Reading Notes For:
Tie-Downs: The Master Influencer’s Secret Weapon
There are only three ways to compete or gain a competitive advantage in a marketplace. We define three strategy types as:
- cost leadership,
- differentiation, and
- market segmentation (or focus).
For our purposes we’ll focus on differentiation. Differentiation is often misunderstood as standing out or being different. But it’s much more than that. It also is the ability to sell a product or service without having to drop its price.
The frame tells the story; the value proposition plants the seeds for the message. The latter connects with and opens your audience to listen. The value propositions we have chosen in our work come directly from what we value in our lives. For example, “I chose to work for this company because … .”
Delivery, authenticity from the heart, content, messaging, and value proposition all work together to deliver the connection, delivery, and believability. When they’re all in sync we achieve the desired result—we’re trusted, liked, and known. That’s the goal of influence.
Tie-Downs: The Master Influencer’s Secret Weapon
“Assume nothing; communicate everything.”
—René Rodriguez
Influence happens through the tie-down.
The tie-down is the most powerful way to ensure a message is not only received but also that it is understood exactly as intended.
The tie-down explicitly outlines the precise value of the message in the context of what is important to the audience and their current needs.
As we discussed earlier, the brain’s first job is to monitor for potential threats. To understand how this relates to tie-downs, let’s assume the brain doesn’t perceive any potential threats. Once we’re safe, the brain now tries to make sense not only of the world around us but also the behaviors of those around us.
With so much information flooding in, the brain must make quick decisions as to what is important and what isn’t. That means most information—including your message—in all likelihood could be ignored.
This same thought process happens when we speak in person as well. Our audience constantly searches for:
▪ What this information will mean to them;
▪ What value it will add to their lives;
▪ How it will help them achieve their goals.