read and very much worth checking out.

33.) You Are Not So Smart

But the book: http://www.amazon.com/You-Are-Not-So-Smart/dp/1592406599

Call it pop-psy all you want, this is one of the funnest books on this list!

Largely dealing with fallacies in our minds that happen to make us look very stupid when they’re in action, McRaney takes topics that are largely known by those with an interest in the field (like the Dunning-Kruger effect) and creates an entertaining read on otherwise well-covered studies.

The thing is, the presentation makes this book worthwhile even if you have already heard of a few of these, and McRaney is a great writer (his blog was featured on my big list o’ blogs that are awesome and not about marketing).

If you’re interested in how your brain is sabotaging you and in finding out more about the delusions we all hold, this book is the perfect place to start.

34.) What Makes Your Brain Happy (and Why You Should Do the Opposite)

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Makes-Brain-Happy-Should-Opposite/dp/1616144831/

Take this as a more serious version of the book above (see, I’m getting better at grouping!).

Largely concerned with cognition and specifically with cognitive biases, David DiSalvo makes this book stand out in quite a few ways.

The research isn’t rehashed like many books you’ll find in this space. Not only that, there are tactics and resource materials included in the book.

My only problem with these is that they are clumped near the end instead of being sprinkled about the many great examples.

An overall exciting book with a lot to offer, I’ve read this one very recently and was happy that I did.

35.) Incognito: The Secret Lives of the Brain

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Incognito-The-Secret-Lives-Brain/dp/0307389928/

This book is all about the levels of consciousness in the brain, as as we’ve seen, you’re brain isn’t just the thing you think you control.

While the examples in this book are quite interesting, considering it is a “real” neuroscience book, I expected a bit more from the research.

That is, I felt there needed to be more complimentary research for certain positions (like Aronson is known for).

Despite that, Eagleman has put together a seriously fascinating list of studies that I will shamelessly steal and write about here!

Seriously though, the writing is captivating, if nothing else, you’ll learn how to write attention-grabbing headlines as Eagleman sends you page after page into highly interesting findings on our unconscious.

36.) The Game

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Game-Penetrating-Society-Artists/dp/0060554738/

“Wait just a damn minute, what is this book doing here?!”

Allow me to address your concerns: while The Game is largely focused around the PUA (pick-up artist) community and on picking up women, the book and the community at large have surprising ties into psychological research (and a hefty serving of ‘broscience’ as well, don’t be fooled).

As an example, the pick-up artist technique of “escalating kino” (increased touching of someone you are interested in, beginning with their shoulder or arm) is backed by real science: oxytocin and dopamine play an integral role when touching or being touched, and even in business situations, a better handshake has a noticeable effect!

Again, this book is more on practice of some sound science in action; I’m not saying everything here is 100% backed by science, or that you should be courting your customers out on hot dates, but it’s hard to deny this book’s close ties with influence when it comes to a very specific spectrum.

37.) Out of Character

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Out-Character-Surprising-Truths-Lurking/dp/0307717755/

Just what exactly is happening when someone “breaks” character?

Is character even concrete, or is it more like a shade of gray?

I found this book really fascinating in it’s singular focus on character and the psychology of how external events impact it.

Living a humdrum life often makes understanding these crazy acts hard (not necessarily a boring life, but one less extreme by comparison), and this book takes a look at a lot of examples that show us that if we were in similar circumstances, we’d be very likely to act in a similar manner.

Great examples, great research, and a great focus make this a must-read.

38.) Blink

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Blink-The-Power-Thinking-Without/dp/0316172324

As per my usual review style, I have two comments about this book (good and bad).

The good is that the studies presented are interesting, and Gladwell does a superb job of showcasing how people are able to develop a “sense” about things; it becomes one of the more interesting books on the unconscious because of this.

The problem with the book is apparent though: it’s been pointed out by many others. This book seems like a collection of short stories, and not a unified idea.

That’s fine for books like “75 Ways to blah”, it’s an acceptable writing structure, but this book isn’t about that, and when in comes to this cohesion, it falls flat.

Putting that aside, the different sections are far too interesting to pass up for this general lack of unity.

39.) The Person and the Situation

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Person-Situation-Perspectives-Psychology/dp/1905177445/

This book is very straightforward, but I like that about it!

It’s obviously about situational influence and the effects on our decision making process.

That being said, the authors (Gladwell is one) do a great job in demonstrating the many types of faulty logic that we are prone to in a variety of environments.

This book almost reads like one of those great textbooks that you had in college: the one’s that you actually enjoyed, even though they were supposed to be academic.

I would classify this as an introductory book, however, so keep that in mind if you are very familiar with the field.

40.) The Psychology of Attitude Change and Social Influence

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Psychology-Attitude-Change-Social-Influence/dp/0070728771/

Zimbardo is back!

If I could sum up this book in a single phrase, I would call it a “more academic Influence“.

What I mean is that the book takes a very scholarly approach to the psychology of influence, but is perhaps a little bit less practical than Cialdini’s work.

For a true academic understanding of persuasion though, this book is fantastic.

It came highly recommended from a former professor of mine, and I’m glad I picked it up.

If you enjoyed the former recommendation at all (the one that covers Zimbardo’s prison experiment), you will need to pick this up.

41.) Situations Matter

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Situations-Matter-Understanding-Context-Transforms/dp/1594488185

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book.

Considering my true role at this blog is to take interesting psychology and neuroscience research and turn it into actionable, digestible posts for marketing readers, I can appreciate when an author has a fun writing style to keep things engaging (I wish I wrote like this! ).

That being said, it’s not for everyone. The research, however, is enjoyable by academic or laymen readers alike in my humble opinion.

I’d sum the subject matter of being about the psychology of “context”, the implications are pretty powerful (for instance, “Who we love is more explained by geography, familiarity and state of mind than we realize.”)

One of those books that has a knack for getting your brain to ask intriguing questions… about itself!

42.) The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Willpower-Instinct-Self-Control-Matters/dp/1583334386/

This actually is a book that falls squarely into positive psychology, but it is, bar none, one of the best out there.

Self-control & work ethic go hand-in-hand in my opinion: many people WANT to work hard, but it’s self-control that prevents them from doing so (and let’s be frank here, everybody suffers from a lack of self-control from time to time).

If you are interested in applying psychology to improve yourself and your mind, this is the book for you.

If not, you’ll still walk away with a great understanding of how self-control works in our minds.

This book is practical, the science is sound, and the author (McGonigal) is highly recognized: I have no hesitation recommending this one.

43.) Beyond Culture

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Culture-Edward-T-Hall/dp/0385124740/

And on the other side of town… we have this book.

This book is almost the opposite: it’s not actionable in any way (that I can see), but the understanding provided by it is enormously important.

I have a lot of praise for this book in that specific regard, in the same way that I once overheard someone talking about Guns, Germs and Steel saying: “If you read that book, you’ll find it hard to be racist.”

Funny, but it makes a compelling point: we aren’t often educated on understanding others, and while GG&S looks at human evolution and human history, this book is largely concerned with cross-cultural human psyche and it’s implications on our interactions.

44.) The Tipping Point

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tipping-Point-Little-Difference/dp/0316346624

As with much of Gladwell’s work, I found this really interesting, but maybe a bit short of the hype surrounding it (there was a ton of hype, so it’s hard to approach this book with neutral anticipation).

Gladwell would suppose that there are 3 types of gifted people who are essential to “sticky” ideas: Connectors, Mavens and Salespeople.

While all of the information is great on explaining that there are critical aspects of things that become “epidemics” or “go viral”, he doesn’t really get into how that happens, just that it does.

Now, it’s not like I was looking for a “how to create a viral campaign” from this book, but the examples are lacking in that area.

Still, a highly important book, and it references the monkey sphere, so I needed to include it.

45.) The 48 Laws of Power

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Laws-Power-Robert-Greene/dp/0140280197

I can’t wait to rile up people with this choice!

This book is a great example of fantastic book marketing: the ideas in this book are sound, and as mentioned, although it is one of the books on this list that aren’t particularly ”sciencey”, the ideas discussed are often backed by REAL research elsewhere.

What the book does well in it’s marketing is that it creates this ideal that these are some secret laws for the inner Machiavelli in us all (despite that The Prince was written as satire).

The funny thing is, some of the ideas are not all that devious, it’s just smart interpersonal relationship & persuasion advice.

I’ve heard that rapper’s love this book, it’s like the book version of Scarface… yet as I mentioned, despite it’s fantastic marketing and seemingly cynical nature, it’s just really good advice on interacting with people.

I would warn that you shouldn’t let the sometimes negative messages detract your from enjoying this (don’t take an “exploitative” view of persuading people).

46.) How to Win Friends and Influence People

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/How-Win-Friends-Influence-People/dp/1439167346/

With the reach that this book has had in it’s long lifetime, it’s unlikely that you’ve never encountered it before.

In order to mix things up a bit (and since this book is so well known), I thought I might offer some fantastic insights from one of my favorite Amazon reviews of all time:

—

The advice is largely sound, but I think the reader should keep in mind the context within which this book was written… [it was] intended primarily as a companion book to Dale Carnegie’s classes on how to be a good salesman.

…these techniques work very well in the context of sales and public relations, i.e., in relationships that are not expected to be deep and/or long-lasting.

What I found most interesting was that the last chapter… was to describe those individuals with whom none of Dale Carnegie’s techniques work. In this unpublished chapter, Carnegie wrote that there were some people with whom it was impossible to get along. You either needed to divorce such people, “knock them down,” or sue them in court.

Why is that chapter absent from this book, you ask? Well, Dale Carnegie was in the middle of writing this chapter when he was offered a trip to Europe, and rather than complete this last chapter he decided to take the trip. The uncompleted book was sent off to publishers, and Carnegie shipped off to Europe.

—

Interesting stuff to consider before you dig in!

47.) Strangers to Ourselves

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Strangers-Ourselves-Discovering-Adaptive-Unconscious/dp/0674013824/

Your conscious mind isn’t always in control.

If many of these books on the brain teach you anything, it’s probably this.

This book is one of the biggest jolts in this category of understanding that concept; it’s definitely a psychology book, but the questions it brings up almost make it feel like the book was written for philosophy majors.

While it’s an “easy read”, it’s certainly challenging to the mind, I didn’t find the research as compelling as some other similar books, but the questions raised by Wilson are by far some of my favorites.

48.) Sleights of Mind

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Sleights-Mind-Neuroscience-Everyday-Deceptions/dp/0805092811/

The main issue that this book tackles is more on how we are influenced, with the author taking a very specific look at the tricks of “magic” and some related neuroscience studies.

This book therefore reads like “The Psychology of Magic”, and if that sounds interesting to you, this is a must read.

As for practicality, I would say this book is another one of those books that is about understanding, and through this understanding there are some practical applications to be had.

