Script & Summary:
Hi, everyone and welcome to Perfectly Planned Content’s Writing Wednesday video series where we dive into the power of words and the many ways writing impacts your business. I’m Lauren Keller, Director of Content and Strategy, and I’m thrilled to bring you a monthly video series completely dedicated to the craft of writing.
Words, Meaning, and Power
Words evoke more power than we think. That’s why you read so much into a co-worker’s tonally mismatched email or your friend’s abrupt text. It’s also why a genuine compliment turns your otherwise bland day around. What you say (the words you use) carries significant weight, and can permeate into other’s perceptions and opinions of you and how you view yourself.
That’s why language is so critical to your business. The words you choose to put on your website, blog, social media, newsletter, etc. are an extension of your brand, and consequently, the way your audience relates to that brand.
Words are powerful—you certainly don’t have to convince me of that. But carefully crafted language doesn’t just elevate prose, enliven conversations, or embolden your brand, in fact, it can actually transform your brain!
Use Words That Change Your Brain (For the Better)
Neuroscientists have studied this phenomenon for years and concluded that words can (and do) change your brain. Dr. Andrew Newberg, a neuroscientist, teamed up with communication expert Mark Robert Waldman to write a book, “Words Can Change Your Brain.”
They discovered that words can actually alter brain pathways resulting in increased cognitive reasoning and frontal lobe interaction. What does this mean? Employing more positive words like love, hope, and joy, into your daily vernacular provides more energy to take control of your choices.
Their research also illuminated that “the longer you concentrate on positive words, the more you begin to affect other areas of the brain,” like an optimistic chain reaction.
Negative words, on the other hand, light up the fear and stress components of the brain (amygdala) and lessen the logic and reasoning frontal lobe.
Several other studies confirm these intriguing results. Maria Ritcher and other scientists in their study, “Do Words Hurt?” found that negative words (self-talk, heard, spoken, etc.) lead to greater situational and long-term anxiety.
Professor and author Sanja Lyubomirsky researches happiness and crafting the life you want (sounds like an uplifting profession!). In her book, “The How Of Happiness,” she found that engaging in positive and optimistic interactions, from inner dialogue to daily conversations, productively moved people into a more fulfilling life.
How Positive Words Impact Your Business (and Your Brain)
Words affect the brain—that much we know. But how can that information be applied to your business?
No, it doesn’t mean that you have to plaster your home page with watered-down sentiments of love and world peace. It’s about expressing your brand in a genuine and authentic light. Here are a few tips.
- Write empowering phrases in an active voice
- The active voice simply means that the subject performs the action, instead of the action being done to the subject.
- Passive: If you’d like to learn more, our firm can be reached by clicking on the link below.
- Active: If you’re ready to start your journey, set up a complimentary appointment today.
- Strike a positive tone
- A tone evokes the writer’s attitude toward the subject.
- Keep your language toward the client warm, positive, and genuine to your brand.
- A positive tone doesn’t mean that every brand should sound the same, rather that you approach the subject with respect and care—which can be done in a relaxed, professional, upbeat, or approachable way.
- Use positive differentiators
- It’s critical to talk about the qualities, skills, expertise, and niche that make you stand out from the crowd; and it’s important to express those qualities in positive language.
- Don’t put down your competition, instead, highlight the qualities that make your brand unique.
Words always carry meaning—let yours be an agent for joy and happiness. We love working with brands to express their services in genuine, authentic ways. If you want to learn more, get in touch with us!
Thank you so much for listening. Until next time!
