Telling Accommodators that the PDA has a feature that will help them
be more organized might encourage them to use it. An Optimist, however,
doesn’t perceive the value of being organized. To Optimists, the key
benefit is that using the feature that helps them to be more organized will
give them more free time. To Producers, telling them this feature will help
them get more done is meaningful. What might motivate a Data Collector
is that this feature keeps track of details. One product, one feature,
and four ways of expressing it.
In organizing the E-mail, remember to start with the benefit that’s
likely to motivate the Producers. For instance, you might say:
Get more done with less pain! Using your PDA helps you be more
organized, which gives you more free time. All while keeping track of
key details.
Notice we start with a direct statement targeting Producers (get more
done). We then address Accommodators (be more organized), Optimists
(enjoy free time), and Data Collectors (track details). This strategic
approach is likely to help you achieve your objectives; by using the
words and phrases that are meaningful to other people, in a sense what
you’re doing is speaking their language.
EXERCISE 2: Target Your Reader’s Personality
Let’s say that your favorite boss has asked you to write her a letter of
reference. She is up for a “plum of a job” and is proactively gathering
references. You’re being asked to submit a letter as someone who knows
her style and abilities as a boss. Your boss has asked that you write to the
person she is interviewing with, Frank Smith.
Think about your favorite boss. It could be the person you worked
for when you were in school, baby-sat, or mowed lawns. It could be your
current boss. Whoever you chose, think about what sort of job this
person would likely be applying for now. Think about what sort of
person Mr. Smith is likely to be. You can’t know, of course, but you
can come up with an educated guess based on the job and environment
Mr. Smith is in. You don’t need to know what’s in Mr. Smith’s heart,
nor do you need to know his essence. All you need to consider is what
he is likely to value.