The Language of Trust: Selling Ideas in a World of Skeptics
To be published by Prentice Hall Press, May 4, 2010
Trust is dead. Now what?
Living through the horror of 9/11 era, the 2008 financial collapse, and a lifetime of accumulated consumer experiences, Americans are more skeptical now than at any other time in our history. They think financial services companies will take their money. Pharmaceutical companies put profits over patients. Politicians are all liars. And corporations will do anything for a dollar.
At the same time, the public has access to more information and more viewpoints. Major corporations and mommy bloggers find themselves on equal ground in the fight for attention and credibility. And for every fact and statistic that supports one side of an argument, a quick Google search can reveal an equally compelling alternative view of the world.
Communicating in this difficult environment requires more than selling products or telling stories. The only way to reach consumers who are more sophisticated and skeptical of marketing than ever is to re-establish credibility. Doing so requires an entirely new language: the language of trust.
The Language of Trust: Selling Ideas in a World of Skeptics is a book about how to use language to undo the skepticism that a world of too much spin has created. Based on more than a decade’s worth of research into how consumers and the public respond emotionally to communication, we explore new words, new phrases, and new communication techniques to address situations where there appears to be a “failure to communicate.” In the process, you will learn how your audience thinks, and this new approach to communicating can help you to sell your products, your company, your ideas, your story, and even yourself. But most importantly, this book gives you the tools to use language that builds, or rebuilds trust, when the facts, actions, and record are on your side, but you just can’t quite get over that last hurdle—acceptance.
“Trust has never been more important in the corporate world – because there’s so little of it. For years, people have tried to figure out how to communicate trust. Now, finally, Michael Maslansky has unlocked the DNA of trust. Anyone who cares about their employees, their customers or their reputation has to read this book.”
– Dr. Frank Luntz, Author of Words That Work and
What Americans Really Want…Really
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Greetings, Michael:
Excellent book, indeed! It was actually recommended to me by Scott West during a presentation he made to a group of our firm’s financial advisers in Minneapolis a few weeks ago. Having been an English major in college (and, also being a “lapsed attorney”), words and clear communication are
important to me. You’ve done a wonderful job of organizing and articulating an approach to communication that all those serving others should embrace. Frankly, I’m glad to learn my suspicions were correct: We’ve moved well beyond the “disturbing scenarios” approach to financial planning and into more of an advisory and advocacy role. It’s what I’ve been trying to do consistently for many years. Thanks so much for authoring this timely and very helpful book.
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