I interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to suggest stopping for a moment.
You communicate 24/7. You’re presiding, presenting, selling at break-neck speed – to your team, prospects and customers.
Take a breath and ask, “What am I saying, or not saying, to those that are nearest and dearest to my heart?
The bench at the park speaks up
On a walk the other day I notice some freshly cut flowers in a vase attached to a bench. The bench itself has this inscription, “In Precious Memory of Marion Jackson.”
I peer into the vase with flowers and see this note, “Happy 67th anniversary – To Marion from J.L.”
Self-disclosure – I cry at weddings. I don’t even know J.L. or his beloved Marion, of blessed memory, and this note on this bench brings tears to my eyes.
Reminders to you
Stop the treadmill now and then.
Tell the people you love, admire and bring goodness into your life that you do love, admire and value them.
Use Marion and J.L. as models.
The rest of the bench inscription says, “Filled with Tender Mercies and Loving Kindness.”
I’m happy to stop, write on a more personal level, and honor some tender mercies and loving kindness amidst the craziness of life as we know it.
You speak digitally 24/7. You write emails, posts, texts, and maybe even blogs.
Ever wonder why your audience clicks to find out more… or why your recipients hit the Dreaded Delete Key?
Why you get deleted (sorry!) (but you DO get deleted)
Boring beginning.
Non-descriptive subject header.
Confusing content.
Hard to read (Hint: use bullets and subtitles).
Lack of ROI – “return on investment” for your readers.
How to get sticky
Clever subject header.
Catchy opener.
Short and substantive content.
Customized and relatable for your audience. (Hint: begin with the word “you” vs the word “I”.)
Quick takeaways – I call this your “call to action”.
Why sticky-ness matters
You do not want to waste our time.
You become known as a strategic problem-solving content provider.
You get heard… which creates connection … which leads to more business.
Thank you to Amanda Gadison, J.D. for this post’s inspiration. She shared, “I loved your blog last week, All I’m wearing is a shower cap”. We chatted about what makes you readable and what gets you deleted.
Note: these tips also apply when you give presentations, board updates, and preside at your company quarterly town halls.
Now go out there and stop getting deleted.
Author: Karen Cortell Reisman is Founder of Speak For Yourself®, a communication consulting firm, and the author of 2 books on how to communicate & sell. She lives in Dallas, Texas and strategizes how you get your audience to not tap your favorite key on the keyboard… “delete”.
I’m 8-years old practicing the piano in our living room, in this non-outfit, and my Mom snapped the photo.
You’ll never see this pic – I’m chubby… and, well, not too much is left to your imagination.
We’ve laughed about that photo (OK – it’s pretty cute) and it resides in a pre-digital-age photo album.
Now.
“You’ve never asked me why I’d be practicing the piano wearing just a shower cap,” I say to my sister, Nina, the other day.
“Here’s the context,” I continue. “I was preparing to take a bath. It takes a good five minutes for the water to fill the tub. Rather than watch water coming out of a faucet I realized I could make better use of my time.”
“Nina, I’ve been multi-tasking my whole life!”
Have you ever wondered how you manifest your strengths?
Candice Fitzpatrick, Founder & CEO, and Gary Rifkin, Chief Learning Officer of Core Clarity run a thriving business using the CliftonStrengths Assessment to help companies build teams that work towards its full potential.
I have participated in one of their excellent workshops and their assessment tool uncovered my top five strengths.
Guess what my very top strength is? MAXIMIZER! What a surprise. 🙄.
How is this relevant to you?
You are busy leaders communicating in a crazy world.
You can take this core strength test as well… or you can think back to fun or pivotal moments in your life that exemplify how you solve issues in your business, create momentum around your vision/goals, or work towards your next big success.
What are your top strengths and how are you using them in a positive way? And how might they be getting in your way?
Lessons contemplated
Candace and Gary, and their Core Clarity team, are all about celebrating, understanding and using your strengths to move forward.
And that’s what I’m contemplating now … I have maximized my time and resources, as Founder of Speak For Yourself®, and in my fabulous personal world as well… and life is good.
