Talking with your Mother In Law or in a strategy meeting for marketing – These secrets will help  your communication.

And the winner is…

Of all the ways to present an idea, there is one that is most effective.

This method has been

• studied,
• analyzed,
• pondered,
• researched
• and tried

until it just flat out wins the prize for best, most effective way to communicate.

No kidding

Here it is, from human developmental specialist Bill Torbert. Bill is an associate of Suzanne Cook-Greuter, one of my favorite people on the planet.

Step one- Frame what you are about to say- Put it in context. This is important because most people have not a clue where you are coming from ( out of the blue usually ). When you frame it with context, they know.

Step two- Advocate. Tell what you want. If you want to change a local street name to Conan O’Brien Boulevard, then say so.

Step Three- Illustrate. Show what it will look like or describe it in a way that brings it to life.

Step Four- Ask for others input. Be open to new twists on your idea. Solicit feedback and opinions.

Using this formula will get you the best communication possible more often than not. It’s a way to stack the odds in favor of accuracy when you’re trying to get an idea across.

Bonus info

Here’s the interesting thing about these four steps. The middle two are self centered and the way manyfolks ( including me) usually jump in to a typical talk.

The outer two are other centered and create a balance for the overall communication.

To be blunt-

Jerks use the middle two pretty much all the time.

More diplomatic people use all four together in an artful style of talking that gets best long term results.

This style of talking and writing can be used

• on the phone,
• in sales letters,
• emails,
• and with family members.

It gives you the best chance of having the best communication is simple to do.

Here’s an example of how you could use it-

Let’s say you have a sudden need for food for an event.

You walk into a chicken place and have two choices.

1-     You can use steps two and three and blurt out ” I need 50 pieces of chicken put in boxes and ready to go in 20 minutes.”

2-      You can use all four steps.

(1)”Hey, how are you? We have a group of 30 people to feed, they are already gathered at the community building and getting hungry.

(2)I would like 50 pieces of chicken to go.

(3)If you could pack the chicken in boxes and recommend some extras like side dishes that would help too.

(4) I’d also welcome any suggestions you have from the menu as I’m sure you’ve got experience in this sort of thing.

As simple as this method is, it can make a huge difference in the effectiveness of your message.

Next…

Some people don’t want to use it. It doesn’t fit their style.  The funny thing is, they end up using the middle two steps and get a short circuited, limping result and wonder why.

Using this full method takes patience and extra effort. It feels a bit long winded sometimes, but it works.

–Marketing strategist viewpoint.

This guest post is from marketing strategist, writer Crazy Ernie’s Copy Barn

Give it Your Best Shot

A listener or reader wants compelling information at the very start of your talk, speech, interview, blog post, lecture. Give me something that peaks my interest at the beginning.

The first few words mean a lot. It is best not to waste them with a boring introduction.

Begin  with

* news,
* self interest
* curiosity.

Hey, Pass the Remote

Do you remember the early days of cable TV?  There was a lot of really bad content on obscure channels.

Movie channels slowly made things better but still, there was a glut of boredom.

I sift through thousands of blogs, podcasts,  TV and YouTube interviews trying to get to the best of the  content. It can be a challenge.

Ready?…Go!

I say let’s start by cleaning up intros.

There are some excellent blogs on the internet that get straight to the point. Frank Kern always does. Outspoken Media is pretty good, Brian Clark and Aaron Wall. Some others seem to be convinced of the  the ‘agonizingly long post’ school of thought.   But that’s a different story and another post.

Example of Good to Great

Larry King is the master of interviews. Watch and learn .  No long, wordy intros. Larry just blurts out a question and waits for a response. So simple it hurts to watch anyone else stutter and stammer and search for words and hem and haw…and finally make a four word sentence.

Re Runs of Friends

Friends, the TV show-  starts with an interesting moment. A hook. Something you can laugh with or hang onto. Then  comes the intro music and we’re quickly back into the show. Nice.

Here’s Your mission

Notice how many horrifyingly long introductions there are on podcasts, blogposts, You Tube and others.. It is amazing.

Like a world wide plot to drive me over the brink.

It’s easy to find videos, posts and interviews you can listen or read two minutes into with nothing at all to hang your hat on.

Stop this. Add up the hours the world is wasting with filler.

Give them a Ticket.

When you find such an  introduction going on and on, a long bio, a tease, another tease, a list of what we are about to do ( yes, I am aware of the formula –’ tell them what you are going to tell them’) leave a comment linking to this post.

How about no intro at all?

