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...

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...

I can’t count the times I’ve stared at a crisp new landing page that’s about to go live, wondering: will this convert?

Will my message land? Will the words resonate so people opt-in, reply, or join…whatever…?

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Your words—and mine—only dance off the page and into the hearts of prospects when we use THEIR exact lingo.

When we talk about

• THEIR pain
• THEIR aspirations
• THEIR desires

This was glaringly obvious in one of the women entrepreneurs Facebook groups I’m in.

A member—let’s call her Lauren—wanted feedback on a landing page for her new offer. She specifically asked for comments on her 2-minute welcome video.

When I looked and read the few lines of text above the video, I had no clue what Lauren was offering.

Would the video bring clarity?

The page layout was visually appealing, but the words...

You can create stellar content without having to write anything. 

Look, I get it. Not everyone is a writer.

And the good news is…not everyone is a reader.

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Keeping this in mind—and ever-changing algorithms—successful marketing strategies include a mixed bag of content formats.

You may: 

• Create short "how-to" video clips
• Share long-form posts
• Use images for Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat
• Record audio clips
• Create fun infographics

A variety of formats will improve your SEO rankings – and grow your business.

Here are 3 ways for non-writers to easily create fresh content: 

Compile a round-up post. Listening to a webinar or training with a well-known leader in your industry. With basic notes or a recording, you can craft a post of “10 Takeaways” from the program. This is called “curated...

I was FaceTiming with my nephew Eric, a college senior preparing to take on the world and make his mark.

Eric loves writing and has a strong sense of himself. He's bold, fun and funny.  But he scared me beyond words. 

Eric told me about his papers and professors. I'm sure he saw me twitch as he described his writing style and expression within the confines of a college classroom.  

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I told Eric point-blank: For the most part, everything you've had to write in college—style, formats and opinions.—will all go out the window.

The writing most of us have learned in school and have been using in business all these years is rarely effective these days.

Why? 

Long, dry and stuffy writing is equivalent to a sleeping pill. People want personality and pizzazz.   

Please don't ...

In a perfect world, we could put a pushpin on a calendar date and plan out days, weeks and months of special events, announcements, contests and news to share. Wow, an entire road map of content, blog topics and email promos. It would work out just fabulously.

[RELATED: To continue learning about communicating with confidence and clarity, join Communication Nation on Facebook.] 

Of course, anyone who has walked the planet for a few decades knows that social media—and breaking news—can quickly push our best-laid plans out the window. If the TV interview you’ve been working on for weeks has arrived but there’s a major earthquake in California, your big moment might be rescheduled—or axed. That’s why you—and your editorial calendar—must be flexible.

First Things First

Though content planning can bring challenges, savvy professionals still keep a framework in place.  

Templates that allow you to easily track—and...

Discover the secrets to connecting with your audience and creating content that builds communities. The strategies and tips are in this 5- minute video; check it out!

Grab this Bonus, too! "How to Get Your Press Pass" and build instant credibility by mingling in-person with influencers and leaders in your niche! https://sueyoungmedia.mykajabi.com/presspass 

In a perfect world, we could put a pushpin on a calendar date and plan out days, weeks and months of special events, announcements, contests and news to share. Wow, an entire road map of content, blog topics and email promos. It would work out just fabulously.

[FREE DOWNLOAD: CREATE 30 TOPICS IN 30 MINUTES--IN ANY NICHE! CLICK HERE TO GET THE #30/30 GUIDE]

Of course, anyone who has walked the planet for a few decades knows that social media—and breaking news—can quickly push our best-laid plans out the window. If the TV interview you’ve been working on for weeks has arrived but there’s a major earthquake in California, your big moment might be rescheduled—or axed. That’s why you—and your editorial calendar—must be flexible.

First Things First

Though content planning can bring challenges, savvy professionals still keep a framework in place.  

Templates that allow you to easily track—and update—content distribution are...

Content often confuses non-writers. However, it doesn’t have to be an energy drain.

Content also has the power to grow your community. And regular posts that are valuable and timely keep you in front of your community. Content grows your tribe. It grows your business and moves you closer to achieving your professional and personal goals.

Think of content as your bank account.   

Let’s get past the confusion and angst that countless business owners endure when trying to generate ideas. Let’s make things easy. Remember, even seasoned marketers and bloggers get stuck occasionally.

[DOWNLOAD FREE CHEAT SHEET: 99 WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR COMMUNICATION]

No one expects you to be a professional writer so take the pressure off of yourself! You have plenty of knowledge hat potential customers need and want from you. All we have to do is get it out of your head…I promise it won’t hurt!

Here are five ways to overcome writer’s block:

1. Write...