The Psychology Of Fonts Continued

Font Psychology - Part 2

Article by Nick Kolenda

PART 2: WHICH FONT TRAITS SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Fonts differ in their perceptual traits. For example:








This section explains which traits perform better in certain contexts. If you want more detail, Henderson et al. (2004) and Li (2009) are helpful references.

SERIF VS. SANS-SERIF

Serifs are slight projections at the end of typefaces.

Designers love debating serifs vs. sans-serif fonts. Based on the research, though, it seems counterproductive. Other traits play a bigger role.

Nonetheless, here are some findings:

Serif Fonts Are More Readable Via Print

Well…supposedly. Some designers claim that serifs help guide the eye flow:


“Roman typefaces are more legible because the theory states that serifs assist in the horizontal flow of reading and eye movements.” (De Lange et al., 1993, pp. 246)

But I’m not convinced. We don’t read text in smooth patterns. Our eyes jump across lines of text— in movements called saccades (see Becker & Fuchs, 1969).








Since the movement is jerky, the “eye flow” claim seems like a myth.

Sans-Serif Fonts Are More Readable Via Screens

This finding seems more plausible.

Computer screens display information through a pixelated grid. Due to that box-like structure, a serif may be less identifiable.







With today’s technology, it shouldn’t be an issue. But it might play a role if you’re working with very small fonts.

Serif Fonts Convey Elegance and Rationale

Generally, serif fonts are more effective for formal or scientific contexts.

In one study, people evaluated scientific text more favorably when the font contained serifs (Kaspar et al., 2015). 

Other research suggests that serif fonts seem more elegant and beautiful (Tantillo, Lorenzo-Aiss, & Mathisen, 1995).

Sans-Serif Fonts Convey Informality and Innovation

Conversely, people perceive sans-serif fonts to be more informal and innovative (Tantillo, Lorenzo-Aiss, & Mathisen, 1995).

LIGHT VS. BOLD

Light Fonts Convey Beauty and Femininity

I explained the reason in Part 1.

Medium Weight Fonts Are Most Readable

Luckiesh and Moss (1940) researched the optimal weight for readability. They displayed “Memphis” in different weights, and they found that medium weights were most readable:









Bold Fonts Convey Power and Masculinity

Researchers argue that bold fonts convey an extreme connotation:


“Bold can be made to mean ‘daring’, ‘assertive’, or ‘solid’ and ‘substantial’, for instance, and its opposite can be made to mean ‘timid’, or ‘insubstantial’. But the values may also be reversed. Boldness may have a more negative meaning. It may be made to mean ‘domineering’, ‘overbearing’.” (Van Leeuwen, 2006, pp. 148)

Lieven et al. (2015) also explain a connection between heavy typefaces and masculinity. Since people associate a bulky stature with men, bold fonts match that visual trait.

ROUNDED VS. ANGULAR

Rounded Fonts Convey Comfort, Softness, & Femininity

Bar and Neta (2006) published a paper called, “Humans Prefer Visual Curved Objects.” They found that…well…humans prefer visual curved objects. 

Angular shapes trigger an evolutionary threat:

“…sharp transitions in contour might convey a sense of threat, and therefore trigger a negative bias…” (Bar & Neta, 2006, pp. 645)

Now, if context were irrelevant, then people would prefer rounded fonts over angular fonts. However, context DOES matter. As I explained, appropriateness is important.

That said, rounded fonts are more effective for domains related to:

Softness or comfort (Jiang et al., 2016)
Femininity or beauty (Lieven et al., 2015)
Sweet foods (Velasco et al., 2015)
Angular Fonts Convey Formality, Durability, & Masculinity

Conversely, angular fonts perform better for:

Formal or official contexts (Brumberger, 2003)
Masculinity and durability (Lieven et al., 2015)
Bitter, salty, or sour foods (Velasco et al., 2015)

SIMPLE VS. COMPLEX

Simple Fonts Convey Directness

If your message is direct and straightforward, use a rigid typeface without any ornaments (Li, 2009). 

