Confidence stems from how we present ourselves. Consider how world leaders, TED talk speakers or anyone who stands before a podium addresses their audience. From confidence (usually together with intellect), comes persuasion. It’s simple on paper, but confidence isn’t born overnight – many speakers spend days and even weeks honing their presentations.
While verbal presentations are what people think of and often fret about most, there are many who neglect their presentation in writing. Whether drafting an email or penning a project proposal, being able to confidently present yourself in writing is equally important as being able to present your case in person. With the very real possibility of continued COVID-related lockdowns in the future, becoming a more assertive writer will serve you well in 2022!
Certainty pays, ambiguity does not
“I think you’d like this product” or “give it a try” are some of the worst things you can write to your audience. While it sounds friendly, these phrases lack certainty and conviction. “Thinking” or “supposing” leaves room for doubt – and when you’re trying to convince your audience that you know what they want, even the smallest bit of doubt can inhibit potential conversions!
The same can be said for telling audiences to “perhaps try” something. It’s fine when customers ask to try a product, but as a marketer, you need to be certain about what you are offering to your audience.
Instead of “think” or “try”, say “I know you’ll like this” or “this brand is perfect for you”.
Further expanding on ambiguity in writing, don’t refer to subjects by terms such as “thing” or “people”. “This is a thing that people will surely like” – what is this thing? Who are the people? Especially if you haven’t established context prior, these questions will definitely come to mind. Always be specific with your wording!
All aboard the power and logic train
Writers often the preach the importance of conciseness and brevity – using simple words, short sentences that are to the point… all this has become the standard in professional settings.
However, if you look at it from the pessimist’s perspective, it also means that writing has gotten predictable. Adhering to the norms of concise writing restricts how you write, and it’ll be harder to stand out when everyone always writes in the same manner and fashion.
Conciseness is good, but using power words here or there can really give a kick to your writing. These are words that trigger emotional or psychological responses, like how the words “bargains” and “big savings” caters to the human desire of greed. Consider the examples below:
A. Penny’s is offering a new year bargain this Friday!
B. Penny’s is offering a new year sale this Friday!
Which do you feel has more impact? Most would agree that option A carries greater weight – simply because the word “bargain” creates a greater illusion of value versus the concise and generic term “sale”!
Although power words are capable of triggering emotional responses, Dr. Carol Morgan, a professor on gender & interpersonal communication, argues that not everyone may fall for emotional strategies. In such cases, it’s important to always have a plan B ready – logic. Especially in professional settings, you can’t expect a few emotional words alone to be able to sway your audiences – you also need to include a strategy that demonstrates how your proposal will help.
Are you offering a product that alleviates backpain? Explain how the design targets backpain or the science behind it. Or if you’re devising an advertising campaign, create a breakdown behind the elements of the campaign (e.g. the theme and its relevance to the brand, how the theme ties in with the product, what audiences should get out of it, the specifics behind the unique selling points and deliverables in the project and so forth).
Exasperating exclamations
Exclamation marks are great for expressing written enthusiasm. From a single bit of punctuation, you are able to create outbursts of zeal for very little effort! It’s odd, because when you read a sentence like this, you naturally assume it’s being read with a loud and passionate voice! (As opposed this, which is more calm and neutral.)
In presentations, it’s natural to want to speak in a loud and booming voice so that everyone can hear you – furthermore, audible volume is often associated with confidence and persuasiveness, which is why it’s so rare to find successful salespeople who are timid and soft-spoken.
However, unlike in real life, the exclamation mark doesn’t have a volume setting – creating the illusion that you are constantly yelling at your audiences if you use multiple exclamation marks in quick succession. The only thing worse than that would be to write in all-caps… so if you want people to take you seriously, the key to using exclamation marks (like with power words) is to use them sparingly.
Only use an exclamation to highlight a sentence that you think is crucial!
The difference between being assertive and being aggressive
“I’ve got to push myself and my material to get through to the audience,” says the eager marketer or salesperson. “If I have to jam my foot into their door, then that’s what I’ll have to do!”
If that line of thinking has ever crossed your mind, then you might’ve mistaken aggression for assertion. According to Lodestone, a centre for behavioural health, assertiveness is the ideal middle ground that lies between passiveness and aggressiveness. “Aggressive communication include yelling, bullying, sarcasm, deceiving, manipulating or guilt tripping,” lists Lodestone.
“But Wordsmith,” says the eager marketer. “I’ve never yelled at anyone nor had any intention to deceive my audience! How can that be considered aggressive?”
There’s a fine line between aggression and assertion that is often mistakenly tread upon. To ensure that you discern the difference between the two, you must be willing to accept that you won’t be able to convince everyone in your audience. “Assertive communication basically means being able to stand up for yourself or express yourself clearly, openly and honestly without upsetting yourself or others – while also accepting and respecting the opinions and feelings of others,” explains Lodestone.
The key here, is to be okay with whatever happens. If your audience is interested, they’ll make a conversation and conversion. If not, you have to accept that they’ve made their decision and that further pressing of the matter will only annoy them. Even if you’re absolutely certain that their life would improve because of your help, some people are adamant about their principles – it can feel like you’re giving up too easily, but this is the ultimate show of respect for your audience. Let them have their way, and provided you’ve made your case clearly, they’ll come to you when they decide to seek help.
It’s one thing to be concise, but being assertive in writing is all about delivering your performance with precision and tact. Just like with public speaking, it takes practise to juggle between delivering details, captivating the audience and being gracious with the results. If you’re interested in learning more ways to assert yourself with your writing, be sure to subscribe to Wordsmith for more future articles!