CHAPTER 8

The Law of Verbal Packaging

The Leverage of Language

Real persuasion comes from putting more of you into everything you say. Words have an effect. Words loaded with emotion have a powerful effect.

—JIM ROHN

Have you ever listened to the airlines’s instructions before takeoff? The flight attendants are careful with their every word. In the event of a water landing, your seat cushion can be used as a flotation device. Notice that they don’t say “life preserver,” but rather “flotation device.” What they’re really saying is, “If we crash into water, grab your seat cushion so you don’t drown.” Also, there is no barf bag on board; it’s a motion discomfort bag. Or, “We are experiencing mechanical difficulties,” not, “The plane is broken.” They don’t clean the plane; they refresh it. Planes aren’t late; they’re merely delayed. My personal favorite is that they never lost my luggage; they misplaced it.

Once, as a plane I was on was about to take off, one of the engines caught on fire. Smoke billowed past the windows, and fire trucks suddenly filled the runway. The pilot came on the announcement system and described the fire as “slight engine difficulties.” “Slight?” What would “serious” be like?

Yes, airlines know the power of word choice in affecting their customers’ emotions and point of view.

Over 60 percent of your day is spent in verbal communication, in which you could be persuading, explaining, influencing, motivating, or instructing. You can create movement, excitement, and vision with the words you use. The right words are captivating; the wrong ones are devastating. The right words make things come to life, create energy, and are more persuasive than the wrong words. As Mark Twain said, “The difference between the right word and the wrong word is the difference between lightning and a lightning bug.” The bottom line is that the words you use attract or repel your prospects. Numerous studies have shown that a common trait of successful men and women is their skillful use of language.

The Law of Verbal Packaging states that the more skillful you are in the use of language and vocal techniques, the more persuasive you will be. People are persuaded by us based on our words. Words affect our perceptions, our attitudes, our beliefs, and our emotions. The words we use in the persuasion process make all the difference in the world. Language used incorrectly will trigger the wrong response and decrease your ability to persuade. Word skills are also directly related to earning power. Successful people all share a common ability to use language in ways that evoke vivid thoughts, feelings, and actions in their audiences. Carl Jung (the famous psychiatrist) revealed that all words are full of symbols and that each symbol triggers an emotional reaction or feeling. All words have emotional meanings that are different from their definitions in the dictionary. Understanding words and their emotional triggers will enhance your ability to persuade and influence.

THE INHERENT POWER OF WORDS

Words are used to explain events, to share feelings, and to help visualize the future. Words shape our thoughts, feelings, and attitudes toward a subject. They help us decide whether we should run, stay neutral, or take action. Even reading words can affect your thoughts, attitudes, and feelings. For example, read these six words out loud, slowly and with emotion. Notice how each word makes you feel.

Murder … Hate … Depressed … Cancer … War … Despair

Now read the following six words out loud, slowly and with emotion, Notice how each word makes you feel.

Wealth … Success … Happiness … Health … Inspired … Love

How did these words make you feel? Successful persuaders know how to use the right words to create the desired response in their audiences. Speakers with great verbal skills come across as more credible, more competent, and more convincing. Speakers who hesitate, use the wrong words, or lack fluency have less credibility and come across as weak and ineffective.

THE FUNDAMENTALS OF LANGUAGE USAGE

Properly used and packaged, language is a powerful instrument that can be fine-tuned to your advantage. We all know the basics of language, but mastery of the aspects of both language usage and vocal control can affect human behavior. The proper use of verbal packaging makes you adaptable, easier to understand, and more persuasive. This type of language is never offensive and is always concise.

Word Choice

Understand that proper language varies from setting to setting and from event to event. A particular word choice does not work in every circumstance or culture. Word choice can also be critical in defusing situations or in getting people to accept your point of view. Even one word can make the difference between rejection and acceptance. In a study by social psychologist Harold Kelley,¹ students were given a list of qualities describing a guest speaker they were about to hear. Each student read from either one of the following two lists:

1. Cold, industrious, critical, practical, and determined

2. Warm, industrious, critical, practical, and determined

Of course, the students who read the first list had less than positive feelings about the speaker. The interesting thing, though, is that the lists are exactly the same except for the first word! They found that the first word at the front of the list conditioned how the student felt in reading through the rest of the list. It didn’t matter that none of the following words were negative. Just reading the word cold tainted how the students read the rest of the list.