The simplistic font will match the simplistic nature of the context — thus increasing fluency.

Complex Fonts Convey Uniqueness

Processing fluency conveys abundance and familiarity. Usually, those traits are beneficial. But not always.

With unique products, familiarity is detrimental. You want some disfluency because it’ll reinforce the distinctiveness of your product.

In one study, people perceived more value in a gourmet cheese when the font was difficult to read (Pocheptsova, Labroo, & Dhar, 2010). The complex font became a signal for uniqueness — which was congruent and appropriate with the context.

SLANTED VS. STRAIGHT

Slanted Fonts Convey Movement

Earlier, I explained why slanted fonts convey movement and speed (see Walker, 2015).

Straight Fonts Convey Stability

Likewise, straight fonts — with their rigid structure — convey stability and durability.

LOWERCASE VS. UPPERCASE

Lowercase Conveys Compassion and Innovation

Oosterhout (2013) examined branding and perceptual characteristics. She found that lowercase letters are particularly effective for “caregiver” brands that promote compassion and altruism. 

She also found that thin lowercase letters are congruent with “creator” brands that emphasize innovation.

Uppercase Conveys Power and Strength

Oosterhout (2013) also found that uppercase letters are effective for “hero” brands that convey qualities related to energy, courageousness, and focus:


“BWM, Diesel, Duracell, Nike and Sony are also using capitals in their word marks, to express their power and strength.” (pp. 39)

Mixed Case Letters Are Most Readable

Garvey, Pietucha, and Meeker (1997) studied legibility in road signs. They found that mixed case letters are most readable.

They proposed two reasons:

EXPECTATION CONGRUENCE: People expect to see road signs in mixed case. Thus, they process words more easily when the format is congruent with their expectations.

GREATER DISTINCTION: Uppercase letters share the same height, thus creating a rectangular block of text. Because mixed case letters are different heights, people perceive more distinction between letters.

SEPARATED VS. CONNECTED

Separated Fonts Convey Fragmentation and Individuality

When letters are separated, fonts convey the perception of individuality:


“[connectivity] has its own metaphoric potential. External disconnection can suggest ‘atomisation’, or ‘fragmentation’, and external connection ‘wholeness’, or ‘integration.” (Van Leeuwen, 2006, pp. 149)

Connected Fonts Convey Unity and Collectivism

Likewise, connected letters portray the perception of closeness

Connected fonts aren’t necessarily cursive. The letters simply need to touch.

CONDENSED VS. EXTENDED

Condensed Fonts Convey Tightness and Precision

Earlier, I mentioned that a condensed font performed better for an ad promoting a “slim” cell phone (Kang & Choi, 2013). That’s because of the perceptual overlap:


“Maximally condensed typefaces make maximal use of limited space. They are precise, economical, packing the page with content. Wide typefaces, by contrast, spread themselves around, using space as if it is in unlimited supply.” (pp. 148)

Extended Fonts Convey Spaciousness and Relaxation

Conversely:


“Wide typefaces may also be seen in a positive light, as providing room to breathe, room to move, while condensed typefaces may, by contrast, be seen as cramped, overcrowded, restrictive of movement.” (Kang & Choi, 2013, pp. 148)

SHORT VS. TALL

Short Fonts Convey Heaviness and Stability

Font height resembles our metaphorical conception of gravity:


“The meaning potential of horizontality and verticality is ultimately based on our experience of gravity, and of walking upright. Horizontal orientation, for instance, could suggest ‘heaviness’, ‘solidity’, but also ‘inertia’, ‘self-satisfaction’” (Kang & Choi, 2013, pp. 149)

If you need to portray something as durable or immovable, a short font might work well.

Tall Fonts Convey Lightness and Luxury

Likewise, tall fonts convey lightness and quickness. The meaning can also extend to metaphorical associations of aspiration and ambition (Kang & Choi, 2013).

Other research has linked verticality with luxury (Van Rompay et al. 2012). If you need to portray a luxurious product, a tall font might be a good choice.

