Preface

So, where did you look first? At the photo or this text? Right. Why did you look at the photo first? Because I planned it that way. How did I plan it? That is what this book is about.

This book is about persuasion. More important, it is about persuading people remotely. How can we influence people when we are not in the same room with them? As you’ll discover, persuasion is a one-on-one conversation between you and a member of your audience. In the past, we would do this face-to-face. Today, we need to do it remotely.

I started writing this book in early 2020, when all we were worried about in the United States was politics. I finished writing this book as the coronavirus altered everyday life, ending group activities and forcing most of us to live and work from home.

In the past, we could convince someone simply by meeting with them. Now, almost all our communication is remote. As the virus rages unchecked, devastating the world economy, visuals are more important than ever.

In today’s world of “deep fakes,” “fake news,” and manufactured images, I thought a lot about whether to write this book. After all, showing how to create images to persuade pretty much defines much of what’s wrong with today’s society.

On the other hand, the folks who are causing trouble already know these techniques. My goals are different. To effect change—for good or ill—we need to persuade someone to make a decision to change. Persuasion is at the heart of all change. It is my hope that in sharing these techniques you will not only improve your own persuasive ability but better guard yourself from others who are using these techniques for nefarious purposes.

Knowledge is our best protection against manipulation. This is why I stress that telling the truth is a key element of any successful persuasive technique.

This book grew out of teaching the techniques of visual persuasion for more than a decade at the University of Southern California. My students helped me refine these ideas year after year. Now, I get to return the favor by creating a book with their notes already in it.

I also want to recommend the resources on my website: LarryJordan.com. Here you’ll find thousands of tutorials and training videos that illustrate these subjects in-depth.

The role of persuasion isn’t going away. Rather, it is morphing, moving online, and including more visuals. If you plan to persuade others, this book is essential reading. If you simply want to guard yourself against being persuaded, this book shows you the techniques others are using.

Never before in our society’s history have the techniques presented in this book been more relevant. Stay safe and stay healthy.

Larry Jordan
Los Angeles, CA
April 2020