As mentioned, the airline industry has mastered the power of words. They know that word choice is critical to getting their point across and to reduce stress. In one situation, a flight attendant had run out of steak as an option for dinner entrée. Instead of telling the customers their only option was chicken, the flight attendant said, “You can have a piece of marinated chicken breast, sautéed in mushrooms in a light cream sauce, or a piece of beef.” Consequently, people chose the chicken because it sounded better. Think about the words describing the food the next time you read a restaurant menu.

Sales professionals also use words carefully. They know that one wrong word can send their prospect’s mind somewhere else and lose them the sale. Here are some examples of language that salespeople use to help diffuse a potentially tense situation:

Words That Repel	Superior Words
Contract	Agreement/paperwork
Sign here	OK the paperwork
Cancellation	Right of rescission
Salesperson	Business consultant
Commission	Fee for services
Cost	Investment
Credit card	Form of payment
Objection	Area of concern
Expensive	Top-of-the-line
Cheaper	More economical
Service charge	Processing fee
Problem	Challenge
Appointment	Time to visit

Words also have a strong bearing on how we remember certain details. In one study, subjects were asked whether they had headaches “frequently” or “occasionally.” Those who were interviewed with the word frequently reported 2.2 headaches per week, whereas those interviewed with the word occasionally reported only 0.7 per week.²

In another study, one group of individuals was asked whether they thought the United States should allow public speeches against democracy, whereas another group was asked whether they thought the United States should forbid public speeches against democracy. Although the questions bear similar implications, notice that the word choice makes them contrary to each other. Still, one might think the answers would be similar because they drive at the same point. Because of the word forbid, which caused them to want to hear the speeches, the response to the second question was much higher.

Have you ever noticed the opposite of Verbal Packaging in pharmaceutical commercials? They portray all these wonderful benefits and use a soothing, sophisticated voice to highlight them. Then, at the end of the commercial, they have to run through all the negative side effects: vomiting, headache, diarrhea, and so on. They read through these negatives quickly using a monotone voice! The effect is that negatives are deemphasized, and we, as viewers, are left with an overall positive impression. We never hear that the sleeping pill could cause diarrhea.

Double-Speak: Tame the Sting

The term double-speak means replacing an offensive word with a less offensive word or turning a negative into a positive that creates less sting and appears more attractive. Here are some examples of how double-speak has made its way into the business world:

Negative	Positive
Downsizing	Right-sizing
Demotion	Correct workforce imbalance
Dumb it down	Simplify
Stock market crash	Correction
Stupid idea	With all due respect
Lost money	Negative gross profit
Lying	Misrepresent the facts
Failure	Incomplete success
Bankrupt	Substantial negative net worth
Disinformation	Creative license
Employee theft	Inventory shrinkage
Irregularity	Practically perfect

Package Your Numbers

Often in marketing, or in any persuasive situation, people need to either play up or play down the greatness or smallness of certain numbers. When playing up a number, persuaders use this type of language:

  More than three quarters …

  Almost eight out of every ten …

  Better than two out of three …

When playing down a number, they use this type of language:

  Less than half …

  Fewer than two out of three …

  Under three quarters …

Word Choice in Marketing

Word choice in marketing and advertising is absolutely critical. Even in copywriting, every word matters. When you write copy, an e-mail, or a letter, every word can attract or distract the reader. Use words that capture their curiosity, grab their attention, and trigger emotions.

When advertisers spend millions of dollars each year, you can bet they have tested every word they are going to use. They want their word choices to psychologically lead you to believe their product is the best and that it will change your life. Skilled advertisers can get us to absorb their message unconsciously. They might even package an identical product with different words and phrases to reach a wider segment of the public.

Psychologist Daryl Benn conducted a study on how advertisers use word choice and catch phrases to sell different, but identical in effectiveness, brands of aspirin. Consider the following:

  Brand A: Proclaims 100 percent pure, nothing is stronger. Benn notes that governmental tests also showed that no brand was weaker or less effective than any of the others.

  Brand B: Advertises “unsurpassed in speed—no other brand works faster.” The same governmental tests showed brand B works no faster than any of the others.

  Brand C: Declares that it used an ingredient “that doctors recommend.” Governmental tests revealed that the special ingredient is nothing more than regular aspirin.³

The word choices in these advertisements work because the positive connotations make us assume that each advertised brand is the best. Advertisers know that changing just one word in their ad can dramatically increase the response rate.

