Words That Work
Posted by Michelle Moquin on December 22nd, 2008
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I have always had a love for words. And I especially like making them up. Unfortunately, I am limited in my use of them, as people tend to give me a funny look as if I am uneducated. Instead it is just me having fun and taking poetic license by being creative with the english language.
And sometimes to my delight I make up a word only to later plug the word into my on-line dictionary and discover that I did not make it up…it was a word all along. I am never disappointed but only more pleased with the english language, knowing that a word that I felt was needed and missing in our language, was in fact already a word in use. Many besides me thought it was necessary.
Then yesterday I was listening to the radio, switching channels and stumbled upon an interview on public radio discussing a book that caught my interest. The book is called, “Words That Work”: ‘It’s not what you say, it’s what people hear’ Written by Dr. Frank Luntz. I have never heard of him but maybe you have. And from some of the reviews I have read on the book, he’s a republican pollster who’s big in the political arena, and who bashes the ‘morons on the left’, who ‘just don’t get it’ (he may be right), but supposedly when it comes to giving good advice to anyone who must communicate publicly, nobody is in a better position to explain than Frank Luntz:
Lutz is the nation’s premier communications expert who shares his wisdom on how the words we choose can change the course of business, of politics, and of life in this country. He has used his knowledge of words to help more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies grow. He’ll tell us why Rupert Murdoch’s six-billion-dollar decision to buy DirectTV was smart because satellite was more cutting edge than “digital cable,” and why pharmaceutical companies transitioned their message from “treatment” to “prevention” and “wellness.”
I have read that one of his best chapters in the book is, ‘The 10 rules of successful communication’. Here’s a little briefing on each section of the 10 rules:
1. Simplicity – Use small words. You’re trying to connect with your audiences, not impress them with your vocabulary. If you use a word they don’t understand, they will stop listening AND think that you’re pretentious.
2. Brevity – Use short sentences. If you can’t say it in a breath, people won’t understand it. You may be willing to re-read your sentences to make sure you get the point, but your audience won’t.
3. Credibility Matters – as much as if not more than philosophy. I call this believability. Stephen Colbert calls it “truthiness.” (Ooh I love the way this word rolls off my tongue! It feels delicious) It doesn’t matter if your message is true. If it sounds “unbelievable,” it won’t be believed.
4. Repetition – Consistency Matters. You will have to hammer home your message over and over before it sticks. So it better roll off your tongue (see #1 and #2).
5. Novelty – Offer something new. In product marketing, it’s “differentiation.” In politics, it’s the reason to NOT vote for the other guy. Within the non-profit world, it’s the reason someone should bother listening to you.
6. Sound – Good words sound good. (I love good sounding words which is part of the reason why I love making them up.) If they sound boring, they are. Luntz cites a lot of tag lines and product ad copy to prove his point (M&Ms melt in your mouth…, quicker picker upper, etc.) But I think this makes sense for all messages. Use alliteration. Create an appealing cadence for your messages.
7. Speak Aspirationally. (Love this word “Aspirationally”! Did he ‘make it up? It’s not in my dictionary) No one likes a downer. Aspiration is more attractive and memorable. It inspires. Focus on the promise of what could be, not how bad things are. (Obama definitely speaks ‘aspirationally’, especially in his speeches. – Oh I’m gonna use that word – just love it!)
8. Visualize – Make them see it. Use language that conjures up mental images. One of Luntz’s favorite words is “imagine.” Tell a person to imagine something, and he will – using his favorite images and his favorite memories.
9. Ask a question. I’m big on questions. I probably ask too many but I can’t help it; I’m interested, I’m curious, and I want answers. He says questions immediately engages people in a conversation whether they want to be included or not. State a fact and they look at you with a blank stare. Ask a question and people answer it.
10. Provide Context and Explain Relevance. If you have to explain it, you’ve already lost the audience. The best messages are INSTANTLY relevant to audiences. If you have to explain a punch line, the joke isn’t funny. If you have to explain a message, it’s not as strong as it needs to be.