PART 3: PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER

I threw a ton of info at you. But you can use this article as a reference guide.

Or if you need to choose a font quickly, then use the table below (which I adapted from Henderson, Giese, & Cote, 2004). 

Just look for a group of traits that describe your context. Then choose a font with similar visual characteristics.

Article source

The Psychology Of Fonts

Font Psychology - Part 1

Article by Nick Kolenda.

Every font has a distinct personality. But how can you identify it? This article will teach you the science and psychology of choosing fonts.


Welcome to a scientific resource on fonts.

Do you spend WAY too long looking for fonts? Do you have trouble finding fonts that “feel right” for your context?

Well, this article is for you.

I read 75+ academic articles on typefaces. And I compiled the actionable findings into this article. By the end, you’ll know how to decipher the “personality” of any font, so that you can choose the best font in any context.


PART 1: HOW WE SUBCONSCIOUSLY EVALUATE FONTS

In this part, you’ll learn the step-by-step cognitive process. You’ll learn why people associate personality traits with fonts (and how to identify those traits).
Let’s play a game.

Among the fonts above, which is better for:

Fitness Class
Board Game
Makeup

Like most people, you probably chose C, A, then B.

But why?

They felt right? Seemed fitting? Looked good?

Sure. But WHY did those fonts feel right? Most people can’t articulate the reason because the mechanism occurs subconsciously.

So here’s the answer…

If you follow my content, you’ve heard me explain your brain’s associative network.

Your associative network plays a role in font perception. How? I summarized the steps in the following model:










Let’s look at each step…

STEP 1: WE PERCEIVE A FONT
You see a font…and that’s it. Pretty straightforward. 

If you want a deeper understanding, Koch (2011) explains the biological components of font perception (see pgs 17-27).

STEP 2: WE ACTIVATE PERCEPTUAL ASSOCIATIONS
Fonts contain various components (e.g., line, weight, size, orientation). When you see a font, your brain disentangles those perceptual components:








Big whoop, right?


Well…yeah. It IS a big deal. To appreciate the importance, you need to understand a crucial concept.

Look at the traits from the previous image:

Heavy
Thin
Small
Large
Loose
Tight

Notice something? Those traits are general adjectives. They describe stimuli outside of the font world. And that’s crucial.

Fonts share visual characteristics from the real world. If you want to choose an appropriate font, then choose a font that visually resembles your context:

Here’s an example.
Kang and Choi (2013) created ads for a cell phone. When ads emphasized the “slim” nature of the phone, condensed typefaces performed better:






However, some ads referenced the elegant nature of the phone. In those cases, the opposing font performed better:






In both cases, the font matched the visual qualities of the product.

However, font traits can also be metaphorical. Suppose the ad emphasized the phone’s speed. Even though technological speed is intangible, we associate visual traits with general speed — such as a forward tilt:


“What artistic conventions are used to convey the motion of animate and inanimate items in still images, such as drawings and photographs? One graphic convention involves depicting items leaning forward into their movement, with greater leaning conveying greater speed.” (Walker, 2015, pp. 111)

Need to convey technological speed? Then tilt your font forward. Maybe add a slight blur. Incorporate traits that are visually related to speed.


It might sound far-fetched, but Lewis and Walker (1989) found that people identify “fast” related words more easily in slanted fonts.

STEP 3: WE ACTIVATE DIRECT ASSOCIATIONS
Conversely, direct associations refer to the aggregate combination of font traits — usually the font family.


“…[direct] associations refer to the influence of historical precedence on affective response to typography. The typeface Fraktur has many associations with Nazi Germany, and Helvetica is commonly associated with the U.S. government since it is used by the IRS on tax forms.” (Shaikh, 2007, pp. 21)

Those fonts acquire meaning through your semantic network. Whenever you see a font (e.g., Fraktur), you associate meaning — based on the context. That includes semantic meaning (e.g., Nazi Germany) and emotional meaning (e.g., disgust).

