Great words can accomplish great things

Catchphrases, edgy street expressions, boardroom manifestations, text languages and online jargons --- all words, either fluidly thought out or hurriedly brought to provide an amusing overview or a serious account of business and life wherever you are. Old words become new, altered by the rapid changes happening all around. As futurist Faith Popcorn stated: “Change, assuming its transformative magic will work in the right way, can create stunning, almost undreamed of improvements to people. On the other hand, change can also have dangerous side effects. Out of its chaos can emerge threats, new risks, and destructive behaviors. This dark side of life has always been fertile ground for the germination of new language and vocabulary.”

Now comes Words That Work by Dr. Frank Luntz, a guru in political communication who has helped many politicians create words with which to frame an issue, a platform or a position. He has made a profession of spinning political and corporate messages. Using focused group discussions and dialogue sessions, he thoroughly looks into words, phrases, speakers and their speeches to discover the precise language that resonates with voters or consumers. His mantra, “It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear,” is an oft-repeated line in the tome. Its grammatical configuration could be portrayed in some unsettling ways, but to Luntz it simply means, “It’s not what you say, it’s precisely how you say it.”

Speaking, in public or in private, coupled with the use of persuasive language go back as far as the ancient Greeks. And up to today, people remain as susceptible as ever to having what they have to say, shaped by the way ideas are phrased and crafted to be more convincing. It’s good to be reminded of the power of words, and how marketers, politicians or advocates are using this power on defined audiences.

Rules of Effective Language

Luntz’s book depicts the influence of subtlety in language --- how to identify it and how to use it. It is not about high-flying oratory. It’s about trigger and killer words --- language of everyday use, language that generates results, language that is a means to an end like making a sale, modifying manners and swaying voters. “Words are enormously important to me. I love language, the sheer pleasure of words in the right order,” Rudy Giuliani said. The proper use of language to harness its tremendous supremacy is made clearer by the following rules of successful communication generated by the author from numerous consultations and dialogues with people from all walks of life:

•Use small words and short sentences. Small words are more useful. Their simplicity allows you to steer clear of words that will cause people to refer to an online or offline dictionary or thesaurus, because most of them won’t refer anyway, and thus your idea isn’t passed on to them. Brevity is key. When you write a sentence, look and see if you can trim words from it. The shorter the sentence, the more forceful it becomes.

•Be honest about what you can deliver. Keep in mind that credibility is as important as philosophy. The words you use become you, and you become the words you say. Thus, if you’re credible, your words become credible.

•Stick with the same ideas and talking points and repeat them over and over. This way, the key points you want associated with you are highly likely to come through. When you have a clear and focused message, don’t just say it once; say it a hundred, a thousand or even a million times, believing that consistency truly matters.

•Offer something new every time. Work on developing a new take on your old ideas. Novelty will bring attention back to old ideas, as it will reinforce your message. Always offer something fresh, and avoid clichés and dead language.

•Be aware of sound and texture. They matter. Words that describe sound and texture stand out and are memorable – think “Chitty Chitty, Bang Bang,” “Snap Crackle Pop” or “Plop Plop Fizz Fizz.” By doing this, you’re touching the reader’s or listener’s mental patterns that are outside the ordinary. Rhyme, cadence, assonance, and alliteration can improve the memorability of your message.

•Speak with aspiration. Connect to your audience’s emotional longings and desires. Frame your message as though it is a higher or nobler goal to achieve, and do this when talking about the sheer relief that freedom from anything can bring.

•Use language that lets your audience visualize what you’re saying. Describe in detail the outcome of your idea and make it seem as real as possible. Flesh out the positive result and add a few brush strokes of the road to get there and people will want to follow the road.

•Ask a rhetorical question. People react best to language that is participatory. For example, asking an investor if they’re better off now than when they started investing is a pretty compelling case to convince someone to invest. Luntz shared, “In 1980, Ronald Reagan rode to the White House on the back of the question, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?”

•Provide context and explain relevance. Look at the messages competing with your own, and figure out how you can set yourself apart. Burger King did just that with its “Have it your way” slogan, which posited the idea that competitors don’t provide as much choice in their sandwich offerings. Using the context of the fast food wars, Burger King set itself apart with its call to action. It told its audience the ‘why’ before it told them the ‘what.’