Hmm..some good advice? I think so. One critic claimed this was a manual for right-wing positioning. Maybe so, but I bet the democrats wished they had him on their side. :) Well..no worries, now you can buy the book, and put his advice to good use. I have added it to my carousel above just in case I have whetted your appetite for a new read. It is certainly on my wish list.
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Hi Mark: I will agree with you…Tiger has redifined the ‘game’ and thankfully Obama is doing the same. This redefinition should make it real interesting. I’m on Obama’s team. However, I like Zen Lill, wish that we could all see us as one. I have plans that one day we all will.
Hey ZL: I am working today till late tonight. How about we chat tomorrow? Anxious to hear about the new job – congratulations!
Hello Anonz: Yeah, well we all know about ‘intentions’ - that’s just it; they are only ‘intentions’. And when you have the intentions of one group that doesn’t match the intentions of another group, the group with the control will make their intentions concrete. Why our idiot senate allowed these crooks to have the cash with no strings attached is beyond my comprehension. Stupidity is one word that comes to mind.
So guess what? The Americans will find out just how bad the Bush Badmin were/are because my ‘intention’ is to use my power and ‘connections’ to reveal it here; on my blog. You being a connection, as our resident ‘deep throat’, as well as our resident Earthling Girl, a member of the girlz, Madaline, I wouldn’t be so sure that criminal action doesn’t take place. Ahh…Obama in office wasn’t enough proof of what a girl can do? Merry Christmas to you too. :)
Speaking of…I know you are out in deep space Maddie, but I also know you are reading and taking action where necessary.
Bye Bye….
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: Your Bad Ass Bitch Editor
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December 22nd, 2008 at 11:49 am
The Biggest Mistakes Seniors Make With Their Money Can Be Avoided
William G. Brennan, CPA/PFS, CFP
Capital Management Group, LLC
Even the smartest people can run into trouble managing their money. Serious mistakes can be hazardous to your wealth…
Mistake: Becoming too conservative. Seniors may feel that they must quickly shift their investment portfolio from stocks to bonds and other income-oriented instruments.
Reality: At age 60 or 65, your investment portfolio might have to last for 30 or 40 years, or even longer. Married couples, in particular, face the probability that at least one spouse will live for many years.
Over long periods, stocks have outperformed bonds, and that probably will be true in the future. Giving up on stocks can mean crimping your future lifestyle.
Strategy: Early in retirement, the best portfolio is a blended one that includes a large portion of stocks or stock funds.
With an average risk tolerance, a 60-40 split, stocks to bonds, may be appropriate. As you grow older, gradually tilt your portfolio toward bonds and other fixed-income investments to reduce the risk of incurring heavy stock market losses that you won’t be able to make up. A retiree with a 60% allocation to stocks at age 65 might drop that to 55% by age 70… 50% at 75, etc.
Mistake: Tapping retirement accounts too soon. Many people start to withdraw funds from their IRAs and other retirement plans as soon as they retire.
Trap: Such withdrawals reduce the tax-deferred growth enjoyed inside a retirement plan. Also, withdrawals before age 59½ may be subject to a 10% penalty tax.
Strategy: Assuming that you have enough other assets to leave your retirement account in place, tap taxable accounts for spending money during the year. In November or December, once you can project your taxable income (and tax bracket) for the year, take low-taxed withdrawals, if possible.
Example: At year-end, your tax pro tells you that you can withdraw $10,000 from your IRA this year and remain in the 15% federal tax bracket. You should take the money out at the 15% rate, because future withdrawals may be taxed at higher rates, depending on your personal circumstances and changes in tax law.
This strategy can be repeated each year (after you turn 59½ and the 10% penalty no longer applies). After you pass age 70½, though, you’ll have to take minimum withdrawals from most retirement accounts to avoid a 50% penalty.
Mistake: Ignoring Roth IRA conversion opportunities. In any year that your adjusted gross income (AGI) is no more than $100,000 on a single or joint return, you can convert all or part of a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA.
Advantages: After five years, all withdrawals will be tax free, assuming that you’re at least 59½ years old. (Contributions can be withdrawn tax free at any time.) Also, there are no minimum required withdrawals from Roth IRAs.
Trap: Some seniors fear Roth IRA conversions because they think a total conversion is necessary, which will require a large tax payment to gain eventual tax-free distributions and/or relief from required distributions. In fact, partial conversions are allowed.
