Fascination Trigger #2: PASSION

Sally Hogshead wrote Fascinate: Your 7 Triggers to Persuasion and Captivation. In it, she talks about seven ways people can harness their natural personalities to be captivating to others. Every Wednesday, I'll be going over one of these triggers.

If you missed the introduction to this series, click here. If you missed Power, the first trigger, click here.

So....Passion. Don't think sex and romance, but do think emotional connection. Sally used to call this trigger Lust, and she changed it because Passion elicits more of the concept and is more broadly applicable. People with this gift can make very quick tie-ins with other people, and bring about an anticipation of their pleasure (whether naughty or nice).

One example of a company who utilizes Passion is Apple. Apple fans literally lust after the latest and greatest gadget. Each one is more beautiful and more functional (and more expensive) than the last. The Passion built up so much in people as they anticipated the iPhone 5 that cost doesn't matter. As Randy Ingermanson said, "Apple fans can't wait for the next cool thing that they never knew they needed."

According to Sally Hogshead, there are 5 defining characteristics of Passion personalities:

1) Expressive - no poker faces here! Facial expressions, body language, and vocal intonation communicate and add emphasis to a Passion's message. They engage others and keep their focus well.

2) Intuitive - Instinct plays a large role in how a Passion makes decisions. This is an emotional rather than rational approach, feeling rather than data. They can sense their audience's feelings and adjust their message to resonate accordingly.

3) Impulsive - as a result, Passion personalities react rather than respond to others and information. This can lead to backtracking later.

4) Social - this is your typical Otter/Sanguine-type personality trait. They have strong interpersonal skills and are very approachable. They build rapport like nobody's business.

5) Transparent - Masking emotions doesn't come easily for a Passion. If they have to "bluff" their way through a situation, that'll be difficult for them.

One author who exemplifies Passion is Sarah Palin. Every time she took the podium, she was engaging. Her smile, her wide eyes, her laugh....she had the audience eating out of her hand. I haven't read her book, Going Rogue: An American Life. I think we saw some impulsiveness in her campaign, and transparency. She related to mothers everywhere when she called herself a "mama grizzly," and she made these traits work for her so much, she hit the New York Times Bestseller list.

Let's Analyze

How might Passion play into author marketing? Since one-on-one connection is so important, likely the author would need to showcase their interpersonal skills by signings, speaking to book clubs, and conferences. What else?