All that being said, to me it was damn interesting, and it’s one of the most unusual books on this list.

49.) Priceless

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/Priceless-Myth-Fair-Value-Advantage/dp/080909469X

If the notion that people are relatively rational in their choices from your economics classes always rubbed you the wrong way, then this is the book for you!

I think basic economics (and the understanding of things like utility) are a must-learn for everybody, but Priceless goes on to show that prices can be used as tools of manipulation (surprise!) and that we are rarely in control when we try to objectively evaluate pricing.

The later sections of the book that include the real-world examples are by far my favorite, the first few sections are entirely different, so if you give this book a go, be sure to get through it all of the way.

50.) The Invisible Gorilla (How Our Intuitions Deceive Us)

Buy the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Invisible-Gorilla-Intuitions-Deceive/dp/0307459667/

Before reading this book, watch this video and count how many times the players in the white shirts pass the basketball:

Go on, I’ll wait…

…

…

…

(spacing done for the book’s alignment to the right)

How many did you count?

…

That’s the study that the book gets it’s name from, and it looks at how we often have massive illusions about our attention. Even if the study didn’t “get you”, you’ll still enjoy the book, I promise! (If the study did get you, you’ll love it even more).

Over To You…

First of all, thanks for stopping by and for reading my post! I hope you found this list of books useful.

A humble reminder: The list was compiled based off of a large scope (social psychology, persuasion, understanding one’s mind), and it was also not limited to strictly scientific books so that it could be enjoyed by a wide variety of people (some pop-psych is obviously going to be prevalent in a list like this).

Other than that, feel free to recommend any other good social psychology books on your bookshelf!

If you’re interested in some of the deeper stuff out there, feel free to shoot me an email, it mostly comes to me in the form of research papers (not full books), but I’m always glad to share.

Thanks for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

Post image by WFF

If you want to get in touch with influential people (aka: BUSY people), you need to know how to email them.

Despite the buzz around social media, far more people use email to communicate than any other online medium¹, and business today still gets done over email, not through tweets.

Today, I’m going to show you the elements of the PERFECT outreach email, and how you email busy people the right way in order to make things happen.

You’ll also get exact scripts and email screenshots to journalists that landed me big features (worth 200,000+ hits). That said, let’s dig in!

Why This is Important to Know

Knowing how to write outreach emails might seem like a “no-brainer” or maybe even an unnecessary skill to have, but I can assure you the opposite, on both accounts.

If you’re serious about networking and building your platform/personal brand, you MUST know how to email important people, and important people are busy people.

You can’t rely on random encounters to get in touch with people who can help your business flourish; while it may happen once in a while, the rest of the time it’s up to you.

Due to the fact that “tweeting” is so impersonal and a cold phone call is so annoying, email is the ideal platform for reaching out, yet for busy people, even their inbox is something that is viewed as a “task”, meaning they want to get in and out as quickly as possible.

You’ll see more specific case studies below, but just know that understanding how to properly email people is a skill that sets you apart from others (trust me, I’ve received some truly awful emails) and is essential for making things happen with influencers.

¹ Study by Ipsos, 85% of internet users use email, vs. 62% who use social networking

Avoiding the Dreaded Trash Bin (“Bin-bound” Outreach)

The world revolves around me. Me, me, me. My favorite person: Me.

I don’t want email from you. I don’t want junk mail from you. I want me-mail.

— Seth Godin

Before we get into how to get busy people to actually read your emails, we need to tackle phase 1: you must understand how to avoid the trash bin.

When deciding whether to read or delete an email, our brains go through this common evaluation process:

1. Who is emailing me (and is this spam)?
2. What do they want?
3. How long will this take?

Getting a “pass” on all 3 of these can be tougher than it looks, especially for busy people. Luckily, I have a 3-step technique to avoid the trash bin.

We’ll be getting into a bunch of named techniques in this post, so why not start now .

I call it the 3-B plan, and I always double-check my emails to make sure they follow the guidelines below, and I’ve been able to get some fantastic response rates.

If you want to get yourself heard, be sure to follow these guidelines…

1.) Brevity

If there is one thing that busy people value above all else, it’s brevity.

If you were receiving upwards of 50-100 emails per day, or had so many obligations that you were only left with a short amount of time to check email, it’d be easy to see why.

In order to get your messages read ASAP, it’s best to make sure your opening email follows my ASAP rule: as short as possible.

I wouldn’t put a set limit on email length, because it’s a case by case basis. The important thing to remember is to always edit your emails at least once to trim unnecessary information, people don’t need your enthralling life story over email, they just need “Who, what, why” so they can get back to business.

2.) Blunt

Being blunt doesn’t mean not being persuasive, it simply means getting to the point without trying to be clever. Stories & jokes are essential for other forms of writing, but NOT for emails.

Emails are all business and you should treat them as such. Get to the incentive on why the other person should respond right away.

If possible, list a number in the title to signal commitment time (Ex: “3 quick questions”) and state exactly what the email is about in the subject line.

3.) Basic

I sometimes am in disbelief that this one needs to be said, but it’s so true.

I’ve had emails where people send what looks like a newsletter, emails with tons of images in them (so I have to click “display images” to even read it) and emails with a DOZEN attachments when it’s their first time emailing me…

Keep it simple, stupid.

How to Get People to Read Your Emails [1-3]

The above was “pre-game” in our email strategy, now it’s time to get into how to actually write the perfect outreach email, the kind that gets read all the way through and gets people to take action!

Part of me has always a vague template in mind when writing my outreach emails, but it was only recently that an awesome post by Matt Gratt put these strategies into an easy-to-remember formula.

Now I always craft my emails to make sure they follow the 3 P’s of a great outreach email: personalized, positioned, and persuasive.

Here’s how you can do the same…

1.) Personalized

Nothing makes me feel quite so loved like an automatically generated message from “DO-NOT-REPLY”.

Similarly, none of us (but especially busy people) like getting robotic emails that just ooze, “I mass emailed this to a ton of people because I’m a jerk.”

Even if you’re sending personally written emails, if you aren’t keeping certain important elements in mind, they can come off as impersonal and will quickly find their way to a busy person’s trash folder.

How can you craft a personal email when reaching out to somebody you haven’t met in person, without coming off like a sleeze?

a.) Do your homework

If you are going to be the one to reach out to someone, even if they have something to gain, it’s your job to at least know a little about them. This is an ideal rule for reaching out to anybody (to show you value their time), but it’s especially important when reaching out to busy people.

This part cannot be skipped because it’s an essential element of your email’s “opener” (more on that later) and establishes some context as to why you’re reaching out to this person.

b.) Know their network

When you know about someone’s network, you’ll have a past reference to act as an icebreaker whenever you have to send a “cold” email (well, that metaphor lined up nicely ).

Social networks finally get some mileage here: check out mutual connections and if possible, send out an email to someone you both know before trying to contact said influential person.

c.) Use their name!

Honestly, if you can’t take the time to find out even a single name or personal contact, you’re probably sending the wrong email!

2.) Positioned

Whenever you’re sending out an email to an influencer, positioning is critical, especially if you’re asking for something (which you shouldn’t be in the first email you send them).

As an example, when I was doing outreach for my recent infographic (and infographic outreach is an area HATED by many people), I wanted to get featured on social media blogs, because they tend to have strong domains and generate a lot of shares.

The thing is, the content in the graphic is focused on customer service.

To circumvent this problem, I sent out emails that highlighted how important social media has become in providing great service, with many companies having fully staffed Twitter accounts to handle customer requests and complaints on the platform.

This created an “affinity” with my content to their unique selling proposition, showing them how my content related to what they talk about. Doing this, I was able to get featured on a slew of sites, all because it was positioned for them.

I also didn’t outright ask for a link, I just sent an email that described some of the research + content, and asked if they wanted to check it out.

If they said “Yes” to that first email, I knew the likelihood was high that they’d love the infographic, and I didn’t have to resort to, Please share my infographic!, types of emails.

3.) Persuasive

Let me lay this out a bluntly as possible…

You should never beg in an outreach email, and should rarely say “please”.

“Alright, time to go start demanding things I don’t deserve!”

Not so fast there tiger, the idea behind this is not to be pushy, but to reach out to someone with a PERSUASIVE reason as to why your message is worth their time.

A great breakdown of this rule in non-email terms comes from the 48 Laws of Power, one of my favorite books. It states that you should never be in a position to outright ask for something, it’s better to outreach with a mutually beneficial opportunity, because people are looking out for themselves, NOT YOU.

(Utility doesn’t always have to be in a monetary sense: they don’t have to be making big dollars from your pitch to want to help you, they just need to get something they want out of it.)

Let’s break down a very specific example. Here’s the exact email I sent to a Lifehacker editor where I’ve now been featured twice and have accumulated over 200,000+ views:

You’ll see that I referenced a past post that Tessa had published from a mutual connection of ours and then spent the rest of my email emphasizing how well that post did, and how mine would perform just as well (the persuasive angle).

Not long after:

BOOM!

My follow-up was a bit lacking, but I did at least emphasize that I’d love to be back (which I later was).

When you’re getting results like this from a 5-minute email:

…it becomes apparent just how important this email outreach stuff is.

What’s in it for them to open, read, and respond to your email and/or request?

In instances where you truly have nothing to offer someone, just be genuine: many of these steps are for when emails have a specific end goal in mind, but if you’re just looking to connect for the first time, cite something of theirs that you enjoyed. Your goal is allowed to just be, “get in touch.”

Last but not least, remember: One email, one desired outcome.

If you’re asking for 2+ things, you’re really asking for ZERO things, because no busy person is going to have time for that. One goal at a time.

The 6 Elements of the Perfect Email [4-9]

While the 3 P’s are great guidelines, in order to create winning emails on a regular basis, you need a script.

I love scripts because they give you enough flexibility to personalize certain aspects, but also provide a blueprint that you can refer to every time you need to get down to business.

Since this is the case, I’ve taken the time (gettin’ nerdy, I’ve even kept spreadsheets!) to track my email outreach extensively, and I’ve come up with 6 elements that are essential for crafting the perfect email… the kind of email that gets things done.

1.) The straightforward subject

Email subject lines should be as direct as possible.

“You’ll enjoy this new diet research”, works…

“Thought you might like this…” … does not.

Similarly, asking for “3 quick interview questions” is more likely to get opened than, “I thought we might do an interview…”.

Quantify the time commitment if it’s small, state EXACTLY why they will enjoy what’s inside (remember to do your homework on the person it’s being sent to), and don’t try to be mysterious in the subject line, that’s a red flag for spam or deletion.

2.) The brief + personal greeting

The most important thing to remember about the greeting is keeping things short, sweet, and using the person’s name.

Recent research studying brain activation shows that our brains light up when we hear (or read) our own name, and we’re more likely to pay attention to the message at hand.

