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Have you ever tried to convince someone of something, maybe a colleague about a new idea? your manager for a resource, or even a friend to try a new restaurant out.
And you felt like you were hitting a brick wall.
You laid out all your points, but they just didn't seem to get it.
Or worse, they weren't interested. Often, The reason our message doesn't land is because we're focusing on what we want, what we think is important, or what we've invested.
But the key to truly persuasive communication in English, especially in fast paced North American environments, lies in shifting that focus.
Today, we're going to talk about a powerful communication framework that does exactly that.
It's called WIIFT or what's in it for them.
WIIFT is a simple, yet profound principle to get someone to listen, agree, or act, You need to frame your message in terms of how it benefits them, solves their problems, or helps them achieve their goals.
It's about stepping into their shoes and seeing the world and your proposal from their perspective.
So, if you want people to listen to your proposals and ideas, Then stick around and let's get into this.
So why is this framework so powerful? Well, think about it.
We are all busy. We are bombarded with information constantly.
Naturally, we prioritize what's relevant and valuable to us.
When you can clearly articulate what's in it for them, You immediately cut through the noise.
You grab their attention because you're speaking to their needs, their interests, their motivations.
This approach doesn't just make you more persuasive.
It helps you build rapport and trust because it shows that you've taken the time to understand the other person.
It reduces resistance. because they can see the positive outcome for themselves.
And ultimately it leads to better, more collaborative outcomes, whether you're at work, negotiating a deal, or even in your personal interactions.
So. How do you actually put WIIFT into practice?
Well, there's a mini framework to help you.
Hook, benefit, and ask. First, the hook, your opening.
The goal of the hook is to grab their attention immediately by connecting to something they care about.
This could be a shared goal. a problem they're facing, or an aspiration they have.
For instance, instead of just launching into your idea, you might start with, You know how we've all been looking for ways to improve team productivity?
Or, I remember you mentioned you're finding it challenging to manage your project timelines effectively.
A good hook. makes them lean in and think, yes, that's relevant to me.
I should pay attention. Second, and this is the heart of WIIFT, is the benefit.
This is where you clearly state how your idea, proposal, or requests helps them.
And it's crucial to distinguish between features and benefits.
A feature is a characteristic of something like this software has a new dashboard, a benefit. is what that feature does for them.
This new dashboard gives you a real-time overview of all your key metrics in one place, so that you can make faster, more informed decisions and save up to an hour each day.
You see the difference? The benefit answers their silent question.
That's nice, but why should I care? Focus on outcomes like saving time or money. reducing stress, achieving a goal, gaining recognition, or solving a problem they experience.
Third, the ask. So once you've hooked them and shown them the benefit, you need to clearly state what you want them to do.
Don't be vague. A good ask is specific and actionable.
For example, instead of, let me know what you think.
Try, could you review this proposal and provide your feedback on the budget section by end of day Wednesday.
This makes it easy for them to understand what's needed and how to respond.
Now, to effectively identify the right hook and especially the right benefit, you need to do a little homework.
You need to understand your audience. What are their goals?
What are their pain points? What motivates them?
The more you understand them, the better you can tailor your WIAFT pitch.
Let's look at a quick before and after example in a professional setting.
Imagine you need your manager to approve a new software subscription.
Instead of saying, hi, Sarah, I need you to approve the budget for this new project management software.
I've done all the research and it has a lot of great features that I think will help me.
This is all about I need and I think. Instead, try this WIIFT approach.
Hi Sarah. That's the hook. I know one of our key team goals this quarter is to improve on-time project delivery and reduce the amount of time we spend on manual tracking.
Here's the benefit. I found a project management tool that I believe could directly help you get better visibility into everyone's workload and project progress, which could help us identify bottlenecks much faster and ensure we're hitting our deadlines more consistently.
It could free up significant administrative time for the whole team, allowing us to focus more on client-facing work.
Now here's the ask, would you be open to a 15 minute demo with me next week so that you can see if it meets our team's needs? for better project oversight.
Notice how the second version focuses more on Sarah's likely goals. like team performance, efficiency, and the benefits to her and her team, it's much more compelling.
The what's in it for them framework is not about manipulation.
It's about empathy. and effective communication.
It's about understanding that when you help others get what they want, you're much more likely to get what you want.
As you continue to live and work here in the US or Canada, you'll find this audience-centric approach Highly valued.
Start practicing it in small interactions.
Before you make a request or present an idea, pause and ask yourself, What's in it for them?
The more you use this framework, the more natural it will become.
And I guarantee you'll see a positive difference in your communication and your results.
If you would like more support, feedback, and a community of people to communicate with and practice with, then you should join us in Explorearning Academy.
You can find out more by going to academy.explorearning.co.
I'll see you in the next one.
