Here’s Why a Post by a Total Noob Made $545.75
Without proper formatting, followers or any experience on the platform
Give Value
Even though I didn’t know how to use Markup and the post was not formatted for Steemit, CONTENT is more important than design. People found VALUE in my post because:
My article was over 11 pages long in my google docs. It showed the reader how they could apply the tips in their life to sell and persuade, but more importantly, it opened with a story…
Open with a Story
When you open a post with a good story, it creates an “information gap” with curiosity and people will want to keep reading to see how the story ends.
Expert Marketer Derek Halpern from Social Triggers* says that while images and good headlines grab attention, “curiosity helps you KEEP attention.”
Stories are the key to Persuasion
Which would you rather read? A boring article about research, or an entertaining STORY demonstrating all the key points that the researchers proved.
People LOVE stories. Even before TV, people gathered around campfires to tell stories. Stories convince and persuade like gangbusters.
My nephew Brandon is one of the best storytellers I know. He makes everyone laugh hysterically until our stomachs are begging for mercy.
Not surprisingly, he has won several awards for being the top sales person at work.
Back It Up with Proof
I didn’t just give advice. I backed up each sales tip and point with cited research from my decades of studying consumer/buyer Psychology so people could see that I was legit.
Shock Value
Nobody expects to see sales and persuasion hacks from the Girl Scouts, so my story and tips were outrageously unexpected, and made people curious.
Curious people will move mountains (and even read super long articles) to satisfy that curiosity.
Emotional Contagion
Like I wrote in my article, Studies show that strong emotions are actually contagious. The real name for this is actually “Emotional Contagion.”
Basically I was EXCITED when I wrote the article. This is a topic I love! People who read my words could literally feel my excitement. Sounds woo-woo but studies* back this up.
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