Press/Articles/Books
Use Vivid Language to Persuade People to Accept Your Idea
Asking an audience to do something or to agree with your viewpoint is more persuasive when you use vivid language and description that enables people to visualize the impact on them and others.
read moreGiving Thanks May Be Persuasive
Thanksgiving is just the start of the season of giving. Although it is traditional to give thanks as we gather at the dinner table this year, we...
read morePersuasion Tip: How to Motivate Employees
How can you persuade employees to improve their job performance? It can be as easy as showing them how their jobs benefit others. Psychologists have...
read morePersuasive Writing Tip: Express Displeasure Politely
Learning to express displeasure politely invites a civilized discussion and increases the likelihood that the other person will accept your point of...
read morePublic Relations Writing Tip: Use Flattery to Persuade
If you want someone to comply with your request, try using flattery to persuade. Flattery, compliments and exaggerated tributes, are among...
read morePersuasive Writing Tip: Focus on the Number of Readers
If you send a persuasive message to a group, consider two important factors: the strength of your argument and the number of people who will process...
read morePersuasive Writing Tip: It’s Not Just About the Message
If you sit down to write a persuasive message, you probably focus on carefully selecting the right words and emphasizing the appropriate points. But...
read morePersuasive Writing Tip: Ask for Less to Get What You Want
Reducing the size of your initial request can be an effective persuasive tactic because it makes the request less burdensome to your audience....
read moreTo Move Someone to Yes, Push Your Request into the Future
If you want someone to help you with a task, one way to persuade them is to ask far in advance, because people usually don’t think clearly about...
read morePersuasive Writing Tip: Buzzwords are Risky
The trendy words and phrases that we know as “corporate speak” tarnish any communication, but using them in a persuasive appeal can be...
read moreBy Ken O’Quinn
As a contributing author in this book on leadership, Ken offers insights and tips for managing difficult conversations, providing effective feedback, and being authentic. Order here.
Perfect Phrases for Business Letters (McGraw-Hill)
Provides the right words and phrases for any situation - quickly. The book was reprinted in Japanese because of high-volume sales there.
TD at Work — Business Writing for Managers
The Association for Talent Development invited Ken to write this 22-page booklet for the TD at Work series.
Current Blog Post
Use a Dash for Emphasis, a Hyphen for Clarity
People often confuse dashes and hyphens. Dashes are used for three reasons, most commonly to mark off information that you …