Alice through the looking glass: words that work or not?

The last few pieces I've posted have dealt with finding "words that work". There can be no more important time to make sure you are using words that work than when speaking to a customer or prospect. Here's an interesting example of such an exchange: between "the customer" and "the company". A passage from Lewis Carroll's Alice Through the Looking-Glass serves as the example.

'Humpty-Dumpty said: "There's glory for you."

"I don't know what you mean by 'glory'," Alice said.

Humpty-Dumpty smiled contemptuously. "Of course you don't till I tell you. I meant, 'There's a nice knock-down argument for you!'"

But 'glory' doesn't mean 'a nice knock-down argument'," Alice objected.

"When I use a word," Humpty-Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, "it means just what I choose it to mean, neither more nor less."

"The question is," said Alice, "whether you can make words mean so many different things."

"The question is," said Humpty Dumpty, "which is to be Master - that's all."

Perhaps the example is a stretch, but each of us can remember an encounter similar I am sure.

Remember: It is not what you say that matters; it is what they hear. More importantly, if they have no idea what you mean by what you say, you can rest assured that what you hear will create a disconnect rather than a deeper connection with your customer.