Advertisers employ other words known as weasel words. These words sound good but don’t allow you to put an exact number on the advertiser’s claim. They let you justify and believe what you want. They are called weasel words because weasels are notorious for breaking into the chicken coop and sucking out the inside of the eggs without breaking the shell. The eggs look fine but in reality are hollow and empty, just like these words. Use these words when you don’t want to use an exact number or when you are downplaying something potentially negative.

Probably the biggest challenge with word choice in marketing comes when billion-dollar corporations want to translate just the right English word into the perfect equivalent in another language. The most famous marketing translation fiasco (or urban legend) was the Chevy Nova. Translated into Spanish, nova meant “doesn’t go.” When American Airlines wanted to advertise its new, leather, first-class seats in the Mexican market, it translated its “Fly in Leather” campaign literally, coming out as “Fly Naked” in Spanish! When Coors put its slogan “Turn It Loose” into Spanish, it read “Suffer from Diarrhea.” The Dairy Association’s huge success with the “Got Milk?” campaign prompted them to expand advertising into Mexico. It was soon brought to their attention that the Spanish translation read, “Are you lactating?” Scandinavian vacuum manufacturer, Electrolux, used the following in an American campaign: “Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.”

The Use of Silence

How often have you noticed a sales rep overselling a product? You are ready to make the purchase. The sales rep feels you need to know everything about the product, and he starts to fill you in on all the details. This causes doubt to creep into your mind and you ended up leaving, telling the salesperson you would think about it. When someone has been persuaded and convinced, there is no reason to say any more. Strike when the iron is hot!

Sometimes the right word is no word. On occasion, we need to remain silent and let the other person talk. We have heard that, in negotiation, that the first one to talk loses. After the persuasion process and the final decision is ready to be made, make your proposal and shut up. The silence is nerve-wracking, but it’s a critical time to let your prospect make the decision without your rambling on and on about your product or service.

More communication is not necessarily better persuasion. In fact, the less you talk, the smarter people think you are. The more you say, the more common and less in control you appear. Many individuals try to impress others with what they know by flaunting all their wisdom, but usually this strategy is just a turnoff. Why give them reasons not to buy? Let them tell you what they’re looking for. After you’ve discussed what they care about, after they’ve made the decision to buy, then and only then should you fill in any remaining blanks with other benefits or features.

Use Vivid Language and Paint the Picture

Complete this visualization exercise with me: Pretend you are standing in a beautiful, sunny kitchen. You reach across the counter and grab a bright, juicy orange. You can feel that it is heavy with sweet, ripe juice. You bring the orange to your nose and can smell the delicious orange aroma. Reaching for a knife, you slice the orange and begin to peel back the skin. The aroma only becomes stronger as you tear the sections apart. One of the sections drips bright, sticky orange juice over your finger. You raise this juicy section to your lips and take a bite. As your teeth sink into the orange, you feel the juice burst out and swish around your teeth and tongue. The juice is incredibly sweet!

Did your mouth water? Almost everyone’s does. The extraordinary thing is that if I had simply instructed you to produce saliva, you couldn’t have done it. The vivid picturing technique works far better than the command because your mind cannot distinguish between what is imagined and what is real.

A Power Persuader has the ability to paint a picture with words. Your prospects will be able to see, hear, feel, and experience exactly what you are talking about. Your prospects become part of the message and can more fully understand how the product or service will change their lives. You must stimulate your prospects’ senses by using words that activate their mind. You present your message through positive emotions because the positive thoughts of the audience will color their perception of what you want them to do.

We can all say, “I walked on the beach.” But that’s not half as effective as saying:

The sun was up and shining brightly on the warm sand. I took off my shoes and felt the soft sand between my toes. The seagulls floated lazily across the ocean sky. The waves soothed my soul as they rhythmically crashed against the shore. I could taste the salt of the breeze on my tongue.

I think you can feel the difference between the two statements. Words activate all that we do. The words we use can make you physically ill, emotionally drained, hungry, and even salivate. And they can especially increase your desire to buy!

