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AUGUST 15, 2018

Doctor, lawyer, money manager, roof repairer, landscaper. We all have some idea of what those titles mean, but when it comes to actually making a decision about which professional in any field to use, as consumers before signing a contract, we want more specifics about exactly what and how they do what they do.
Family therapist Jacqueline Hudak knows that. In a recent WSJ article, look how she uses very common metaphors (analogies) to help prospects understand her approach, the need for her approach, and who benefits from that approach.

Like a System...

She explains that a family is like a system. What one person does affects everyone else in that system. She notes, “People like things being the same, so when change is introduced, sometimes the system, the family, can’t tolerate it. Examples of changes are births, deaths, marriage, illness, etc.”

The Dance Within The System...

Okay, so we understand what she says on a purely factual level, but maybe we don’t really get it. To ensure that we do, she continues, “Think of a family system as a bunch of people dancing together in a particular way. They have been doing this a long time, perhaps generations, before they ever got to my office. I have to learn the dance steps of each family member. Then I coach them on new steps.”

The Effect of an individual in the System

When asked if a single person can benefit from her therapy, she not only answers in the affirmative, but she also helps us see how that is valid as well, because even one person’s change can affect the whole system. “Think of the mobile that hangs over a crib. When you touch one piece, it moves the entire mobile. Such is the case with a family system. Even happy events—going off to college, the birth of a child—can throw a system into a state of disequilibrium. And one person going to therapy and making changes in their role in the family is going to impact that system and effect change.”

Metaphors Make Sales Easier

You needn’t be a family therapist to think like Jacqueline Hudak, but thinking like Jacqueline illustrates three things:

• Metaphors (analogies) simplify complex topics for buyers
• Metaphors can be drawn from simple comparisons (systems, dancing, crib mobiles)
• Metaphor is the language of common ground. When we understand another person and are understood by them, we tend to feel more connected to each other and want to work with them.

What metaphors (or analogies) can you use to help people quickly grasp what you do, how you do it, and what the benefit is to them?

Anne Miller
Make What You Say Pay! — with Metaphors.

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Random Recommendation

Ever wonder where sports metaphors like the ones below come from and why so many of them pepper our everyday language?

• Hat in the ring
• Throw in the towel
• Out of left field

Find out where these and others come from in this entertaining New York Times article.

 

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The Tall Lady With the Iceberg: the power of metaphors to sell, persuade, & explain anything to anyone.

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Media Commentator & Lawyer

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Metaphor Minute Archives

Pain In The Neck

The Metaphor That Made Mark Zuckerberg Flinch

Think "Themes"

Links I like

www.changingminds.org
www.nurtureinstitute.com
www.americanrhetoric.com
www.salesopedia.com
www.salesrepradio.com
www.ted.com
www.takethecold.com

Great Resources:

www.suttoncreative.com
www.cartoonbank.com
www.sbsnet.com
www.videomystory.com
www.ceoshow.com