Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
Repeating a faulty message more loudly or vociferously, even if crafted with love and care, won’t help people understand you.
Dr. Frank Luntz • Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
When an advertisement asks the audience to “imagine,” it’s inviting them to take ownership of the product or service being sold—to make it their own. But if the ad says too much or shows too much, it undermines the process of imagination that the advertiser is trying to stoke.
Dr. Frank Luntz • Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
But “prosperity” doesn’t connote only wealth; it suggests a sense of overall financial well-being and success (with a hint of “peace of mind”).
Dr. Frank Luntz • Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
• Franklin Roosevelt: “The only limit to our realization of tomorrow will be our doubts of today.
Dr. Frank Luntz • Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
When you trash the opposition, you simultaneously demean yourself. The best warrior is a happy warrior. Accentuate the positive . . . eliminate the negative. Negative definitely works, but a solid positive message will triumph over negativity.
Dr. Frank Luntz • Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
Since I knew that many people would only read the first and last items in the document, I asked that the Contract begin and end with the two highest-priority proposals in the eyes of the voters: a balanced budget amendment and term limits.
Dr. Frank Luntz • Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
Senator, you need to take charge, establish the “language” of the upcoming debate, and establish a communication discipline for the GOP conference as well as yourself. That’s what this memo seeks to help you do.
Dr. Frank Luntz • Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
Women are proactively looking to make themselves beautiful, not just looking to hide away the extra pounds or additional wrinkle. They are seeking health, not simply running away from illness. It is not fear of something bad that motivates them; it’s the hope for something better. That’s why every communication should include the message of limitle
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(The “ask” only comes at the very end, within the last ten words. Why? Because a recall is the most extreme political maneuver other than impeachment. Don’t ask voters to take an extreme measure until you have told them why. And don’t expect them to agree with you unless and until you tell them the consequences of inaction. That’s why we added that
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