The intrepid Phil Bernstein (Clear Channel Portland) blogs faithfully on advertising and I enjoy following his adventures.
Today he struck gold with his post on the importance of choosing the right words.
Your choice of words is crucial in writing effective advertising copy, of course. But it also affects the quality of your correspondence personally (letters, memos, emails) and professionally (station handouts, newsletters, profiles). Inattention to detail may, at the very least, convey a lack of preparation or professionalism.
At worst, hasty, sloppy communication could be perceived as a lack of concern for the recipient. Not a good thing.
Phil has kindly given me permission to share his article with you.
“It’s Not What You Say…
…it’s what people hear.”
So says language expert Frank Luntz, author of Words that Work.
When you are writing to persuade, the words you choose will profoundly affect the way your listener or reader reacts to your message.This phenomenon has applications in advertising — and in politics.
Luntz recently wrote a memo to Republican members of Congress called “The Language of Health Care”.
In a recent New York Times interview, Deborah Solomon asked, “You have devised many phrases to help sell Republican policies to the public. Like “energy exploration” instead of “drilling for oil” in the Arctic. What are some of your other coinages?
Luntz’ response:
It’s “death tax” instead of “estate tax” or “inheritance tax.” It’s “opportunity scholarships” instead of “vouchers.” It’s “electronic intercepts” rather than “eavesdropping.”
A 60-second radio commercial consists of approximately 180 words. You are paying by the word — make sure that every word brings you closer to a sale.
If you’re not confident in your ability to do this, hire an experienced professional copywriter. It may be the best money you’ll spend.
Here's a link to
Phil's blog.