This obviously has less of an impact on busy people, but it still works in a universal sense.

3.) The genuine context

Remember our number 2 question that busy people ask when reading a new email? (“What do they want?”) This is your time to not only establish the context in which you know this person, but to also explain your reasoning with sincere praise.

Starting an email out like this: “Hey Greg! I need these 3 things done…” is a bad way to go about it… unless you’re someone in my family, in which case you probably will just call and yell that instead.

Even something simple like:

Hey [blank]!

I’m Greg Ciotti from Help Scout, I love what you’ve been doing on the _____ blog, that recent post on _____ was killer stuff, I’ve implemented a lot of your advice in my project.

Not only do you find out who I am and how I know you, but I’m also displaying (without being a suck-up) why I’m reaching out to you in particular: I admire something that you’ve done.

You will ideally be reaching out to people you respect anyway, so laying on a sincere compliment is not a salesman tactic, it’s just you being genuine (and at the same time, persuasive).

4.) The desired goal

This is where you get down to business: concisely stating why you’ve sent the email you’ve sent (remember that the “why” can just be that you were looking to connect).

The goal can obviously be all over the place, but when you’re asking for a specific favor (remember, intro emails WITHOUT favors are often a good idea), be sure to get right to the point.

Since I do a lot of content outreach specifically, here’s another example of me emailing Derek Sivers (who sold CDBaby for $20 million) on a customer service piece I did:

I made the mistake of sending the link in the first email (d’oh!), but he got back to me the next day, shared the post, and it took off with ZERO other outreach to reach thousands of visitors.

5.) The persuasive pitch

This section really goes hand-in-hand with the goal, and is often interwoven.

While I often reference content outreach examples (since that’s what I do), the specifics don’t matter, the important thing here is to craft a persuasive pitch via one of two options:

1. State why it will be beneficial for them. Since I had nothing to offer Derek personally, the benefit was hinted at subtlety: he would get to see advice of his being implemented by a fan. Influencers enjoy seeing that they’ve left an impact.
2. Simple praise. If you truly have no angle to frame some sort of benefit, just remember to thank the person for their time.

As I’ve mentioned, I avoid the word “please” like the plague.

It’s better to focus on the ways your email will offer something for them (again, even something simple like, “I thought you might enjoy reading this, since you’ve already covered…”, works quite well) and to reference what you bring to the table, rather than seeming desperate.

The secret to a great pitch is the perceived time investment vs. reward: make the request simple and painless by doing any extra legwork and spend an ample amount of time highlighting the opportunity.

6.) The close (signature)

Email signatures done wrong: 8,000 social media buttons and a logo of your company.

Signatures done right: your name, position (occupation), and your personal website. Please tell me you have a personal website! If not, get one. Also fine to use a company site here, so people can find out more about what you do.

Keep it basic, it’s about letting people know who you are and where they can find out a little more about you, not everything about you.

Subtle Tweaks That Go A LONG Way

I typically hate anything labeled as “tricks”, because it’s usually stuff that focuses on things too minute to matter.

When it comes to email though, short emails work, so minor changes can go a long way (the shorter email you write, the bigger impact each change has).

With that in mind, here are a couple of tweaks that I’ve seen go a long way when emailing people.

a.) Use inviting language

Which of these examples sounds more inviting?

• Hey, I’d love it if we could do a quick interview sometime soon on your new project.
• Hey. I want to do an interview with you on your new project by this Friday.

This is where being TOO blunt can get you in trouble: you won’t take the time to use inviting language.

Use we instead of you, be friendly, emphasize time but not in the context of making the recipient feel rushed.

b.) Timing matters big time

This ties into doing your homework, discussed above.

In my experience, hitting those peak “email checking” times is key, because your message will come in and get tackled (and be at the top of their inbox).

I tend to favor emails on Tuesday morning, Monday is usually a rough day, but I don’t like sending things too late in the week if I can reasonably anticipate a response in the same week.

If you really need close tracking on your emails (times sent, open rates, etc), I highly recommend checking out Tout or Yesware.

c.) Don’t expect anything

When writing these emails, it can be easy to over-analyze every little aspect and hinge some emotions on the person’s response (kind of ironic to say this after a 3000 word post on emailing people, huh? ).

The key to being consistently good with email outreach is to not let a lack of responses (or negative responses) to cold emails get you down. Tracking progress and improving is essential, but you’re going to get some people who just can’t back to you, or maybe missed your email (don’t be afraid to follow up ONCE afterward), or some folks who just don’t care about what you sent!

It’s okay, long term, doing smart outreach through email is going to help you build the connections long before you need them, so don’t be afraid to fail or get hung up when you get a “No.” response every now and then.

Your Turn

It’s that time again: time for you to do work!

• Let me know what you thought about these tactics & examples.
• Do you have any other tips on emailing busy people?

Thanks for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

Images by Daniela Alves, Ramotion, Michael Spitz, Benjamin Garner

The web is a busy place… it’s become tough to get noticed

I think that’s why so many folks have become obsessed with the idea of “viral” content.

When something takes off, it’s fun to watch… but are there any commonalities between those things that seem to take-over the internet for a short while?

There’s got to be… right?

Luckily, you no longer have to guess, because today, I have the research that will show you.

How To Push People’s Buttons

I’ve just finished re-reading the book Buzz Marketing, authored by a guy named Mark Hughes.

Mark was known as the VP of marketing for Half.com back in the day, and was famous for… get this, convincing the town of Halfway, Oregon to rename itself Half.com!

Yes, he got a town to agree to name itself after a website.

Apparently, this guy knows a thing or two about creating buzz!

In his book, he outlines the six buttons he’s found in his marketing research and experience that always seem to get people fired up, when presented in the right way.

Today I’d like to discuss how that applies to creating content that gets shared, because once you nail that down, you’ve conquered a huge part of the audience building process.

Ready?

The 6 Buttons You Need To Push

No matter what kind of content you are creating, or the niche that you’re in, Mark defines these buttons as ones that are proven topics that people talk about. (Please don’t give me that, ‘This won’t work for my niche!’, nonsense)

The six buttons are as follows:

1. Taboo
2. Unusual
3. Outrageous
4. Hilarious
5. Remarkable
6. Secrets

Okay, so there they are, now go out and create content like this and thank me later! …

…

Nah, I’m not going to leave you hanging, let’s dive into what exactly these content types are, and throw in a few examples to boot.

Because cats are the most viral thing on the internet, I’ve decided to capture each “button to be pushed” in cat form.

1.) Taboo Content

Definition: Labeled by a society as improper, unacceptable, prohibited, or profane.

Yowza!

One thing I’d like to mention right away when it comes to producing taboo content is to remember that the term “society” in it’s definition can replaced by a much better description of “community” when it comes to talking about content online.

Therefore, creating content that the community sees as improper, etc etc.

Sometimes, it’s just combining the profane with something seemingly mundane.

I have a pretty hilarious example to showcase this.

Ready?

If you’re struggling to find something to make for dinner (mundane), why not try WHAT THE FUCK SHOULD I MAKE FOR DINNER? (profane).

Sex, lies, and bathroom humor, all words used to define this type of content, and a surefire way to get people talking.

2.) Unusual Content

Definition: Not usual, common, or ordinary; uncommon in amount or degree; exceptional.

I’ve also mentioned how it’s good to be unusual in terms of how your content is positioned, but I want to take a second here to address an issue that I believes trips a lot of people up.

Unusual doesn’t have to be completely new, it just has to be uncommon enough to leave an impression.

That being said, there’s nothing like some novelty.

I would call Hughe’s effort to get a town to rename themselves after a website quite unusual, but the novelty in the act served as an amazing example of buzz marketing.

Unusual content is the “Did you hear about…” kind of content, something about the presentation or the information makes people do a double-take, and therefore gets them to talk.

3.) Outrageous Content

Definition: Passing reasonable bounds, shocking, unconventional, extravagant.

This is the kind of content that isn’t necessarily shocking to one’s morals, but shocking to one’s previous experiences.

The kind of content that makes you actually speak to your screen, even if you’re all alone in your room: “What the…?”

It doesn’t always have to invoke anger, but it often does.

Sometimes it just invokes excitement, as in: “I can’t believe they are doing that!”

Outrageous content often works well both hilarious content and remarkable content, you’ll notice that an extra “spice” is always added to big projects that already contain an awesome endeavor.

Take Fit 2 Fat 2 Fit, the online tale of a personal fitness model who purposefully let himself get fat, so that he could show how to get fit again.

Pretty outrageous, and it’s certainly a “buzz worthy” take on the personal fitness site.

Do you have to resort to such extremes yourself?

No, but imagine covering stories like that on your blog, the ‘outrageousness’ of the story is enough to generate interest, even if it isn’t you.

4.) Hilarious Content

Definition: Arousing great merriment; funny.

I chose the above definition because it was slightly funny to me.

But seriously, I’m now defining the purpose of all of my future posts as to, “Arouse great merriment”!

Anyway… hilarious content is almost always better teamed up with another “button pusher” (aren’t all of these better paired up? I think so).

For comedians, the “outrageous + hilarious” has worked since the beginning of the profession, throw in some “taboo” and you’ll likely have a star if their jokes are actually funny.

You have to watch with humor though, make sure it fits your actual personality and it’s not coming off as forced, as that will push some buttons, but in the completely wrong way.

5.) Remarkable Content

Definition: Notable, extraordinary, worthy of notice or attention.

That’s what I’m talking about!

The easiest kind of content to define, and yet, oftentimes the most “difficult” (at least in work & time involved) to create.

Remarkable is generally a combination of creativity, execution, and intrinsic value to the reader.

Something that truly adds value to the readers day (or even life), but that’s also presented in a way that few others have dared to pursue.

Again, you have to realize that this don’t have to be personal life experiences, you can cover remarkable happenings, and with incredible writing made for a web audience, come out in the end with a truly remarkable article.

6.) Secret Content

Definition: Kept from the knowledge of any but the initiated or privileged.

I absolutely love the above definition, because I feel like definition of secret is PERFECT for describing the type of “secret” content that gets people really fired up.

The thing is, it doesn’t really have to be an absolutely ground-breaking secret or totally unheard of.

As an example, take this very post you are reading.

It was inspired by the content in a fairly popular book, but had you ever heard of it before? If you hadn’t read the book yourself (and I assumed many bloggers hadn’t), you would never have known about a lot of what I discussed here today.

I was able to reveal a secret to you because it was new to you, my “initiated and privileged” audience.

I tend to focus on this type often on this blog, especially on my posts that specifically relate to psychology (like this one), because the information often comes across as “secret” to the many readers who haven’t heard of it before.

“But Wait, There’s More!”

The cheesy marketing voice is a must for the above headline.

