Comments on: The Would-be Guru: Inspiring Online Credibility (Part 2) http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/ Marketing blog focused on marketing optimization, improving website conversion rates, search engine marketing, web analytics, word of mouth, etc. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 19:57:59 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Ways to Inspire Visitor Trust and Website Credibility http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-586587 Ways to Inspire Visitor Trust and Website Credibility Tue, 18 Mar 2008 13:27:44 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/#comment-586587 [...] Once you've taken a look at that, I humbly suggest you look at my series on Inspiring Online [...] [...] Once you've taken a look at that, I humbly suggest you look at my series on Inspiring Online [...]

]]> By: Is Trump a Guru? — Inspiring Online Credibility (Part 3) http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-275434 Is Trump a Guru? — Inspiring Online Credibility (Part 3) Thu, 25 Oct 2007 15:12:07 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/#comment-275434 [...] a guru, let's examine two other essential methods of creating thumos (see my last post for definition), and then use that insight to figure it [...] [...] a guru, let's examine two other essential methods of creating thumos (see my last post for definition), and then use that insight to figure it [...]

]]> By: Jeff Sexton http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-271696 Jeff Sexton Tue, 23 Oct 2007 20:14:44 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/#comment-271696 Paul, I definitely agree with you on passion - in fact, it's an essential part of what I called the third factor for creating thumos: Weaving an over-riding passion into your copy that addresses your visitor's goals, aspirations, and character. However, this leads directly into your other point: for the ease of copying a style. Anyone can create passionate copy. And many do, but what they end up sounding like is a passionate Karaoke artist, or a passionate parrot. Think of a wanna-be Tony Robins. This is why I covered the "thought leadership" aspect of thumos first. Once you have made it clear to the reader that you have your own unique and compelling "take" on your domain of expertise, then that passion comes through while you're singing your own, unique song. You have to have genuine thought leadership before the passion will help you. But stay tuned for more on this ; ) -Jeff Paul,

I definitely agree with you on passion – in fact, it’s an essential part of what I called the third factor for creating thumos:

Weaving an over-riding passion into your copy that addresses your visitor’s goals, aspirations, and character. However, this leads directly into your other point: for the ease of copying a style. Anyone can create passionate copy. And many do, but what they end up sounding like is a passionate Karaoke artist, or a passionate parrot. Think of a wanna-be Tony Robins.

This is why I covered the “thought leadership” aspect of thumos first. Once you have made it clear to the reader that you have your own unique and compelling “take” on your domain of expertise, then that passion comes through while you’re singing your own, unique song. You have to have genuine thought leadership before the passion will help you. But stay tuned for more on this ; )

-Jeff

]]> By: Paul Knag http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/comment-page-1/#comment-271653 Paul Knag Tue, 23 Oct 2007 19:45:01 +0000 http://www.grokdotcom.com/2007/10/23/the-would-be-guru-inspiring-online-credibility-part-2/#comment-271653 Jeff, I really enjoyed reading this post. I think the "thumos" concept could also be interpreted as "passion" or even "guts". For brand messaging this is the right stuff. Applied to direct marketing/lead generation, web copy and especially in PPC ad copy, words are relatively cheap. A new way of explaining something, a different "voice", all can be quickly adopted by 2nd movers once conversion rates are measured and evident. Jeff, I really enjoyed reading this post. I think the “thumos” concept could also be interpreted as “passion” or even “guts”.

For brand messaging this is the right stuff. Applied to direct marketing/lead generation, web copy and especially in PPC ad copy, words are relatively cheap. A new way of explaining something, a different “voice”, all can be quickly adopted by 2nd movers once conversion rates are measured and evident.

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