communication

Buy less and buy better

Rhetoric is the art of effective or persuasive speaking or writing, especially the exploitation of figures of speech and other compositional techniques. Aristotle said great communication comes down to three things:
·      Ethos – Ethics, values, the credibility of the person speaking, for example, “Am I worth listening to?”
·      Logos – Evidence, facts, the logic, or apparent logic of what they are saying, for example, “Am I right?”
·      Pathos – The emotions of the audience, for example, “Do I care?”

 

Aristotle also said that you could not win an argument with just one of these things, to win an argument, you will need each of the three to be always present. And as soon as you think about communication from the receiver’s perspective, you can see that he was correct.

The Universal Story Structure

Gustav Freytag was a 19th Century German novelist and playwright who developed a visual representation of the five-act structure common in classic plays and novels. This structure is known as Freytag’s Pyramid or triangle, or “the "dramatic arc," and  this a straightforward way of organising a tragic narrative into a beginning, middle, and ending, and is comprised of five distinct parts: introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

 

I think stories are powerful because they transport us into other people’s world and in doing that, they change the way our brain works and potentially change our brain chemistry. This is what it means to be a social creature and connect with others, to care about others even complete strangers and its so interesting that dramatic stories cause us to do this. The same thing can happen when we watch movies or listen to music, we feel uplifted, we feel motivated, or we feel connected to others around us.

The first fruit

Image c/o The Ecologist

““Sometimes a fruit falls from a tree and rolls so far away from its roots that it’s no longer of the tree. The hard fall, and long journey, bruises the fruit so much that it totally changes it. It’s the same way for some of our people. This is why some can’t be awakened regardless of how much truth you present to them. This journey has totally brainwashed them to such a degree that they’re no longer of the original tree.” ”
— Malcolm X

Louis Vuitton in Paris

How can you tell better stories about your products?
Stories speak to emotions, and it will result in a higher response. Facts and data can be leveraged but it’s the narrative that helps us to make sense of that data. I think that when you find a common ground and your audience can nod in agreement, then you will be in a better place to sell them something. All storytellers use contrast whether intuitively or consciously and it’s one of the most powerful devices in storytelling, for example, day and night, heroes and villains, good and bad, etc. When selling new products, I have found that we operate in the realm of what is versus what can be, and this is a powerful contrast. Don’t limit yourself to the story about the problem and the solution, see beyond and see what you can do in terms of contrast.

““My way of life is very simple, even though nowadays, success tends to be linked to fame, high life, and luxury.””
— Burrellism

The confidence gap

It’s not a weakness or character flaw to be wrong, make a mistake or change your mind. In fact, in areas of knowledge, technology and competition, it’s a mark of courage, character and flexibility to be willing to cut your loses quickly and practice the reality principle in everything you do. I think that once you say I was wrong or I made a mistake or I changed my mind, the issue is largely over. One must be prepared to deal with the world as it is rather than the way you wish it were or the way it might have been in the past. Face the truth whatever it is and be honest with yourself and everyone around you. Always be open to reevaluating your goals and objectives in the light of new information, technology, or competition.

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Athletes of the business world

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In the future we will need people who can connect and communicate. And we will need people to transfer confidence, emotion, and a positive view of the world. We don’t need people to send e-mails as anyone including robots can send e-mails to promote products and services. I think salespersons are the athletes of the business world as they intrinsically enjoy competition. Successful salespeople are goal-oriented and self-motivated and these are also defining qualities of high-performing athletes.

The complexity of listening

Joseph DeVito in his book, “Essentials of Human Communication” divided the listening process into five stages: receiving, understanding, remembering, evaluating and feedback. I think by becoming aware of what is involved with active listening and where difficulties might lie, you can prepare yourself both as a listener and as a speaker to minimise listening errors with your own public speeches. Contact me via e-mail and let me know whether you are aware of the verbal and nonverbal ways of indicating your appreciation for or your disagreement with the messages or the speakers at the end of the message.

“Your style introduces you before you even speak.”
— Burrellism

Risking your reputation

Many brands are built on a single belief that "claims" superiority in a crowded marketplace. Managing expectations is the practice of communicating information to prevent gaps between stakeholder perceptions and business realities. The theory of strategic narrative are tools that actors employ to promote their interests, values, and aspirations. Inaccurate stakeholder assumptions can result in failures and perceptions of failure. When working with brands I think strategic narratives should define "who we are" and "what kind of world order we want."

“You have to willingly give and graciously receive, and if you have to think before you give then you are trading.”
— Burrellism

Rhetoric and the art of persuasion

Image c/o TED ED

When we have conflicting views over truth, we often enter into a game of persuasion where we try to convince the other that the belief we hold is, in fact, the true one. Rhetoric creates a partnership for a system of persuasion based on knowledge instead of upon manipulation and omission. Over 2,000 years ago the Greek philosopher Aristotle argued that there were three basic ways to persuade an audience of your position: ethos, logos, and pathos. To craft a good persuasive argument, we must consider these three things.

1.         The character of the speaker (ethos)
2.         The condition of the listener (logos)
3.         The strength and plausibility of the argument itself (pathos)

Same same but different

When we find ourselves swimming in an ocean where everybody is trying to make similar content, the differences will be found in the intention of why people are making the content. And I think this is going to be the difference between why things work and why things don't work. The world is saturated with coaches, change your life books, do-gooders, etc., etc. The more successful we get the more of a test it is for the purity of the reasons why we create, and no one is exempt from that. We have to remain mindful and surround ourselves with people who tell you the truth, even though it can be hurtful, the truth is so important.