If you’ve been browsing the blogosphere recently, you might have seen some “buzz” around Jonah Berger’s piece for the Wharton School of Business called “What Makes Online Content Viral?” (Co-authored with Katherine Milkman).

In the study, they go over many aspects of a piece of content’s potential virility, including positioning on homepages and the like.

The real meat here, however, is their results on the style of the content that goes viral.

Their conclusions suggest the following:

1. Content that evokes an emotional response is MUCH more likely to go viral
2. Positive content performs better than negative content
3. Articles viewed as “practically useful” often performed very well

Number 2 is probably the biggest surprise on that list, but it’s good to have this information tied down to some actual research.

The other big aspect of this study is that Berger & Milkman include the types of emotions that incite viral content.

That means they dug into some of the emotional responses that created the most viral content, and they found the following to be the most effective…

(PS: You’ll notice some overlap with the buzz-marketing content types above, and that’s a good thing, because we have confirmation from two different sources on content that consistently gets people’s attention)

1.) The Emotion of Awe

Headline examples from the study:

• Rare Treatment Is Reported to Cure AIDS Patient
• The Promise and Power of RNA

These headlines speak volumes about the types of content that evoke this response.

Exhaustive content, an article in the form of a real-life story (experienced or just covered by you), or a solution to a nagging problem that readers thought they’d never find a solution for fits the bill here.

Content that is just “too good to be true”, you’ll see how effective it is if you pick up any newspaper.

2.) The Emotion of Anger

Headline examples from the study:

• What Red Ink? Wallstreet Paid Hefty Bonuses
• Loan Titans Paid McCain Adviser Nearly $2 Million

You’ll notice how the headlines above seek to invoke a sense of disbelief in the reader before they’ve even clicked through.

That’s the power of invoking anger.

When you relay a message that makes people mad, they will want justice, they will also want their voice to be heard.

This kind of content goes viral because people will go out of their way to leave a remark (in the forms of shares & blog posts as well).

Just don’t go around pissing people off all the time!

3.) The Emotion of Surprise

Headline examples from the study:

• Passion for Food Adjusts to a Fit Passion for Running
• Pecking, but No Order, on Streets of East Harlem (story about a bunch of chickens running around Harlem!)

Surprise can be one of the most powerful forms of content to create, if only because you can use it more often than the others.

“Awe” and “anger” both evoke strong emotional responses, but would you really want to go to a site that constantly has you in awe or in anger?

I don’t think so.

On the flip side, would you like a site that surprises you with every post?

I think you get my point!

4.) The Emotion of Anxiety/Fear

Headline examples from the study:

• For Stocks, Worse Single-Day Drop in Two Decades
• Home Prices Seem Far from Bottom

People hate losing things they already have, even more than they hate missing out on potentially winning things.

That’s the science behind the psychological process of loss aversion, which is described as:

…people’s tendency to strongly prefer avoiding losses to acquiring gains. Some studies suggest that losses are twice as powerful, psychologically, as gains.

You don’t have to tell people the world is falling down, you just have to have your headline convince potential readers that they could be losing out BIG, but you have the way to fix things.

5.) The Emotion of Joy

Headline examples from the study:

• Wide-Eyed New Arrivals Falling in Love with the City
• Tony Award for Philanthropy

Surprising enough, people still like to hear about good things happening to people other than themselves!

Joy is often best used in personal story or tale that aims to connect with readers.

Joy involves things as lofty as triumph, or it can just be about making people feel good.

Funny, inspiring, uplifting, just put a smile on their face at the end of it.

6.) The Emotion of Lust

Headline example from the study:

• Love, Sex, and the Changing Landscape of Infidelity

This one wasn’t directly featured in the study, but I think the crossover isn’t too far of a reach.

The thing is, people can lust over more than just sex.

Money, feeling attractive, success, the name of the game here is tantalizing people with results.

Case studies often do this well, as they present “lustful” results (“Damn, I wish I had those results!”) while maintaining a ‘non-braggart’ demeanor.

Otherwise, sell potential, and you’ll have readers lusting.

How Does 1,000,000+ Shares Sound? (Example)

“Oh Greg, you so crazy.”

Am I?

This article, entitled 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy, currently sits at over 1.2 million shares.

Outside of pushing buttons, we see that this post is a list post, which isn’t surprising.

Where the author seeks to get emotion out of readers is through the headline and the style/substance of the content.

Personally, I would say that the post pushes the following buttons:

1. Unusual
2. Remarkable
3. Secret

And that it also invokes the following emotions from readers:

1. Joy
2. Anxiety
3. Surprise (maybe even Awe)

You’ll notice that it touches on a few of the “buzz” principles discussed in the beginning of the post, and brings out a few emotions talked about later in the post (and covered in the study on virility).

All great posts will do this; it’s not about nailing down a single angle, you often will have to push a few buttons to get people talking.

This post certainly does that, and although it can be seen as “yet another” life-tips post, the style of the content and the way it really puts readers in an uncomfortable position (and then rewards them for reading) leaves this post as a memorable experience.

Will it Work when Writing for Someone Else?

Absolutely!

In fact, since you’re on someone else’s (presumably) more popular site, you have the opportunity to stir up some buzz for yourself with a much bigger audience than your own site.

One of my favorite examples?

Check out Jon Morrow’s guest article on why he wishes he didn’t get A’s in college.

He leveraged the opportunity of guest posting to appear on Penelope Trunk’s blog (a very popular career development site) and decided to address the importance of networking and getting “real” work experience in college over getting good grades.

The thing was, Jon is a master headline writer, and he positioned his post to be a little taboo & outrageous (“Why the hell would anyone NOT want to get straight A’s?”) to push some buttons.

With over 5,000 ‘Likes’, I think it’s safe to say he pushed quite a few, and yet also managed to deliver with content as well, providing solid information on why great grades aren’t the entirety of the college experience.

Over To You

I only have one question today: how are you going to push some buttons in your writing?

Thanks for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

Social proof is powerful stuff.

So powerful, in fact, that is was largely responsible for the biggest cult suicide in history.

As scary as that sounds, social proof can also be used for good, convincing people to take positive actions for themselves by dissuading their doubts.

Both will be addressed today in the very first Sparring Mind podcast, so stop reading and start listening!

The Power of Social Proof

Download the podcast here.

Want to embed this audio on your own site? Click here.

So, what are we talking about today? Well… a whole lot of stuff.

1. How a hotel got more people to recycle towels (saving a ton of money) with social proof
2. How your church is tricking you into giving bigger donations
3. Why a suicide cult is the ultimate example of the power of social proof

After those crazy stories, we’re going to get into how to apply social proof to your blog or website.

Specifically, we’ll talk about using social proof in the form of:

1. Numbers, and the power of large groups
2. Features, or the effect that guest posting has outside of traffic & links
3. Quotes, or how kind words can sway people at the last second

I really hope you all enjoy this one, please excuse my sickly voice, I had to record while sick (had the flu last week, yuuuuuuuuuuck )

References

• Influence by Robert Cialdini (aff)
• The study on the towels in hotels & the energy flyers

Thanks for stopping by, please share this post if you enjoyed it.

When it comes to converting more customers…

The “secret” to more sales is as simple as understanding just what your buyer wants (and expects) from your business.

We are all different, but in many instances our brains are prone to react in a similar manner.

Understanding these subtleties in the human mind can help your business find creative ways to ethically move more buyers towards saying “Yes!” to your products or services.

Below are 10 studies that reveal such insights into the minds of your customers.

Let’s dig in!

Lights, Camera, Action (the Visual Version)

I’ve got an awesome visual version of this post, as it’s a big project we’ve been working on over at Help Scout, and our designer Jared basically knocked this out of the park.

Check it out below:

The Breakdown (For You Readers!)

If you want a more in-depth breakdown, you can download the complete e-book version (with detailed analysis of each study) by clicking right here.

If you’re looking for the gist of each study, read below for more details on the research cited in the infographic above.

If you loved this graphic, be sure to check out more of my resources over at Help Scout! Many of them have to do with getting inside of the heads of your customers and creating amazing loyal brand advocates, so enjoy!

1.) Setting Minimums Helps Customers Break Through Action Paralysis

We all know the small things make a big difference when it comes to copywriting.

Interesting research by Robert Cialdini examined the donation process of the American Cancer Society, and how a minute change delivered drastically different results.

It also reveals why it’s important to analyze why people say “no”, rather than always looking at why they say “yes.”

Researchers tested the phrase used to end door-to-door donation requests, splitting the test between two different varieties:

1. “Would you be willing to help by giving a donation? Every penny will help.”
2. “Would you be willing to help by giving a donation?”

Subtle difference, right?

The wording may be subtle, but the results were drastic.

People who were asked the second line were almost TWICE as likely to donate:

The researchers concluded…

People may ask themselves if they have “enough” to donate and whether it will make a difference.

By clarifying that “even a penny” could make a difference, the second line makes request more approachable for those interested in donating.

2.) Create Better Brand Engagement by Labeling Customers

You might think I’m referring to brand labels, but far from it. I’m telling you to label your customers!

Sounds like bad advice, right? WRONG! If you’re looking to increase customer retention and build brand loyalty, you better listen up.

Research has shown us that people like being labeled, and they are more inclined to participate in the “group’s” message if they feel included.

The study examined the voting patterns of adults to see if labeling them had any effect on their turnout at the polls.

After being casually questioned about their regular voting patterns, half of the participants were told that they were much more likely to vote since they had been deemed by the researchers to be more politically active.

(This wasn’t actually true, these people were selected at random)

The other half of the participants weren’t told anything, they were just asked to describe their voting patterns.

Despite this random selection, the group that was told they were “politically active” had a 15% higher actual turnout than the other group!

Our brain seeks to maintain a sense of consistency (even if it’s artificial), and this is why the foot-in-the-door technique works so well even on
prepared minds.

Keep this in mind if you find yourself afraid to label customers: labels can be associated with a positive trait as well.

3.) Learn How to Sell to Your 3 Types of Buyers

No matter what industry you operate in, you are going to have to deal with the 3 types of buyers out there, defined by the ‘pain’ they experience when purchasing something.

Neuroscientists have literally defined human spending patterns as a process of “spend ‘til it hurts!”, so understanding these different levels of pain points is essential to maximizing your potential sales.

Guess which group is the hardest to sell to?

Since they take up nearly a quarter of your potential customers, you should learn some of the smart techniques to minimize buying pain for your “tightwad” customers.

Fortunately, the secret boils down to utilizing well written copy that appeals to their apprehensive nature. According to some remarkable neuroimaging studies, minimizing buying pain for “tightwads” (and everybody else) can be accomplished successfully by incorporating the following strategies…

1. Re-framing value

If you see a product that costs $1,000 per year, you’d definitely approach with a little caution, right?

Right! That’s because $1,000/year isn’t peanuts. To make matters worse, it seems like a HUGE amount of money for conservative spenders.