Example: Len Johnson has $200,000 in a traditional IRA. His AGI (before any conversion) is less than $100,000, so he’s eligible for a Roth IRA conversion.
However, converting the entire IRA would generate $200,000 in additional taxable income and cost Len around $66,000 in tax, assuming a 33% effective rate. Len does not have $66,000 in cash, so he chooses not to convert.
Strategy: Len can do partial conversions, year after year, as long as his AGI doesn’t exceed $100,000.
Example: Len converts $40,000 of his traditional IRA to a Roth IRA each year. Even if he still owes tax at 28%, that would be an annual tax obligation of only $11,200. After five years of such conversions, Len’s entire IRA will be a Roth IRA.
The five-year period for tax-free Roth IRA withdrawals starts on January 1 of the year of the first partial conversion. The five-year test, which applies to each separate conversion, is met five years from January 1 of the year of the first partial conversion. Assuming that the Roth IRA owner is beyond age 59½, the account can be tapped at will, tax free.
Mistake: Overspending. You may be tempted to spend as much after retirement as you did while you were working. However, chances are that your retirement income is substantially less than when paychecks were coming in.
Best: Be realistic. You might, for example, spend what you receive from pensions, Social Security, part-time earnings, etc., after paying income tax.
It also makes sense to withdraw no more than 4% of your total investment portfolio for spending in Year One of retirement, then increase that withdrawal amount annually to keep pace with inflation. Academic studies have shown that such a drawdown rate, accompanied by a well-balanced investment plan, is likely to keep a portfolio viable for 30 years or more.
If you already have been retired for some time and your age is around 65, you can start this year to take 4% from your portfolio. Next year, adjust what you take to keep up with inflation.
If you’re around 70, you can start with a 5% withdrawal, then increase for inflation. Older retirees might start with 6% or even 7%.
Mistake: Halting retirement plan contributions. Many “retirees” actually have earned income from part-time employment, self-employment, director’s fees, etc.
This allows you to contribute to any of a number of retirement plans — defined-benefit, simplified employee pension, profit-sharing and 401(k) plans, for example.
Advantages: Contributions reduce the tax that you’ll owe today and the retirement fund will provide an additional income stream for your later retirement years.
Mistake: Canceling life insurance prematurely. Once your children are living independently and you have enough assets to provide for yourself and your spouse, you may wish to stop paying insurance premiums.
However, you might want cash from your life insurance at your death to pay taxes, your funeral costs, unpaid medical bills, etc. In addition, if you are going to leave one asset (such as your house) to one of your children, cash to other heirs can make for a fairer division. Life insurance can play other valuable roles, such as benefiting your favorite charities.
Best: Talk with a financial adviser and proceed cautiously before letting your coverage lapse.
Rule of thumb: If you can enjoy your desired lifestyle while still paying insurance premiums, you might as well keep paying.
Mistake: Giving away too much, too soon. Affluent retirees may give assets to children or grandchildren to help them and to reduce their own taxable estate.
There may even be pressure from family members to start doing this. However, such gifts should not begin too early, from a personal comfort standpoint. You may be concerned that you or your spouse will need those assets someday.
Strategy: Make formal loans instead, as needed, to your children. As they prosper, they may be able to repay the loans, providing you with additional retirement assets.
A formal loan is one that’s written down and signed by all the parties involved in the transaction. Terms (interest rate, repayment obligations) should be similar to loans from an unrelated lender.
Bonus: If you determine one day that you really don’t need the loan money back, you can forgive the loans and elect to treat the transactions as gifts.
Retirement interviewed William G. Brennan, CPA/PFS, CFP, principal, Capital Management Group, LLC, wealth management firm for high-net-worth individuals and families, 1730 Rhode Island Ave., Ste. 800, Washington, DC 20036.
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:44 pm
Michelle
Sir
I am close enough to check in. I hope to be in you solar system soon.
Sir
Madaline
December 22nd, 2008 at 12:57 pm
Michelle, I want what’s best for my country. I really don’t care who is leading. As long as he or she can do better that what we have experienced from these clowns, I will be on their side. I am looking forward to a more honest approach to government.
