The limits of my language define the limits of my world. ~Wittgenstein
Words and language form the building blocks for most of our human interactions. The right words bring a story to life, warm our hearts and make us feel connected.
In business, the language we use can serve to create memorable conversations with our audiences. The right language joins us in rapport with our buyers, giving us the opportunity to establish powerful connections as the foundation for long-term relationships.
The words we use can also quickly send our audiences running. For example, using hypey buzzwords does little to attract our audience, nor do chest-thumping claims or negatives about our competition. Such language serves to dull our audiences’ minds. Their eyes glaze over as their minds move on to things much more interesting to them.
Dulling our Buyers
When we sound just like everyone else – we dull our listeners to our message. Buzzwords downright annoy our audiences minds. Instead of engaging with us – they run right into the arms of a competitor who’s communicating with language that’s engaging.
Yet we’ve all been taught to use those buzzwords and adjectives, to strive for more words, bigger words, better words. Unfortunately, the reality is that long lists of adjectives and claims make you average in the eyes of your audience. The longer the list, the more average you become. It’s simply the way our minds work.
Then there’s the drive to imprint our version of the world on our buyers, using the cool buzzwords or marketing phrases we created. We just know that snappy phrase will compel them to buy. Uh huh. There’s more ego than business savvy in that belief.
Our lists of buzzwords, claims and peppy phrases simply dull our buyers to our messages.
Simple Language, Ultimate Connection
When we pay attention to our language, we can consistently attract and entice our audiences.
Here are three simple language shifts that will trigger positive experiences and impressions with your buyers.
Use Words that Matter to your Audience
In NLP (Neural Linguistic Programming) these words are called keywords. And I don’t mean Google keywords. These keywords are the words that your buyer uses naturally in their conversations. Instead of trying to shove your nifty keen marketing phrase into their brains – use their words. Listen closely to the words and phrases customers use to describe the key things they need/benefits they seek. Capture those words — and play them back to your audience. When you use the same keywords as your buyers, you create an immediate connection thanks to rapport, which sets the foundation for building a relationship.
Try this for the next week: Listen to your friends and co-workers and use the words they use in your conversations. You’ll see the results!
Keep It Simple
Simplicity brings clarity, which is the fastest way to reach your audiences’ minds and imprint on their thinking. Complicated statements are deleted, distorted or generalized by our minds as part of the way we sort and store information. The more complex the statement, the more you risk losing part or all of the information you want to communicate. So keep it short, sweet and simple and you’ll imprint your message on your buyers’ minds.
Try this: Share some long and complex positioning statements with some associates or friendly customers. Watch their reaction and then ask them to repeat the message back to you. Then, share a simple short statement and do the same. You’ll get the point… why do you think Nike’s “Just Do It” campaign is so successful?
Spin to the Positive
Our minds do not hear the word “no” or the negations in our statements. For example, when I say, “Don’t open that door,” your unconscious mind automatically thinks about opening the door. The same is true of every negation or negative statement we make. So when you say, “Our competitor cannot match us,” guess what your buyer hears in their unconscious and controlling mind? “Our competitor can match us!” By making this simple shift in language you can and will dramatically shift the way your buyers respond to your stories.
Try this: Grab a notebook. Now begin to listen to your own language. Every time you catch yourself making a negative statement (or a negation), write it down and then spin it to the positive. Each night look at the notebook of negative statements and simply notice the trend. By the end of that week you’ll notice a significant shift in your own language, and in peoples’ responses to you.
By consciously using language and words, you will increase your level of rapport, communication and engagement with your buyers.
Try the above exercises for a week or more and then please let me know what you experience!