What if the product was instead just $84 per month instead? Not bad, right?

The thing is, $84/month is the same as $1000/year!

While this re-framing method is effective for buyers of all types, it is most effective when targeting conservative spenders.

If you’re offering something that has a recurring cost or that can be broken down into smaller increments, be sure to investigate how you can utilize this information in your pricing model.

2. Reduce pain points with bundling

Neuroeconomics expert George Loewenstein has noted that all customers (especially conservative spenders) prefer to complete their purchase in one easy, effective swoop rather than purchase multiple accessories separately.

He cites our willingness to upgrade car packages all at once, but points out how difficult it often is for the brain to justify each individual upgrade  (“Yes, I will pay extra for navigation… and heated seats… and…”, etc).

These individual purchases create individual pain points, whereas a bundled purchase creates only one pain point, even if the price is much greater.

Loewenstein’s research shows why many customers are willing to pay more for complete bundles rather than chasing down individual products and accessories: not only is it less of a hassle, but it also results in fewer purchase pain points.

3. Sweat the small stuff

We all know that “don’t sweat the small stuff” isn’t all that applicable to crafting effective copy, but how small of a change matters?

One of the goofiest conversion bumps ever is a study done by Carnegie Mellon University, revealing the impact of a single word on conversion rates.

Researchers changed the description of an overnight shipping charge on a free DVD trial offer from “a $5 fee” to “a small $5 fee” and increased the response rate among tightwads by 20 percent!

Has the word “small” ever felt so big? With a single word bumping up conversion rates by that amount, it’s safe to say that when crafting copy for conservative spenders, the devil is in the details.

4.) Admit to Shortcomings in Order to Highlight Your Strengths

Is it ever a good idea to admit to your faults? After all, people don’t want the “real” you, right?

Research from social psychologist Fiona Lee suggests that admitting shortcomings is a great way to simultaneously highlight your strengths.

The study aimed to measure the effects of admitting to missteps and faults, and how these would affect stock prices.

Lee and her colleagues had experimenters read one of two fictitious company reports.

(Both reports listed reasons why the company had performed poorly last year)

• The first report placed emphasis on strategic decisions.
• The second placed emphasis on external events.

The test subjects viewed the first company far more favorably than the second.

Admitting to shortcomings in areas like strategic thinking showcased that the company was still in control, despite their faults.

Interestingly, Lee found (after examining hundreds of these types of statements, over 14 real companies) that the companies who admitted to their strategic faults also had higher stock prices the following year.

When blaming external forces (even if they happened to be true), companies gave skeptics a reason to view them as not having the ability to fix the problem, in addition to the fact that they may just be making excuses.

5.) Implement Urgency… the Smart Way!

Creating a sense of urgency in your copy is one of the oldest tricks in the book… and still one of the smartest.

To top it off, Cialdini notes “scarcity” as one of the 6 pillars of influence and it’s easy to see why: great demand leads to great sales.

The following research explains why urgency can completely backfire on you and ruin your meticulously written sales copy.

How can this be? More importantly, how can you prevent it from happening to you?

The research comes to us from a classic study by Howard Leventhal where he analyzed the effects of handing out tetanus brochures to subjects.

Leventhal conducted the study by handing out 2 different pamphlets, both sparing no detail on the horrid effects that the tetanus disease can have on the body.

Those who had the second pamphlet (with the sparse follow-up info) were much more likely to take-action: the rate that they followed through to get vaccinated was superior to the first group by nearly 25%.

The results were clear:

Invoking urgency only had a noticeable effect when follow-up instructions were given.

Those who received the follow-up info were also more engaged with the pamphlet as a whole, being able to recall much more specific information from the packet than other participants.

Why?

Even though the follow-up information provided in the second pamphlet wasn’t at all comprehensive, Leventhal was able to show that our minds are susceptible to blocking out information that evokes a sense of urgency if there aren’t any instructions on what to do next.

6.) Appeal to Human Nature and the Need for Immediate Satisfaction

There are few things our brains love more than immediate stimulation.

As a matter of fact, research has shown that instant gratification is such a powerful force that an ability to control against it is a great indicator of achieving success.

Wow!

In terms of your customers, you’re actually looking to do the opposite:

Customers feel instant gratification when they’re rewarded by doing business with you.

Several Magnetic Resonance Imaging  (MRI) studies, including one on nicotine addiction, have shown that our frontal cortex is highly active when we think about “waiting” for something.

On the other hand, our mid-brain is the one that lights up when we think about receiving something right away (and that’s the one we want to fire up!).

Researchers have noted that the key to words like instantly, immediately, and fast allow us to envision our problem being solved right away.

Whatever pain point we are seeking to fix by purchasing something becomes far becomes more enticing if we know our dilemma will be solved instantly.

7.) Don’t Be Afraid to Make an Enemy

In the business world, meaningful connections are paramount to your success.

After all, who you know is often as important as what you know.

Networking is certainly important, but that being said, you still need an enemy.

Why? When could this ever be a good thing?

Turns out, it’s a great thing if you’re looking to achieve a cult-like addiction to your brand.

In a highly controversial study entitled Social categorization and intergroup behaviour, social psychologist Henri Tajifel began his research trying to define just how human beings were able to commit acts of mass hatred and discrimination.

(He cited the Holocaust as a haunting example)

In the tests, subjects were asked to choose between  two objects or people that they had no relation or connection with: one example asked participants to pick  between two painters with meaningless differences.

They were later divided into groups by these choices.

Tajifel found that he could create groups of people that would show loyalty to their supposed “in-group” and outright discriminate against outsiders… all with the most trivial of distinctions!

Despite these trivialities, when it came time to dole out REAL rewards, subjects had a huge bias towards those peers in their in-group and discriminated against handing out rewards to the so-called “other guys”.

Sounds an awful lot like big companies going toe-to-toe, doesn’t it?

Like the Mac vs. PC commercials or Miller Lite taking potshots at un-manly light beers.

Creating a unique selling proposition is as much about defining who your ideal customers are not as it is about defining who they are.

8.) Stand for Something that Customers Support

Above I talked about the importance of exclusion, but what about including those ideal customers?

People do care about being included with a brand’s message, but only when they share the same values. In fact, for those who’ve stated that they have a strong relationship with a single brand, over 64% said it was because they had “shared values” with the company in question.

Does your brand stand for something?

According to findings from the CEB, people don’t seem to be very loyal to companies at all.

They are loyal to what the company stands for.

One great example is Tom’s Shoes, a brand that many would claim shows the “real deal” when it comes to making legitimate stands about their beliefs and company ideals outside of their business of selling shoes.

In a particular example, Tom’s sends a pair of shoes to those in need for every shoe sold, and important aspect for their rabidly loyal customer base.

One doesn’t create a similar loyal customer base by “tacking on” a stance just for marketing’s sake.

9.) Create Persuasive Arguments by Playing Devil’s Advocate

Are you familiar with how the term “devil’s advocate” came to exist?

It’s actually from an old process the Catholic church used to conduct when canonizing someone into sainthood.

A lawyer of sorts was instructed to be the devil’s advocate for those being inducted as a saint, and their job was to find reasons and arguments that showcased why this person should not become a saint, in order to create a more objective canonization process.

The marketing world has an important lesson to learn from this process.

According to research by social psychologist Charlan Nemeth (and his colleagues), the role of devil’s advocate certainly plays a part in persuasion, but it is not one of creating true dissent!

What they found was that TRUE dissenters did have a meaningful impact when trying to persuade a majority group to different perspective.

When people are confronted with someone who truly appears to oppose their position, they begin to try to understand their point-of-view.

Those playing devil’s advocate?

They actually increase the resolve of the original majority!

The researchers found that this was because group members did not take the critiques from the devil’s advocate as seriously, and since the group  was now bringing up (and subsequently dismissing) possible alternatives or flaws, they were much more confident in their original stance.

For marketers, this offers a much less scandalous opportunity: playing devil’s advocate to your own products potential shortcomings. (“Some have said that my product is too complicated, but here’s why it isn’t…”)

This can actually enhance your persuasive efforts as people see their concerns addressed before they buy.

10.) Keep Customers on Their Toes

What’s the number #1 thing that creates loyal customers? No surprise, it’s the social construct of reciprocity.

Better yet, there is an even more powerful form available for businesses owners to use: the act of creating surprise reciprocity.

In a study by psychologist Norbert Schwarz, he found that as little as 10 cents was enough to change the outlooks of participants who found the money by surprise, creating a more positive view of their day due to this small high-point.

While this study was conducted in 1987, the implications remain the same: it doesn’t take much to start the process of reciprocity, even the smallest of favors allow goodwill to be “bought” with customers, increasing loyalty and retention.

In a later interview, Schwarz would succinctly sum up this recurring phenomenon as such:

“It’s not the value of what you find. It’s that something positive happened to you.”

In another famous study from Influence, Dr. Robert Cialdini noted that subjects were prone to rate others as much more likable when they had simply bought them a can of soda.

But Wait, There’s More!

We’re 2500+ words and an infographic in for this post, but it’s still not over!

I actually released a full e-book with a much more appealing visual format (a well designed PDF).

Here’s a screenshot:

Yeah… it’s awesome.

You can download it by click right here, or you can enter your email in the form below (click “Get Free Updates!”).

Thanks for reading, please share this article if you enjoyed it.

Have you ever looked at all of those bea-u-tiful infographics that other marketers are using and got a little envious?

“I’ve got a ton of great ideas for a cool graphic! If only I had a budget like KISSmetrics…”

Fact is, you’re probably right!

You could create something memorable if you had the right tools.

That’s why today, I’m going to reveal how you can get aboard the visualization marketing gravy train, where to find the best resources, and how to get graphics done without breaking the bank.

Information Visualization Marketing

Before we dig in, just why are images so dang appealing to us anyways?

Images are powerful in a place as prone to sharing as the internet, and there are a few reasons why:

1. Convenience (perhaps the biggest reason of all)
2. Ease of engagement
3. Memorability
4. Ease of sharing
5. Crosses many language barriers

There are many more, but here’s the point I am making: images are the “snacks” of the internet.

I mean that in both the good and bad context.

That is to say, images are just about the easiest sources of “information” to digest around, just like a snack isn’t intensive to consume.

Some have criticized an image centric web as making us prone to skipping the more “gourmet” (read: longer and more articulately written) content that’s out there.

Your opinion of this shouldn’t matter though, after all, good content marketing is about giving people a combination of what they know they want and sometimes giving them what they didn’t know they needed.

A Recent Example of the Power of Images

Images can so greatly saturate the web, they can literally build a site based off of nothing but images.

A recent example of this is the site called DidYouKnowGaming.com.

This site takes video game trivia (the information) and creates small shareable images with that tidbit of trivia (the visualization).

Here’s an example:

The result?

