POP!

Key Concepts

The POP framework

P STANDS FOR PURPOSEFUL

“Communication that features brilliant wordplay doesn’t qualify for POP! status unless it does two things: accurately articulates the essence of you and your offering, and positions you positively with your target audience.” (p. 4)

O STANDS FOR ORIGINAL

“One way to distinguish yourself (and be a good date for decision makers) is to be original and offer something unlike anyone or anything else. Instead of competing in a crowded niche, create your own. When you’re one of a kind, there is no competition.” (p. 5)

P STANDS FOR PITHY

“The top slogans of the twentieth century, as selected by Advertising Age magazine, are all less than seven words, proving that, when it comes to pitching, brevity is the soul of success.” (p. 7)

Techniques

Start by asking the W9 Questions

• W1. WHAT AM I OFFERING? WHAT AM I PITCHING, RECOMMENDING, TRYING TO SELL?

• W2. WHAT PROBLEM DOES MY IDEA OR OFFERING SOLVE?

• W3. WHY IS IT WORTH TRYING AND BUYING?

• W4. WHO IS MY TARGET AUDIENCE?

• W5. WHO AM I AND WHAT ARE MY CREDENTIALS?

• W6. WHO ARE MY COMPETITORS AND HOW AM I DIFFERENT FROM THEM?

• W7. WHAT RESISTANCE OR OBJECTIONS WILL PEOPLE HAVE TO THIS?

• W8. WHAT IS THE PURPOSE OF MY PITCH?

• W9. WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW DO I WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE ACTION?

“Study your W9 answers and identify one specific characteristic or benefit that is unavailable elsewhere. Where are you an “un?” Focusing on that point of distinction when crafting your communication can help you quickly stand out from competitors.” (p. 26)

Alphabetize Your Core Words

“Step 1. Get out your project’s W9 Form and your list of Core Words.” (p. 41)

“Step 2. Take one Core Word at a time and “talk it” through the alphabet, changing the sound of the first syllable to match the corresponding letter—starting with A and working to Z. Do this out loud so you can sound out the “new” words to hear if they POP!” (p. 41)

“Step 3. Write down any phrases that sound as if they could be turned into something meaningful. List them even if you’re not sure if or how you can use them. You can play with them later and use different techniques to morph them into something proprietary.” (p. 42)

“Step 4. Keep experimenting with the new combinations that “appear” before your eyes.” (p. 42)

Leveraging the thoughts and words of customers

“If you want a playful way to create communication people instantly relate to and remember, simply ask yourself, What is a common challenge facing people who need my service? What are they frustrated with? Put yourself in the minds of people in the middle of that situation. Now, start talking out loud. Write every thought that comes to mind. Review what you’ve written, pick out a phrase that articulates your customers’ exasperation or heartfelt emotion, and feature it in your pitch or proposal.” (p. 44)

“Are you featuring your client’s repeated feedback in the description of what you have to offer? If so, great. If not, why not? They are giving you your name, slogan, or pitch. It is what they associate with you. Why use something different when your target audience is already telling you what works for them?” (p. 45)

“Ask yourself, What do people say when they’re exultant or triumphant about something dealing with my product? Write down these “Eureka!” exclamations because other people will want that for themselves.” (p. 47)

Valley Girl Technique: use an analogy

“When people hear about your idea or invention for the first time, they don’t have any framework for it. The Valley Girl technique links something unfamiliar (you or your project) to something they are familiar with and fond of. When done well, this technique gives people an instant “Aha!” Something obscure becomes clear.” (p. 52)

Aflac Technique: link your name or slogan to real-world sights and sounds

“The beauty of the Aflac technique, named in honor of the company that so successfully models the power of this concept, is that it moves people from a logical frame of mind to an emotional frame of mind.” (p. 81)

“When you tell people your business name or slogan, do they get it? Can they see it? When you introduce your idea, can people picture what you’re talking about in their mind? Can they link it to something visual in the real world?” (p. 81)

ContraBrand: talk specifically to the “secret pains” customers have

“Simply ask yourself, What is the elephant-in-the-room aspect of this time of year? How can I write an article about what is really going on? How can I invent a product that addresses the underbelly of my issue? How can my business create a service that resolves or relieves a “secret pain” that is felt by many but rarely admitted?” (p. 101)

“What am I saying that is counterintuitive? Please write down all the norms that are accepted about your topic, industry, or profession. What do people believe to be true? Now, ask yourself, How can I say the opposite of that? How can I introduce something that causes people to rethink their assumptions and question their current beliefs?” (p. 105)

OnoNAMEopoeia

“Review your W9 Form and list of Core Words. Do any of them depict the feeling you want people to have when using your product? What other words capture how you’d like your invention perceived? Roll the possibilities around in your mind and mouth. Play with them to see if you can form them into a name that gives your brand instant recognition because it is the language equivalent of your product’s benefits.” (p. 134)

Alliteration

“Look at your draft phrase or sentence. What word has to stay for it to maintain its meaning? What words can’t or don’t you want to take out because they are crucial to getting your point across? Those are your keeper words.” (p. 149)

“Now, play with the other words, one by one, in your message to see if you can make them alliterative. Look up synonyms to find words that retain your meaning but start with the same sound as your keeper words.” (p. 149)

Rhyme

“Write down your best option for your pitch, concept, or message. Have you crafted the words so at least two of them are alliterative? If not, do that now.” (p. 166)

“Do you have at least two words that rhyme (for example, shop till you drop)? If so, great. If not, experiment with synonyms until at least two of your main words sound similar so you have a sublime word symphony that makes your message flow.” (p. 166)

First-Person Stories

A reporter recently asked me, “What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned from your twenty-five years as a professional speaker who’s paid to present to organizations?” I didn’t even have to think about it. I said, “Without a first-person story, it’s all rhetoric.” (p. 171)

People like to know where things come from. Once they understand your offering’s history or learn about its roots, they feel connected to it and you. You and your offering are no longer inanimate, abstract, or impersonal. They know your story. (p. 172)

Specific Next Steps

“What is the purpose of your communication? What do you want your target audience to stop, start, or do differently? What do you want decision makers to approve?” (p. 220)

“Someone once asked golfer Ben Hogan, who won the U.S. Open four times, “What’s the most important shot in golf?” He smiled and said, “The next one.” Have you included a next time, a from now on, or an in the future? Have you included a specific time and date by which they need to act?” (p. 220)

Quotables

“You can instantly evaluate the commercial viability of your title and tagline anytime you want, for free. Just give people your pitch and watch their eyebrows. If their eyebrows go up, it means your title and tagline “has them at hello.” It means they’re intrigued. Their curiosity has been piqued. They may even say, “Tell me more.” If their eyebrows knit or furrow, it means you have lost them at hello. They’re confused. And when people are confused, they rarely ask for clarification.” (p. 9)

“Saying and doing the same thing as everyone else is guaranteed to keep you one of many.” (p. 101)

When it comes to POP!, I see two rules: be clear and be compelling. (p. 163)