Whenever you encounter that font in a future context, you modify the original connections in your network:

If the context is SIMILAR, you’ll STRENGTHEN the connections
If the context is DISSIMILAR, you’ll WEAKEN the connections
If the context is NEW, you’ll ADD new connections

That’s how fonts acquire meaning (see Shaikh, 2007). It’s a never-ending process that we’ve been performing our entire lives.

STEP 4: ACTIVATION SPREADS TO RELATED NODES
When you encounter a font, you activate the perceptual and direct associations in your network. In turn, the activation spreads to related nodes.

Suppose you see the logo for Avon — a women’s beauty company:





You’ll activate the node for that overall typeface and logo. Thanks to spreading activation, you’ll activate direct associations:
Where have you seen it?
Which topics do you associate with it?
How was your experience — good or bad?

In addition, you’ll disaggregate the perceptual font traits. Since the typeface is tall and thin, for example, you’ll activate those nodes in your network.








But wait…tall and thin? Aren’t those traits usually associated with beauty? Aha! Yes they are. When you see those perceptual traits, you’ll trigger an extra wave of activation toward the node for beauty.










Good job, Avon.

However, don’t jump the gun. At this point, you might be thinking: Well, if their node for beauty is activated, then people will perceive the font — or product — to be more beautiful.

It’s tempting. And I used to believe that explanation. When I published my article on advertising, I said:


“Activation spreads toward your node for beauty. That activation gives you a new temporary lens. With your concept of beauty more prevalent, you perceive stimuli in the immediate environment to be more beautiful.”

But that’s wrong. My bad. I deserve a punch in the face.

Font evaluation is more nuanced. In a few steps, you’ll see why that explanation is wrong.

STEP 5: WE COMBINE THE ACTIVATION INTO A COLLECTIVE MEANING
In the previous step, the font activated related nodes in your network. At this point, you combine those activated concepts into a collective meaning for the font.








The collective meaning is a combination of semantic concepts (e.g., beauty) and emotional feelings (e.g., pleasantness). Because of the concoction of meaning, you often can’t articulate it. The font just “feels right” or it doesn’t…which is the next step.

STEP 6: WE COMPARE THE COLLECTIVE MEANING TO THE CONTEXT
Let’s revisit the explanation from my advertising article.

I explained that we associate beauty with tall and thin traits. Because of that connection, tall and thin fonts activate the concept of beauty (which will cause you to perceive stimuli to be more beautiful).

So…why is that explanation wrong? Well, consider the font, Fraktur — which was used for Nazi propaganda:





With the previous explanation, you should NEVER use Fraktur. Since people associate it with Nazi Germany, spreading activation would trigger negative emotions. And those negative emotions would transfer to the immediate stimuli.

But it doesn’t work that way. When you evaluate fonts, you consider the appropriateness of the font (see Doyle & Bottomley, 2004).

Once we generate the collective meaning, we compare that meaning to the context:

If the meaning is CONGRUENT, we develop a POSITIVE EVALUATION
If the meaning is INCONGRUENT, we develop a NEGATIVE EVALUATION

That’s why you can use Fraktur in certain contexts (e.g., documentaries). It doesn’t matter if people associate negative emotions with it. Those negative emotions won’t tarnish their evaluation, as long as the font is appropriate for the context.

It sounds like common sense. And it is. But I needed to verbalize that step because the underlying mechanism is important.

So…what’s the mechanism? Why does appropriateness lead to a positive or negative evaluation? That’s our final step…

STEP 7: WE FORM OUR EVALUATION BASED ON THE DEGREE OF FLUENCY
We evaluate fonts —positively or negatively — through processing fluency.

When you process stimuli quickly and easily, it feels good. And you misattribute those positive emotions to the stimulus. And that’s the answer.

Suppose that you see the logo for Avon. That exposure will activate beauty-related concepts in your network (due to the perceptual and direct associations).

You’ll then compare that collective meaning to the context. Aha! Here, the context is beauty products. It’s congruent with the activated nodes. Because the concept of beauty is already activated, you’ll experience higher fluency:








In turn, that higher fluency will trigger positive emotions that you’ll misattribute to the context. The font will “feel right.”

