People buy brownies, not the recipe. Emphasize how you'll improve their lives. Skip the geek-speak.
Anat Shenker-Osorio is the founder a of ASO Communications and a messaging expert. This one minute clip provides an illustrated explanation from her interview on the 'Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell'. Watch the whole interview here.
Sell the benefits, not the features
"We have to speak in the language of values.
When we ask people, how do you feel about paid family leave? They are into it. When we say instead, you're there the first time your newborn smiles. They are way more into it!
When we say raising wages. Very popular. When we say instead, everyone makes enough to care for their family. Way more popular!
What Democrats need to do when they do have the mic, is to stop selling the recipe and start selling the brownie. Stop talking about the names of your policies. And instead, speak to voters in imageable terms about what it would feel like to have that as the reality in their life.
And so it's not a Childcare Tax Credit, which is the name of a policy. It's you go off to work and you feel great about what your kid is, and you know, that they're safe, loved, and cared for, and that you can afford it", advises Anat.
Practice your delivery
How do you practice delivering your message? Use the free BigStage Teleprompter to practice your delivery. This link includes Anat's advice packaged in a free app that you can use on a phone or laptop. You can also personalize the message in the teleprompter script to your needs.
Persuade more people
Presenting on camera is stressful. It helps to have your talking points scroll by while you're looking straight at the camera. Your audience does not see the teleprompter which runs in a different browser window than your Zoom or WebEx application. Details.
Have scripts for different scenarios ready, so you can change your script to address a question from your audience. Details.
Have help on standby who can send you advice through the teleprompter while you are presenting. This lets you get realtime help without having to look away from the camera. Details.
Share your message as a script for others to practice. A single message amplified by multiple people magnifies its impact. And when you change the script in teleprompter, all your supporters immediately have the new version of the message. Details.
Big Stage Teleprompter details.
ASO Communications
- "If your words don't spread, by definition, they don't work.
- To break a signal through the incessant political noise requires constant repetition.
- That's why our messages must persuade the middle while also energizing the base.
- To sustain long-term movements, we must shift from cataloging what we're resisting to painting a desirable portrait of the world we seek.
- Uncover where people are capable of going and how to use our words, images and stories to move them." - ASO