HearSay

Whether it's public or private, kindergarten or college, schools and school systems today have objectives, just like any business might. They need to recruit faculty, attract students, raise funding, fight for policies, appeal to parents, win the big game, and achieve any of a dozen other essential objectives. They need to express the value of the service they provide. A service that's abstract, emotional, and, often, expensive. The institutions that do it best are often the ones that most effectively employ language. On this episode of HearSay, Michael and Lee are joined by Partner Ben Feller and Vice President Will Howard to talk about how to do it right, from characterizing what your school is and who it's for to what happens within the four walls of your school to the value your school provides.

At its core, good language strategy finds language that motivates people to take action. It’s how business is done and how elections are won. But voters find themselves increasingly focused on more and more issues, and what we like to call “wedge” issues aren’t wedges anymore — they’re make or break issues. In the 2018 election cycle, political messages hinged on the single issue of healthcare. Lee and Michael are joined by Partner Ben Feller to uncover the three main themes that are defining this midterm cycle. And why the message that resonates in each of these themes is usually from the party or candidates playing offense rather than defense. 

We’re all creatures of habit, and we default to certain forms of communication without even realizing it. But what if those defaults are actually hurting your daily potential? Whether it’s in a meeting, in a customer service interaction, or even in a negotiation, the way you set yourself up and communicate in interactions changes the outcome. Lee Carter is joined by Keith Yazmir and Ben Feller for an engaging, practical conversation on how to use language strategy in your everyday life -- from putting your best foot forward in meetings, to getting your desired outcome in a customer service interaction, to setting yourself up to succeed in any presentation setting.

When you are trying to build (or re-build) reputation, your job is to disrupt the way people think. And to disrupt, you can’t just speak louder, you need to speak smarter. Instincts tell us to correct misperceptions. And our instincts are often wrong. Leaning in to facts and data often backfires. Change the narrative and you can change minds. Lee Carter and Michael Maslansky are joined by Senior Vice President Katie Cronen to discuss one of the often overlooked elements of reputation management, the effective use of language, message, and narrative.

Language shapes how we view the world around us. The news is no exception. A border crisis. An immigration crisis. A humanitarian crisis. All language used to describe the same story but changes how we view it. Michael and Lee are joined by m+p Partner Ben Feller to talk about the value of personalization, why keeping it simple in your messaging gets you further, and what the idea of credibility and plausibility mean in a post-truth era. 

You might think that empathy is as simple as putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. But it’s much more complicated. While most of us have empathy for people who we care about and love, we don’t have a natural ability to have empathy for people who aren’t like us. This distinction is easy to ignore until we realize that the audiences we’re focused on reaching with messages that resonate aren’t just like us. President Lee Carter, CEO Michael Maslansky, and Partner Keith Yazmir highlight what it means to practice active empathy; the need for understanding your audience, especially if you don’t agree with them; and how successful empathy can drive growth for your company.

You know your company or product is different. But does it sound different?  Sometimes all that differentiates you from the competition is your story. The right language can change behavior, perception, and drive sales. How that story is framed matters more than you think. Using examples like “zero proof” non-alcoholic beverages, a “no hoops” rewards credit card, and an insurance company that “looks for ways to say yes,” President Lee Carter, CEO Michael Maslansky, and Vice President Will Howard highlight the tools you need you stand out from the crowd. 

Language changes the way we view the world, politics, business, and products. Sometimes, it's totally intentional. Sometimes, it's not. But there is no doubt that the effective use of language can drive behavior. And that's what language strategy is all about. Finding the language that changes the game. President Lee Carter and CEO Michael Maslansky are joined by Partner Keith Yazmir to talk about how maslansky + partners invented language strategy, they discuss why certain messages resonate (and don't), and they also share some of their favorite Language Strategy wins: from Starbucks VIA® Instant Coffee to variable annuities.

Season One of HearSay ends with a bang: the smartest, savviest, + stupidest messages of 2021 so far. Michael and Lee are joined by HearSay veterans Keith and Katie to give their takes on the messages that have stood out: from Voltswagen, to Harry and Megan’s Oprah interview (and the royal response), to President Biden’s infrastructure plan, and the true pronunciation of “cheugy.” They focus in not just on some of the biggest language moments of the year so far — but what we can all learn from them.

With everyone telling their sustainability story, are you cutting through the crowd? Have you found one bold idea to center your communications around? It used to be that sustainability experts evaluated how companies were performing in this area.  But now, customers and employees alike are paying attention. The old language of sustainability doesn't work now. This week on HearSay, Michael and Lee welcome back podcast alumni Will Howard and Sachi Pettit to talk about all things sustainability, including how to respond appropriately to your critics, examples of successful corporate sustainability communication frameworks (from programs/products like Starbucks' Shared Planet, Unilever's Sustainable Living Plan, and Adidas' Ocean Shoe), and how to depoliticize your sustainability language.