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So What?: How to Communicate What Really Matters to Your Audience
Supercharge your success by answering the one question everyone cares about , So What?: How to Communicate What Really Matters to Your Audience contains practical techniques, examples, and exercises proven with thousands of winning salespeople, straight from Mark Magnacca, one of the world’s leading sales consultants. It’s tough, but true–the people you’re trying to communicate with, sell to, or convince don’t really care about you. Nor do they care what you’re offering them–until they understand exactly how it’ll benefit them. If you recognize that one hard, cold fact–and you know what to do about it–you’ll make more money, achieve greater success, and even have more fun! Magnacca shows you how to answer the “So What?” question brilliantly, every time–no matter who’s asking it or what you’re trying to achieve. This book will transform the way you You’ll use it every day to get what you want–in business and in life!
160 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
42 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Mark Magnacca
13 books2 followersMark Magnacca, President of Insight Development Group, is a recognized industry expert who specializes in helping advisors create a personal brand and effectively articulate their value proposition.
As a presenter, Mark’s mission is to bring a unique combination of dynamic content, relevant industry experience and an interactive presentation style that brings ideas to life.
Prior to founding Insight Development Group, Mark co-founded Wellesley Financial Services, a Financial education and investment management Firm. Over that 10 year period, he was responsible for creating innovative, practice-development and business-building strategies. These strategies have become the foundation for his book, “The Product is You,” and his training program for Financial Advisors, “The Results Accelerator Series.” Mark has worked with a wide range of financial services companies including:
• Merrill Lynch
• Smith Barney
• Pacific Life
• Principal
• American Century
His programs have also been featured in both print and television media including:
• The New York Times
• USA Today
• The Wall Street Journal
• Registered Rep
• Financial Planning
Mark is an active participant in The Strategic Coach Master’s Program. He is a graduate of Babson College where he majored in finance, investments and communication. He resides in the Boston area with his wife Kristen and two children.
As a presenter, Mark’s mission is to bring a unique combination of dynamic content, relevant industry experience and an interactive presentation style that brings ideas to life.
Prior to founding Insight Development Group, Mark co-founded Wellesley Financial Services, a Financial education and investment management Firm. Over that 10 year period, he was responsible for creating innovative, practice-development and business-building strategies. These strategies have become the foundation for his book, “The Product is You,” and his training program for Financial Advisors, “The Results Accelerator Series.” Mark has worked with a wide range of financial services companies including:
• Merrill Lynch
• Smith Barney
• Pacific Life
• Principal
• American Century
His programs have also been featured in both print and television media including:
• The New York Times
• USA Today
• The Wall Street Journal
• Registered Rep
• Financial Planning
Mark is an active participant in The Strategic Coach Master’s Program. He is a graduate of Babson College where he majored in finance, investments and communication. He resides in the Boston area with his wife Kristen and two children.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
August 30, 2024
Problem & Solution
People are generally selfish in their messaging. Everyone can benefit from learning how to more effectively reach the hearts of their listeners. So What? by Mark Magnacca offers a simple, profound process that leads to quickly developing rapport and connecting with one's listeners; whether talking with one person or addressing 1000.
The Absolute Main Idea
Shift your presentation paradigm—NOW—from the typical "sales" mindset (*Bad e.g., — "Here's what I have and what I want you to do.") to a "For what? So what? Now What?" mindset (*Good e.g., — "Here's how you can benefit.") by applying the So What Matrix to your arguments:
1. For What? For what reason are you giving the presentation?
2. So What? Why is this important to my audience?
3. Now What? What do you want to have happen as a result of your presentation?
How do I make the shift?
"Sharpen your interest in two major subjects: life and people. You will only gather information from a source if you are interested in it." Jim Rohn
Key Takeaways
• So what? — "Every single time you communicate, you must ask yourself what’s important to your audience. Have you thought about the key points of your presentation from their perspective or could they be saying ‘So what?’
