March 29, 2007Emotional 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 Edwards’ were going for the sympathy vote. If that was their intent, it worked – donations have sky-rocketed.
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.
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I agree with you that the best and most powerful words are those that come from sincere expressions. I also believe that emotional sincerity is something that gives your audience a peek at humanity. As a breast cancer survivor, I chose to discuss my prognosis with family and close friends. If anybody else asked I gave the direct response but spared details. In all, I found that the process of going through chemotherary and radiation exposed me to the world of doctors, nurses, attendants, etc., which dealt with people’s fear of their mortality in a humane and dignified manner–sometimes with words; other times with dignity and kindness. I found that tears did not show or reflect pity, fear or cowardice — but rather, they reflected the words that could not be spoken. Ultimately, we can express many things with our tears, laughter and any other facial or body expressions, such as a hug, that in the end, don’t need words.
Comment by Dania Aponte — March 29, 2007 @ 12:33 pm
I agree with Al Gore, especially after watching television. It is disgusting to watch adults on the morning shows argueing an issue and not respecting the other to say what they have to say without interuption. No wonder this is occuring more frequently at work and with families, it looks like it is acceptable behavior.
I hope that people realize this is not acceptable and try to change it in their surroundings when they deal with human beings. I believe it robs society and the person of dignity.
Comment by Mariette Grimes — June 4, 2007 @ 6:22 pm