Now, in that example, you processed the font and THEN the context. But the mechanism also works in reverse.

If you’re watching a documentary on World War II, Nazi-related concepts are activated in your network. If you THEN see the font Fraktur, you’ll process the font more easily because of the overlapping connections. That ease will make the font feel right.

And that’s it. That’s how we evaluate fonts. Still with me? Good.

Now that you understand the cognitive process, let’s apply it…

Next time:  PART 2: WHICH FONT TRAITS SHOULD YOU CHOOSE?

Source article

How To Know The Fonts To Never Use

Hahaha....  So, I was researching how to understand the different personalities of Font styles, as discussed in my last post, and I came across this video.

Clearly it's a tongue-in-cheek vid, but shows how people really can react to different fonts. 

My favourite part though, was the comments afterwards on YouTube - wow, people are a lot more passionate about this topic than I anticipated!

This definitely suggests I need to do a bit more research.... :)

9 Brand Design Elements Your Brand MUST Have for Designers and Entrepren...

I've just discovered this guy, Philip VanDusen!  What a fantastic tutorial video :)

Here are some of the key points I took from it, but it's totally worth watching in full - particularly for the examples at the end that crystalise it all nicely.

- Brand design is a lot more than a logo.
- You have a full Brand Ecosystem - where your visual aspect will show up in Brand Touchpoints
- You need to be consistent across all Brand Touchpoints e.g. across all social media platforms, websites, ads etc.

1. Logo should be simple, with just one or two colours
2. Fonts have personalities, so choose carefully.  [I'm going to have to look into that more, and understand what different fonts portray.]
3. Brand colour palette should have maybe 3 or 4 colours in it. Think about what your end consumer would like.
4. Some brands use patterns and textures really effectively - think of Louis Vuitton
5. Photography and animation styles can also be very distinctive.  Try to find a style that gels with your brand, and stick to it to keep consistency.
6. Illustration and iconography - these also have many different styles, so do the same here
7. Sound - some brands use sounds that are instantly recognisable.  The example he gave was of the 'Intel inside' "ding, ding, ding, diinnng' :)
8. Layout - again, keeping the layout of your pages consistent really adds to the overall immediate recognition that we'd love to have...
9. Tone of Voice in your copy.  Think about what your brand voice is, and keep this consistent - is it formal, jokey, serious... 

All of this should be brought into your brand guidelines, and Philip provides us with a one-page template where we can put all our examples, to make sure they work together.  

It's also an ideal brief to give to anyone we're outsourcing to, to make sure we don't lose our consistency.

Here are some screen shots taken from this video, that I found really useful:

Thanks Philip VanDusen!!

5 Kick-Ass Steps To Swiftly Supercharge Your Writing

Original article by F-bombmarketing

You might have heard what the legendary copywriter David Ogilvy said about having superb writing…

“When I write an advertisement, I don’t want you to tell me that you find it ‘creative.’ I want you to find it so interesting that you buy the product.”  – David Ogilvy”

Now, even though Ogilvy is talking about ads, the same applies to blog posts.

Why?

Because regardless of whether you’re writing a sales page, a blog post, or an email. Your aim is to get the reader to take action. That action might be to buy your product, share your post, or even just reply to you.

But for your reader to take action, they have to read your post, and for them to finish reading your post…

They have to have enough interest and desire to continue reading your post.

Let’s do a little role play…

Let’s say you run a blog for medium sized eCommerce businesses.

Imagine you’ve discovered a new sales strategy for eCommerce sites that could explode your blog readers income by an amazing 70% within the next 3 months, have customers salivating for their product, and get them free endorsements.

You craft a post on your blog revealing this business booming strategy and how to implement it…

After racking your brain and writing your heart out for what feels like forever. You relish in satisfaction as you hit the publish button.

You're buzzing with excitement when you think of all the supportive emails, shares, comments, likes, and links you’ll get that will send in droves of traffic to your site and propel your subscriber count soaring through the roof.

