People have been asking how they can sound more conversational, not scripted on...

• Sales calls
• Podcasts (hosts and guests)
• Videos and interviews

I've interviewed more than 6,000 people during my radio and communications career.

Learn the secret in this 3-minute video.

There's nothing better than a heartwarming holiday story.

Here's one you may not have heard before.

It's from Jackie Gleason.

He portrayed Brooklyn bus driver Ralph Kramden on the 1950s TV show, "The Honeymooners." It's always been one of my favorite shows and holiday stories...

"You know something, sweetheart? Christmas is… well, it’s about the best time of the whole year.

When you walk down the streets, even for weeks before Christmas comes, and there’s lights hanging up, green ones and red ones, sometimes there’s snow and everyone’s hustling some place.

But they don’t hustle around Christmastime like they usually do.

You know, they’re a little more friendlier… they bump into you, they laugh and they say, “Pardon me. Merry Christmas”… especially when it gets real close to Christmas night.

Everybody’s walking home, you can hardly hear a sound. Bells are ringin’, kids are singing, the snow is coming down.

And boy what a pleasure it is to think that you’ve got some place to go ...

We create content.

We build funnels.

We set up systems.

We write marketing and business plans.

But do you know how to create curiosity and become known?

Curiosity is a soft skill that most people miss.

Exceptional communicators and sales pros don’t focus on stuffy scripts.

No one needs more jargon.

We crave intrigue and desire.

Gary Vaynerchuk agrees.  

When you post something that grabs (and keeps) someone's attention, you've intrigued them.

They want to know more.

You get them:

🔥Thinking (not confused)

🔥Feeling

🔥Reacting

🔥Involved

Curiosity moves conversations forward.

You planted the seed.

They look at your website or Insta profile.

Maybe they subscribe to your newsletter.

You get points if they share your post.

You create a buzz around you and your brand.

This happens when you make people curious.

It rarely happens when you ask "open-ended questions” and grovel hoping you'll close a prospect.

For f**k's sake.

I approach every conversation—sales or otherw...

Shifting gears for today's post. 

I usually write about business communication.

Since most of us in the US won’t be working on Thanksgiving, we’ll have to communicate with relatives and friends.

Damn, it may be easier to go to work!🙏

Here are 15 quick tips to help make your day festive and enjoyable.

Bookmark this post, as it will come in handy for the entire holiday season!😍

1. Forget previous holidays, discussions, disagreements, and conversations. Go in with a clean slate and an open mind that you will have a fabulous and relaxing day.

2. Close your mouth. Not every comment or question requires an answer. Silence and a smile are powerful. In other words, bite your tongue. This leads me to…

3. Use the phrase, “Isn’t that interesting?” If Uncle GrouchAF drops some off-color remarks, recite these three magical words. “Isn’t that interesting?” neutralizes most conversations. This phrase is a verbal dead-end. 🚷Say it, smile, and be quiet. 

4. Make everyone feel special. This mea...

The best place to be in business is in someone else's head.

Don’t tell prospects everything you do. Introductions are often like that.

A verbal vomit.

Share the right things.

Tell them the right things in an order that makes sense to where they aspire to be.

Our brains need info that flows logically and seamlessly. 🙌

Your prospect wants to quickly understand in an easy and clear way what your expertise means to them.

How is your business going to help THEM?

Your introduction and message aren't about you. (Helloooo!)

Oh, people may look interested. 👀

Don't be fooled. Your process and credentials only matter when someone asks about them.

That's because people care about themselves. They want to know how you can make their life easier.

Until then, they don't give a rat’s ass about how you work your magic.

The tricky communication part is that no one tells you this! 🤦♀️

People want to be polite (most of the time).

But I know that in business, the best place you can be is in ...

The highest-paid people in the room are exceptional storytellers.

 That’s because stories connect us emotionally as human beings. 

 And people who know how to capture the essence of a good story become marketing machines.

🙏No weirdo sales pitches or presentations.

🙏No chasing.

🙏No worrying about the economy.

🙏Or having that hard talk with your partner or kids that the holidays will be lame cause money is tight. 

