This Week in the World
Emotional Market Value / Edwards Announcement

If you love words like I do, you’ll have fun with the Headline Analyzer provided by the Advanced Marketing Institute. I spent an entire afternoon ranking a promotional piece I was writing to get the highest “Emotional Marketing Value” score on each sentence. (I know, I know, I need to get a life.) I often increased my score by editing out words. If you’ve read your PowerPhrases book or heard me speak, you already know that PowerPhrases are short. So are headlines with high emotional marketing value. Play with the tool too. It will help you add impact to your words.

Speaking of emotional marketing value, mixed in with the bipartisan sympathy for Elizabeth Edwards' announcement of recurring cancer were accusations that the Edwardes were going for the sympathy vote. It did cause donations to sky-rocket.

Personally, I don't see how they could have handled the disappointing news with more class. I found the Edwards's press conference announcing her health issues to be a stellar example of Speaking Strong. It was straight forward, it anticipated and answered questions, and their love for each other was obvious without being over-displayed. There was no sense of denial or any sense of self pity. I only wish my late husband and I had gone through his illness with that kind of openness and courage. I thank them for modeling what it can look like to need to share this kind of news and face this kind of challenge.

I'm big on finding the best words, but always remember: the most powerful words come from the sincere expression of what is in your own heart. You touch others when you share your humanity.

Post a comment in our blog, here.

PowerPhrase of the Week
When Words Don't Match the Tone

Something didn’t feel right when Jan said she could complete the project by Friday, so Roxie responded,

• Your words say that will work but your tone is suggests it won’t. What’s going on?

It turned out that Jan felt pressured to agree to the deadline but was overloaded and wasn’t sure she could meet the deadline. Roxie was glad she found out in time to plan around Jan’s schedule.

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Be your own advocate. PowerPhrases: The Perfect Words to Say it Right and Get the Results You Want tells you how.

Poison Phrase of the Week
Don't...

(From my book PowerPhrases.) Walking down the isle of the seminar room in Amarillo Texas, I said to myself,

- Don’t call it Armadillo.

I opened my mouth in the front of the room and announced,

- I’m glad to be in Armadillo.

My audience did not seem amused.

My mind didn’t hear the “don’t.” That’s why I say PowerPhrases talk more about what you want than what you don’t want.

Learn about how to direct a conversation in a positive direction in: PowerPhrases.

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Ask Meryl
If That Means Anything to You

Meryl,

I searched through past Poison Phrases and I don’t see one I detest—

- If that means anything to you.

Do you agree that this is a slap in the face, when the speaker adds this phrase when answering my question? How should I respond?

Meryl Responds

It certainly can be a Poison Phrase. It can sound condescending because it implies you don’t know anything at all. It could simply be an attempt to ask if their answer made sense, but I can understand the trigger you experienced.

I often respond to what I believe to be the intent of a comment rather than the poor wording. If this comment were spoken to me with goodwill, I’d answer as if they had asked – “Was my answer clear?”

If I thought it was intended as a put-down, I might ask,

• It sounds like you’re suggesting I don’t know anything about this topic. Is that your intent?

Or,

• Are you aware of how dismissive that comment sounds?

I have some people in my life I can easily tell when their word choice triggers me – and they return the favor. In those cases, it’s not a big deal at all.

Comments

Find out why people send mixed messages in PowerPhrases and learn how to handle it when they do.

Got a question? Send it to us at SpeakStrong. We answer as many questions as we can personally. We may use your question in the newsletter anonymously unless we are asked not to. When we respond, please email us back to tell us you received the response and give us feedback.

Reader Success Story
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Reader Comments on Previous Newsletters

Click and scroll down for the latest posts.

I Will Not Respond Unless You Treat Me With Respect

Obviously You Don't Want to Talk to Me

Weren't You Listening?

What Else Could it Be?

Weren't You Listening?

Owning Her Life After Incest

When Other People Are Angry

The Invitation of a Fake Smile

Issue 263
March 29, 2007

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SpeakStrong
Quote
from Meryl

"The most powerful words in existence can be found in your own heart."

~ Meryl Runion~

SpeakStrong Definition:

To express yourself both powerfully & effectively; to say what you mean, mean what you say, without being mean when you say it.

SpeakStrong
Quote
from the wisdom of others

"Let your tongue speak what your heart thinks."
Davy Crockett