The Power of Words

The former UK prime minister and war secretary, Winston Churchill, once commented that he never gave speeches off-the-cuff; he preferred instead to write out every single word, and read every single word, because each word was too important to be left out.

Small business should approach their copywriting the same way, be it for their blog, their print promotions or their email: use each word as if it's precious. It does make a difference.

For example: which mail list are you more likely to sign up to? One whose button asks you to "Sign Up", or which which says "Join" or "Be A Part". One suggests enlisting, the other suggests fellowship and belonging. Again, which do you think is more effective.

Yeah, yeah, but it's just words, right?

Wrong. A single word can change meaning, mood and motivation. Think about those three Ms when you're constructing your next sales pitch. How do the words of your pitch affect your prospect's mood and motivation?

There's an awful lot of reseach behind the power of words. People recall a car accident differently (and who's to blame) when it's described as a "crash" rather than a "collision". Stock names that are easy to pronounce lead to larger takeup and quicker gains following their initial public offering (IPO).

So, here are some words to use in your next promotion. Yes, you've seen them all before. Know why? Because they work and have been proven to work time and time again. Use 'em right and you will get better results.