When you skillfully use stories in business, there are no weirdo sales pitches. Instead, you have easy, friendly, and heartfelt conversations that convert. 

You’re gold. 🥇

You have sustainable business growth with new clients who are exciting to work with. 

Look, storytelling isn’t a fad that’s going out of style anytime soon.

There IS a place for it in business.

I remember being told for years that emotions don’t belong in the workplace.

That ship has sailed.🚢

And that’s where stories come in. 

So how would you use a story when networking online or in person? 

If you think your inbox is overflowing with junk messages and stuff you don’t care about, what if it were 100x worse? 

This is what reporters are trying to manage.

Every. single. day. 📅

Plus, their jobs are all about tight deadlines, breaking news, crabby bosses, and low pay. 

It's nothing new.

Before technology, reporters were drained by irrelevant faxes and phone calls. ☎

Pointless pitches that aren't clearly valuable to their audiences.

Maybe you're wondering why you get crickets when emailing a 3-page self-serving story idea about your book???

You know, the one with 6 attachments, 27 links, and 14 questions. 👀

Reporters need to see something interesting that jumps off the screen.

So how do you grab the attention (and trust) of the media so that you land a coveted interview?

{BECOME A MEDIA MAGNET WITH FREE PUBLICITY. GET THE FREE GUIDE HERE}

When you know why your story is relevant to a reporter and their audience, there's a shift. 

You have to know what is newsworthy....

You know what "THEY" say?

Everything is bigger in Texas.

It's especially true of Halloween. People here go bat-s**t crazy on this festive day.

So here are 7 frightening communication habits.   

 Use this self-assessment to clean up your communication.  

1. You refuse to receive. Someone offers a compliment on your clothing. You deflect and show them the button missing on your sleeve. ▶Solution: Shut up, smile, and say thank you.🤷‍♀️ 

2. You listen to ghastly people. Well-intentioned family, friends, and even strangers can scare the beJesus out of you. Let's believe most mean well. Still, they could be clueless about your journey, intentions, whatever. ▶Solution: Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. Shut up, smile, and tune them out. Then run away. Fast.🧛‍♀️ 

3. You overshare. When the doorbell rings on Halloween, do you offer the kiddos every morsel of food in your pantry? No. You give them what you think they need, want, or may enjoy. Otherwise, their heads would explode. 😱 Same with you
...

Everything you need to blow the doors off your business right now is… between your… ears. 

You’ve done the hard work with school, training, and learning new skills.

So, WTF? 🤷‍♀️Why aren't your dream clients coming?

You've gotta get in front of them.

Showing up in a bigger bolder way and stepping into the spotlight may not be for everyone.

But it IS for people who want to share their gifts and story to make a bigger impact.  

Plenty of entrepreneurs, coaches, and business leaders are scrambling for new clients. I know it's hard to get noticed in our noisy online world.

But posting awkward dance videos and scrolling for hours can be an energy drain.  

I’ve been getting organic leads and clients for years. You may want to consider my process. It sure beats paid ads that rarely convert. 

I share my knowledge and story with captive audiences at conferences and meetings. You can, too. 

The audience wants to learn from you.  

They are warm leads –in bulk.

They watch you in ...

The charisma vibe.

Not many people are talking about it. That's why I'm going there.

'Cause I don't want you to skip this soft skill that I know is essential in business.  

Charisma is a magical quality that most people want. It makes business lighter and more enjoyable. 

Aren't you drawn to people who have that special magnetism, allure, charm, and appeal? That's charisma. 

The good thing about charisma is that it's a soft skill that's super valuable in communication.

It helps us build rapport, attract opportunities, and live more fulfilling lives. 

If you're not feeling the "charisma vibe," there's good news. You can develop it. 

Maybe you're like me.

You weren't born with a peppy, outgoing personality. No worries!

I began working on this 25 years ago, simply by watching alluring people.

I've been able to re-invent myself. And you can, too.

When you watch charismatic people who you admire, you'll notice they are...

• Kind
• Interested in  other people
• Laugh and smile oft
...