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Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear

by Frank Luntz

Words That Work: It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear Cover

ISBN13: 9781401302597
ISBN10: 1401302599
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Synopses & Reviews

Publisher Comments:

The nation's premier communications expert shares his wisdom on how the words we choose can change the course of business, of politics, and of life in this country.

In Words That Work, Luntz offers a behind-the-scenes look at how the tactical use of words and phrases affects what we buy, who we vote for, and even what we believe in. With chapters like "The Ten Rules of Successful Communication" and "The 21 Words and Phrases for the 21st Century," he examines how choosing the right words is essential.

Nobody is in a better position to explain than Frank Luntz: He has used his knowledge of words to help more than two dozen Fortune 500 companies grow. He'll tell us why Rupert Murdoch's six-billion-dollar decision to buy DirectTV was smart because satellite was more cutting edge than "digital cable," and why pharmaceutical companies transitioned their message from "treatment" to "prevention" and "wellness."

If you ever wanted to learn how to talk your way out of a traffic ticket or talk your way into a raise, this book's for you.

Review:

"After repeating his mantra — 'it's not what you say, it's what people hear' — so often in this book, you'd think that Republican pollster Luntz would have taken his own advice to heart. Yet in spite of an opening anecdote that superficially attempts a balanced tone, the book as a whole truly reads more like a manual for right-wing positioning. Even in the sections where he is less partisan, Luntz's advice is not particularly insightful. For instance, his first chapter, on 'Ten Rules of Effective Language,' starts by instructing readers to use small words and short sentences in their communications. The least effective section in the book is the chapter on 'Personal Language for Personal Scenarios,' where Luntz advocates manipulative strategies for getting out of traffic tickets, boarding airplanes at the last minute and apologizing to one's wife with the 'miracle elixir' of flowers. The most readable and redeeming feature is the two case studies, where Luntz demonstrates his skill as a communicator by identifying real-world communications successes and failures. Unfortunately, by the time nonpartisan readers reach these chapters, they will have already lost patience." Publishers Weekly (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)

Review:

"If you can't afford to hire Frank Luntz, you have to read Words that Work." Steve Wynn

Review:

"Frank Luntz understands the power of words to move public opinion and communicate big ideas." Senator John Kerry

About the Author

Dr. Frank Luntz is one of the most respected communication professionals in America. With his firm, Luntz Maslansky Strategic Research, he has conducted more than 1,500 surveys and focus groups for corporate, public affairs, and political clients in twenty countries. Luntz lives in McLean, Virginia.

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SBConners, July 12, 2007 (view all comments by SBConners)
This book is on my "to read" list because of Luntz's appearance in the PBS Frontline episode called "The Persuaders." This program presented modern marketing's role in persuading consumers to buy. Luntz was featured on the segment on political marketing. While I admire his sensitivity to the nuances of language (why I had my marketing students watch the segment), it was striking how amoral Luntz seemed to be. On the Republican Party campaign to eliminate the estate tax, his change in the marketing campaign to re-position it as an "death tax" was brilliant -- but his inability to address whether the Republican Party's and corporations' re-positioning strategies merely dis-inform voters and ill-serve the nation was striking. It just doesn't seem to enter his mind that he might just have a higher duty than to profit himself and the narrow interests of his employers. Perhaps someday he will suffer pangs of conscience -- but I doubt it.
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Product Details

ISBN:
9781401302597
Subtitle:
It's Not What You Say, It's What People Hear
Author:
Luntz, Frank
Publisher:
Hyperion Books
Subject:
Communication
Subject:
English language
Subject:
Rhetoric
Subject:
Semantics
Subject:
Popular Culture
Subject:
Business Communication
Subject:
Skills
Publication Date:
January 2007
Binding:
Hardcover
Grade Level:
General/trade
Language:
English
Pages:
324
Dimensions:
9.46x6.50x1.14 in. 1.43 lbs.
Age Level:
from Al to l0
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