The fundamental principles of communications may well apply to advertising, media relations, sales, public speaking, teaching, handling a job interview, or even attracting a date to the nightclub on a Saturday night. Each communication challenge shares common questions. How do you win someone's attention? How do you motivate them to do what you want them to do? Who are you talking to? Why are you talking? What is your goal? Keep in mind the average person may be exposed to thousands of advertisements and other messages a day through television, radio, billboards, t-shirts, interactive media, and that often it's a herculean challenge to appeal to and capture someone's attention. A motivational researchers tell us there are 12 basic human desires that are essential to effective messages, whether communicating face-to-face or advertisements or emails. So what are those desires and how do we appeal to them? Starting with security, we all have a need to feel secure, appealing to a customer's sense of safety may be the most effective appeal of all. We buy a home for security. We put money into a savings account, contribute to pension funds, and buy insurance all for security. In possessions, we like to buy in own things. Some people might consider possessions as a key measure of personal worth. Imitating others, we buy many things just because we see others buying them. We typically don't like to be too different from other people. It's one of the strongest appeals, especially for a younger target market. And good health, we spend a lot of money on products and services to satisfy a desire for good health. It's a potent appeal, especially for an older target group. And sex and romantic drives, many personal grooming products, how-to books and services are sold with these appeals in mind. And curiosity, we're attracted to new products and unusual imagery. We are naturally interested in things outside the ordinary. This motivator may not necessarily sell something, but it does get attention. And love of beauty. Tastes in beauty may vary between cultures and generations, but a desire for beauty. In music, art, literature, personal appearance, it burns deep in a soul. Playing relaxation. We take trips by toys, join clubs, in order to satisfy a desire for fun. And the entire economy of some states and countries depends on tourism and are yearning for play and relaxation. Well, people will often buy all sorts of products and services because ownership makes them feel important. And physical pleasure and comfort, we like comfortable beds, warm houses, a bubble bath, lounge chairs, personal products, and such that give us pleasure and makes us comfortable. And love of others, we buy many products for the people and pets we love. And avoiding discomfort, we often spend a lot of money to avoid both real and imagined discomforts and inconveniences, for example, insect repellents and service agreements and many household products. Now most marketing communications appeal to one or more of these desires. The more appeals you can work into a communication without overreaching and overwhelming and overselling, the more attractive your message might be. So once you've won someone's attention, your work has just begun. Now it's time to sell your goods. Things may match and mix six basic tactics to sell a product or service or message. And let's consider those further. With a straight sell, which is a clear, brief, simple presentation of a product or service benefits, you get straight to the point. Do you need this? We have it. Now billboards do this well because they need to communicate fast as a quick glance medium. In the educational tactic, it educates the customer about the specific benefits of your product or service or position. For example, explaining how a car's breaking system works or offering detailed schematics of a product such as a Robocat. And the testimonial. Now here a credible endorser could be a celebrity or a hidden camera interview or notice of an award. The humorous tactic attracts and entertains and holds and sells the audience. If you can make them laugh and release those feel good endorphins, chances are better. They might like you for it or at least pay closer attention to your message. Dramatization tactic. This is a demonstration of the product or service or message in accent such as the social marketing message regarding hungry children in the United States. And the artistic tactic, which is use of creative imagery or music to attract the audience while subtly promoting the advertising message. Like your viewer to associate a certain artistic mood or emotion with your offer. So here's a checklist of some issues we might consider as we review different marketing messages. Keep this checklist before you, consider messages, appeals and tactics as well as the target audience demographics and the marketing position. And you will have a useful tool to analyze the communications of others as well as better develop messages of your own.