They say a picture is worth 1000 words, and it could be! 1000 words, however, isn’t such a good thing anymore. Today, whether in our business or personal life we have a unique challenge to deal with:
We have limited time and a limited amount of attention. 1000 words is all well and good, but it’s better to ‘paint the picture’ with as few words as possible.
Painting the picture
Painting the picture is a simple concept we use when we’re discussing how best to show value by creating perspective. It’s not enough to make a firm statement to someone about why they should make a decision. In fact, you could have a number of very logical, very good reasons why someone should do something and until you paint the picture for them, in a way that is really communicated to them, it won’t matter.
In order to show value, we need to create perspective by painting the picture. That means we need to color in the lines. We can make a statement such as:
“by buying this TV you’ll have 4k resolution, great refresh, pixel smoothing and a smart TV all in one.”
This sort of statement can all be true, it simply won’t mean much to the person we’re communicating to.
If we’re going to use this sort of statement we need to follow up language that paints the picture:
“4k resolution means that when you’re watching a show, you’ll get the best possible definition, you’ll see every fine detail. The refresh rate means you’ll be able to watch live sports crystal clear and when you’re watching the game the pixel smoothing means you won’t have to deal with any of that choppy looking movement that gives people headaches. All of that and you’ll have access to all of your streaming platforms you love right at the click of the button so your tv connects with your phone, tablet and the rest of your life seamlessly for the best possible experience.”
There is a big difference between the first statement we made and the statement we make where we paint the picture. By painting the picture someone is now acutely aware of why these things are meaningful to them. They are now aware of the VALUE within the statement you made.
The very best way to paint the picture is to combine elements from both of these statements into one communication. Start by figuring out what’s of value to your client, identify how your service or business provides that value and then focus on the value for your client by painting the picture. This way, if and when objections come up, you can always go back to the value you’ve already shown because you’ve painted the picture, colored in the lines and created perspective for the person you’re communicating with.
How else do you create perspective in your communications?