A utilities company, trying to convince customers of the advantages of home insulation, sent auditors to visit homeowners and point out the ways they were wasting energy. The auditors provided the homeowners with suggestions on how they could save money if they were willing to become more energy efficient. In spite of the clear financial benefits over the long term, only 15 percent of the audited homeowners actually went ahead and paid for the repairs. After seeking advice from two psychologists on how they could better sell the advantages of home insulation, the utilities company decided to change its technique by describing the inefficiencies more vividly. With the next audits, homeowners were told that the seemingly tiny cracks here and there were collectively equivalent to a gaping hole the size of a basketball. This time, 61 percent of the homeowners agreed to the improvements!⁴

When you find yourself in a situation where you really need people on your side, use words that are going to create strong mental images. Attorney Gerry Spence once said, “Don’t say he suffered pain. Tell me what it felt like to have a broken leg with the bone sticking out through the flesh. Tell me how it was! Make me see it! Make me feel it!”⁵ Words are more powerful when they have strong emotional connotations. You want your words to be clear and credible, but they will have greater impact if they also strike an emotional chord within your audience.

You can even have fun with derogatory comments. You can just call someone dumb or stupid, but when you can verbally package or vividly describe something, this is what you get:

  Dumber than a box of hair

  He got into the gene pool while the lifeguard wasn’t watching.

  If brains were taxed, he’d get a rebate.

  All foam, no beer

  Sharp as a marble

  Too much yardage between the goalposts

  Forgot to pay his brain bill

  Studied for a blood test and failed

  Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn’t coming

  The wheel is spinning, but the hamster’s dead

Simple but Powerful Words

We know certain words have more pull than others, but who would have thought that simple words like let’s, because, and you would have the power to move mountains? In a study by Langer, Blank, and Chanowitz, researchers found that certain word choices could influence people to act against their own self-interests. The researcher would approach a copier with a long line of students. She would try three different word choices at different times to see how the other students would respond to each request. She didn’t change what she was asking, only the word choice. When she said, “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the copy machine?” 60 percent complied. When she said, “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the copy machine because I am in a rush?” 94 percent complied. But when she said, “Excuse me, I have five pages. May I use the copy machine because I have to make some copies?” 93 percent complied.⁶

The magic was in the word because. Even when she used an obvious reason, for example, I have to make copies, she had a higher compliance. The word because is very powerful. It prepares the mind for a reason. Even if the reason is not legitimate, it is still a reason.

On the other hand, the one word that will impede your ability to persuade is but. But negates everything you said before it. We all know the drill: “I love you, but … ,” or, “I want to help, but ….” The word but puts the brake on persuasion. You can strategically use but to negate things, but it usually is used in the wrong place. Practice your vocabulary and use the word and in your persuasive communication instead of but. Another simple change is to use the word can instead of could. For example, say “Can you carry this for me?” instead of “Could you carry this for me?” Similarly, it is better to use will than would and better to use do than try.

Often we need to direct, delegate, or even order others. Usually our assignments are just short sentences, such as, “Can you please do this or that?” You can create unity and alliance and lessen defensiveness when you use let’s in place of you, even when it’s the other person, not you, who is carrying out the assignment. For example, “Let’s be sure and get this out in the mail today, OK?” It’s such a simple thing, yet you will find it works wonders. Make a habit of using the word let’s, and you will meet with more cooperation.

The Value of the Simple Statement

Simple is better than complex. Because we are unable to recapture or replay our spoken words, we hope that they will be correctly interpreted the first time they are heard. Unfortunately, spoken words can be the most misread and misinterpreted form of communication and therefore can be a great hindrance to effective persuasion. When you’re in a persuasive situation, use simple, direct, and concise language, rather than fretting about how eloquent you’re sounding. Persuaders normally try to speak to the lowest common denominator. You might feel smarter using big words, but simple words are more persuasive. Complex words will cause people to pretend to understand, but they will not be persuaded.

Attention-Grabbing Words

With so many words in the English language to pick from, you must be very particular about which ones to use. Some will grab more attention than others. The following 21 words are commonly used to effectively persuade:

  1. Discover

  2. Guarantee

  3. Now

  4. Improve

  5. Results

  6. Save

  7. Health

  8. Wealth

  9. Quick

10. Easy

11. Money

12. Free

13. Avoid

14. New

15. Guarantee

16. Benefit

17. Proven

18. Prevent

19. You/your

20. Transform

21. Eliminate

Among all those on the list, the word free always gets attention anytime it is used. Suppose you were in charge of designing and wording the fliers your company is planning to send out in three weeks. Which phrase would you use?

1. Half price!

2. Buy one—get one free!

3. 50 percent off!