•Prevent message mistakes. One big problem in communication is that you lose the person you’re talking to along the way. It’s not that the concepts are too hard, but it’s that as you explain them, you are making a number of blunders, and causing the message to be lost. Avoid two identified blunders: Assuming that your knowledge or awareness is sufficient, and that you are getting the order of language usage right.

•Understand the old words and their new meaning. The sense of specific words has changed over time – a friend is a “bro”, flashy jewelry is “bling,” very sexually attractive is “bootylicious,” to disrespect is to “diss,” “holla” is to get your attention, you’re “phat” if you are cool and good-looking, a “playa’ is someone who has many relationships, and to say hello is to “shout-out.” These examples show the fluidity of language and that your word choices can, over time, change the connotation of words.

•Be the message. In order to have a successful message, you need to go beyond the mere words you’re saying. Your audience listens to the message – but they also listen to you. In order to deliver a message well, you have to embody the message. You are the messenger, and the message is you.

•Apply the ten-second rule. There are words and ideas you remember. When you’re preparing something that contains an idea that you want people to remember, try to boil it down to a single phrase or idea for remembrance and digestion. Apply the ten second rule, where the crux of the whole idea is distilled in three words --- “just do it,” “make my day,” “bring it on,” “read my lips,” “obey your thirst,” “I’m lovin’ it,” “I’m not a thief,” and “you deserve a break.”

•Find a goal or a value you share with other people. In general, you want to be told optimistic things – respect, fair play, honesty, accountability, and so on. If you can spot an ideal that a large group of people agree on and you can tie your idea to that ideal, then people will be much more open to buying into your ideas. In truth, you immediately think of politics and politicians when you read the list of words above. But if you strip the politics away from those words, they become the ideals you want.

21 Phrases For The 21st Century

Imagine, hassle-free, lifestyle, accountability, results or can-do-spirit, innovation, renew or revitalize or rejuvenate, efficiency, the right to, patient-centered, investment, casual elegance, independent, peace of mind, certified, all-American, prosperity, spirituality, financial security, a balanced approach, and a culture of… These words and phrases provide an overview of some potential changes in language based on the changes in the world over the last decades or so. And to be successful with these words, you have to be comfortable with them, live them and be them. Let’s look at my favorite 5 of the 21.

• Imagine. It is one of the most powerful words in the English language. It evokes something different to each person that hears it. It is an open, non-restrictive command --- almost an invitation. Its power is derived from the simple fact that it can conjure up anything in the mind of the one doing the imagining --- Imagine being able to write or say something that immediately strikes a nerve; that people will remember and act upon. Imagine having the power that moves prospects, co-workers, employees, or voters.

• Hassle-free. When it comes to how you interact with products, services and people, this word is top priority. You prefer a “hassle-free” product to a “less expensive” one. You prize ease of use and convenience to such an extent that you are genuinely willing to pay for it. To “hassle” originally meant “to hack or to saw at.” You’d say that sums it up nicely, but for sure, you don’t want to hack and saw away at things --- you want them to be like butter under a hot knife.

• Lifestyle. It is incredibly powerful because it is at the same time self-defined and aspirational --- everyone defines and aspires to his or her own unique lifestyle. Alfred Adler, an Austrian scientist, created the word in 1929, and present day’s definition of the word wasn’t applied until the 1960s. It creates and exemplifies one that is individualistic, personalized and forward-looking. It implies that there is more than one model of the “good life,” and all you have to do is choose.

• Accountability. A quality you want from political leaders and governing institutions, firm in your belief that you will no longer consent to ride along placidly; and that you will demand that there will be someone in the driver’s seat honestly, confidently, and efficiently running the vehicle.

The “Re” words that define responsibility. Renew commitment to the hardworking taxpayers; redesign and reform government programs and services; revitalize the economy; rebuild confidence in local solutions; and restore faith in the values and principles of accountability, responsibility, and common sense.

You may never become a Faulkner or Hemingway, a Joaquin or Sionil-Jose, but you can learn to use words in ways that impact your audience and help you accomplish great things. As Luntz suggested, “Instead of writing your typical drivel that hangs together loosely, which you vaguely hope will strike a nerve with someone, you can learn to tighten up your communication by learning what people really react to–and why.”

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E-mail bongosorio@yahoo.com or bong_osorio@abs-cbn.com for comments, questions or suggestions. Thank you for communicating.