Positive. Mental. Attitude. Think optimistic thoughts, believe in yourself and good things happen. Right? It’s an old adage that we will have all come across at some point, be it in either our personal or professional life. And it rings true. Negativity breeds negativity, so to approach all aspects of life with a brighter outlook would seem to be the most natural thing in the world, wouldn’t it? Shouldn’t it?
Alas, not. As a PR professional, I read every day. I read the news. I read clients’ emails. I read blogs, and features, and press releases, and media requests. I enjoy reading almost as much as I enjoy writing. I adore words. They have a very real power to change, inspire, engage, move, and emote. As long as they are used appropriately, that is. But sadly, I do still frequently find that in much of what I read through the course of my working day, there is neither sight nor sound of PMA, and many beleaguered authors are almost unashamedly pessimistic with their choice of words.
For example, why would you use the term ‘we might’ when you could say ‘we could’ or even ‘we will’? Should we not ‘overcome challenges’ rather than ‘tackle problems’? ‘Discuss’ rather than ‘ask’? There are over one million words in the English language. Think about that for a second. One million words. That gives us options aplenty when it comes to phrasing. There are so many ways to remain upbeat and optimistic in our tone of voice. It’s all about choice.
In public relations, the language we choose to use in content and conversation is everything. How are we supposed to convincingly articulate that a product, business, or person is GREAT if our words don’t fully support that message? It’s not about being bullish or cocky. It’s simply about having confidence in our messaging and accurately reflecting our desired outcomes. Remember, doubt can spread as wildly as negativity, so let’s not let those seeds take root. Take control of the situation and radiate some positivity.
So next time you type an email to a journalist, don’t ask ‘if you perhaps might like to feature this story’, tell them that ‘this story is an ideal fit’ for their publication. Say what you really want. Be bold. Be brave. Write optimistic copy, believe in your words and good things will happen. Just try it. I think guarantee that you might will like it!
