I posted an entry in American Express blog entitled the "The Art of Customer Surveys" based on some information sent to me by Dave Wanetick, the managing director of IncreMental Advantage. He points out deficiencies in typical customer surveys that you will find interesting, and he boils down effective surveys to one simple question.

"Dear Henry" certainly generated passionate comments. Here's another marketing thought: If people want the House to pass the bailout, all they'd have to ask is, "Do you want China and Abu Dhabi to come in and buy America at fire sale prices?" The bill would pass by this weekend. It's all about framing.

A common assumption is that communicating face-to-face is more persuasive than email. That's not always true, according to a 2002 study. Researchers found that men are often more responsive to email because it downplays their competitive tendencies. On the other hand, women react better to in-person encounters because they are more relationship-oriented.

Over at the American Express Open Forum blog I posted an interview with Ori Brafman, the author of Sway: The Irresistible Pull of Irrational Behavior.