• Identify your audience's "So What" Benefit — Your job is to ask the right questions to figure out which benefit is most important to your audience—the So What Benefit. If you don’t know, Magnacca suggests you simply ask! Specifically he suggests you ask a member of your target audience to complete the following sentence: All I really care about is _____________. (p.50) Once that's identified, lead your marketing with it—the benefit that causes your audience to response with "I love," "I need it," and "I'll buy it." (p.50) Emotion drives decision making, not logic. Don't waste time with discussing emotionally-dulling ostensible benefits (e.g., laptop portability). Jump straight to the So What Benefit (e.g., being productive on the hour-long train ride into work), which is ultimately what leads people to buy.
• Position yourself when asked, "What do you do for work?" — Develop and memorize a personal positioning statement in response to the question, "So, what do you do?" (See this PDF for examples.) I might say, "you know how companies spend tons of money on awesome products that mysteriously underperform once they hit the market? Well, what I do is offer actionable insights to companies based on stories and statistics from their target audience in order to make good products stellar."
• Prepare the soil. Never just show up for a presentation. Prepare a personal biography. (p.61) Write it down and have the person presenting you read it verbatim. Fill the biography with answers to typical reasons audience members might have to shut you down (to hook them). My favorite phrase from the book is the title of chapter 7 : "winging it versus orchestration." Preparation is essential to any solid presentation.
• Before & After — Prepare what you want to say so you can focus completely on your audience during your time together. This means prepare an easy way for audience members to followup with you after, if that's what you want. "Before, during, and after… What you do before and after your presentation may be as important as what you do during your presentation." (p.71)
• Avoid Self-focus. When I'm up in front of an audience (or on a date), remember—it about them, not me. My most common problem is that I get too focused on what I want to say and how I appear. I must pay attention to their body language and questions and concerns. "The quickest way to reduce nervousness is to focus on the needs of your audience rather than be concerned about how you look or sound in front of the audience." (p.136)
People are generally selfish in their messaging. Everyone can benefit from learning how to more effectively reach the hearts of their listeners. So What? by Mark Magnacca offers a simple, profound process that leads to quickly developing rapport and connecting with one's listeners; whether talking with one person or addressing 1000.
The Absolute Main Idea
Shift your presentation paradigm—NOW—from the typical "sales" mindset (*Bad e.g., — "Here's what I have and what I want you to do.") to a "For what? So what? Now What?" mindset (*Good e.g., — "Here's how you can benefit.") by applying the So What Matrix to your arguments:
1. For What? For what reason are you giving the presentation?
2. So What? Why is this important to my audience?
3. Now What? What do you want to have happen as a result of your presentation?
How do I make the shift?
"Sharpen your interest in two major subjects: life and people. You will only gather information from a source if you are interested in it." Jim Rohn
Key Takeaways
• So what? — "Every single time you communicate, you must ask yourself what’s important to your audience. Have you thought about the key points of your presentation from their perspective or could they be saying ‘So what?’
• Identify your audience's "So What" Benefit — Your job is to ask the right questions to figure out which benefit is most important to your audience—the So What Benefit. If you don’t know, Magnacca suggests you simply ask! Specifically he suggests you ask a member of your target audience to complete the following sentence: All I really care about is _____________. (p.50) Once that's identified, lead your marketing with it—the benefit that causes your audience to response with "I love," "I need it," and "I'll buy it." (p.50) Emotion drives decision making, not logic. Don't waste time with discussing emotionally-dulling ostensible benefits (e.g., laptop portability). Jump straight to the So What Benefit (e.g., being productive on the hour-long train ride into work), which is ultimately what leads people to buy.
• Position yourself when asked, "What do you do for work?" — Develop and memorize a personal positioning statement in response to the question, "So, what do you do?" (See this PDF for examples.) I might say, "you know how companies spend tons of money on awesome products that mysteriously underperform once they hit the market? Well, what I do is offer actionable insights to companies based on stories and statistics from their target audience in order to make good products stellar."
• Prepare the soil. Never just show up for a presentation. Prepare a personal biography. (p.61) Write it down and have the person presenting you read it verbatim. Fill the biography with answers to typical reasons audience members might have to shut you down (to hook them). My favorite phrase from the book is the title of chapter 7 : "winging it versus orchestration." Preparation is essential to any solid presentation.
