Now more than ever, the need to persuade applies to the interviewer just as much as it does to the interviewee. But how do you master the art of persuasion for your business, brand, and personal life? By creating authentic emotion, of course!  Emotion is a powerful acceleration of one’s brand. What does this look like? Conversion expert Brandon Smits says you need to cultivate a connection, stay relevant and ask yourself: Is my motive or call to action, reflecting myself or my prospective client?  When you master the art of channeling emotion through your content’s beating heart, then you will start to generate sponsorships, partnerships, credibility, and a profitable business model.  In this episode of the Social PR Secrets podcast with Lisa Buyer, Brandon Smits, CMO at Solar Cheat Code and Partner at Eight Loop Marketing Agency, dives into the do’s and don’ts of persuasion, shares tips on conversion, and lays out the best action plan when it comes to connecting with potential clients. And he answers every entrepreneur’s million-dollar question: “How can I tell if my content is working?”  Brandon Smits: Pinpoint the Problem, Test Solutions & Generate Results After beginning his career in the field of SEO nearly 10 years ago, Brandon climbed his way up the marketing ladder. With a specialization in optimization conversion strategies, he used this melting pot of marketing knowledge to start his own agency, Solar Cheat Code. His team helps residential solar companies generate leads by identifying the client’s problem and testing appropriate solutions. At both Solar Cheat Code and Eight Loop Social, Brandon coaches marketers and entrepreneurs on how to create the perfect ‘marketing sauce’. What is marketing sauce and how is it made? Well, the ingredients vary on a business-to-business basis but what remains consistent is the basic need to persuade. How to Optimize the Power of Organic Search Social media is the face of organic search, whether your Instagram is a personal or business account. Brandon says that if your posts follow a relatable and natural approach, then you have a high chance of developing a profitable brand. And once your followers, who have never met you before, feel as if they know you and what you stand for, then you have mastered the art of persuasion in the organic social realm. How to Authentically and Emotionally Connect with Your Audience Determine your target audience. Analyze the various versions of marketing personas among brands. What are their goals? How do they successfully market this persona? Which persona works best for your brand? Make sure your content meets your followers’ best interests: It’s about them, not you!  Once you’ve added these 3 ingredients to your ‘sauce’, it’s time to see whether your output of content is creating conversions. Using Persuasion to Get Conversions A basic rule of thumb when it comes to paid se