Weapons of seduction for your messages
A recurring question that arises in the professional sphere is: how can I get people to listen to me and ensure my message makes an impact? The answer is simple: seduce your audience with your language.
Language is one of the key communicative tools we use to convey a message. Ideally, the language used should be simple, clear, approachable and empathetic.
However, this is not always easy to achieve if the service or product we are offering is unusual or its benefits are more abstract. To convey a message clearly, we need to understand what we are offering and what its advantages are. Finally, a certain degree of understanding of the listener is required in order to craft a message that is approachable and empathetic.
How to create a compelling message
In light of these challenges, let’s look at five key points for crafting a compelling message:
1. Think of an eye-catching message that makes an impact and makes people want to find out more
2. Make sure it’s of interest to the other person and is personalised
3. Use active listening to tailor the message to their needs or identify new opportunities
4. Make them feel important by highlighting one of their strengths or successes, or those of their company
5. If you’re communicating face-to-face, smile, maintain eye contact, respect personal space and be mindful of your appearance, as this can either add to or detract from the credibility of your message
It’s also very useful to be FABulous to capture your conversation partner’s attention – that is, to explain the features of the project or product (Features), linking them to the advantages (Advantages) and benefits they can bring to the person or their company.
Chemistry is a key feature
It’s interesting, but chemistry is also very important for successful seduction. In particular, the hormone oxytocin helps to create an atmosphere of trust with the person we’re talking to and makes them more receptive to our message.
Some ‘oxytocin behaviours’ that help to create these bonds are:
• Using positive language (great, brilliant, successful)
• Sharing something personal, usually at the start of the conversation
• Showing an interest in the other person (their family, their company)
• Active listening and mirror neurons, the latter mainly in face-to-face communication
• Using the magic words ‘thank you’ and ‘because’. Our brain is more receptive if we provide reasons
• Highlighting a positive quality of the person or company we are speaking to
But all of this is based on the premise that we ourselves must ‘program’ ourselves with a positive attitude and language, so that we feel confident and our communication is engaging and captivates the person we are speaking to.
