Frank Luntz Shares What Americans Want to Hear (And Don’t)

For the PR pro, marketing guru and business owner, political consultant and pollster Frank Luntz’s panel at the Milken Institute Global Conference had some critical information. People—customers, shareholders and employees—no longer list having unlimited opportunities as their most desirable life concept, but rather, 60% say having a stable job is more appealing. It’s no longer about opportunity. It’s about stability. How does that translate to the small and medium-sized business owner? Simple. It’s all about the words you use.

How can you show your customers employees and shareholders you’re stable and what they have today will be there a year from now?

Luntz used the example of Goldman Sachs paying out bonuses this year and the general public being outraged about it. He suggests that if Goldman Sachs had changed the language they used to “pay for performance” rather than “bonus” they would have curbed the uproar because the American public recognizes financial rewards for performance, but associates the word bonus with greed.

Luntz also shared his perspective on why the healthcare bill has failed to garner widespread support from the public—lack of availability. “The bill failed to get support not because of the cost or lack of choice, but because the public felt they didn’t have a right to see the bill,” said Luntz. “Democrats didn’t want to share it because they worried they’d be criticized.” His solution? The more you promote the right to know, the more your customers, shareholders and employees will support you. They may not actually read it, but they’ll feel connected just by having the option.

So how do you find the right way to communicate your message to the people you want to hear it? Certain words rank higher for trustworthiness and appeal when it comes to advertising. Here are a few key points to keep in mind:

–                The public doesn’t believe an unseen interviewer anymore. If you’re shooting a commercial, make eye-contact with the camera.

–                It’s all about accountability and responsibility not transparency. Transparency means nothing.

–               32% of people like to observe while 68% like to participate. The more engaged people are, the more likely they are to participate and be loyal to the brand.

–               The picture you put on the front page of your annual report sets the tone for everything else in it—photos need to send a message but not be so complicated they’re hard to understand.

–               Customers and consumers don’t want ownership, they want community. They want to be able to communicate with each other without people watching them.

Luntz’s new book, What Americans Really Want…Really is available on Amazon.com. If you’re a small business owner looking for insight that will help you understand clients and make decisions that help grow their your post-recession, I highly recommend you pick up a copy—and maybe one for your marketing team, as well.

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