How do you name the pain?

Blog by Rutger Mollee

A week from now there will be an election. The candidates are still fighting for every vote. According to some a done race that Clinton will win, according to others far from a done deal. Especially now that the FBI is reopening the investigation into Hillary's emails. One thing is certain: this is an extraordinary campaign in many ways.

Trump managed to get huge amounts of TV airtime with his crude, provocative style. Not surprising in a country where "Entertainment" does better than news and Trump is a master at that. It is often said that he knows how to name the pain of Americans better than Clinton. Probably that is the main reason he managed to make himself a Republican candidate and is still a serious candidate for final victory. Why is that?

At Yale University, interesting research has been done on different modes of persuasion. It also showed that people's motivation to listen becomes much greater when they see a topic as personally relevant, in short, when it is important to them. And when is something important? When it touches you, by putting its finger on the sore spot. For this reason, many politicians and marketing experts hold regular "painstorms" (instead of brainstorms). In these sessions, they look at where the pain and fear is with their potential voters.

What can we learn from this for our own speeches and presentations? How can you put your finger on the sore spot?

1. Know your audience

Who are in the audience? What is their background, What language speaks to them? Obama picks up his audience strongly in his speech at the funeral of Clementa Pinckney who died in the Charleston shooting in 2015 (up to 1:40 minute).

2. What issues resonate with your audience?

Research what areas people are struggling in. Where are challenges and problems for them? Are they having trouble finding a job, are they paying too many taxes? President Kennedy knew how to put it perfectly during his "Ich bin ein Berliner" speech. "We have never had to put up a wall...to keep our people in to prevent them from leaving us." (From 2:20 minute)

3. What fears and insecurities are at play with your audience?

One step further: what is keeping your audience awake at night? What (unrealistic) fears do people have? Possible attacks by IS? That you could lose your job because of the crisis? Geert Wilders brought it to his audience in the famous "Less-Minder" speech. Watch the passage he had to answer for in court last Monday here.

If you know how to name your audience's pain you will gain attention and connect with your audience. Naming pain populist? Often yes. Functional? In the case of Trump, we will know after Nov. 8. And then a next phase dawns for the occupants of the White House; not just naming problems, but solving them!

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