Discourse comes from the Latin word discursus meaning “running to and from”.  Today, discourse is defined as communication that goes back and forth, such as debate or argument.  On the other hand, social media is defined as the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction and the construction of words and pictures. This interaction, and the manner in which information is presented, depends on the varied perspectives and “building” of shared meaning, as people share their stories and understandings (Wikipedia).

Discourse plays a significant role in how social media operates. For example, where Internet marketing is involved, businesses may rely on the way in which words are formulated on a web page to communicate with consumers while other business owners may rely more on pictures or graphics. There are numerous ways in which social media plays a role in our everyday life.

Myspace is one of the most popular social media sites today, but how did it get that way? Simple. It is a social outlet on the Internet that connects people with people in a fun and free way. It allows you the creativity to design your own webpage layout (in a matter of speaking), post pictures to your account and exchange information (to include pictures, video and even text messages) with friends and family.  You can join online groups, download music to play on your page. It seems like the possibilities are endless! It’s no wonder people are hooked.

Some other examples of social media sites include:

• Facebook-used mostly by college students and professors in similar fashion as Myspace
• YouTube- used to exchange short clips of videos normally
• Flickr- used to exchange pictures

There are many forms of social media besides the ones listed above.  The most important thing to take away from social media sites like Myspace as well as others, however, is that it connects people to people.  It allows for the exchange of messages, thoughts and ideas, thereby increasing communication while fostering healthy debates.

For more information on Internet marketing, visit Create Business Growth.

When you want someone to do something for you, how do you get them to do it?  You persuade them.  Persuasion, according to Wikipedia, is a form of social influence. It guides people towards the adoption of an idea or action by rational and symbolic means.  It is a problem-solving strategy that relies more on “appeal” versus strength.  Persuasion is quite different from the commonly confused “manipulation,” which is an extreme form of persuasion in which only one person benefits at the cost of another.

How Persuasion is Achieved

There are several different methods of trying to persuade someone.  Usually these approaches are made by appealing to the following:

1. Appeal to Reason (ex: logic, rhetoric, scientific)
2. Appeal to Emotion (ex: advertising, faith, pity)
3. Aids to Persuasion (ex: body language, sales techniques, personality tests)
4. Coercive Techniques (ex: brainwashing, coercive techniques, mind control, torture)
5. Seduction
6. Other (deception, hypnosis, subliminal advertising)

Using Persuasive Technology in Internet Marketing

Persuasion isn’t about selling. Persuasion isn’t about getting someone to do something for you.  At the heart of it all, persuasion is about communication.  It’s about reaching a shared understanding.  In the wonderful world of web marketing, persuasive technology combines traditional views of persuasion with modern technology in order to persuade a user to do something.  That “something” can range from anything such as buying a product to playing a game.  In order for persuasive technology to work, a web site has to be geared towards persuading a possible consumer. This will only work if you have persuasive design, structure and copywriting.  If all of these things work together, then the effectiveness of the website will have a bigger impact on consumers.

Again, the main source of success stems from a general, shared understanding of what the consumer’s needs are. By understanding what those needs are in conjunction with the business goals of that particular company, you can persuade an Internet user to go where you want them to go without being misleading- which will make both parties happy.

Coined by a guy named Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1909, the popular saying “The customer is always right,” is still used by many businesses today to (ideally) do two things:

1. Convince employees to give excellent customer service through their skills and training (Keep the customer happy!).
2. Convince the potential customers that they will receive excellent service.

But the customer can be wrong too…

Bad for Business

At some point in all of our lives, we’ve either been the irate customer or have had to deal with one.  Usually people don’t get too out of hand, but there are some customers who really take it to the extreme and make employees and employers alike wonder, “Is this customer really worth it?”  The “it” in that statement refers to how irate customers can actually be wrong sometimes.  If you ask any business owner, I’m sure they could tell you horror stories about customers that were bad for business; and it wasn’t even because the service was bad.  It was worse than that; it was because some people are just downright disrespectful!

When the Customer is Wrong

The following are some reasons why the customer isn’t always “right”:

• Where is your loyalty? In conflicts that sometimes arise between employees and customers, where do you draw the line between the irate customer and the employee who is getting his/her ear chewed off?  In the past, and even today, many companies will actually side with the customer without fully investigating the situation.
• Company morale is low. When companies choose to defend a customer over an employee time and time again, this can ruin employee morale, making the employee feel as if he/she is not being fairly supported.
• There is a lack of motivation. Think about this for a second.  If your supervisor hardly ever took your side to defend you whenever a customer got upset, wouldn’t it make you upset and then after a while make you THAT much more unmotivated?  When companies constantly put the customer first, they tend to neglect the very people who are working for them, who are partially responsible for that company’s success!

Secrets for Success

An increasing number of Internet marketing businesses are finding that by putting their employees first and the customer second, that employees are happier.  Nowadays, the relationship between customer and employee, employee and employer, has more to do with respect versus being “right”.  In the Internet marketing world, it’s no different.  While a lot of us are still very customer service-oriented, we also realize the value in putting employee needs first.

Studies have shown that the more happy a person is, the more energy they have.  People who are happier are also more pleasurable to be around and are usually more motivated, thus functioning better in any work environment.  If an employee knows that their employer stands behind them 100% (when it’s fair of course), then they feel more valued and appreciated- all of which translates to better business.