But something's up…

Two agonisingly slow days have passed.

You’ve got over 500 views, but no likes, shares and links whatsoever.

Followed by two spammy comments from some guy, touting his ” secret trading system” that made him a “bucket load” of money online by working only 2.5 hours a year.
( Yeah, right.)

Basically…

Your post is as interesting as a picture of a lost buffalo eating grass in a field.

“Hey… I heard that”

You know what the problem is, don't you?

Your writing.

The content you wrote might have been a life changing treasure, but it failed when it came to one crucial thing.

Keeping your reader interested and engaged whilst making your posts (or any type of content) feel like a slippery fun slide vs a brain numbing block of text.

You now have two options when it comes to keeping your reader engaged; 

1. hire a professional writer to help you craft powerful content that gets results, 
2. or use the actionable steps below to supercharge your writing.

So let’s dive into 5 actionable steps you can take to create straight for the jugular writing that jumps out of the screen and grabs your readers by the collar, dragging them into your posts.


1. Use the Active Voice

You ever wondered how some sentences have a punchy, fast-paced feeling that keeps you hooked?

Well, one ingredient to creating that pace in your writing is the powerful active voice.

Writing in the active voice is writing sentences in which the subject of the sentence “acts”.     (The subject is doing something)

Which is completely opposite to writing in the passive voice.                                                       (The subject has something done to it)

The passive voice adds horrible bloat to your sentences and lacks the vigour and strength of active sentences.

Below are some examples of lucky passive sentences that will be given a sexy linguistic makeover:

Before (Passive)

• The bat was swung by John
• The fire was extinguished by Dave
• The documents were searched by Fred

After (Active)

• John swung the bat
• Dave extinguished the fire
• Fred searched the documents

See the difference here?

After their linguistic makeover (ooh la la) these passive sentences became shorter, stronger, and clearer. Making them more entertaining and easy to read.

For more information on the active and Passive voice check out “The Elements of Style” by Strunk and White.


2. Use “Slap-You-in-the-Mouth” verbs

Writing is a form of communication, and, in order for our writing to communicate effectively, it must be  easy to understand. Writing is easier to understand (and more memorable) when it is simple, strong and swift.

Your choice of verbs has a huge impact on how strong and enjoyable your writing is. The right verbs give your post a muscular, grab-you-by-the-throat effect that sucks your reader in like a raging tornado.

And according to legendary copywriter John Carlton:

Good copy goes light on adjectives, and heavy on action verbs

The strongest verbs have just one or two syllables, with stress on the second syllable to drive the rhythm of the sentence forward.

For Example: lash,reject,unleash,stomp,destroy,hail,smash.

Check out  this example below to see first-hand how the right verbs beef up your sentences.

(Before)
The toddlers had taken control of the mansion.
He quickly became very angry

(After)
The toddlers seized the mansion.
He exploded with anger.

Fascinating how three words can be condensed into one isn’t?

Consistently using powerful verbs throughout your posts will make them more enjoyable, accurate and inject more “ummphh!” into them.

Onward...


3. Make Your Writing Easy for Monkeys to Process

"Write to the Chimpanzee Brain.Simply. Directly" - Eugene Schwartz

That means making your writing itself, and its presentation, easy to understand and view.

In his book The Art Of Plain Talk, Dr.Rudolph Flesch analyses what makes writing easy or difficult to read.

He advocates that 70-80 percent of your writing should be made up of one or two syllable words which will make it easier to mentally digest.

Now, speaking of mental digestion…

Longer sentences mean longer thoughts. Longer thoughts mean more mental effort is needed to process the information.

Take a look at the structure of the page and paragraphs on this article on the benefits of breathing, by Leo Babauta from Zen Habits.

The zen habits page is crisp, clear and beautifully simple.

• There is plenty of white space.
• There isn’t any visual noise.
• The paragraphs are short and sweet.
• The sentences are simple and concise.

Compare them to this horrific excuse for page.

