From my
personal experience being a tour guide, I know that words are indeed very
powerful. As a tour guide talking to perspective students and families, I have
to be very careful about everything I say and how I present it. For a lot of
these families, this is their first time on campus and we really want to make a
good impression on them. When it comes
to giving a tour, there are certain words I always try to avoid because they
often leave a “bad taste” in the families’ mouth. These words include flat out
saying, “no, maybe,” and “I don’t know.” “No” is a very powerful word as it is
and a lot of people do not like hearing it. So to ask a question on a tour and
just get the curt answer “no” can come across as unfriendly or even rude. I
also avoid “maybe” and “I don’t know” because these words make me seem like I do
not know what I am talking about, which affects my credibility. In a situation where
I am unsure of the answer, I will simply tell the family that someone in
admissions would be able to answer their questions with more knowledge than I
would.
The
goal of taking a family on tour is to keep things very professional and
friendly. Just like in class, curse words are not acceptable because of their
negative connotation. A family would most likely be very turned off by a tour
guide that cursed like a sailor. The important thing is to avoid any words that
have a negative connotation and to try to use as many words with a positive connotation
as possible. These words include: happy, successful, and enjoyment.