But, sometimes (OK, most of the time) I squeeze too much into each day. Even though I’m having a blast personally and professionally, it can be draining.
I’m still grabbing those “extra” five minutes. But at least I’m aware. Stay tuned.
Author: Karen Cortell Reisman is Founder of Speak For Yourself®, a communication consulting firm, and the author of 2 books on how to communicate & sell. She lives in Dallas, Texas and promises not to practice the piano, just wearing a shower cap, going forward.
Why do you stand in line to spend more money to buy a product you already own?
Double line at Apple Store
Retail craziness
Over the weekend my husband and I walked around NorthPark Mall in Dallas and witnessed this long line, really two lines (!), of Apple customers waiting, ONE BY ONE, to enter the store.
Not every store in this mall has lines forming out the door.
The secrets of Apple’s magnetic spell
Selling Rule #1: Communicate Value
You buy products that excel in the marketplace. You buy what works – professionally and personally (preferably both), what’s dependable, and what makes your life easier. And you’ll keep buying what continues to propel these attributes.
Selling Rule #2: Communicate Customer Service
You provide excellent after care for your products/services. “Apple Care” costs extra (another genius upsell!) and it’s worth it. Why? Because it works, it’s dependable and it makes your life easier.
Selling Rule #3: Communicate Loyalty
See Selling Rules #1 and #2! IF you provide value and excellent customer service you will achieve Customer Loyalty.
My clients are successful because they have achieved loyalty in their various industries.
How can you cash in on this type of momentum?
Know your Value Proposition. Keep it simple and memorable. Share it widely. Ex: Walmart – ‘Save Money. Live Better’. You see this on their trucks, on the front of their stores, and on their shopping sacks.
Take care of your customers… and they’ll take care of you.
Appreciate your buyers. Let them know how much you value their loyalty.
To sell well you must communicate well.
Author: Karen Cortell Reisman is Founder of Speak For Yourself®, a communication consulting firm, and the author of 2 books on how to communicate. She lives in Dallas, Texas and … full disclosure: Karen is typing this blog on a MacBook Air, while multi-tasking on her Apple iPhone mini 13, and looking forward to a book she’s reading on her Apple iPad.
Walkathon in honor of Andrew Szabo with National Speakers Assoc buddies.
How to leverage Attention Economy
A compelling presentation and/or conversation is never just about the data. BUT your data has to be included. Your ticket to get heard above the noise: Use The Magic Power of Three concept.
Magic Power of Three in action
Andrew Szabo
Last weekend I attended a walkathon fundraiser for a fellow speaker and friend, Andrew Szabo. Andrew has ALS. As we all walked around a golf course to raise money and awareness around this terminal illness I asked, “Andrew, what are some lessons you can teach me that you’ve learned during this challenging journey?”
He responded, “After my diagnosis I met with a psychologist who said, ‘the best journeys I’ve witnessed are with those that have the Three F’s: Faith, Family and Friends.’”.
Observing the Magic Power of Three
You’ve heard me talk about using three categories, sections, silos, reasons, buckets to share your info during a speech or even on an email.
I’ve also asked you to be aware of when others use this strategy. It will instruct you on best ways to get your messages across.
Faith. Family. Friends.
The use of those three words elevates Andrew’s story to an unforgettable message with a wise reminder of what really matters.
Using the Magic Power of Three
On your next digital conversation or zoom meeting or in-person presentation – understand that your audience is multi-tasking, stressed and busy. I challenge you to use the Magic Power of Three to cash in on our limited attention economy.
Author: Karen Cortell Reisman is Founder of Speak For Yourself®, a communication consulting firm, and the author of 2 books on how to communicate. She lives in Dallas, Texas and is extremely fortunate to have faith, family and friends.
I interrupt our regularly scheduled blogging to suggest stopping for a moment.
On a walk the other day I notice some freshly cut flowers in a vase attached to a bench. The bench itself has this inscription, “In Precious Memory of Marion Jackson.”