Stories speak to emotions

We all know that there are two sides of the brain, the rational and the feelings/emotional side. In almost all kinds of decisions the emotional side of the brain is predominant, and stories speak to emotions. Nowadays when we are inundated with data and information it’s even more important that we focus on stories. You can speak about numbers, data and facts and leverage that in your storytelling, as the narrative helps us make sense of that data. I think that when we speak to people’s emotions it gathers and results in a higher response. Watch this video and see how changing the message will change the results.

Reading the room


First, you read what you see - I mean reading body language. Salespersons soon learn that if the customer have their arms folded and chin tucked down with a frown on their face then this is going to take all your skills to get their arms unfolded and make them a little more comfortable. Crossed arms and legs are a clear signal that there is resistance to your ideas. Second, you’ve got the read what you hear. If it’s a two-way conversation you must listen as well as talk. We have two ears, one mouth, therefore, we should listen twice as much as we speak. Listen so that you know how to proceed and the best way to improve your listening skills is to practice "active listening." And finally, you have to pick up the emotional signals, for example, are you coming on too strong? How does your customer feel? etc.

 

I think reading the room is an art form; first what you see, then what you hear and finally what you feel. Speaking the same language as your customers is a subtle way to make them feel more welcomed. Contact me via e-mail for 1:1 session or to arrange a “reading the room” workshop for your team.

Read the room

c/o New York Times

How can you improve the collaboration with your customers, internal stakeholders and colleagues?

The best storytellers, authors and speakers paint pictures giving the audience something they can visualise in their heads. They communicate the central issues of the discussion in a clear, fluent, and precise manner, and when they produce written material it’s clear, fluent, and easy to understand for the recipients. I think communication means both words and emotions, and what’s really powerful are words loaded with emotion. When communication flows with the right messaging, at the right time through the right channels, it can move nations, help people change directions, and establish an ideology for the good or bad.

You’ve got to develop your own style, become a student of style, and do this by not copying any one person. Everyone knows the old classic, “It’s not just what you say it’s also the way that you say it.” Your presentation will become more effective when you communicate with your heart and soul from deep inside with commitment and dedication. Contact me via e-mail to schedule a communication workshop for your team.

It's your presence not your presents

Great communicators all have great presence, 65% of the impression you leave on someone has little to do with your message, it has to do with your verbal delivery, facial expressions, and body language. It’s important to make eye contact 80 to 90% of the time, maintain an open posture and use hand gestures. Take your hands out of your pockets and be animated in your voice and body.

 

Never forget that you are selling dreams and products because your customers do not care about our company. They don’t care about your products and services, but they do care about themselves, their hopes and dreams, their goals, and ambitions. Your job as a sales professional is to inspire your customers and help them achieve their dreams. Think about how to communicate and articulate the vision behind your products and services, and then focus on your customer’s needs, hopes and goals.

Be prepared

What can you do to prepare yourself for success?
It depends on how you define success. If you are talking about a prestigious titles, huge salaries and big houses then I’m not the right person to ask. On the other hand, if you are speaking about developing skills,influence, and personality then here I am.

One should always well prepared before serving in our professional and personal lives. The decisions I have made in my preparation time are the decisions that will last for the entirety of my lifetime. I think the key to speaking well and excellent communication is preparation, so I choose to be well equipped with language, temperament, and influence in order to be valuable. I have studied people from different ages who have different opinions, personalities, and temperaments. I study life with all of its twists and turns and one of the most valuable skills I’ve learned is organising and getting people to work together, preparing for those steps and stages is all part of life.

Scaling up good practices

I think that to grow and improve your skills, you must have the courage to face your fears. This leads to fostering co-responsibility and creating spaces to bridge differences, for example, Japan has an ageing population and a fascination with technology, and this has led to the development of companion robots. Sales professionals must allow their clients intellectual oxygen to express what’s going on in their heads. Today, it is not enough to say in words that your organisation makes a difference. We want a visible proof of the responsibility an organisation says it takes. Contact me via e-mail for a workshop regarding your organisation’s approach and execution strategies.

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What's important to you?

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I think salespersons should be looking for a verbal commitment to ask questions and they should only sell to what your customers tell you. No one cares about the salesperson, you can be whoever you want, all that matter is your presentation as it all about the performance. Short presentations are best in my opinion because if you go on a monologue then your clients are not really listening. Good salespersons look for a way to make a connection with their customer, and build a conversation based on trust. If you want to achieve your goals of persuasion, start working on your verbal and non-verbal communication skills today. Contact me via e-mail when you are ready to build on your conversational skills.

Ignite your enthusiasm

How do you sell your products and services effectively?
Some people are better than others at telling their story. You have to keep pushing as the resilience and perseverance is what will drive your company and they are the key characteristics of entrepreneurs. We must never forget that our customers are our sales force, and we will need to get our customers talking about our products and services and sharing those experiences.

 

How will you communicate the vision behind your company?
I think passion is everything and it starts from the leader whose vision it was to build that company. Passion is contagious, and I am passionate about building self-esteem and this comes across in every conversation. I think it takes courage to be simple.

Just respond

We often react without thinking as it’s a gut reaction, often based on fear and insecurities, and it’s not the most rational or appropriate way to act. Responding, on the other hand, is taking the situation in, and deciding the best course of action based on values such as reason, compassion, cooperation, etc. I care enough to show up and say, “I notice this, I think it’s this and we should do that.” We have to listen and then respond, not react, just respond.

“Always doing things in a calm and confident way.”
— Burrellism