• The sentences stretch too far across the screen putting excess stress on the eyes.
• The color is inconsistent and wild looking
• The background looks like it was edited by a 4 year old who just learned how to use Photoshop.

It’s just... BLUERGH.

Using short sentences, and action verbs, creates hard-hitting, butter-smooth copy that readers can’t resist.

Combine that with short paragraphs (3-4 sentences max) and you’re giving readers a tasty looking, engaging post that feels warm and welcoming, when compared to an intimidating chunk of text that makes them hurriedly click on the big red X button.


 4.  Dump Corporate Language in the Bin

Everyone who is reading your writing wants something out of it. They don’t care about how intelligent or well-educated you are.

They want to talk to someone who understands them. Someone who they can relate to and feel a human connection with.

And according to a survey by the National Center for Educational Statisics “40 to 44 million adults have literacy competency skills at the lowest level.”

They can understand only the simplest written instructions.

So, over-complicated corporate speak kills the relatability of your writing, and makes it harder for readers to bond with you through your words.

Corporate speak can be spotted by its:

1. “Fluff” words with no solid meaning
2. Unnecessary adjectives
3. Sleep-inducing bloated sentences
4. Large chunks of text that are hard on the eye.
5. Over-complicated words

Remember all these things murder your readers' attention.

They are to be terminated on site.

Take a peek at the paragraphs below:


NO. 1

Would you like to make an extra $10,000 a month importing almost any product of your choice?   

(Well I’ve been doing so for almost a decade now and have taught my wife Amy how to aswell) 

Then keep reading. 

By the time you finish this special report you’ll be well on your way to creating your own importing empire!

Now read this....

NO. 2

If  you have an extremely strong desire to obtain an extra of $10,000 a month through importing a vast array of products of your own choice, pay careful attention to this special report providing privileged unprecedented information that is unavailable elsewhere to you.

    

You see the difference?


Regardless of your reader's educational background, simple words and shorter sentences make reading smoother for everybody.

Dr. Flesch also advocates using definite words. This means using nouns, pronouns, verbs and names to make your writing as specific as possible.

The more specific you are, the less processing your reader has to do to understand your message.

For example, instead of:

Want to acquire an aesthetically appealing physique?

Say:

Do you want to pack on up to 10-30 pounds of rock hard, rippling muscle within a year?


Got it? Good.


Next up…


5. Inject Emotion by Arousing Your Readers' Senses


Which of these sentences is more exciting and interesting to you?

1: You get a delicious smooth Heaven’s chocolate bar that you’ll never forget.

2: You’ll lose yourself once the luscious, mouth-watering taste of Heaven’s smooth and rich chocolate seductively melts in your mouth; caressing your taste buds and lifting your body and soul into “heavenly” indulgence.

Answer's obvious, isn’t it? The second paragraph is bursting with powerful sensory adjectives. These adjectives create bright, clear, impactful images and feelings.

They allow your reader to picture and feel what you say in their minds, which creates something amazing.

It creates an experience.

When reading the first example above, you just saw words across a screen that you processed. It kinda sounded like a marketing claim too, however…

The second sentence arouses feelings and emotion.  The words purposefully push visual and kinaesthetic buttons in your brain, making you picture chocolate slowly melting in your mouth, making you feel the rich, sweet texture gliding along your tongue.

It grabs you by the hand and takes you on a sensory journey.

This makes your writing more “tangible” and more of an emotional experience.

Emotional experiences are created by using the following senses:

• Visual ( sight)
• Auditory (sound)
• Kinaesthetic (feeling or touch)
• Olfactory ( smell)
• Gustatory (taste)

These senses are the “ingredients” of any experience.

In fact, that’s what memory is - a collection of sensory experiences in your brain.

Think about your first kiss. Maybe you remember the feeling (kinaesthetic), or maybe you remember how the person looked (visual), or maybe you remember the smell of their clothes (olfactory).

Either way, there is a main sensory ingredient that hooks that experience into your brain and makes it a memory.

