It's SOOOOOOO Much More Than WHAT You Say

In this piece I'm using the word "say" to mean words that fall out of your mouth, like speaking...and words that come from your hands...as in the written word.

I'm also looking at this from the perspective of Sales, Marketing, Leadership, and even Family life.

Why?

Because communication is that universal.

And since it impacts virtually every aspect of our lives, wouldn't it be important to get better at it?

Yes. Yes it would!

Let's Start with What You Say

Obviously what you say matters.

Miscommunication happens ALL the time, and it could be reduced if we were more conscious of what what we were saying.

Words matter.

Words have meaning. And usually, that meaning is quite specific.

For instance I can't just use the word "pineapple" when you ask how I'm doing. That doesn't make any sense.

Be mindful of the words you use. Even better, get in the habit of using the most simple words you can to assure your message reaches people in a way that is VERY easy for them to understand.

The order or your words matters.

Like if I just started writing a bunch of words in any order I choose, you might not receive the message.

Take the quotation above as an example:

Language man like but communicate people wise think a the of ~ doesn't really make a bit of sense.

So yes, you have to focus on the words and how you structure them.

And it's soooooo much more than that!

It's Not Just What You Say, It's When You Say It

When it comes to sales and marketing, timing is absolutely everything.

You can tell a prospect all about your fancy offering, but if they don't need it, they won't hear (read) it. But when they do need it, they're ALL ears (or eyes).

The same is true for leadership, parenting, and dealing with your spouse.

If I had a dime for every time I said something to my wife when she was "otherwise occupied" and I had to repeat myself, I wouldn't need to post snazzy content on LinkedIn ;-)

To be fair, that happens in the inverse too.

It's far more important that your message be delivered to your audience when they are ready to receive it, than when you're ready to deliver it.

It's Not Just What You Say, It's Why You Say It

You've no doubt seen the phrase "Silence is Golden".

You've also no doubt said some things and then wondered why you said it shortly after.

Knowing our why is even more important than Simon Sinek suggested.

Before delivering any message, figure out what the intent of it is. And then think about what do you want the person to do once they hear it.

In marketing, it's known as a "Call to action".

In 1970s parenting, it was called "Because I said so". Some of you remember that. hahaha

In leadership we tend to call it 'motivation".

Before speaking, or posting, just understand why it is important that you get this message out now. And if it's not urgent, or you're unclear, maybe consider waiting a bit, because of that first sentence in this section ;-)

It's Not Just What You Say, It's Who You Say It To

If you've been selling for more than 5 minutes, you've no doubt said the right words, in the right order, at the right time, to the wrong person.

Womp Womp Womp

Hopefully you have it recorded so you can say it just that way again.

But you probably didn't.

Knowing who we're talking to is more than just making sure we're talking to the right person.

It's really more about who they are as a person.

This is why the work we do at Behavioral Elements is so important.

When you understand what motivates people, you can speak in a language that they're going to relate to.

Fire people want to win. Show them how you can help them acquire more, and they'll listen.

Air people want to innovate. Show them how you can help them learn new ways, and they'll listen.

Water people want to people. Show them how you can help them bond, and they'll listen.

Earth people want to finish what's started. Show them how you can help them defend the status quo, and they'll listen.

It's Not Just What You Say, It's How You Say It

Sometimes being kind is the only way to get your point across.

Other times, being direct is.

To fully understand how to say the thing, we have to understand the timing (when) our desired outcome (why), and the audience (who).

Fire people want the information to the point. Save the chit chat.

Air people want the information to build on what they're working on. If it's not more interesting than what they were thinking about, they won't hear you.

Earth people want the facts. You should also save the chit chat with them.

Water people want to get closer to you. Share all the information, they're great listeners.

In Conclusion

Next time you find yourself with a message to share, run it through the aforementioned filters.

This will help your message land better, and you'll be able to achieve your desired result.

And if you're curious as to whether you're Air, Earth, Fire, or Water, click HERE to take the assessment.

When you're ready to learn more about the team you support, message me and we can talk about the training and coaching I offer that helps improve your relatability factor.

Was this helpful?