• Before & After — Prepare what you want to say so you can focus completely on your audience during your time together. This means prepare an easy way for audience members to followup with you after, if that's what you want. "Before, during, and after… What you do before and after your presentation may be as important as what you do during your presentation." (p.71)
• Avoid Self-focus. When I'm up in front of an audience (or on a date), remember—it about them, not me. My most common problem is that I get too focused on what I want to say and how I appear. I must pay attention to their body language and questions and concerns. "The quickest way to reduce nervousness is to focus on the needs of your audience rather than be concerned about how you look or sound in front of the audience." (p.136)
June 23, 2010
I think the core concepts in this book are actually quite powerful. Especially chapters 6, 8 and 9 but unfortunately this book has been somewhat dumbed down I feel which lessens it's potential and profound impact.
April 29, 2019
Incredibly dull. Maybe underlined two things total. Good thing this was a thrift store book!
April 12, 2016
Take the 21 day challenge: Visit: http://sowhatbook.com/#resources
1. For What?
2. So What?
3. Now What?
1. For What?
2. So What?
3. Now What?
February 2, 2025
This book was ok. I think it was a little simplistic, and somehow managed to overstate itself despite only being 126 pages. However it was clear and would be helpful to those who struggle with/are new to presentations.
March 13, 2023
It's a great book indeed. Helped me to understand more about what and how we could improve the way we communicate.
June 19, 2020
A great, quick take on a most important sales skill often overlooked. Great framework, examples and takeaways. Sure to enhance your communication skills, and help you to attract attention and avoid getting lost in the noise. Never more relevant than in a post-Covid times!
August 30, 2024
Shift your presentation paradigm—NOW—from the typical "sales" mindset (*Bad e.g., — "Here's what I have and what I want you to do.") to a "For/So/Now What" mindset (*Good e.g., — "Here's how you can benefit.") by applying the So What Matrix to your arguments:
1. For What? For what reason are you giving the presentation?
2. So What? Why is this important to my audience?
3. Now What? What do you want to have happen as a result of your presentation?
How do I make the shift?
"Sharpen your interest in two major subjects: life and people. You will only gather information from a source if you are interested in it." Jim Rohn
Key Takeaways
• So what? — "Every single time you communicate, you must ask yourself what’s important to your audience. Have you thought about the key points of your presentation from their perspective or could they be saying ‘So what?’
• Identify your audience's "So What" Benefit — Your job is to ask the right questions to figure out which benefit is most important to your audience—the So What Benefit. If you don’t know, Magnacca suggests you simply ask! Specifically he suggests you ask a member of your target audience to complete the following sentence: All I really care about is _____________. (p.50) Once that's identified, lead your marketing with it—the benefit that causes your audience to response with "I love," "I need it," and "I'll buy it." (p.50) Emotion drives decision making, not logic. Don't waste time with discussing emotionally-dulling ostensible benefits (e.g., laptop portability). Jump straight to the So What Benefit (e.g., being productive on the hour-long train ride into work), which is ultimately what leads people to buy.
• Position yourself when asked, "What do you do for work?" — Develop and memorize a personal positioning statement in response to the question, "So, what do you do?" (See this PDF for examples.) I might say, "you know how companies spend tons of money on awesome products that mysteriously underperform once they hit the market? Well, what I do is offer actionable insights to companies based on stories and statistics from their target audience in order to make good products stellar."
• Prepare the soil. Never just show up for a presentation. Prepare a personal biography. (p.61) Write it down and have the person presenting you read it verbatim. Fill the biography with answers to typical reasons audience members might have to shut you down (to hook them). My favorite phrase from the book is the title of chapter 7 : "winging it versus orchestration." Preparation is essential to any solid presentation.
• Before & After — Prepare what you want to say so you can focus completely on your audience during your time together. This means prepare an easy way for audience members to followup with you after, if that's what you want. "Before, during, and after… What you do before and after your presentation may be as important as what you do during your presentation." (p.71)
• Avoid Self-focus. When I'm up in front of an audience (or on a date), remember—it about them, not me. My most common problem is that I get too focused on what I want to say and how I appear. I must pay attention to their body language and questions and concerns. "The quickest way to reduce nervousness is to focus on the needs of your audience rather than be concerned about how you look or sound in front of the audience." (p.136)
1. For What? For what reason are you giving the presentation?
2. So What? Why is this important to my audience?
3. Now What? What do you want to have happen as a result of your presentation?
How do I make the shift?
