How To Say It Right The First Time, Every Time

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“With Bill McGowan’s book in front of you, your days of thinking ‘I wish I had said that’ will be behind you.” — Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook.

Sheryl is ABSOLUTELY right! Bill McGowan’s book “Pitch Perfect” teaches that success depends on having a great plan. His book provides winning strategies for how to improve your communication skills, which is especially important in today’s world of micro messages.

Connecting with your audience is more important than ever!

Whether at work or at home, great communication skills are your secret to holding someone’s attention, making a persuasive point, being remembered and appearing smart and confident. EVERY TIME you speak is an opportunity to influence, inspire and inform. The right language, whether verbal or non-verbal, can make you look confident and persuasive. It can make you connect with people closely and be remembered long after you’ve left the room.

No magic switch

The good news is you can practice communication all the time. The bad news is there’s no magic switch that will make you the greatest speaker.

When I coach my clients, I ask them to practice their communication in any given situation. Whether speaking up during the weekly office meeting, apologizing for mistakes, pitching a new client, congratulating colleagues on their successes or asking for raises or promotions.

In fact, one of the biggest perils of great communicators is overconfidence. No matter how often you speak in front of an audience or interview for a job, you always need to practice in order to nail it.   It’ll keep you from having to waste time making mistakes and explaining yourself over and over again.

The boss wants to see you

You know when you used to hear, “Jordan, Mom wants to see you.” How compelled were you to acknowledge your Mom’s request? How attentive were you? How effective was that hook?

When you start communicating, the headline is your most important principle of persuasion. In fact, “the first thirty seconds of any conversation or presentation are like the last two minutes of a football game,” says Bill McGowan.

Say just the right thing and the communication game is yours!

Stay true to your identity

People will be attentive to what you say to them if you tell them stories. As human beings, we relate better to the words we hear if they are accompanied by images.

You have to practice your stories. Don’t tell them during an important presentation or a job interview. Share them with friends or family first and watch their body language. If you find them looking over your shoulder or fidgeting while your tell your story, it’s a sign you must change your delivery.

Know your audience

If you’re meeting a client or attending a job interview, read about them first. There’s so much information at your fingertips now. Whether it’s their website or social media or just googling their name, you’ll find a lot of information on who they are! The better you know your audience, the better you know how to communicate with them, be remembered and potentially get the job!

Practice pitching to an employer on why you’re the best fit for the job. Don’t assume you’re ready. Never do. Follow the steps outlined here every time you engage in a conversation.

I would like to hear your stories in the comment section.

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