Words Matter #5: What’s love got to do with it?

It’s easy to default to cozy phrases like:

“I’d love to schedule some time to tell you about our company.”
“I’d love to show you our new product.”
“I’d love for you to visit our website.”

Perpetuating phrases that don’t have anything to do with your listener gets you nowhere. Instead of telling them what you’d love, find out what they’d love.

Here’s some wisdom that works:

Drop the cliché commentary. Your listener is motivated by your aptitudes; not your platitudes.
Ask questions that uncover what your listener wants, needs, and cares about.
Show how your idea, product, or service aligns with that in a unique and meaningful way. People respond when you can improve what’s going well or solve a problem.

So, what’s love got to do with it?

Everything…

As long as it’s not about you.

Words matter; motivate action by focusing on what your listener would love.

Click to hone your skills with another topic in the Words Matter series:

Words Matter #12: Design and deliver better questions

Words Matter #11: Earn your audience's attention

Words Matter #10: Choose learning over knowing

Words Matter #9: Say what you want

Words Matter #8: Maximize your conversational influence

Words Matter #7: Face your truth

Words Matter #6: Aim to impact; not impress