The Right Words in the Right Venue

True Story. We were listening to the radio the other day as a German bakery owner hoping to entice new customers explained in his thick accent that he was a “master-baker.” We laughed and then decided to remind everyone of the importance of choosing the right words in the right venue.

Words create emotions and build context for the audience. And as you probably know, choosing the right words and using them to develop a context that benefits your case is the difference between communicating your point persuasively and communicating something very, very different.

We recently fielded a survey in which jurors were asked what attributes make a good nurse. Respondents were offered a range of choices including “advanced specialty training,” “responds quickly,” and “at least five years experience.”

And what was the highest-scoring attribute by a 2:1 margin? “A kind, compassionate bedside manner.”

This response mirrors our national research findings, where jurors consistently cite “compassionate," “caring” and “spends more time with patients” as the qualities they most desire in a nurse. Using language that evokes positive perceptions of a nurse or a witness early in trial can have a tremendous effect on how jurors filter and envision the details of an event.

Next time you’re in trial, use the emotional words that will play to predispositions about what a juror wants in a caregiver or other witnesses. It’ll paint a positive picture in jurors’ minds. Call us if we can help you choose the right words for your next trial.