Words That Work

Dr. Frank Luntz

According to Dr. Frank Luntz, the effectiveness of a message is determined not so much by what is said, but by what is heard. Words that Work presents insight on how to improve one's communications by selecting words that get the point across more effectively.

Dr. Luntz takes a functional approach to word choice. He uses tools such as surveys, focus groups, and interviews to understand how words are perceived after they get shaped by the audience's perspective. Without such an understanding, a message might be interpreted much differently from the speaker's intent.

In the first chapter of the book, Dr. Luntz presents the following ten rules for successful communication:

Use simple words - the public prefers words that are easy to understand.
Use short sentences - shorter messages are more memorable.
Establish credibility - reflect facts and perceptions.
Be consistent - find a good message and stay with it.
Offer something new - add a new perspective to an old idea.
Use sound and rhythm - patterns are more memorable than random sounds.
Appeal to aspirations - personalize the message to hopes and dreams.
Inspire visualization - use words that paint visual images.
Ask a rhetorical question - questions invoke a more personal reaction.
Provide context and relevance - convey personal relevance in the message.

According to Dr. Luntz, these ten rules, while necessary first steps, are insufficient to ensure effective communication. To supplement these rules, subsequent chapters address topics such as communication mistakes and how to prevent them, the need to stay current with word meanings that change over time, the process of word selection, the need to be the message, and several other topics of importance to effective communication.

The following article is written by the author of Words That Work and is excerpted from the chapter entitled, "Be the Message."

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Words That Work
It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
by Dr. Frank Luntz