TALK TO THE BRAIN
"Neuromarketing," the science of determining the brain's reaction to ads, packaging, and products, might just be the next big thing.

Neurosense, Ltd. in the UK is currently using MRI scans to view brain activity in subjects reacting to products. According to neuromarketing theory, traditional ways of measuring marketing effectiveness only scratch the surface. Focus groups might help determine the effect of a campaign, but the process is a black box -- information goes into the subjects' minds; behavior comes out. Neuroscience tools like MRIs are intended to connect the dots and show why, deep down, subjects choose one product over another.

Another neuromarketing company, SalesBrain, works on the premise that the "old brain" section of the brain is the decision-maker. If companies learn to speak the old brain's language, they'll be more likely to influence customers. One example? Evolutionarily speaking, the old (or "reptilian") brain has been around longer than the "new" and "middle" brain -- since the days when the bigger you were, the greater your chance of survival. This might help explain the popularity SUVs -- some of the biggest things on the road.

Source: http://www.marketingprofs.com/4/greenfield1.asp

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WRITE SMART FOR WEBSITES
Writing for the Web is not like writing for a brochure or a magazine. The dialogue is more casual, for one. And more importantly, the Web isn't read. It's scanned. Perhaps you've noticed that Explorer and Netscape are called "browsers"? You'll need to attract attention with your copy, and then to get your point across quickly and concisely.

Since the Web tends to be less formal, consider writing your copy in first or second person, like we've done in this newsletter. Get to the point quickly. Ask yourself, "Will people care when they read this?"

As far as formatting is concerned, try not to let text span the full width of the screen. Consider keeping columns narrow by bordering them with navigation bars, photos, or other graphics. Paragraphs should usually be kept short, written using what writing gurus call "block" style (no indent, a blank line between paragraphs). Shorter paragraphs, more white space, and narrower columns are less intimidating for impatient site visitors. Likewise, if articles pop open in new windows, it's best to restrict the width of these windows rather than letting them open full-size.

Lastly, keep it short. With the exception of bona-fide articles and/or special reports, less is more when it comes to words on the web.

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THE POWER OF THREE
It's a truism that things occur in groups of three. We talk about ABCs and 123s (not ABs or 1234s), there were three Musketeers and three little pigs, and whenever people walk into a bar at the beginning of a joke, there are always three of them. If you tap into the intuitive appeal of three, your marketing might get just the nudge you're looking for.

In the article "Harness the Psychological Power of '3' to Improve Communication" (http://www.psychotactics.com/artpsycho3.htm), Sean D'Souza says that the human brain tends to prefer things which occur in groups of three. Threes are just more comfortable, somewhat easier to remember and process.

Appealing, successful marketing is often composed of three elements. There might be three visual "chunks" in a design. Three colors might have been used, or three fonts. Perhaps there are three main points to consider. Think back to high school, where your English teacher taught you the five-paragraph format for a persuasive essay: a summary and a conclusion, which bookend three key arguments.

For whatever reason, threes intuitively make sense to the brain. Think "three" in your marketing, and you'll help give it that subconscious appeal.