So here we are in Boca Raton at EBN’s Benefits Forum & Expo. Everything is lovely — the weather, the resort, the speakers, the sessions, the attendees. All of it. Lovely. As they say on the postcards, we wish you were here.
But if you’re not, I want to make sure you get all the must-know scoop from the event — starting with last night’s opening keynote address from the “Nostradamus of pollsters” Frank Luntz.
True to form, Luntz started the session with a poll. He asked BFE attendees to raise their hands if they thought the direction of the country was on the right track. You’d have thought he’d asked, “Who wants a tooth pulled with no anesthesia?” That’s how few hands went up, people.
When he asked who thought the nation was on the wrong track, hands shot up like he’d asked who wanted a million dollars tax-free.
So, you can guess the tone of the room: frustrated benefits professionals looking for health care solutions — from anywhere other than the government — to bring things back to an even keel.
Since communication, specifically the way things are communicated (he’s literally
10 commandments of communication:
1. Simplicity
2. Brevity
3. Credibility
4. Consistency
5. Novelty
6. Sound and texture matter
7. Speak aspirationally
8. Vizualize
9. Ask a question
10. Provide context/explain relevance
21 health care words for the 21st century:
1. Imagine
2. Hassle-free
3. Lifestyle
4. Accountability
5. Results
6. Innovation
7. Re-words: renew, revitalize, rejuvenate, restore, rekindle, reinvent
8. Efficient
9. The Right to...
10. Patient-centered
11. Comprehensive
12. Flexibility
13. Every/all
14. Compassion
15. Medical breakthroughs
16. Investment
17. Peace of Mind
18. Certified
19. Financial Security
20. A Balanced Approach
21. A culture of …
What commandments or buzzwords would you add to Luntz’s list? Share them in the comments.