In only a few weeks time, the site has generated over 1.5 million unique visitors.

This is largely due to the ample sharing of the site’s branded images on places like Reddit’s r/gaming.

I’m not here to tell you to abandon your written content, in fact I imagine that a site with a huge traffic source from Reddit will be quite difficult to monetize (Reddit traffic tends to suck & they typically use AdBlock), I’m just illustrating the point that images have a unique place on the web that written content just can’t fill.

Take a look at this recent Copyblogger infographic.

Yes, the nearly 70k+ pins on Pinterest is interesting, but things didn’t really get juicy until Tony Clark addressed the importance of having good results from your new traffic source, not just a jump in vanity metrics.

Perfectly stated.

So, while reading this post, keep that in mind: while visualizations can be a very powerful tool for a HUGE variety of niches, you need to be measuring the impact on your bottom line, that is, more sales, more leads, and more of the right traffic to your site.

Otherwise, your just wasting your time on pretty pictures.

3 Great Types of Information Visualizations

For the scope of this post, I’m going to address the 3 most common types of visualizations used in visualization marketing.

In every instance, the focus is on being concise and using appealing visual content to catch people’s eyes (and attention).

There are a few other ways to visualize information (that I’ll briefly go over at the end of the post), but for our purposes, the 3 big types of visual content to create come in the forms of:

1. Infographics
2. Shareables
3. Slideshows

Below, I’ll go over each of them in detail, describe how you can create them, and even throw in some strategy.

1.) Infographics

These are the biggest undertakings in the visualization marketing sphere (again, at least for our purposes), they usually require an ample amount of data and a stellar design now that they’ve become so popular.

Infographic readers now demand a close attention to detail: the bar has been raised for infographics recently, and if yours doesn’t look good, you shouldn’t even bother.

Creating Infographics

Creating a good infographic definitely starts with you, unless you’re willing to pay top dollar for creation of one from start to finish.

If I were to assume that you’ve got a big budget for this stuff, this wouldn’t be a very interesting post, would it.

So then, let’s break down creating an infographic from scratch, trying to keep our costs low along the way.

Gathering the Information/Data

If any one part of the infographic should fall on you, it’s the information collection.

I say this because you are in control of the content that your blog releases, and it’s the information that you want to stay with people long after the pretty colors of your charts fade from memory.

Luckily, you don’t need to spend 3-months analyzing the trends of 3,000 vegans in order to make an infographic about veganism.

Data is being gathered as a substantial rate, and much of it is out there for you to use if you’d like.

Jon Cooper of Point Blank SEO put together a great list of data sources in his post about visualizations for link building, which I’ve included below:

• Data.gov
• TheDataHub.org
• DataMarket.com
• Census.gov
• DataCatalogs.org
• Data.WorldBank.org
• Data360.org
• Google Public Data
• Freebase

If that still seems overwhelming, remember that infographics don’t always have to be about the data.

They are of course infographics, and if you just want to create one that is based on information, you can of course do that .

Here’s an example of a “information” style infographic that I researched for Help Scout:

Pin this bad boy on Pinterest!

If your niche isn’t really suited for presenting loads of data, always keep in mind that intriguing information makes a good infographic as well.

Hiring A Designer

The classic way to get infographics done (if you can’t design, that is) is to hire a talented designer to make your information pretty.

What’s that gonna cost you?

The un-sexy answer: it depends.

Fortunately, you can greatly reduce your costs in the following ways…

1. Have the entire set of information already compiled (and organized)
2. Create a wireframe (an outline of the infographic) before discussing price
3. Include your own images and have your design narrowed down

Let’s break these down, shall we?

First things first, if you approach a designer with little to no information, expect to pay some big money.

This should be the first thing off of your checklist, after all, it’s your content, you should be in charge of putting the data together (or organizing data that you’ve found).

With this in hand, the designer can focus on designing, and you won’t be stuck with overpriced fees that many infographic based design firms charge.

Second, you should have a very detailed wireframe put together, even if it’s assembled in some basic editing program.

This again helps to ensure that minimal time is spent on things outside of design, and gives your prospective designer a roadmap to follow when they go about “prettying” up your data.

A wireframe would include the general theme and layout of the infographic, including content & image positioning, color schemes, accompanying visual ideas, etc.

Lastly, if you do know how to create a few images in Photoshop (but not a full infographic), you can provide some assistance by doing some of the legwork yourself.

I state this last point with a lot of hesitation though: if you cannot design well, you’re better off just letting the designer do their job and not interfering.

I don’t recommend getting designers from freelance places, I prefer to message artists that I’ve found on Dribbble, because you have to be pretty good to get an account on that site.

Infographic Creation Tools

Creating an infographic can be a daunting task if your experience in design includes no more than using the paintbrush tool in Microsoft Paint.

Fortunately, creating these insanely useful images has been getting easier and easier, and there are a few tools available that can really take away a lot of the headache.

By far the best tool I’ve used is called Piktochart, nothing else even comes close.

It is the most complete offering thus far: it has a ton of themes & editing capabilities, and is even getting fresh updates as we speak.

It’s paid, but you can grab the deal from AppSumo for as long as it’s up (it otherwise costs $15 month, or you can try the free version).

Some other similar offerings (many of these are in beta or don’t offer as many themes) include the following:

• Visual.ly
• Easel.ly
• Infogr.am

Last but not least, if you know you’re way around Photoshop, I’d highly recommend you check out some “Infographic Elements” packages that contain the graphics for a potential inforgaphic, but have to be edited by you (in Photoshop) and put together.

Here’s a link to the infographic sets on GraphicRiver, which are by far the best.

If you have the data and a copy of Photoshop on hand, you can edit yourself a damn good looking infographic from these, otherwise, you should check out the above tools.

2.) Shareables

Shareables are bits of information (or sometimes a quote or saying) that’s given a pretty makeover to help it leave a strong impact.

Here’s a great example of a freely released shareable by Rafal Tomal:

When it comes to shareables such as this, the ‘information’ can often come in the form of a quote or a single bit of insight.

This easily consumed info and pretty paint job makes them easy to share (surprise!).

But as with all images & even infographics… one of the biggest points of making them is to get people to “steal” them!

Getting folks to embed your visual content on their site (with an appropriate link back) is great for traffic and SEO, and one of the main reasons that they are used.

Even getting the image spread around in regurgitation machines like Tumblr isn’t all that bad as long as you watermark.

So, let’s get in to how you can get some of this “shareable” action for yourself.

Creating Shareables

From how I see it, there are 3 great types of content suitable for shareables.

You should of course feel free to get creative, that’s what it’s all about, but here are 3 content types to get your started:

1. A single piece of information
2. Quotes
3. An outline of information

You’ve already seen two great examples of the first two.

The idea behind putting single bits of information or a quote is that there are times when concise information can leave a greater impact than long, drawn out info.

The brevity serves to improve the message in a way, the same way a poem can speak volumes or that “a picture is worth a thousand words”, and the visual aspect guarantees that more people will see it.

1.) Single pieces of info

You’ve already seen examples of the single bits of info graphics in action from the DidYouKnowGaming example.

The point here is that the information needs to be interesting/unique/shocking enough that it warrants a single image.

Here’s an example of one that sucks:

(I didn’t want to hurt any feelings, so I made my own purposefully sucky graphic in Microsft Paint… don’t you dare pin this on Pinterest, so help me…)

What’s wrong with this thing? Well, everything, but here’s specifically what it did poorly:

• The information is not memorable or shocking; it doesn’t surprise or reveal secrets, and it isn’t useful either.
• The graphic is poorly done, it’s legible, but that’s about the only thing it does “okay” in terms of design. It stands out, but in a bad way.
• The “quote” (lol) is sourced, but there’s no direction for where one might get more: no watermark, no original site, just a name.

So, in short, don’t do what I did up there .

2.) Quotes

The example from Rafal Tomal (above) is an excellent showcase of a quote graphic.

This particular shareable hits a few things just right:

1. The quote itself is powerful; it’s memorable, easily recited, and very motivational
2. The graphic is beautifully designed, the colors are unique and blend well, and it just catches your eye (I mean, it’s Rafal, no surprise there!)
3. The source (Steve Jobs) is a popular figure; while meaningful quotes carry their own popularity, people are more likely to share thoughts from people they already like or hold in high esteem, that’s why you see so many Ghandi quotes floating around

The quote doesn’t source a website, but that’s because it was released as a free download, the other Copyblogger quotes put the logo at the bottom, so you know where the graphic originated from.

Why do you think spammy sites like 9Gag & I Can Haz Cheezburger watermark all of their images?

Don’t be like them though: make it tasteful, an intelligent audience is built on having some restraint.

Seriously though, always source your content, just incorporate your watermark naturally into your graphic and people will appreciate it.

3.) An outline of information

For this, we once again turn to Copyblogger, which is apparently a team of folks who know a thing or two about content marketing.

In this great example of an “outline” shareable, Brian Clark re-imagines his post on ‘Being A Better Writer’, with the ten not-so-secret steps involved in crafting better content:

These outlines should read like a bullet-point list, such as a “to-do” list for a certain topic, just as this one does.

They work well for the same reason that list-posts work well: when information is numbered, it’s easier to consume.

It also makes it more approachable.

Reading a piece called How To Be A Better Writer is intimidating to some readers, but 10 Ways To Be A Better Writer let’s you know what to expect.

3.) Slideshows

I feel like slideshows are the most underrated visualization form out there, and I hope this post (and my examples) encourages bloggers to rethink just how useful this medium can be.

In fact, my main slideshow platform of choice (SlideShare) is growing at a respectable rate, and serves a very professional and business oriented audience (even more so than LinkedIn!):

Slideshows are a bit of a different breed: although they benefit from brevity, the option to have multiple slides means that they can often contain more data (or information) than an infographic and certainly more than a shareable.

They can also incorporate more powerful imagery than shareables, and are more flexible than infographics in terms of what they can show.

Check out this slideshow on 50 quotes about doing the impossible:

You’ll notice that this presentation took off and became quite popular on SlideShare (it was even shared by Michael Hyatt), and that’s because it contains the winning “two-part slideshow formula” of:

1. Powerful, memorable images
2. Concise, insightful information

This is a common element in many of the most popular slideshows on SlideShare; take it from a guy who’s hit the front page before.

The images in the above presentation really show what works: well designed graphics or powerful real life photos rule the day on SlideShare.

The tidbits of info keeps people reading; I think we can all agree that the #1 rule for PowerPoint presentations is to keep things interesting and to keep things moving, boredom is always a risk for this medium.

Creating Slideshows (the Easy Way)

“Argh, design problems again!”

Not so, these are easier to create than you might expect!

Again, we’re heading over to GraphicRiver, which is one of my secret weapons for running websites and being Photoshop inept at the same time.

Here’s the link to PowerPoint templates on Graphic River.

