The charm of simple ideas with amazing effects is something I cannot resist. Especially when they are supported by big expert names in the area of persuasion or convincing

In this article I share such an idea. If you take it on board and apply it, your believability takes off! And we all need believability to gain trust and attract business.

It is very simple, though not easy to do for some.

So much becomes clear to me whenever I coach clients on their presentation skills. It is not that my explanation or instruction is unclear, but they just do not believe it works. Until… they need to speak or have an important conversation and try. Then they surprise themselves!



This is the tip: be specific in your wording. I repeat: use specifics.

David Palmer PhD, a well-known Silicon Valley consultant has been preaching for years: specificity builds credibility. I love to play with it too and I keep on noticing how powerful it is and how much easier it becomes to speak in a convincing way and to be more persuasive without being pushy or salesy.

An example. Janine’s presentation would go like this: … so if you do this for yourself regularly, you will –in due course- feel better! You will feel re-energized and stronger and feel so good!

After some practice and a few specific examples from me, she goes; … so if you do this exercise twice a day – in the morning before breakfast and in the evening before dinner – chances are you will be doing this within one month: you get out of bed with ease, you enjoy going to work and at the end of the day you say to your partner “I can handle anything that comes my way!”

The crux of the matter is that specific words paint a mental picture and they provide a sense of comfort. Someone who listens to you can relax in the concrete context and does not need to look for meaning! The more a person can relax, the more quickly that person will be convinced.

As a speaker you immediately increase your impact when you use more specific and detailed language. I am not saying you should just ramble along with details. My tip is about choice of words and clear language in your presentations.

Try it. It is very simple. It just requires you to allow its simplicity.

Good luck!

Your assignment

Train yourself in the use of specifics. In your next conversation or presentation paint mental pictures with specific details and check if your listener can clearly ‘see’ what you mean.

Please let me know how this works for you by sharing your experience below.