How To Use the “Seven Deadly Sins” to Turn Visitors into Customers

smashingmagazine.com

41 points·seanlinmt··6 comments

Good article - with regards the first point - Sin #1: Pride - "Showing off your customers. People want to use tools that big brands use." - Would you need to get permission off of the big brands to use their brand on your site ? Or the fact they use your site - could that be enough to publicise it ?

We put it in our terms of service (and many companies that do signups over the web do, too). For big companies with strict privacy, they'll get in touch or let you know if they don't want you using it.

That said, my strong preference is to highlight customers where we personally know someone there or have received very positive feedback (just in case someone wants a specific reference).

Even if it is theoretically enough to have them do business with you, you should ask before you do -- which shouldn't be hard because you only need to ask twenty or so, so it does not require that much optimization.

Are there good examples of sites that use virtue rather than vice to be sticky / viral? There's something depressing about it being a successful strategy.

I'm surprised to find a comment like this here. These are sins only from a worshiper's standpoint.

For everyone else, these are great rational evolutionary strategies.

eg wanting to be number 1 so you can ensure good genes for your children, sloth to conserve energy, gluttony to store up excess for a rainy day, etc.

Well, the title used "Seven Deadly Sins". I'm not sure that using "The Seven Great Rational Evolutionary Strategies" has the same ring to it - although, the more I think about it, the more I like it.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com