Dian Griesel

A Newsletter from The Perception Brief™ Series

If there is one word that can separate a message that gets ignored from one that gets remembered, it may be this one: because.

I cannot remember exactly where I first came across the idea, but it has stayed with me ever since. Someone once said: “Free” will capture public attention, but “because” will capture market share.

Think about that for a moment. “Free” is loud. It stops the scroll, attracts the eye, and gets the click. But it does not necessarily build a relationship with a customer, a brand, or a business. To me, “free” is more like fireworks — bright, flashy, and quick to catch attention, but often forgotten, recalled only as a brief moment in time rather than the basis for a long-term relationship. Free is too easy.

“Because,” on the other hand, turns attention into understanding. Show you understand someone’s pain, perspective or point-of-view and you’re tapping into their perceptions. From here, understanding can become belief. And belief is what turns a prospect into a buyer; a claim into a credible message; and, a company into a brand people trust. Emphasizing the specific reasons that follow your “because” are foundational to building confidence and assurance for a buyer that their trust in you, your product, or your service will grow and be worthy.

Because is the reason why.

And the reason why may be the single most important ingredient in any sales presentation, marketing message, media pitch, or public relations campaign.

Why Claims Alone Fall Flat

Anyone can make a promise. Our product is better. Our service is superior. Our company is different. We deliver exceptional results.

The problem is that audiences have heard these claims so many times that they barely register anymore. Without evidence or explanation, even an honest statement can sound like advertising hype.

The question forming in the listener’s mind is immediate: Why should I believe you? Fight or flight instinct is avoidable and is instantly clammoring: Don’t!

The word “because” signals that an explanation is coming. It tells the listener that the claim is not simply being placed in front of them and presented as fact: “Because” says there is a reason behind it and about to be shared.

That reason can disarm skepticism. That “because” can capture drifting, wary attention.

The moment you attach an explanation to a claim, you can shift the listener from a defensive posture — “What are they trying to sell me?” — to a more open one, like, “That actually makes sense.”

In this way, “because” invites a temporary suspension of disbelief. It encourages the person on the receiving end to stop guarding the door and start listening. Once people begin listening, they are more likely to consider whether the statement is valid — particularly when the reasons following “because” are specific, relevant and believable.

Behavioral research has long suggested that people are more likely to respond positively to a request when they are given a reason for trusting it, believing it and/or buying it. We are wired to seek explanations. We want to understand why something is being requested; why a decision was made; why one option is supposedly better than another; and, why any of it should matter to us.

“Because” provides that bridge.

Turning Opinion Into Substance

Consider the difference between saying, “Our drink is better,” versus saying, “Our drink is better because it is made with 100% fruit juice.”

The first is an opinion. The second gives the audience something concrete to consider.

Compare “Our theater is more comfortable” with “Our theater is more comfortable because we provide 180-degree, fully reclining seats.” Now the claim has substance.

Or take the statement, “Our service is superior because we care.” That is moving in the right direction, but it can still be made stronger — because most companies say they care. A more persuasive explanation might be:

• “Our service is superior because every client works directly with a senior member of our team.”
• “Our service is superior because every client receives a response within two business hours.”
• “Our service is superior because the person who sells the engagement remains involved after the contract is signed.”

These statements do not merely claim that the company cares. They demonstrate how that care becomes visible. That distinction matters.

The word “because” is not a magic trick, and it does not automatically make a statement true. A vague, generic, or unsupported explanation can make a claim sound less credible rather than more credible. Getting this right builds favorable perceptions — getting it wrong builds negative ones.

The “because” reasons must be real and value-oriented to work in your favor. The words following your “because” should be specific enough to mean something; be relevant to what the audience values; and, be provable through facts, experience, examples, or results. Ideally, these explanations should also reveal a genuine difference between you and the alternatives.

Adjectives Are Conclusions. People Buy Reasons.

Businesses tend to love adjectives: innovative, exceptional, premium, trusted, groundbreaking, world-class, best-in-class. Whether you realize it or not — many listeners are listening to you and playing what someone once named “Bullshit Bingo.” They’re putting chips on their mental scorecards as a presenter (hopefully not you!) uses far too many adjectives. They are just waiting to yell “Bingo!” because their card is full of what they perceived as your B.S.

Too often people forget when selling anything that adjectives are conclusions. They tell people what you want them to think without necessarily explaining what could lead them to that conclusion. People do not buy adjectives. They buy the reasons behind them.

Instead of saying, “We are innovative,” explain: “We are innovative because our technology reduces a process that once took three days to less than three hours.”

Instead of saying, “We are trusted,” try: “Clients trust us because more than 80 percent of our business comes from repeat engagements and referrals.”

Instead of saying, “We provide exceptional service,” say: “We provide exceptional service because every call is answered by someone who can resolve the issue — not merely take a message.”

The more concrete the reason, the more believable the claim becomes. This applies to anything you’re selling, and it is equally important in public relations messaging, as well.