Each of the three denotes exactly the same offer, but the second phrase is the most effective. In fact, studies have shown that phrases using the word free outsell other phrases stating the exact same thing, only in different terms, by 40 percent!⁸

VOCAL TECHNIQUES: KEEP PEOPLE ATTENTIVE AND LISTENING

Voice plays a critical role in influence.⁹ How we say the words we choose is just as important as the words themselves. Our voice is a powerful instrument that can motivate the troops or lull them to sleep. There is a huge difference between presenting and persuading, informing and influencing, and communicating and convincing. Your voice is a complete arsenal of persuasive techniques in and of itself. For example, you can say the same thing but convey four different meanings, depending on the tone of your voice. You can say “Thank you” laden with sarcasm, love, hate, or anger just by changing the tone and inflection of your voice.

Peter Blanck, in his research, found that judges communicated their biases and attitudes by the tone of their voice. The juries in California were twice as likely to convict trial defendants when the judges already knew the defendants had a record and prior convictions. The law states that a judge cannot share this private information with the jurors, but, as researchers found, judges can convey their attitude toward defendants when the words and tone of voice in their instructions to the jury lack warmth, patience, and tolerance.¹⁰

You can change your rate of speech, the volume, pitch, inflection, emphasis, and even the pauses that you use. You can keep your audience’s attention, increase their energy, and render them absolutely spellbound because of the power of your voice.

Your voice is who you are. It is your trademark and your calling card. Your voice must exude energy, confidence, and conviction. We tend to judge others by their voice: Is it confident, nervous, relaxed, energized, tired, weak, or strong? If you sound unsure and timid, your ability to persuade will falter. Persuasive voices have good volume, varied emphases, good articulation, and a pleasing pitch.

The good news is you can change many characteristics of your voice. Record your voice and listen to it. What does it project? Your voice must be interesting and easy to listen to in order to help, rather than hinder, your ability to persuade. Does your voice work for you or against you? What about these aspects of your vocal delivery and voice?

Pace

Pace refers to how quickly you speak. Mehrabian and Williams found that people who spoke faster, louder, and more fluently as well as those who varied their vocal frequency were perceived as more persuasive than those who did not.¹¹ A similar study found speakers with a faster rate were considered more competent.¹²

Speeches delivered at fast speeds are more persuasive than those of slow or moderate speeds because persuaders who speak faster appear more capable and knowledgeable. At these faster rates, the audience is not able to mentally engage in counterarguing.

Pace and speed are also important to keep and capture attention. We can think three times faster than we can speak. We have all had conversations and were able to listen while thinking of other things. When we speak faster, we can keep attention longer. There is less time for our audience’s mind to wander. Studies show that we generally like faster speakers and find them more interesting. Persuasive speakers will speak fast enough to excite and energize the mood of the audience and at times will be able to slow their pace down to create a mood of anticipation.

To counteract boredom, use a fast pace most of the time, and vary it from time to time. Slow your pace down when you wish to appear thoughtful or have something important or serious to say, or when you wish to show great respect. Increase your pace when you want to create excitement, influence, and energy.

There was a study done at University of Southern California to discover the persuasiveness of the rate of speech. Those conducting the study approached people in a shopping mall or went door to door. They introduced themselves as being from a local radio station. The experimenters had people listen to an audio on various opinions of the day. There would be an audio at a slow rate (102 wpm) and a different audio at a fast rate (195 wpm). After the subjects listened to the audio, the researchers asked a few questions. The study found that, when the audio was at the fast rate, the speakers were perceived as more knowledgeable and more persuasive.

Vocal Fillers

Fillers can destroy your presentation, hurt your credibility, and annoy your audience. Most people feel they don’t have a problem with this, and most of them are wrong. You will be amazed when you record yourself what words you use to fill in space during a presentation. Fillers are not acceptable and need to be eliminated from all speech. Vocal fillers include the common um, er, and uh. Some people have their own ways of filling in that uncomfortable silence between ideas. Some repeat the first two or three words of a sentence until their brain catches up and they decide what they’re going to say. Others might say, “Okay?” at the end of every sentence, as if they’re checking audience comprehension. Although we all tend to use a few natural fillers, it is always good for you to reduce their number during any conversation.

