• Future Now , Wednesday, June 25, 2008 1:15 PM

When you're constantly focused on achieving a client's goal, and doing the analytics, blogging, paid and organic search work to get there, it can be hard to pull away from the Web site and get a fresh view. But as Jeff Sexton notes, sometimes thinking like an "outsider" can be the final trick needed to drive conversions, boost traffic, or otherwise signify a project's success.

It starts with thinking in terms of a different context--a task that can be quite difficult when you've always thought about your laptop repair client's Unique Value Proposition (UVP) in terms of tech-savvy females aged 18-25, for example. Those digerati chicks may be your client's prime target, but try thinking about the UVP from the perspective of a 6th grader, or even your grandmother.

"Describe things through metaphor or parable, then pay attention to what doesn't "map" well from one idea to another--especially things that strike you as odd or comical when placed into this new context," Sexton says. "The 'that's funny' moments will become your portal to an outsider's perspective."

Read the whole story at Future Now »