Comments on: The Ability to Question with Authority http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/blog/07-the-ability-to-question-with-authority WebSite Marketing Consultants Tue, 02 Dec 2008 19:59:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Colleen Battle http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/blog/07-the-ability-to-question-with-authority#comment-195139 Colleen Battle Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:53:56 +0000 http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/?p=327#comment-195139 Back in the late 80's I spent 2 years in New Zealand, and as a female I didn't get very far selling my ideas to my male Kiwi boss until I adopted the voice inflection Taylor Mali makes fun of in this video. Not long into my stay, I heard a news report about this inflection, and that sociologists had determined that it was a sign of low self-esteem; their conclusion that as a nation, Kiwi's were unsure of themselves. My U.S. confidence came off as arrogance. I adapted the inflection and it was like magic. It's still my first instinct to "declare unequivically", but some people just can't take their meat served up raw. :) Back in the late 80’s I spent 2 years in New Zealand, and as a female I didn’t get very far selling my ideas to my male Kiwi boss until I adopted the voice inflection Taylor Mali makes fun of in this video.

Not long into my stay, I heard a news report about this inflection, and that sociologists had determined that it was a sign of low self-esteem; their conclusion that as a nation, Kiwi’s were unsure of themselves. My U.S. confidence came off as arrogance.

I adapted the inflection and it was like magic. It’s still my first instinct to “declare unequivically”, but some people just can’t take their meat served up raw. :)

]]> By: Matt Bailey http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/blog/07-the-ability-to-question-with-authority#comment-186233 Matt Bailey Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:14:55 +0000 http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/?p=327#comment-186233 Jay, thanks for the thoughts. I don't think it raises a problem at all. As a marketer, we should first and foremost understand our audience. That determines how we write to influence action. Nothing replaces clarity, and i don't believe that the definition of articulate changes - it's a simple questions of speaking or writing with clarity. "Classical," is the word that would be up for changing, as no one really understands the outdated (and completely random) rules of "whom", "shall" and "will." Even thought you may adjust your language to reach a specific group of people, you still need to write and speak with authority and clarity. Jay, thanks for the thoughts.

I don’t think it raises a problem at all. As a marketer, we should first and foremost understand our audience. That determines how we write to influence action.

Nothing replaces clarity, and i don’t believe that the definition of articulate changes - it’s a simple questions of speaking or writing with clarity. “Classical,” is the word that would be up for changing, as no one really understands the outdated (and completely random) rules of “whom”, “shall” and “will.”

Even thought you may adjust your language to reach a specific group of people, you still need to write and speak with authority and clarity.

]]> By: Jay @ Advance http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/blog/07-the-ability-to-question-with-authority#comment-186221 Jay @ Advance Thu, 31 Jul 2008 14:34:53 +0000 http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/?p=327#comment-186221 It raises an interesting problem for marketers. Should copywriters attempt to write with classical articulateness, or is it more effective to write copy in the modern vernacular? The definition of 'articulate' seems to be changing. Words are only useful to the degree that they affect the reader, and the reader may be most influenced by words written in language with which he can identify. It raises an interesting problem for marketers. Should copywriters attempt to write with classical articulateness, or is it more effective to write copy in the modern vernacular? The definition of ‘articulate’ seems to be changing. Words are only useful to the degree that they affect the reader, and the reader may be most influenced by words written in language with which he can identify.

]]> By: Adam Snider http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/blog/07-the-ability-to-question-with-authority#comment-185298 Adam Snider Tue, 29 Jul 2008 19:25:31 +0000 http://www.sitelogicmarketing.com/?p=327#comment-185298 Taylor Mali is great. I've heard this many times, but never thought of it in the context of marketing. Interesting... Taylor Mali is great. I’ve heard this many times, but never thought of it in the context of marketing. Interesting…

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