The “Because” in Public Relations

Let’s say a company wants to announce that it has launched a new product, hired a new executive, entered a new market, completed a transaction, or introduced a new initiative.

An announcement alone is rarely a compelling story. The stronger story explains why the development matters. Consider these examples:

• “We developed this product because small businesses were losing hours each week to a process that could be automated.”
• “We entered this market because existing solutions were too expensive for the people who needed them most.”
• “We changed our policy because customer feedback revealed that the old process was creating unnecessary delays.”

These statements provide more than information. They offer context, relevance, and a human reason for the action.

It’s important to note that journalists are not ever simply looking for announcements –that’s what the advertising department is for. Journalists and their editors are looking for significance, namely the significance of your news to their readers or viewers. Why now? Why this? Why does it matter? Why should anyone beyond the company care? A compelling reason gives them something meaningful to work with.

The Unspoken Questions Every Audience Is Asking

The same principles apply in any kind of sales, because everyone on the receiving end of your message is asking their own version of “why”:

• A customer may be thinking, “Why should I choose you?”
• An investor may be wondering, “Why is this opportunity different?”
• A journalist may be asking, “Why should my audience care?”
• An employee may want to know, “Why are we making this change?”
• A board member may be considering, “Why is this the right decision now?”

Weak communication ignores these unspoken questions and simply keeps presenting information. Perceptive communication anticipates them. It recognizes that the audience is not simply receiving your words — they are interpreting your motives; comparing your claims with competing claims; looking for inconsistencies; and, deciding whether you have earned their attention.

The reason why helps close the gap between what you say and what they believe –particularly if you can answer the why with solid becauses.

Putting these principles into practice forces you to think from the audience’s perspective. And if you want to sell anything, you need to understand and work around their perceptions and their perspectives.

What They Care About vs. What You’re Proud Of

In light of this, the most important question is not always, “What are we selling?” It needs to be, “Why should this matter to the person receiving our message?”

Perceptive leaders — whether they are selling, presenting, sharing, or introducing anything new — need to internalize this throughout every message their organization sends. Consider:

• A company may be proud that its new platform includes 50 features. Yet the customer may care about only one: it saves six hours a week.
• A financial firm may be proud of its research process. Yet the client may care that every recommendation is reviewed by professionals who have navigated several market cycles.
• A consultant may be proud of decades of experience. Yet the potential client may care that this experience allows problems to be identified before they become expensive.

The value is not always found in what the business does. It is often found in why that difference matters. The because.

Before You Speak, Pitch, or Write: Ask “Because Why?”

So, before delivering a sales presentation, sending a media pitch, writing website copy, creating an advertisement, or speaking with a prospective customer, examine every central claim and ask a simple question: Because why?

• We are different because…
• We are better suited for this because…
• This product matters because…
• This development is newsworthy because…
• Our approach works because…
• This decision is necessary because…

The answer may expose a powerful competitive advantage. It may also reveal that the original claim is vague, unsupported, or indistinguishable from what everyone else is saying.

That is valuable information — even if it feels painful to unearth at first. This is because when you cannot clearly explain why your claim is true, your audience will probably struggle to understand why it should matter to them — and they’ll press the forward vs. play button in their minds.

Every time you speak with a potential buyer, journalist, investor, employee, or customer, look for an opportunity to reinforce the believable reason behind your brand, product, service, or decision.

Do not merely remind people that you are excellent. Remind them why. Do not simply say that your work delivers value. Explain how. Do not ask your audience to accept your conclusion. Give them the reasoning that allows them to reach it themselves.

And make the reason easy enough to remember that they can repeat it to someone else without sounding like they’re reciting an advertisement.

Attention may begin with a headline, an offer, a promise, or even the word “free.” But trust — and ultimately action — usually requires something more. It requires a reason.

Because at the end of the day people do not just buy products or services. They buy reasons.

Here’s Why People Hire Me

Because they’re being misread — and can’t figure out why. You know what you meant. Yet it seems like the room heard something else. I help you find the gap between the two, and close it for good.

Because the situation is too sensitive to discuss with people who have their own agendas. Colleagues have opinions. Friends talk. Employees interpret. When the stakes are real, you need one confidential conversation with someone who isn’t in the room for any reason but yours. NDAs signed, always.

Because they want a trained second set of eyes in the room. Sometimes the smartest move isn’t more coaching beforehand — it’s having me in the meeting, watching what you can’t see while you’re the one speaking, and telling you exactly what happened.

Because the stakes involve investors, regulators, or public scrutiny. 400+ public companies. 10,000+ investor and media-facing meetings. SEC, FINRA, FDA, FTC, DoD issues. When the audience is shareholders, journalists, or regulators, you want someone who’s already been there and done this — repeatedly, under pressure.

Because they’re ready to go from credible to recognized. Being good at what you do isn’t the same as being known for it. My team helps clients turn hard-won expertise into visible authority — the kind that gets you quoted, not just consulted.

Now… it’s your turn.

And if you need any help figuring this out? Feel free to connect for a complimentary, exploratory call. 212.825.3210