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There are some words listed in the article in the link above that are POWER words. Whether they are used in advertising and promotions or just in everyday conversations it makes a big difference in interpersonal conversations.
What I’d like to do is discuss how some of these words can be used in the workplace. Specifically words such as YOU, Discover, Save and New.
YOU – this is from my advertising 101 class. People want to hear about themselves, especially the good stuff. Mentioning YOU in a conversation or personalizing your conversations let’s people know that you are paying attention to THEM. It can also have a negative effect because YOU can also come off as accusatory depending upon the event and circumstances if there are unfortunate events.
Discover – A sense of excitement. The Discovery Channel – people love it. It reminds us of adventure. So how do you toss this around in work conversations.
“During the initial IT test a discovery was made that . . . .” Doesn’t this soften a blow a bit instead of saying – “Houston, we have a problem.” Now if this was Apollo 13 – stating clear fact of a problem is necessary to evoke a sense of urgency. Yet sometimes problems need to be delivered more effectively and softened but still expressed with a degree of urgency. Also stating, “I’ve discovered some new research that will help us in delivering a new message to our targeted customer segments.” That sounds exciting and grabs attention.
Save – The explanation in the article does little to express the characterization of this word. Using Save evokes a sense of relief, safety and/or security. We are the damsel in distress and we want something that will save us from some peril – time, money, problems. In the workplace – – if you didn’t make money for the company the next thing you write on your review is how you “Saved” the company money.
New – New – A novelty – the new iphone app. The latest fashion design. The latest BMW 7 Series Model. Everyone loves new because it pertains to status. In the corporate world, have you ever noticed whenever they are trying to introduce a mission statement or system – New is the “In” thing. It evokes excitement and prompts everyone to want to be there.
