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Are You Informing Your Audience or Inviting Them
Published on 7 Nov 2008 at 7:50 am.
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Filed under Business Development,Feature Articles,Savvy Marketing Tips.
Submitted by Isabel Parlett
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On a recent call, after a demonstration of what I call “the language of connection,” one participant said in amazement “I realize when I write about my business, I am so focused on giving the right information, that I forget that it’s a chance to invite people to be part of what I do.”
When we use the language of information, we give the facts. We essentially say “hey, on this day, at this time, I am offering this class, or my product goes on sale. Here’s what you’ll learn, here’s why you should take it, here’s how much it costs.” Nothing wrong with that, but in focusing on what information will get the response we want, we often forget the most important thing, the chance to connect, the chance to virtually share a moment of shared appreciation for the things that really matter.
When we invite people in real life, we warmly encourage them to join us on our turf, to share an experience we’ve planned and created for them. When we invite, we tempt with the promise of a magical moment. We share our own excitement about what’s to come. Every time we write and talk about our services, we have the potential to truly invite our audience to experience something profound, to reconnect them to themselves, and to expand their horizons and their concept of what is available to them.
But so often we don’t. We forget. That promotional email is something you have to get done, not an opportunity to say something meaningful. You’re racing to get that flyer in before your deadline, not relishing a chance to share what excites you. Your 15-seconds at a networking meeting are 15 seconds of stress, not a chance to turn one more person on to a new way of seeing things.
When we look at why bad words happen to good people, so often it’s that we don’t know there’s another way. We get stuck in familiar patterns of communicating in business, and we lose the spark of sharing something new. Without new guidelines to follow, we lose ourselves in the chaos of the day, and we don’t give ourselves permission to say what we really want. We forget to bring the full power of our thoughts and words to the table.
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So, next time you’re up to write or speak about what you offer, remember, your job is to invite people to experience something they’ve never experienced, maybe never imagined, for themselves.
To move back into the energy of inviting:
1. Take a few moments to center your self, your thoughts, your energy. Close your eyes, breathe deep.
2. Now, remind yourself, aside from benefits, copy techniques, or the need to sell, what is it you want people to feel and experience as a result of saying yes to your offer?
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3. Move from the facts to the feelings: the emotions, the body sensations, the images.
4. Now, ask yourself, why do you think it matters that people have these feelings, these experiences, this new way of being? How does it change them? Change the world at large?
5. From there, start to write. From that clarity of what you have to offer, start to paint a picture. Feel your heart open as you invite your audience to join you in that picture of what you see is possible.
© 2008. Isabel Parlett. All rights reserved. Isabel Parlett is a business communication expert who helps professionals harness the power of language to attract the perfect clients and create powerful change in the world. Get a free e-mail mini-course “The New Language of Business” at http://www.parlancetraining.com. If you see the value of making all your words an invitation to your audience, Parlance Training can help. We’ll walk you step-by-step through our proven process for helping you develop your own personal language to present your ideas to the world and then integrate and apply that language throughout your business.
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Have a great day
Cheers,
Lorraine
www.powerfull-living.biz