Pitch

Pitch is the highness or lowness of the speaker’s voice. Low is best. In most cultures, deeper voices are generally interpreted as reflecting authority and strength, for both men and women. In addition, a deeper voice is stereotypically considered to be more believable, indicative of an individual’s sincerity and trustworthiness. Many speakers practice lowering their voices because of the benefits of a lower pitch. Some speakers even drink hot tea before they speak, a technique that creates a lower sounding voice.

Remembering to employ variety in your speaking is a constant challenge, but it is of paramount importance. The worst thing for persuasion is a memorized speech or a presentation that is read word for word. You can help people remain alert and pay attention while you speak if the pitch of your voice rises and falls. This strategy works for two main reasons. First, the varying pitch will prevent your voice from sounding monotone. Second, the varying inflections can help emphasize a particular point. If you are not an engaging speaker, you will not be persuasive.

Volume

Obviously you’re not going to be very persuasive if no one can hear you. You’ve probably experienced the aggravation of straining and struggling to hear a speaker. Before your presentation, test the room to ensure that you can be heard in all parts of it. Also, test to see whether you’re going to need amplification. Certainly, the converse is also true: Be sure the audience does not feel you are yelling or shouting at them. This understandably is just as aggravating for the audience—or even more so—as struggling to hear you. These points are also true for how you sound on the phone or via the Internet.

Raising your voice for impact or dramatic effect is not as effective as lowering it. The technique can work, but you must be very careful about how you use it. Additionally, people who keep a calm and steady voice in emotional moments are considered more credible and competent.

Articulation

Clearly articulate every sentence, phrase, and word. When your speech is clear and coherent, it conveys competence. Sloppy articulation suggests a lack of education and laziness. Consider how lawyers, doctors, supervisors, motivational speakers, and the like must be articulate if they are to survive professionally. Good articulation conveys credibility and experience. Another practical reason to have good articulation is simply that it will make your presentation so much easier to follow. As discussed, people will comply with you more when you are easy to understand.

Downward inflection demonstrates power and control.¹⁷ News broadcasters are trained to inflect their voices downward at the ends of sentences because doing so suggests confidence and authority. Upward inflections tend to suggest a lack of confidence and doubt. Airline pilots are also trained to inflect down to portray more confidence. Imagine a pilot making the following announcement while inflecting his or her voice up at the end: “We’re going to have a safe flight today.” It sounds more like a question than a statement.

Pauses

Treat your pauses like gold. Well-timed pauses attract attention to a particular part of your presentation, give others time to tune in and process your message, and help you gain poise and confidence if you’re rattled. Use intentional pauses for the points you want to drive home. Not only does a pause increase comprehension, but it also helps to highlight important points. Use pauses to create attention, emphasis, and mood.

A carefully planned pause usually comes before the point you want to highlight. It is a common mistake not to hold the pause long enough. Be sure you allow enough of a pause that the full effect will be felt. When you do so, the audience anticipates and listens closely to what you will say next. They can tell something important is about to happen. This strategy is made even more effective when you combine it with pitch strategies: Be sure that, as you come to the pause, your pitch is high, thereby building suspense and giving momentum to what will follow. Inflecting your pitch downward will defeat the purpose, providing a feeling of resolution instead of suspension.

Don’t sound too polished or use words that are complex or difficult to understand. Words that are obviously sugarcoating the blunt truth will backfire on you. Vocal variety is key to persuasive presentations. Verbal packaging will backfire when you sound too polished or use words that are complex or difficult to understand. Also, sugarcoating the blunt truth can backfire on you.

CASE STUDY

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A famous politician (a member of congress) was in a very close reelection race. He wanted help to become more charismatic in his speaking. He also wanted to increase his influence, connect better with his audience, and increase donations. He had given a speech that he felt was critical to his reelection and would clarify his position in the race. I watched the video, and he was very articulate as he read his presentation word for word and made sure everyone understood his position. He stood tall at the podium, and he used persuasive words. Why didn’t his speech resonate with the audience? Why were donations so low? Using the Law of Verbal Packaging, what would you recommend?

The actual words and phrases in his speech were persuasive. His word choice was perfect. The challenge was the delivery. Reading a speech always takes away your energy and your presence. When you are stuck behind a podium, you connect less with the audience. Because he read his speech, his rate was reduced. This caused his delivery to lose the attention of his audience and reduced his ability to persuade. He was more concerned about the reading of the speech and his articulation than reaching and inspiring his audience. There was no emotion because of the forced delivery.

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Additional Resources: Verbal Packaging Triggers Video (maximuminfluence.com)