Book Review
"Metaphorically Selling": The Narrative Imperative
John Brien |
 |
“Do you think,” [the
Scarecrow] asked, “if I go to the Emerald City with you, that Oz would give
me some
brains?”
– The Wonderful Wizard of Oz
Granivorous. Aquiline.
Diurnal. Just a few of the words featured in the “Word Power” section of
February’s Reader’s Digest. Are these words good to know? Of course. Will
knowing them make you a genius? No.
We live in a world where
trivia and wisdom are often confused. But it’s critical to tell the
difference. If you can’t, the person who spouts a handful of facts and
adages could be judged more valuable than the person who harbors a broad
body of knowledge.
This quandary is at the
heart of Anne Miller’s Metaphorically Selling: How to Use the Magic of
Metaphors to Sell, Persuade & Explain Anything to Anyone. Miller starts from
the premise that “what passes for communication today, sadly, is often
beyond dreadful.”
And then explains why that
is.
In part, people often rely
on their left (logical) brain when communicating while the right (creative)
brain is left twiddling its thumbs. At best, left-brainers raid a cobwebbed
locker of sports and military analogies, cajoling us to “move the ball,”
“hit a home run,” “outflank the enemy.”
The result? Communications
weighed down by leaden language – a Joe Friday “Just the facts” M.O. We’re
all familiar with these left-brain demonstrations. Who of us has not
suffered through the “presentation from hell”? Slide after slide of bullet
points. A bland recitation… ceaseless jabbering… as our eyelids… grow heavy…
and flutter shut… and… zzzzzz.
The best communications are
more emotional than literal. Evocative. Emphasizing word images. Appealing
to the spirit, the senses. Applying elements of story-telling, providing a
narrative. Because they elicit a host of associations, they’re more
memorable.
Metaphors are the motors
that power successful communications. And Miller has a great deal to say
about them. Among her more interesting observations:
¨
“We process visuals much faster
than words. That is one reason why advertisements generally show a picture
of the product they are selling in addition to any printed or spoken words…
The lesson for salespeople: you have greater selling impact when you use
words that create images in your listener’s mind.”
¨
“The number one rule in selling is
to put your client in the center of any communications. What you know about
your client is as important, if not more so, than what it is you want to
say. The same principle holds true in the creation of a winning metaphor:
for it to work, it must draw on images and emotions from your client’s
world.”
¨
“Metaphors of any sort surprise
your audience because, by definition, a metaphor is something other than
what is expected. It’s a stand-in for the obvious. That’s why a story about
something or somebody works: For a moment, or several minutes even, your
audience is treated to a distraction.”
¨
“When things are technically or
scientifically alien to your listeners, the best solution is to look for a
parallel to something even your grandmother or twelve-year-old nephew would
understand. The tendency, unfortunately, is to infuse your explanation with
technical terms in order to do justice to the complexity of your subject.
But people don’t value (or buy) what they don’t comprehend. You need an
analogy – a metaphor.”
¨
“Effective presentation titles are
like best-selling book titles: They both grab and inform your audience with
just a few image-laden words, energetic verbs, or emotionally charged
references.”
Metaphorically Selling is a
quick, enjoyable read. But it becomes something more in its last chapters.
Miller understands that effective communication isn’t just a flashy title or
the occasional aphorism. Like the difference between trivia and wisdom,
effective communication is a way of thinking. In Miller’s words:
You’ve heard the phrase
“movers and shakers.” Metaphor-makers are “observers and connectors.” They
are curious beings who notice and register everything around them all the
time. They can see similarities in ostensibly dissimilar things. They can
connect seemingly unrelated ideas and concepts to new situations. They are
sometimes called lateral or parallel thinkers, as opposed to being strict
linear thinkers. All of us have this natural curiosity to one degree or
another. The key is to feed and develop it.
Why are metaphor-makers
important? They are not only the story-tellers, they are the innovators.
In urging a regimen of
self-improvement, Miller goes beyond the quick-fix of most business books.
In a world smothered in buzzwords, it’s good to be reminded that
intellectual depth is a matter of discipline. A lifestyle. A mission. A
passion.
Brains
aren’t simply conferred on you. We should remember what the Wizard says to
the Scarecrow when, after surviving a series of harrowing adventures, he
asks, “Can't you give me brains?"
“You don't
need them. You are learning something every day. A baby has brains, but it
doesn't know much. Experience is the only thing that brings knowledge, and
the longer you are on earth the more experience you are sure to get.”
Click here to view other
recommended books at the Marketing Today Bookstore
Peter DeLegge is the publisher of
Marketing Today. He has nearly twenty years experience in marketing and
advertising and has held marketing management positions at Fortune 200 and
medium size firms. To contact Mr. DeLegge regarding consulting, speaking
engagements or media interviews, please email <peterdl@hotmail.com>.