So, you’re looking at around $10-15 for a complete set of slides, but you can get a lot out of each purchase.

Re-using slide sets is definitely a possibility because they typically offer around 20 slide types, and you won’t need to use each one in a single presentation (in fact, it would be quite challenging to).

Once you have a presentation style picked out, it’s time to pick a topic and do this the right way.

Treat your slideshow like you would an individual blog post.

That means that the title slide needs to be eye-catching and really encourage people to click (just like a post headline).

It also means the presentation should cover ONE topic and have a good flow.

If you are going to incorporate “real” photos, I highly recommend you check out Compfight, which is a Flickr search tool that let’s you browse for Creative Commons images.

Remember to cater to a particular audience, just like any good blog post would: try to be specific and create content that rouses emotions and gets people fired up to share and discuss.

Also remember to end with a strong call to action.

Don’t be afraid to tell people to check out your site for more, or even pitch a free opt-in download at the end of your slides.

Visual Marketing Promotion

If you are going to incorporate visuals into your blogging and content marketing effots in the future (which I hope you will!), I’ve got a few tips for you to promote them effectively.

1.) Make Visuals Easily Accessible from Blog Content

If you start creating visuals regularly, it would probably serve you well to have a separate section for them on your blog, a “resource page” for graphics, if you will.

KISSmetrics does this quite well with their infographics:

Some easy way to access them is always good, in case that is what people are looking for.

2.) Submit Your Infographic to Places That Accept Them

Infographics are especially useful since their popularity has spawned multiple places that now focus on nothing but new infographics.

You can start by submitting your latest creations to the following sites:

• http://www.visual.ly/
• http://dailyinfographic.com/
• http://www.coolinfographics.com/
• http://www.infographicsshowcase.com/
• http://submitinfographics.com/
• http://www.infographicsarchive.com/
• http://infographicjournal.com/

Shareables and slideshows don’t typically have anything similar, but there are more ways to get them out there…

3.) Guest Posting

Ah yes, the ever-dwindling (but still effective) tactic of guest posting, this time, with pretty visuals!

I’ve noted in this post that multimedia content avoids the “duplicate content” penalty and is meant to be shared… that also means it’s meant to be shared by you as well.

If you guest post and some image or graphic that you’ve created works well for the post, utilize it, if you’re getting onto a big blog with this content, you can really help it’s chances of spreading.

I’ve done this multiple times with no complaints with my SlideShare presentations, and I’ve even been able to hit the front page of SlideShare like I did with the presentation below:

Fact of the matter is, media content is re-usable, and not in a spammy sense, but rather it was created to be embedded and included in other posts, unlike written content.

4.) Always Watermark

Seems simple enough, so just remember to do it!

Don’t make the watermark so large or obtrusive that it kills enjoyment of the image, just make sure that it is subtly included so people know where to go if they want more.

Again, KISSmetrics serves as a good example, look at how they end their infographics with a simple logo:

As I mentioned above, always apply this simple call to action to slideshows as well: it’s your content, source it proudly!

5.) Source or Include a Bigger Name

This is the same tactic I use in my actual guest posts, but it also works quite well for creating visual content.

If you are going to create a graphic of some kind (let’s say a quote ‘shareable’), it can often be smart to include someone that is likely to share it, and that already has an established audience.

If you were to create a quotable graphic in the fitness niche, maybe you could include an athlete with a substantial following, and then reach out and notify the right people (via email) about the graphic.

If it’s good enough, trust me, you’ll see it shared on places like the athlete’s Facebook page or other places where they’ve built a following online.

Simply put: include a big player in your niche, make sure it’s a quality image, and you will likely see them share it as a thanks for including them.

6.) Reach Out!

The most underrated tactic of all time.

Personal emails go a long way in an era that favors impersonal tweets.

If you’ve created some great visual content, reach out to people who you think might really enjoy it.

Target people will actually get utility out of what you’ve created, don’t just “spray and pray” a ton of inboxes.

Don’t know where to begin?

After your existing connections, head to places like AllTop to find other bloggers in your niche, it’s often a great place to start that can lead you “down the rabbit hole” in finding other sites.

Remember: personal emails, and don’t spam the same people over and over!

Here’s another great way to find people…

(Again, courtesy of Jon Cooper, he’s pretty smart )

If you’ve ever utilized the tool Topsy, you already know how useful it is for research & promotion.

Essentially what it does is it sorts content by how many times it was shared on Twitter (thus revealing the content’s general popularity).

If you click on All Time after searching a related term (let’s say you just wrote an article on “productivity”), you can see the listed shares.

If you click on “xxx more“, you can see the full list of people who shared the piece.

Here’s the thing…

You know that these people already like similar content, so they are much more likely to share similar content if you reach out to them.

Again, don’t annoy and spam, but find some contact info and let them know about your new piece.

How to Incorporate Pinterest

Pinterest is the most hyped hype of all things hype… seriously though, the entire internet has been raving about Pinterest, but it’s only really important for some niches (and in some instances).

For information visualization, it can give a big boost of traffic if you incorporate it correctly (this is obviously only applied to single images and not slideshows).

The most basic advice I can give is to promote the Pinterest button if you usually don’t include it.

I don’t recommend having the Pinterest button included in your “regular” sharing buttons unless you are running a very visual blog because people start to become blind to it quickly

However, if you mostly produce written content, boldly placing a Pinterest button in content can really encourage people to share your new image.

There are two useful tools that I’d also like to discuss:

• The Pinterest Marklet for WordPress
• Pinterest ‘Auto-Pinning’ for WordPress

The point of both of these plugins is to draw eyeballs to sharing on Pinterest.

The first one adds a small floating Pinterest icon on the left or right side of the screen, reminding users of the existance of Pinterest if you’re showcasing a bunch of cool photos.

The second one is really interesting, in my opinion.

What it allows you to do is to add a “hover” option to your images that shows a clickable Pinterest button.

This is interesting because people have been known to hover over images when reading content on-screen, it just naturally draws their eyes.

Putting a hover effect over images is therefore one of the best ways to remind people about sharing to Pinterest, and it can have a big effect if your blog is very visually focused, such as Freshome (a site featured on our successful blogs list).

The Great Beyond

I mentioned that there were methods of information visualization outside the scope of this post, and I’d like to briefly touch on a pair of them here, in case you do have the talent or budget to get them done.

1.) Videos

Great video presentations are tough, and they’re usually huge projects unless you’re already quite skilled in making them (which is why they were left out).

They can, however, be extremely useful to promote a new release or even just your business offering.

As a quick example, here’s how the author of the ‘Information Diet’ used video to visualize some info to promote the corresponding book:

It’s cool, it’s informative, it’s entertaining, but it’s TOUGH to make one of these.

2.) Interactive Charts (non-embeddable)

Many folks have this misconception that images are only useful if they can be embedded (looking as you SEO guys & gals).

We’ve shown that the ample sharing of images can literally build an audience in a few short weeks (DidYouKnowGaming?), but there are also great examples of charts & visual data that you cannot share that still bring in a huge audience.

These forms of data typically cannot be embedded because they are interactive and built on site.

The New York Times’ Amanda Cox is usually involved in some amazing examples.

Here’s one that visualizes data from the Facebook IPO.

You can’t share it on other sites via embedding, yet it was insanely popular, and the interactive nature of the chart was really cool.

If you can pull something like this off, you are sure to attract attention.

Need Inspiration?

It’s dangerous to go alone! Take this:

• Chart Porn
• Cool Infographics
• GOOD Magazine Infographics
• Data Journalism Awards
• State of the Internet
• Intacto’s 10 Years of History
• Future of Car Sharing
• Dangers of Fracking
• How many slaves work for you?
• You vs. John Paulson
• The Print Effect
• Pedestrian Crashes in Novosibirsk

Thanks again to Jon Cooper’s great post for the sources.

Over To You

Wow… you made it all the way to the bottom!

Here’s what’s next:

1. Let me know in the comments what you think your first graphic endeavor will be, of if you’ve already made a couple of visuals, let me know how well they worked!
2. What’s your favorite type of visual content?

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you in the comments!

Photo by Matt Lehman

Your unique selling proposition (USP) is literally the foundation of your business.

In addition to finding an audience in need and figuring out how to fill that need, you also need to position yourself in the market in a unique way.

It’s an important decision to make, one that definitely deserves some time before you pull the trigger.

The thing is, you don’t want to get stuck in “paralysis”, frozen with fear of choosing the wrong USP for your brand.

Today I’ve got a great pair of interviews that will help you find (or strengthen) your USP… and not take forever to do it.

Do Blogs Really Need Unique Selling Propositions?

I think’s it is apparent to most of you reading why a USP can greatly benefit a business… but what about blogs?

Do blogs really benefit from strong branding?

I’d have to answer that with a resounding YES.

The thing is, blogs are often at the forefront of a business, especially if you are taking the “lean” way of building your audience before you even have a product.

Later in this post, during the interview portion, The Art of Manliness is a site that gets mentioned.

That blog (if you’ve never been there) has a very strong USP and branding; from content to images to it’s overall presentation, attention is definitely paid to detail in order to keep things branded in the AoM fashion.

When the Art of Manliness books (and other products) were finally introduced, they fit in just right with the already established branding present on the blog.

So, without the USP present on the blog, there wouldn’t be unique products to offer either!

Point is, in today’s world, your blog can be an extremely important part of your business, potentially being the biggest lead generator for sales (and isn’t that what content marketing is all about?).

Don’t slack on your branding for it.

Who Is Corbett Barr?

Corbett Barr is the hardworking guy behind both his personal site, ThinkTraffic, and a recent project entitled ‘ExpertEnough’ (featured on my successful blogs list).

Corbett knows a thing or two about building a thriving audience, and an essential part of his strategy is utilizing a memorable USP for each and every blog he’s started (or blogger that he has advised).

I was glad to have Corbett on my site to force… I mean persuade him to reveal his insights on what kinds of unique selling propositions are prime to build a popular blog around.

1.) Before we discuss anything else about unique selling propositions, let’s get people on board as to why we even bother talking about them.

Just how important is it for a blog (or any business) to have a unique selling proposition?

For any business or blog to get noticed, you have to be a combination of different and better than your competition.

Otherwise, why would someone spend time on your site instead of elsewhere?

TOMS Shoes is a great example outside of the blogging world.

Because of the unique “one for one” program, TOMS was able to break into a 10,000 year old industry in less than a year.

Steve Kamb is a great example in blogging.

His Nerd Fitness site has become a huge hit because he chose to approach fitness from a new angle and cater to a group that was under-served by existing resources.

2.) Recently, you conducted an interview with Derek Halpern.

He’s noted for discussing his “divide and conquer” strategy, in which focuses on really separating yourself from the pack, because later you should be able to branch out into broader areas of your niche with no problem.

