Relevancy is the filter used by the human brain to discount that which is unimportant. Without relevancy, even surprising facts won’t get through to the decision-making part of the brain. For marketers, this means that advertising ploys and gimmicks have a short shelf-life. Consider the humdinger of a marketing stunt put on by one Ford [...] Read more »
The Most Lethal Credibility Killer in Marketing
Most credibility killers in marketing are unintentional. And they often creep up when we’re overwhelmed or distracted. A few of the most common credibility killers are: The use of ad-speak, hype or unsubstantiated claims. The failure to meet the public’s expectations. The absence of transparency or accountability. But nothing will erode your credibility faster than [...] Read more »
Is Trust a Part of Your Marketing?
Trust is a vital part of persuasive communication. (Yes, I’m beating the ‘trust drum’ once again.) Without it, your message will be unremarkable and unconvincing. And as I’ve explained, investing one or more of the six currencies injects your marketing message with a strong dose of credibility, which leads consumers to anticipate a trustworthy buying [...] Read more »
Walking the Walk
Street gangs use an initiation rite called a “beat in” to determine if an inductee is mentally and physically strong enough to become a member. Inductees must risk safety & well being by enduring a physical bashing from several gang members. Richard Davis, the founder of bulletproof vest manufacturer Second Chance®, proves the safety of [...] Read more »
Burger King’s Whopper of a Marketing Stunt
Have the folks over at Burger King lost their freakin’ minds? A meat-scented body spray. Seriously? I’m hoping this one’s a joke. For just $3.99, you can “Behold the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled meat.” Sounds like something your dog might want to sniff. I’d love to have the inside dirt on [...] Read more »
Asking for a Handout
Lemme get this straight: The Big Three auto companies want big bucks – $25 billion taxpayer bucks – to bail them out from a swirling mix of financial rot, but the CEO’s of these companies each flew to Washington to ask for help in their private jets? Hmmm. Something here smells vaguely of cheap cologne. Spending $20,000 [...] Read more »
The Wisdom of the Past
“Oh, don’t worry she won’t bite.” Yeah right. Does anyone really believe that? It’s a line I hear – without fail – at least once a week from enthusiastic dog owners as I jog through my neighborhood. And although it’s been 11 years since an angry German Shepherd sunk his teeth into my leg – [...] Read more »
Sending Powerful Messages: The Three Factors of Signal Strength
The Six Currencies of Credibility is an operating system designed to manage the signals your actions send. This is a valuable marketing tool since a strong signal can slice through the clutter of ad-speak; boosting your company’s credibility and persuading truth-thirsty customers to take the action you’d like them to take. But a word of [...] Read more »
Elevating Trust With Signaling
Because trust understands a language that does not rely on words, your customer’s brain operates on autopilot; scanning the horizon for unbiased, non-verbal clues it can use to reduce uncertainty, avoid risk and the pain of loss. Which means, your customers are skillfully programmed to avoid buyer’s remorse. And many of the non-verbal clues they [...] Read more »
Tom is in high demand as a 
