Framing Your Message: Why It Matters

Framing your message is key to communicating effectively with your audience. It’s about presenting your idea in a way that gains the most support. While the concept seems simple, many people fail to strategically frame their ideas, especially entrepreneurs and innovators trying to launch projects.

There are two main approaches to framing an idea. In a popular TED Talk, Simon Sinek suggests focusing on why—the purpose behind your idea. This approach helps people connect with the motivation and goals, making it easier for them to support your vision. On the other hand, Adam Grant, in his book Originals, argues that focusing on how—the practical steps to implement the idea—is often more persuasive, especially for skeptics who might doubt ambitious goals.

So, which is better: why or how? Consider an entrepreneur pitching to investors. Should they emphasize why their idea matters or focus on how it works? To answer this, a study was conducted and published in the Strategic Management Journal.

The Study

The study tested two groups:

1. Novices – 129 participants with no investment experience, recruited online.

2. Experts – 59 professional investors from entrepreneurship centers in the U.S. and Canada.

   
   

Each group evaluated two pitches for a wearable exercise sensor. One pitch emphasized why the product was desirable, and the other focused on how it worked. The results?

• Novices preferred the why framing, which increased their appreciation by 25%.

• Experts favored the how framing, which boosted their support by 44%.

To confirm these findings, researchers ran similar experiments with a sun lamp product. The results were the same: the best framing depends on the audience.

Why Audience Matters

Novices, lacking expertise, focus on an idea’s benefits and desirability. A pitch that explains why an idea matters helps them see its value. Experts, however, rely on experience to assess feasibility. They prefer concrete details about how the idea can be implemented.

Lessons for Innovators

The choice between why and how framing is crucial for gaining support. For general audiences, friends, or early backers, focus on why the idea is valuable. For experienced investors or managers, emphasize how it works. Matching your framing to your audience can make the difference between rejection and success.