Poetry vs Prose

With so much of the Free World going to the polls this year, I was reminded of the old electioneering adage;

campaign in poetry, govern in prose.

This in part builds on the power of emotion. And the pitfall of how the solution seller can misplace importance instead on facts, on which I also happened to blog a week ago.

My Sales setting turns to remixing this for our campaigns, such as;

pitch in poetry, deliver in prose.

With our offering, delivery is often done by others. Where the hard 'facts' can come to the fore. Until we ourselves might revisit. To document success, ensure smooth running, and provide further 'product' where appreciated.

Beyond equating the poetry of this adage to finding the emotion compelling the prospect, there's also the application in messages themselves.

I've blogged on this a fair bit down the years. Including referencing Brave New World, a decade-old Hollywood blockbuster, and with a nod to keep in mind linking to the related metaphor.

Make it rhyme, let's it chime.

I also say variants of, 'own the syntax, own the deal'. If you create the language around the issue on the table, which get adopted and used by the prospect, then you lift yourself above other options.

With a trio of examples coming from internal efforts of a magazine sadly now a shadow of its former self, adopting the numericals of a bid in a unique way, or even specific power of renaming something.

A simple rhyme will be remembered. And likely for a long time.

Whether it be in agenda title question form, a future-viewed legacy of their eventual purchase metric-style statement, or framing of puzzle at hand to solve.

I suggest it also pays not to go overboard. Filling your deck with rhymes will lead to you realise that less is indeed more. Use with care, use with precision, use sparingly.

But use them you must.

If a suitable option eludes your inner Shakespeare, let alone Taylor Swift, then you can always ask a friend. Although be wary with AI. As I blogged recently too in the context of ad strapline alts, as whilst acing maths exams, their output presently falls way below the pro standard for this particular task.

Even riff with your prospect(s).

Often all your rhyming needs is a starting point, and spark shall duly fly.