Do you think it’s wise to really “niche down” on a certain topic when a new blog or online business is getting started?

There’s an old adage in marketing: when you try to appeal to everyone, you appeal to no one.

It’s counter-intuitive, but often you can grow more quickly by focusing on a narrower topic or audience.

However, this is the opposite of what many new bloggers need to do.

For the inexperienced and those unsure of exactly what type of blog or business they want to build, just getting started is probably the most important thing.

If the choice is between starting a blog on a broad set of topics to test the water vs. never getting started because you become paralyzed with trying to find the perfect niche, just start now.

You can always change your mind later.

What are some ways which newer bloggers can really become the “go to” person in a targeted niche?

Pick something that hasn’t been analyzed specifically and apply proven concepts from other fields to it.

For example, let’s say you’re interested in and good at marketing.

Marketing is well understood, so it would be difficult to become a “general marketing” specialist and gain much recognition.

In this example, you could try focusing on a specific group that needs help and isn’t served well by general marketing advice.

Imagine building a go-to resource for people trying to market their products on Etsy.

When you target an underserved market and figure out how proven strategies can be applied to that group specifically, you become the obvious choice when someone from that group is looking for advice.

Again, like the “Nerd Fitness” example above.

3.) When it comes to testing ideas, how can folks “test” to see if their USP is one that will have any legs?

Considering the time and effort required to be successful in anything, it can be a daunting task to try a relatively untapped field.

What are some ways to gauge whether your USP has the potential for success (specifically for blogs), and is there ever a time that you should completely throw out a USP if it’s not performing?

You may have heard of the technique Tim Ferriss made famous with his Four-Hour Workweek book.

He used Google Adwords to test his book title and tagline. He found one (the one he went with) that performed remarkably better than his other options.

In blogging, you could test potential USPs by changing your tagline or the intro to your “about” page and then by measuring the conversion rate to your email list.

USPs can also lose effectiveness over time as a market changes, so you should review from time-to-time to see if yours needs to be refreshed.

4.) A lot of my readers know about my electronic music blog (Sophistefunk), which I’ve used as an example of how I build blogs in non-marketing niches.

Here’s one thing few people know: my favorite genre of music is actually the blues!

The thing is, I saw little potential for me writing a blues blog because I’m very unfamiliar with the genre outside of loving the music, meanwhile, I’m quite “into” the electronic scene.

What do you think about basing decisions for a USP off of passions vs. what might succeed better?

Hey, I’m a blues fan as well!

The “passion” debate that rages online (should you follow your passion) isn’t such a black-or-white issue.

The best opportunities are those where passion is combined with ability and a unique market opportunity.

Your choice to build an electronic music blog was probably smart.

The trouble is when someone becomes bored with an idea quickly and the project fails due to lack of interest.

Is there a happy medium between passion & topics with better chances of success?

Again, passion + ability + market demand.

5.) Speaking honestly, what are some blog (or even business) ideas/topics that you wish were out there?

Any blog topics that seem totally ignored to you that you think could do well if someone with applicable knowledge would just do it the right way?

Over the weekend my wife and I stopped by a retail shop in our neighborhood.

It’s a new shop, and I had been in there once before.

The same woman was working both times, and I sensed that she is the owner.

On both visits, the owner didn’t bother to say hello, ask what we were interested in, or introduce herself.

How many times does this happen to you?

It seems so simple.

When a shop owner is warm and friendly, you’re far more likely to buy something or return.

Imagine if a shop keeper went a step further and introduced herself, asked your name, and maybe remembered your name the next time you came in.

You’d be hooked for life. You’d feel like you had a new friend in town.

You’d probably send your other friends there as well.

This struck me as a great opportunity for someone to teach shopkeepers and restauranteurs some simple tips to make them more effective.

Imagine a “retail tips” blog where the blogger becomes a go-to expert and offers services, products and more.

That could easily be a fun and interesting six-figure business.

Anywhere there’s a problem not being solved, there’s an opportunity for an enterprising person to figure out solutions and share them with the world.

Often the solutions aren’t difficult to find, it’s just that most people aren’t willing to dedicate a few hundred or few thousand hours to research and experimentation.

Takeaway

As you know, I like to do small takeaway sections at the end of interviews (some say I like the sound of my own voice, I like to think I’m adding something ).

Corbett laid down some really solid advice, I especially like his take on “passion + ability + market demand” as the defining quality of a successful USP and as an overall successful endeavor.

I also like that he makes the point that, if you’re just getting started, you shouldn’t “sweat” your USP for too long if it’s going to stall you from getting started.

Start first, pivot later if needed.

There’s one major thing that I’d like to add…

You can have a niche that is “too unique”; just because something isn’t being blogged about, doesn’t make it a good niche.

In fact, I’d say that a ton of competition in a niche is a good thing!

Think about it…

If nobody is in your niche, who is going to link to you?

Who can you write for to get more exposure?

What large tribe is going to share your articles?

A non-competitive niche can also mean an empty niche, or a topic that just isn’t popular enough to be covered by a blog.

My way out of this?

Use the M. Night Shyamalan strategy for blog USPs.

Take an established topic, and add you own twist (M. Night Shyamalan being known as a director who focuses on plot twists).

A strong personality or an intense focus on a single sub-topic can also make for a good twist in your USP.

Again though, if it’s stopping you from getting started, don’t go too crazy: define your broad topic, and develop your USP as you go on.

That’s the benefit of building an audience, it’s lean, so if your idea fails, you can move on to the next!

Who Is Caleb Wojcik?

Caleb is a guy who I’ve been following recently (online that is, no need to check your bushes Caleb ) and talented founder of Pocket Changed, a not so typical personal finance blog.

He also works with Corbett on both ThinkTraffic and ExpertEnough, and just started a really interesting podcast that I’ve been enjoy as of late.

Today I was happy to dig into what Caleb thinks of USPs that work, those that fail, and how to “pivot” if one isn’t working out.

1.) To start off Caleb, I’d like to talk about incorporating the design process into a USP.

How much do you think site design & branding play into the memorability of a unique selling proposition?

Are there any particularly great examples that come to mind when it comes to great design + a strong USP?

I think the intersection between branding/design and USP is extremely important.

People should be able to get a feel for what your site is about before they even read a word.

The design should have the same “feel” as the topic as well.

For example, Zen Habits is focused on simplicity, so the blog design is very simple.

The Art of Manliness harkens back to how “men” used to be viewed, so it has an old fashioned feel to it.

Any of the great posts on unique selling propositions that I have read always state that it’s not necessarily about doing something entirely different, it’s about putting your unique spin on something with potential.

I feel like this is the same reason that tons of similar offline businesses can exist in the same city.

What are some of your favorite ways that you’ve seen people put a slight twist on a tried and true topic?

What are some ways people can stand in their niche when creating content?

Absolutely agree.

It isn’t that you have to think of something that has never been done before, it is just that you need to be interesting enough to stand out.

Some of my favorite examples of people standing out in crowded niches are The Minimalists and Budgets Are Sexy.

Standing out in your niche is all about delivering more value than other websites.

Notice I didn’t say content.

Just because you publish more content (either by doing long posts or posts more often) doesn’t mean your site will grow faster.

Making your content more applicable, shareable, and unique is how you can stand out.

3.) What are some of the traits of a BAD USP?

Sometimes people get so caught up in creating something so “unique”, they can’t tell when their idea has no legs.

How can you tell when a USP has not potential, or isn’t made with a target market in mind?

A bad USP would be one that has already been taken.

You don’t want to explain your business or website to someone they respond by saying, “Oh, you mean like XYZ?”

Think of a combination of two things that would make up what you are doing.

For example, a website like PhotoPin.com is like Google for Flickr Creative Commons images.

To test whether or not your USP has any legs, try to come up with 3 different “ideal customers”.

Write down the demographics, background, and interests of these people and try to make everything that you do be of interest to each of them.

4.) For folks who have already started sites and are sitting here wondering “What’s my USP?”, what can they do?

How can a blogger refine (and even start) their USP over time, without taking so long as to forgo actual content creation?

What kind of research can a blogger do to find a good USP to apply to their existing blog topic(s)?

If you already have a blog and you are trying to redefine your USP to an existing audiences there are two ways I recommend people go.

One way to go is to do a rant that specifically states what your blog is NOT about.

I did this on my blog with a post called why Pocket Changed is NOT your “typical” personal finance blog.

A second way to go is to be straight forward about why people should be interested in your site.

We did this at Expert Enough during launch week with the post called “Welcome to Expert Enough: Why We Want to Be at the Top of Your Reading List”.

Determining your own USP should not be a single day task.

It will morph over weeks, months, and years.

If you have no idea where to start, start here.

5.) Lastly, as I asked Corbett, what are some USPs or blog topics that you feel are really missing from the blogosphere?

Are there any topics you’d love to see getting way more coverage, a la a “Digital Photography School for _______”?

As for what is missing in the blogosphere, I’d say there is a lack of great video-based blogs.

Using video with high production value really sets you apart from the crowd.

Examples that come to mind include Hilah Cooking and This Week in Blogging.

Even teaching people how to shoot high-quality video would be a good market to tap into.

Takeaway

Really great stuff from Caleb as well.

I especially liked two specific points he made: defining what your blog/business is NOT about and defining 3 ideal customers.

Selling 101 tells you that you need to find your customer before your product, and if you expect to build an audience, you need to find your reader before your blog is live.

That’s why competition can be such a blessing (as mentioned above): a competitive space tells you that there is interest, and you just have to find your way in.

It’s like a packed club versus an abandoned one, the crowds may kill some of the initial enjoyment, but if you can make your way into the VIP section, it’ll likely be very rewarding.

I also liked his take on defining what your blog or business is not going to be about.

This can be a great technique to developing (or strengthening) your own USP.

What are you going to stay away from entirely? (At least in the beginning)

What is it about other blogs in your space that annoys you, or what do they seem to overdo to the point of oversaturation?

(For me, in the marketing space, it was the aggressiveness & the lack of facts/evidence/research, which is why Sparring Mind is built the way it is)

On the flip-side, what are they leaving out? What holes are there in their content? (Do they never use video? Is everything focused on ______ when it seems like ______ is a really popular sub-topic?)

Brainstorming can go much better with some parameters pre-defined (so you don’t start in “blank slate” mode), so be sure to try and define what your endeavor won’t be about when thinking about what you will be standing for.

Over To You

Hope you enjoyed this one, I definitely enjoyed coming up with questions and I really liked Corbett & Caleb’s answers.

As always (since I don’t want to leave you hangin’), here’s what you can do next:

• Let me know about your blog/business’s USP… what makes you stand out?
• Tell me (in the comments) what some of your favorite unique selling propositions are, and what businesses are behind them (one that I love is Saddleback Leather)

Thanks for reading, please share this post if you enjoyed it.