Dogs are easily motivated to respond to stimuli. Cats aren't so cooperative. Potential buyers used to behave pretty much like dogs--responding to advertising by running out to buy a product. Even in the B2B world, a sales rep or an ad campaign could move prospects easily toward a purchase. Today, buyers prefer to make their own informed brand choices. They are as difficult to herd as, well, cats. The solution: The authors have invented a `persuasion architecture' that enables sellers to provide an information experience that's individually meaningful to buyers. It marries the two-sided buying/selling process with the marketing communications flow. "Its focus, always, is persuading the customer to take action." To keep buyers moving toward a positive decision, sellers must ask again and again:

* Who are we trying to persuade to take the action?
* What is the action we want someone to take?
* What does the person need in order to feel confident taking that action?

Successful marketers guide prospects toward informed decisions through touch points, such as the web, print or television ads, and in-person contacts. The buyer's voluntary participation is required, because "you are always the equivalent of `one click' away from goodbye." Pervasive Internet usage for pre-purchase research creates marketing opportunity. For example, the shift to flat screen TVs enables savvy sellers to become your new best friend. Buying a TV with a tube was easy. Who understands flat screens? If you can guide us gently toward a positive decision, you win. Implementing persuasion architecture will help position your organization as the provider of choice for:

* Relevant, reliable information
* An enjoyable buying experience
* Products and services that precisely meet client needs

In fact, persuasion architecture as a core component of content marketing may be just the competitive advantage you need to succeed with those hard to herd clients.

I thought this book was one of the most inspiring books I read in 2006. It doesn't present any groundbreaking news, but it does make you eager to get out there and improve your marketing. I put up quotes and drawings based on the book by my workplace -- to get the inspiration from the book to last longer.