“I have with me two gods, Persuasion and Compulsion.”
Themistocles (527 BC - 460 BC)

In my last posting Persuasion Architecture Part 1 I talked about the theory behind this idea. Namely, a site visitor needs resolution and answers to questions before following down a path and the better we can address those issues the more likely we can nudge our visitor along (towards our conversion point). We begin our work by getting clear about where we want our site visitor to end up- what does a conversion look like? A paid donation? A completed registration? A purchased book?When we know where we want the visitor to end up then we can anticipate the questions a visitor might have along that path. (more…)

“There ain’t much of a difference between a bridge and a wall…”
Tear Me Down (Hedwig and the Angry Inch)

Yesterday I walked into a local retailer and found this widget I’d heard about. I was considering buying it, but had a few questions for the saleman, so I went over to him and asked “Can you tell me more about this widget, like how long will it last between charges?”
“Buy it now,” he replied.
“Well, I might, but I have a few questions. Besides battery life, what kind of warranty does it come with?”
“Buy it now,” he said.
I pursed my lips, “Yeah…I’m thinking about it but I need to know how this will work with my computer. Are the cables included?”
“But it now,” he smiled.
I stuffed my hands into my pocket to keep from strangling him and sharply turned around and left the store. (more…)