Use your audience's own words

When marketing, public speaking, or influencing people one-on-one, there are few things more powerful than using your audience's own words.

Word for word, exactly as they say it.

I use this in this newsletter, for example. I certainly didn't invent the term "Work Smarter", but the more interesting thing is that I didn't invent the tagline either.

A friend said in passing that he wanted "the career tips you can't find on Google" once when we were talking about bland career advice.

He didn't put much thought into it (probably doesn't even remember). These are not fancy words that a marketing agency would create. It's simple, day-to-day phrasing.

Yet, I thought it'd resonate with other people.

Like stand-up comedians test their jokes, I ran the phrasing around with other friends and it did indeed resonate.

A few even said: "Yes!! You put into words exactly what I feel!".

In marketing, that's a great sign.

But this isn't a marketing newsletter (though it's useful to have some marketing skills for any career). This is a newsletter on how to improve your career.

So, what gives?

Why am I even talking about this?

Well, because even if you're not a marketer, you can still use the power of using your audience's own words back to them to influence power players in your industry.

Check out fellow reader David's story:

He noticed ONE phrase from the executive at another moment, dropped it at the right time, and instantly earned their respect and attention.

What's fascinating is that no one else even noticed it.

It's small things like these that help you earn people's trust faster than average.

How to find the right phrases

Alright, but how do you find the right phrases?

Listening attentively to what your audience says (and with what wording they say it) is an obvious step.

But out of all the phrases that they say, which ones should you say back to them?

In my experience, you want the phrases that resonate in their heart and that no one's really listened to.

What I mean by the first part is that you want the phrases that make them light up. That you understand to be the synthesis of their feelings. That tap into some insight or deeper understanding they had.

And what I mean by the second part is that you don't want the repeat phrases they say all the time and that everyone knows they say all the time.

They already know people get that.

You want the phrases they seem to have stumbled upon and that most people didn't get yet. The small moments of brilliance (from their perspective, at least) that they're not yet sure other people get.

This way, when you say it back to them at the appropriate time, they'll feel you get them. That you deeply understand their point of view and where they're coming from.

This will set you apart from other people.

Keep working smarter,

-Bruno