The 7-38-55 Rule: Why Your Words Are Only 7% of Your Message

I raised $1M from HubSpot ventures in 2 minutes by using this hack.

Ever wonder why some founders command a room while others struggle to get their point across? The difference isn’t what they’re saying, it’s how they’re saying it.

The 2-Minute Hack: Master the 7-38-55 Rule

In two famous studies on what makes us like or dislike somebody, psychologist Albert Mehrabian created the 7-38-55 rule. That is, only 7% of a message is based on the words while 38% comes from the tone of voice and 55% from the speaker’s body language and face.

Think about that. When you’re pitching investors, speaking to your team, or negotiating with vendors, only 7% of what they take away comes from your actual words.

Who this works for:

• Founders raising capital
• Leaders managing teams
• Anyone needing to make a strong impression quickly

How to apply this:

1. Body language (55%): Stand tall, make deliberate movements, maintain appropriate eye contact, and use hand gestures that reinforce your points. Remove physical barriers between you and your audience.

2. Voice tone (38%): Vary your pace and volume. Lower your pitch slightly for authority. Pause strategically before key points. Record yourself speaking and note where you sound uncertain.

3. Word choice (7%): While less impactful, your words create the structure. Use simple language, concrete examples, and metaphors that resonate with your specific audience.

The asymmetric advantage:

Most founders obsess over their pitch deck or script but neglect the 93% of communication that actually drives decisions. This creates an enormous opportunity for those who master all three channels.

This is exactly what I did when pitching for that $1M investment from HubSpot ventures. I worked the audience live to tell the doola story.

In other words, the first few seconds of walking on stage and how I deliver my first sentence determined whether or not people had a “favorable” view of the rest of my 2-minute pitch.

Tactically, I:

1. Stood tall in a relaxed yet confident manner
2. Spoke with authority and confidence, projecting but not yelling

There are always butterflies before a presentation like this, but I’ve found as soon as the first sentence comes out, if you’ve prepared (which I did, I knew exactly what story spine I would be following for each slide), then the nerves turn into a form of radiant, almost palpable energy that the audience can viscerally feel through your words.

Next time you have an important meeting, spend 93% of your prep time on how you’ll deliver your message, not what the message is.

See you next week.

Let’s doola this ⚡️

Arjun Mahadevan

Founder & CEO of doola