I wish I had read this article before I got married. "It's not what you say, it's what people hear." Oh, you are preaching to the choir my friend!!
However, I have one minor suggestion to offer. The one about "Simplicity: Use Small Words". I would use that one sparingly and very carefully. I tried it once and nearly sprained my back ducking out of the way of a flying, frying pan.
Sometimes using big words that make folks mentally reach for the thesaurus is just the opening you need to either deliver the verbal knockout blow or get the hell out of Dodge. Either way, conversation over!! You know what I mean? Did I mention I'm still working on my second marriage? Anyway, good advice, subject to user error.
What are the ten rules you need to know to communicate effectively?
It's not what you say, it's what people hear.
1) Simplicity: Use Small Words
"Avoid words that might force someone to reach for the dictionary… because most Americans won't. They'll just placidly let your real meaning sail over their heads or, even worse, misunderstand you. You can argue all you want about the dumbing down of America, but unless you speak the language of your intended audience, you won't be heard by the people you want to reach."
2) Brevity: Use Short Sentences
"Be as brief as possible… The most memorable political language is rarely longer than a sentence. "I Like Ike" was hardly a reason to vote for the man, but the simplicity of the slogan matched the candidate and the campaign."
3) Credibility Is As Important As Philosophy
"People have to believe it to buy it. As Lincoln once said, you can't fool all of the people all of the time. If your words lack sincerity, if they contradict accepted facts, circumstances, or perceptions, they will lack impact… The words you use become you — and you become the words you use."
4) Consistency Matters
"Too many politicians insist on new talking points on a daily basis, and companies are running too many different ad executions. By the time we begin to recognize and remember a particular message, it has already been changed… "The breakfast of champions" tagline for Wheaties was first launched back in 1935 and is still going today. Hallmark's "When you care enough to send the very best" debuted in 1934, and "Say it with flowers" for FTD dates all the way back to 1917."
5) Novelty: Offer Something New
"In plain English, words that work often involve a new definition of an old idea… What matters most is that the message brings a sense of discovery, a sort of "Wow, I never thought about it that way."
6) Sound and Texture Matter
"The sounds and texture of the language should be just as memorable as the words themselves. A string of words that have the same first letter, the same sound, or the same syllabic cadence is more memorable than a random collection of sounds."
7) Speak Aspirationally
"Messages need to say what people want to hear… The key to successful aspirational language for products or politics is to personalize and humanize the message to trigger an emotional remembrance."
8) Visualize
"Paint a vivid picture. From M&M's "Melts in your mouth not in your hand" to Morton Salt's "When it rains, it pours," to NBC's "Must See TV," the slogans we remember for a lifetime almost always have a strong visual component, something we can see and almost feel."
9) Ask a Question
"Is it live, or is it Memorex?" "Where do you want to go today?" (Microsoft) "Can you hear me now?" (Verizon Wireless)… "Got Milk?" may be the most memorable print ad campaign of the past decade. The creator realized, whether intentionally or not, that it's sometimes not what you say but what you ask that really matters."
10) Provide Context and Explain Relevance
"You have to give people the "why" of a message before you tell them the "therefore" and the "so that."… if it doesn't matter to the intended audience, it won't be heard. With so many messages and so many communication vehicles competing for our attention, the target audience must see individual, personal meaning and value in your words."
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