The secret to skyrocketing the power of your writing lies in activating the sensory elements in your reader's brain through your words.

Turning up the intensity of these sensory elements is what causes a powerful internal experience, that stirs your reader's emotional cauldron to the point where they are bubbling with emotion and happily take the action you desire them to take.

Now, go out there and work your magic!



Source article on www.f-bombmarketing.com
Images courtesy of Pixabay

Day 1 of the Pre Summit at Titanium Mastermind

I just wanted to show you the beautiful resort, where I'm doing a mammoth 9 days of training! 

I'll share the tops that I learn... watch this space :)

The 4 Ps Of Marketing - And How The Digital Aspect Comes Into Play

The 4 Ps Of Marketing - And How The Digital Aspect Comes Into Play​

We know that marketing isn’t easy - online or otherwise - and without a proper marketing plan in place, your company may suffer. 

The main ingredients for a successful marketing campaign are the four Ps. 

These essential marketing items are product, price, placement, and promotion. 

To provide a positive experience for your customers, it is in your best interest to ensure that each P works with all the others.

It takes a lot of work and effort to determine what customers want and need, as well as identifying their shopping habits. 

Once these steps are taken, you will then need to produce your product, find the right price point, and promote it. 

All of these actions must be taken together to avoid problems. 

Let’s explore the four Ps of marketing, determine what they are, and how they work together.

Product

Your product is the heart of your business. 

It is near and dear to your heart, and if you’ve done your homework, it’s something that is unique to the market, allowing it to stand out from the rest of the competition. 

The challenge with any product, however, is remaining distinct and unique. 

From a product perspective, it is best if you have a solid understanding of what customers are looking for in regards to benefits and features.

It’s also imperative that you learn how they will use your product, that way you can make sure the product you’re offering fits their wants and needs. 

If the product doesn’t fulfill a need, it won’t be likely that customers will purchase it. 

Perform market research to have a good idea of ways your product will be used.

Price

Of course, your product is only going to sell if you set the appropriate price point. 

Your business will want to use production costs, projected fulfillment, and other key metrics to determine the proper price for your product. 

Make sure you are conveying the quality of your product to customers when considering the initial amount of your product. 

At the same time, do what you can to keep in mind how the price you select, along with costs of manufacturing and production, will have an impact on your product in the long-term.

Placement

In today’s market, placement is no longer simply about identifying the appropriate retailers or best locations. 

There are now many other channels and outlets to give consideration when thinking about your product placement. 

• Where is the area with the highest foot traffic? 
• Which retailer is showing growth and expansion? 
• What businesses does it make the most sense to establish a partnership with?

These are all questions you will want to consider when it comes to product placement, but you’ll also need to think about the digital aspect of marketing. 

Will you want to have a social media campaign? I would say yes, definitely!

Ensuring your product is in a spot which will gain traction and attention in the market is the key to successful product placement.

Promotion

With the continued growth and immersion of our lives into social media, it is crucial to promote and market your product online. 

This means that your product marketing needs to be multi-pronged, something that did not require as much attention in the past.

Nowadays, customers want to see the product first-hand. 

They want to interact with it, ask questions about it, get answers about it and learn more about the brand, all from the comfort of their home. 

Provide high-quality videos and content to your potential customers, and they will reward you with their loyalty.

Take time to understand each of the four Ps and how they can make or break your marketing campaign. Have a strategy for each ingredient, and focus on trouble spots that may disrupt a successful product. 

The Secret to Self-Motivation | The 5 Second Rule

Mel Robbins gives us such great insight into why we stop ourselves from making changes, even when we know those changes are the best thing for us!

It's called the 5 Second Rule... and it's incredibly simple.  In fact, it's just too simple for me to summarise here - as it would just get dismissed straight away.

I absolutely recommend you watch her explanation of how our brains work, and how we can work with them to keep moving forward towards our goals :)

WILL 2018 BE THE YEAR THAT YOU 'JUMP'?

A wonderful speech from Steve Harvey, beautifully edited and illustrated.  Enjoy!