by Tony Vidler       

If we want to give ourselves the best chance possible of influencing clients and prospects to change course, which is what professional advice is all about really, then there is no doubt that the words we choose to use can make an enormous difference.

Enough experts have done enough research over enough years for us to know that how we phrase an idea or concept will influence the listener.   At it’s most simple level we all know that positioning an idea negatively is likely to influence somebody to decide not to adopt the idea, and equally a positive spin is more likely to get them to decide that the idea has merit.

Giving ideas some “spin” though is fairly superficial and generally quite transparent.  However, carefully constructing the words we use to make a recommendation so that the prospect or client is open to the suggestion is quite a different matter.  Getting them to be open to suggestion is our objective in reality.  Professionals do not try to coerce people, or persuade them to do something which is not in their best interests. We do have to move them beyond an existing mindset or belief, and to be open to the possibility of doing something different though.

And THAT is where the words we choose to use have enormous power…

Watch the video to learn more…

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