"Sharpen your interest in two major subjects: life and people. You will only gather information from a source if you are interested in it." Jim Rohn
Key Takeaways
• So what? — "Every single time you communicate, you must ask yourself what’s important to your audience. Have you thought about the key points of your presentation from their perspective or could they be saying ‘So what?’
• Identify your audience's "So What" Benefit — Your job is to ask the right questions to figure out which benefit is most important to your audience—the So What Benefit. If you don’t know, Magnacca suggests you simply ask! Specifically he suggests you ask a member of your target audience to complete the following sentence: All I really care about is _____________. (p.50) Once that's identified, lead your marketing with it—the benefit that causes your audience to response with "I love," "I need it," and "I'll buy it." (p.50) Emotion drives decision making, not logic. Don't waste time with discussing emotionally-dulling ostensible benefits (e.g., laptop portability). Jump straight to the So What Benefit (e.g., being productive on the hour-long train ride into work), which is ultimately what leads people to buy.
• Position yourself when asked, "What do you do for work?" — Develop and memorize a personal positioning statement in response to the question, "So, what do you do?" (See this PDF for examples.) I might say, "you know how companies spend tons of money on awesome products that mysteriously underperform once they hit the market? Well, what I do is offer actionable insights to companies based on stories and statistics from their target audience in order to make good products stellar."
• Prepare the soil. Never just show up for a presentation. Prepare a personal biography. (p.61) Write it down and have the person presenting you read it verbatim. Fill the biography with answers to typical reasons audience members might have to shut you down (to hook them). My favorite phrase from the book is the title of chapter 7 : "winging it versus orchestration." Preparation is essential to any solid presentation.
• Before & After — Prepare what you want to say so you can focus completely on your audience during your time together. This means prepare an easy way for audience members to followup with you after, if that's what you want. "Before, during, and after… What you do before and after your presentation may be as important as what you do during your presentation." (p.71)
• Avoid Self-focus. When I'm up in front of an audience (or on a date), remember—it about them, not me. My most common problem is that I get too focused on what I want to say and how I appear. I must pay attention to their body language and questions and concerns. "The quickest way to reduce nervousness is to focus on the needs of your audience rather than be concerned about how you look or sound in front of the audience." (p.136)
December 31, 2010
So what is a simple summary... make sure what you're talking about can answer the question so what as it impacts your audience. An example used is if your audience says so what to you saying you work at a company consistently ranked as a best place to work, your answer is.. well, since we're a good place to work, people still around, you get knowledgable people on your account who know how to answer questions and get things done for you. That's a better answer than leading with that you are employed at a company that's great to work for. Tell them what the benefit it so they know why/what you're really trying to say.
April 2, 2017
Since it is so early in the year, I can't say it is my favorite business book of the year (I want to but it seems trival in January) but I am certain it will make the 2011 top 5. It is very well written and is exactly what everyone needs to consider. We become so focused on ourselves we don't communicate why it should matter to others. The logic not only works in business, it can work personally too.
November 27, 2010
I read this back in the summer. Just forgot to change the shelf. It is ok. A professional book. Has good resume ideas and learn something to ease frustrations in communicating to family and business associates alike. So What?: How to Communicate What Really Matters to Your Audience
April 23, 2011
Surprising 5-star for me. I only picked this up because of the title (this is how I end every lesson I teach). I got a lot out of this book.
August 3, 2012
"A great book with several examples and thought provoking suggestion. Great take aways at the end of each chapter. Remember that often our audience consists of one."
February 19, 2013
Good book on how to reach out to audiences especially when you are giving presentations and are a salesperson.
May 14, 2013
good read and great concept
May 10, 2013
Easy read. Gives a lot of good information on how to develop your message into something people want to hear
November 9, 2010
This free Kindle book offered some good advice on how to sell yourself and your ideas.
December 6, 2013
It really helps you get to the point!
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February 14, 2016recommended by Cindy from Strategic Coach
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