I Have Made an Amazing Discovery
I have made an amazing discovery
If you will learn and apply this discovery, you will be better able to persuade people to accept your proposal, buy your products, and accept your ideas. You may use this discovery to improve your results. The idea is this:
People are more influenced by your ideas than they are influenced by your information
- Mere information does not influence people very much, and does not inspire them into action.
- But good ideas do massively influence and motivate people into action.
For example: if I were to tell you the following information: Paris is the capital of France.
That is good information. But the effect of that information has on your mind is very little. You are likely to say to yourself, "Yeah? So what?"
However, if I were to say to you: "Paris is the most romantic city in the world!"
Then, that is not information, it is an IDEA! And its effect on your mind is likely to be more intense.
Imagine you were in charge of the London Tourist Board, and you were trying to increase the numbers of visitors to London. Which of the following slogans would you want to put on your poster, which was to be printed and posted at the world's airports?
- London: the most Historic city in the world.
- London: the capital of England.
You would almost certainly want to use the first, NOT the second. The first represents an idea. The second represents mere information.
Here is my point. Ideas are more emotionally expressive than information.
Ideas are more emotionally expressive
If you want to influence people, (if you want to sell them your proposal or product) then make the distinction between giving them your "information" and giving them your "ideas".
What is an Idea and how does it differ from Information?
A piece of information is simply the expression of a fact. A bony fact, such as; "Haemoglobin has an affinity to oxygen."
An idea is a more creative expression of a concept. An idea is an abstraction. An idea often takes the form of an image, or of a simple slogan, such as, "We are the Government of the people, by the people and for the people".
What does this mean for you?
If your intention is to inspire someone else to make a decision in your favour, then you need to be very aware that people respond more intensely to ideas, and they do not respond so readily to bony, dry facts.
So you need to plant ideas into the mind of your listener; and only supplement those ideas with facts. I would suggest a 70/30 ratio of ideas to facts.
Give the person your big ideas to capture their imagination, and then back those ideas with facts
If you give them too many facts, without the power of your imaginative ideas, then your presentation will be informative, but uninspired.
If you give too much time only to your grand ideas, but don't ground them in any facts, then you may appear to be a fantasist; a creative genius but with her head in the clouds, not living in the real world.
People are moved to action by ideas, rather than facts
It is a fact that cigarettes kill, but the idea of Looking Cool is enough to entice teenagers to begin smoking.
It is a fact that the driver of a Porsche motor car, is limited to the speed of the other traffic, which is stuck on the same congested motorway. But the idea of Looking Cool, Whilst Sitting in a Porsche is enough to entice older boys to buy a Porsche.
It is a fact that a cheap watch will tell you the same time as an expensive watch. But the idea of having a Classy Piece of Precision Engineering on your wrist, is such an attractive idea that many people spend thousands on a great watch.
Factually, the watch gives you the same information; the time and date. But the idea of having an OMEGA wrist watch, like 007 Daniel Craig wears, is enough for 003-and-a-half, to go out and buy an "OH-MY-GOD Look-at-my-watch", watch.
When you are trying to persuade people, give them your big idea first. Then back that idea with the facts.
If you did that, the doors of their mind will open for you.
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Definition: 70/30 Influence Rule
In marketing and sales, the 70/30 Influence Rule says you spend about seventy per cent of your message sharing strong ideas that stir feeling, and thirty per cent giving facts that back them. Ideas hook the heart; facts calm the head. Together they drive people to agree, buy, or act.
Show CG4D Definition
- Allocates roughly seventy per cent of any message to emotion-rich ideas
- Limits factual content to about thirty per cent as proof that supports the ideas
- Aims to spark feeling first so the listener decides or buys more readily
- Insists every idea stands on clear facts to keep trust and realism
Article Summary
People act on vivid ideas, not bare facts; lead with a bold image or slogan, back it with just enough proof, aim for a 70/30 mix, and your message will sell, inspire and win agreement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some questions that frequently get asked about this topic during our training sessions.
What is the main difference between a fact and an idea?
Why do ideas influence people more than information?
How does the 70/30 Influence Rule work in a pitch?
Can you give a simple example of turning a fact into an idea?
What happens if I use too many facts in my presentation?
How can I balance emotion and proof when selling?
Why are short slogans so powerful at motivating action?
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Did You Know: Key Statistics
In 2023, Nielsen found that adverts which sparked strong positive feelings produced a 23% higher sales lift than purely fact-based adverts. A 2024 Deloitte Digital survey showed 64% of UK shoppers pick brands whose ideas match their own values, even when rival products offer better features.About the Author: Chris Farmer
Chris Farmer is the founder of the Corporate Coach Group and has many years' experience in training leaders and managers, in both the public and private sectors, to achieve their organisational goals, especially during tough economic times. He is also well aware of the disciplines and problems associated with running a business.
Over the years, Chris has designed and delivered thousands of training programmes and has coached and motivated many management teams, groups and individuals. His training programmes are both structured and clear, designed to help delegates organise their thinking and, wherever necessary, to improve their techniques and skills.
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