Honestly, I don’t know if I can ever click play on another podcast. I  fear that the next eight minutes of my life will be thrown into an abyss.  It’s like grabbing an electric fence. I have been neuro-linquistically programmed against content.

Presenting -The Untro. Just do it.

Here’s to better writing, podcasts, videos, speeches, radio shows and  SEO . Charlotte today… tomorrow- the world.

–Marketing Strategist viewpoint

The use of tired, old phrases is discouraged by writing teachers.

But there is plenty of evidence that people like traditional ways of doing things.

There is a place for cliche. I find it year after year, decade after decade. People actually want to feel the security of familiar words and phrases.

I have seen and even personally written guideline booklets  on writing copy that listed rules like this: ‘Never use old cliche phrases. Always find a new way to word an old thought’.

But that simply does not hold up in real world writing. I have seen the pattern so many times that I now think it is misguided for a teacher to instruct students to always find a new twist.

Yesterday, I heard a radio DJ announce an ad that started,

“Mothers Day is just around the corner.”

Yes. Every holiday and celebration is ‘just around the corner’.

What an old, tired, stale phrase.  But people want to hear it.

For many, there is a certain security in the familiar. I have come to understand that audiences are in a highly focused mindset.

For my own clarity I think of it as a trance.

People want their values reflected back to them.

They demand it. They will fight for that sense of security.

If their values are predictable, and they all are, then using those values, objectively, gets results.

Values keep people in a happy, secure trance.

Think about it. Most of us feel comfortable with our first language. There is a security and sense of home base in it. The reflex to return to it is a natural gravitation. It feels right.

Same thing with cliche. Sure, it’s old and worn out but that’s what makes it so dependable. It has value and value gives us meaning.

Meaning gives us identity. To take away cliche is to threaten personal identity.

Examples:

• It’s back to school time
• you’ll be glad you did
• drive a little save a lot
• open nightly till nine
• while supplies last
• void where prohibited
• Christmas is just around the corner
• pass the savings on to you
• for the whole family
• that new car smell
• kids 12 and under in free
• dear old dad
• for more information.

Everything is old at some point. Like the old familiar songs. Still people want to learn blues guitar and sing the old way. It’s a release.

When a phrase has been observed long enough, it is no longer a subject. It becomes object.  Like practicing slowly

until you get fast on speed guitar. (OK, enough guitar analogies–hey, at least they are not sports analogies.)

That makes it obvious except to those who still see it as subjective, personally identified with it.

It is amazing, the invisible glue that holds cultures, families, couples, businesses, individuals together.

Values.

Some of the copy samples on this site contain cliches.

Yes, a writer should be able to find new words for an old idea.

But, be aware that it’s not always best.

Here are six ways to use radio production to create better client relations and more sales.

One- Stage a live broadcast. It builds excitement, a sense of urgency in a one-time event. A live ‘remote’ can get results like nothing else.  A radio personality on the air, in person, at a store is out of the ordinary. Getting attention is important to building a relationship.

Two- Give your client a unique, memorable on air feeling with a jingle.
This is a tried and true method of delivering a special signature sound . It creates association, familiarity, and sales. Jingles cost a little extra up front but the long lasting benefits can be the best advertising investment.

Three- Develop a series of radio ads with a recurring theme. A fun soap opera dialog between a man and a woman could be a vehicle to carry your clients message week after week. There are endless themes to choose from. Police officer to stopped driver, two ridiculous roommates, bartender-patron, and child to parent. Jingles also fall in this category and when you have one it adds to the familiarity and identity of the message. A jingle I am involved in for Hyundai Charlotte NC can be heard on YouTube by searching for Bob Mayberry.

Four- Build a campaign that will last over a longer period of time, giving your client a chance to build momentum. A series is a good way to accomplish this. A real estate office could feature a different home or community each week. A restaurant could highlight a certain favorite dish. Series’ can be stretched out over a year and recycled
Giving you repeat sales that a one shot ad just won’t do.

Five- Use the clients voice on the radio. This can give a distinctive sound signature to each ad plus it uses an authentic spokesperson for the ad. I suggest breaking it up with an announcer’s voice or other for contrast. Never use a character voice for the entire spot. It can become old fast and takes away from the attraction.

Six- Produce a shorter version of the spot and run it as an additional schedule. Even a little extra is added exposure for the client and added sales for you.

Seven- Bonus tip! Use a local celebrity as the spokesperson for the product or service. This is similar to number five but with the added benefit of versatility. You can change ‘spokespersons’ to freshen things up. You might even try a combination of client voice and spokesperson.

For even more ideas on how to make this happen today contact me.

Remember, when you listen to good radio production there’s more to ads than meets the ear.