The first step in the “equation of persuasion” is making sure your listening audience retains the information you want them to walk away with. Studies show that retention rates are much higher when you combine the audio and visual components together as one unit. Let’s assume you’re an entrepreneur making a presentation to a group of prospective capital investors. As an entrepreneur, you’re a born risk-taker; don’t take a risk, though, when you have a limited amount of time and attention with your prospective capital investors. Instead, take a calculated risk by preparing a compelling visual story that is simple but clear and, most of all, persuasive.

You must be confident and ready to lead them into a story they will never forget and will therefore have no doubts or hesitation about providing the capital backing you seek to pursue your dreams.

Being persuasive takes talent and creative forethought. It must involve complete integrity and respect toward the audience you’re reaching out to as well as the factual information to which you’re applying persuasive information design.

Marketing is about product placement and positioning. Marketing activities are not always sales, as it is everything that leads to the sales, as well as at times, the actual sales. Marketing defines who you are and contributes to the perception and management of your brand.

Marketing activities and products can include networking, advertising, speaking, identifying leads, one-on one meeting, proposal generation and closing. Marketing will have a say in all the ways that your market perceives your brand, including how you look and what you say to your market.

Publicity is about press and other media including magazines, newspapers, trade and financial papers, television, radio, internet blogs, viral word or mouth recognition, newsletters and webzines. The goal is to generate non-fee based recognition. The outcome of publicity is attention, visibility, market share recognition and emotional connection with your brand.

Publicity is gained through the hiring and activities of a Publicist. Techniques include integrating core messages and corporate goals, and introducing them to the media through high interest stories for their readers. Products used in publicity include press releases, feature stories, and interacting with marketing in circulating attention getting direct mail such as postcards and newsletters.