If They Can't Repeat It, They Didn't Get It

Question. When you finish giving a report or making a request or recommendation, can people repeat anything they heard - word for word? When you tell people the name of your product, project or business, can they repeat it back to you?

If they can, good for you. It means they GOT what you said, which means they're more likely to relate to it, remember it, act on it, maybe even buy it or say yes to it.

If they can't, it means they DIDN'T GET IT, and that's not good.

Because if they can't repeat what you said, it means it's out-of-sight, out-of-mind.

We don't want to be out-of-sight, out-of-mind, we want to be top-of-mind.

What you call your company, how you title your book or presentation, how you wrap up your request or recommendation isn't petty, it's pivotal. It is a deal-maker or a deal-breaker.

Here's a quck example of how one company changed a name that people DIDN'T get into something they DID get .. and how it made them millions of dollars.

Years ago, insurance giant AFLAC had a probm. Their name didn't make sense. What is an AFLAC anyway? Why would people entrust their money to a company when they don't even know what its name means?

AFLAC executives didn't want to change their name, they just wanted people to recognize it, relate to it, remember it and choose to do business with them instead of "the other guys."

You can do that by linking a name that doesn't make sense to something that does.

Say your business name out loud and ask, "What words sound similar to that? What does it remind people of? What do they picture when they hear it?"

When you say the word "AFLAC," what comes to mind? Well, it kind of sounds like QUACK. Hmmm. Maybe we could warm up our company by creating a mascot - a lovable duck - that says "AFLAC." That would help us pop out in the marketplace and people would be more likely to think of us when they need insurance.

Voila. A clunky name that was losing them business was turned into an advertising icon, gif and meme that has made them millions.

Please note: Coming up with a crystal clear title or tagline isn't silly wordPLAY ... it is serious wordCASH.

They turned an abstract idea into an empirical image. The beauty of that? When people can SEE what you're saying, what was previously confusing is now crystal clear. Their mental puzzle pieces fall into place and they think, "Oh, I see now."

When customers "get" your name, they're more likely to choose you because what you do "makes sense" and they have an emotional connection to you.

Another insurance company had a similar challenge.

Government Employees Insurance Company was going public. Instead of just offering policies to federal employees, they were now going to offer policies to anyone and everyone who could afford to buy one.

The problem? They too had a confusing name. They were using their initials as their name but what the heck is a G.E.I.C.O.? How did they turn that awkward acronym into something meaningful and memorable?

Well, let's use another POP! process of linking what's unfamiliar with what's familiar - of the unknown with the known - to create a MEME-able.

What do people SEE in their mind's eye or think of when they hear the word GEICO?

Well, GEICO kind of sounds like GECKO. Bingo. Their little green gecko has starred in countless commercials and become an instantly recognizable corporate logo that has given G.E.I.C.O a profitable competitive edge in a multi-billion dollar market.

What’s this mean for you? Your profits depend (to a large degree) on your name's clarity. If people can't pronounce it, they won't purchase it.

If at the end of a conversation, commercial or elevator speech, people can't REPEAT your name, they won't REMEMBER your name. And all those thousands (millions?) of dollars spent on sales, marketing, promotion, biz dev and advertising will be down the drain.

You goal is to create a clear, relatable name people like and can repeat the first time, every time. That will keep you top-of-mind vs. out-of-sight, out-of-mind and give you a bottom-line competitive edge ... and isn't that what we all want?

BTW - this works for everything in business whether it's the title of your presentation, the name of your book or podcast, the slogan for your marketing/advertising campaigns.

When people hear it or see it, can they repeat it?

If they can't repeat what they heard - word-for-word - it didn't stick.

Check out my upcoming "HOW TO POP!" MASTER CLASS if you want more ways to stand out from your crowd so you scale your income and impact - for good.

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Sam Horn, CEO of the Intrigue Agency and 3 time TEDx speaker, is on a mission to help people scale their income and impact - for good. Her books - POP!, and Wash Post bestseller Got Your Attention? - have been endorsed by Dan Pink and Seth Godin, featured in NY Times, on NPR and presented to Intel, Capital One, Cisco, Nationwide, YPO and EO.