Q: Courtroom research shows that jurors are most persuaded by:
a. Expert witnesses that use easy-to-understand languages and terms
b. Expert witnesses that use technical jargon and hard to understand terms
c. Expert witnesses that have a commanding voice and speak with confidence
Most public speaking coaches will tell you that it doesn't matter what you say, but how you say it. They'll cite statistics that claim 93% of communication is nonverbal and people gain more from your body language and your tone than the actual words you use. If you agree with them, you might have gone for option c.
Most marketers and copywriters preach that we should go after the lowest common denominator. We should use the language that even 5th graders would understand. If you agree with them, you might have gone for option a.
In both cases, you would have been wrong. The correct answer is option b. According to research done by 3 psychologists - Joel Cooper, Elizabeth Bennett, and Holly Sukel - jurors are most persuaded by witnesses that use technical jargon and dollar words. Surprised?
Read on to understand the psychology behind the surprising phenomena…
Why do witnesses that use technical jargon
persuade most jurors?
People want to be sure of their decisions. They want to make the right choices. And to make the right choices, they seek help from an expert.
And nothing tells them that a person is an expert better than technical terms!
By using technical language to describe your product, you will in effect be reassuring people that you are an authority in your field. Even though people won't understand the technical terms, they will have confidence in you.
The Caveat
Jurors are made to sit in one place by the judge. They can't move. Thus an expert using a lot of technical jargon will have their attention even if he seems boring.
But in the real world, you won't enjoy such attention if you use technical jargon excessively. You'll bore people and drive them away.
So What To Do?
Simply start using 2 little words. These 2 words will make sure that you keep your prospects attention as well as make him perceive you as an expert and start trusting you. What are the 2 words?
“Which Means”
Start with the technical jargon. Then follow it up with simple terms. Connect the technical jargon with simple easy-to-understand words with “which means.”
Technical jargon > which means > easy explanation
For eg: as a marketer, I often say:
You need to raise a good USP to gain an edge over your competition. USP stands for Unique Selling Proposition - which means - you should promote a benefit of your product that identifies you as being different from all your competitors. USP is simply a declaration of what makes your product different.
Your USP should offer a special benefit to the customer. This benefit should not be promoted by your competition. And this benefit should be important enough that it drives people away from your competition towards you.
Action Summary:
Don't believe all the marketers when they tell you to stop using technical jargon.
Use the technical jargon because it paints a picture of you as an expert. And then follow it up with simple explanation.
Use the 2 connecting words “which means” to go from the technical jargon to the easy-to-understand explanations.
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