Oh, I do like you topic. You seem like an interesting person to meet. I am a Congressman from the midwest. So I have always been more than a little skeptical of what I hear from California’s collection of misfits. No insult intended. Your column was recommended to be by my wife’s sister. She said that I could use another viewpoint’s opinion.
I took her up on it because she has been making very good counterpoints to my suggestions at the family gatherings. Some have taken to waiting until she speaks before replying to my suggestions. She gives your blog credit for her “enlightenment” and her boldness in delivering that enlightenment at our family gatherings.
She was never a wall flower. But this is a big change from her normal behavior. Thus I had to investigate the source of her “new and better” her. The language on your blog could use some censoring if it is to be accepted by the mainstream media, but overall, I think you have something to offer the public here.
I will be watching you.
Mark
Mark
December 22nd, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Hi Mischa, I love this and it’s been a program of being (the way you speak reflects who you are) that I am wholeheartedly into : ) and I’ve worn myself out trying to get #’s 1, 2, 7 & 10 across…now I’ll just live it and let others read it here or in this book.
I’ll call you tomorrow.
Sweet pea, have a Merry Christmas and make sure no one pronounces you dead when you start your human growth hormone shots, you’ll sleep coma-like so make sure someone watches over you. I’m assuming that’s the chemistry your referring to. I could say something sagaciously sensual about feeling eighteen without chemical intervention, hahaha, but I won’t ; )
Doug, it looks like Rick Warren and the Pope are equally threatened by the gay population, I was going to blog about it but it’s a pathetic article, I just couldn’t give more voice to their self-righteous in the name of religion attention to homosexuality.
Ciao, Zen Lill
December 22nd, 2008 at 10:50 pm
I’m a gay man. Just how does that fact threaten anyone? If straights don’t want to marry someone of the same sex, don’t. How does me marrying a man threaten anyone? I guess that fellow has a point about all the fuss about Rick. Actually Rick looks like a gay afraid-to-be. If that boy is not sweet, I don’t know nothing about rock candy.
But, that’s another story.
Obama is making a point. We didn’t support him when the straights were raging on his preacher, nor did us gays scream foul when Rick launched his public ‘I’m important” stunt by hosting McCain and Obama. We should have said something when he made his play then. I too think this is Obama’s way of reminding us that if we want him to have our backs, we have to have his too.
Lonnie
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:00 am
Interesting point Lonnie.
With Warren doing the opening prayer and Lowery doing the Benediction Obama has covered his bases for making all believers participants of the inauguration.
I’m sure Obama, using his cross-the-lines politics campaign promises, is doing so with his religious choices for his first day ceremonies.
I think your insights to Warren the “afraid-to-be”, perhaps being “sweet” yet doesn’t know it, or refuses to admit things might be right on.
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:33 am
Sir
We are approaching your solar system from a different side. This is my first time commanding the lead craft through a corridor patrolled by the Emperor’s allies. Presently, I am more concerned about the atmospheric conditions.
The new girls are so enthralled by the exploding hot bits of stars. They can’t appreciate the danger of the situation. Each explosion leaves pockets of gas which have formed their own gravitational field. Some of these fields pull other drifting debris including huge asteroids into their orbit. Certain as yet unexplained phenomena can cause one or more of those satellites to exit their orbits at incredible speeds.
Those satellites can come at an unsuspecting craft a lethal speeds. The girls seem to be oblivious of the danger. They continue to gawk at the light show the satellites bring with them. Damn silly earth girls.
We will be heading towards an area that will allow us to exchange some of our earth girls for girls from three different different solar systems. The girls are so excited about the exchange. They have been competing to be the ones to go with the Xlopites. I really don’t want to lose any of them, but I know how selfish it would be to not allow them to experience this new challenge.
Sir
Madaline
December 23rd, 2008 at 8:53 am
Doug
Sure Lonnie is right. Look at the fag in denial. He exhibits such gay mannerisms. It would be so obvious except for his fervent dialogue attacking homosexuality.
He sounds like the other reverend for the RNC that was busted having gay trysts. I’m sure he is holding back as best he can. Self hatred is a painful thing.
Brandon