3 Communication Experiments I Tried in 2016 Communication is everything. Let me repeat… COMMUNICATION IS EVERYTHING. Not just in business, but in life. Communication is what lets us connect. It’s the source of all progress. Heck, communication is what makes us human. But not all communicators, or communication styles, are created equal. In many cases, communication is the skill that separates the massively successful from the rest of the pack. As a business owner, an entrepreneur, and a public persona, communication is absolutely integral to my livelihood. I’m constantly striving to connect with people on a deeper, more meaningful level. It’s something I want to get better and better at, but it doesn’t happen over night, and it definitely doesn’t happen alone. Leveraging the advice of some brilliant communicators and entrepreneurs, here are 3 communication experiments I tried in 2016: 1) More Stories Stories are how we make sense of the world. They are the most effective way for us to communicate a message that actually resonates. One of the ways I improved my storytelling in 2016 was to dig deep into Don Miller’s teachings in StoryBrand. I put a special focus on making intentional use of the 7 components of an effective story. Another thing I did was actively practising storytelling to discover what works. For example, one story I used in a BIG presentation this year was a bit ‘edgy’, so I first shared it with some mastermind partners. This gave me a chance to see real reactions, to observe what worked and what didn’t. I also practised storytelling by sharing stories on Facebook… particularly about funny situations with my kids. I experimented with how details can bring a story to life and how timing can make it more effective. I watched comedians to emulate their performance tactics. The key thing I discovered is that you have to LOOK for stories to tell. This could mean stories of your customers (success, sticking points, highs, lows), things that make you laugh, things that frustrate you. And when you have a story, document it right away. Because the ‘juice’ of a story comes from the details, and you can best describe the details when the story is fresh. 2) More Range Another communication experiment I tried was adding more range to my presentations. Because I tend to be a high energy guy, but high energy all the time can be too much. It’s like having the volume on full blast all the time. So I’ve been working hard to identify when high energy is good and when I need to intentionally tone it down and provide more range. This means incorporating a mix of high energy, soft energy, happy stories, sad stories, practical content, inspirational content; it’s the mix that creates the connection. For example, when I spoke to over 4000 entrepreneurs in Brazil this year, I got the crowd hyped up by starting my presentation with the clip of an iconic moment in Brazilian football history. As soon as the hype died down, I transitioned into a softer reflective exercise with the lights dimmed to provide contrast. In 2016 I was reminded of the immense importance of communicating in a way that appeals to both the head and the heart. 3) Focusing on the ‘First and Last’ The final communication experiment I tried was something I learned from communication coach Victoria Labalme. The tactic is what Victoria calls ‘first and last’ – making a special effort to start and end strong in all of your communications. Think of your webinars, live presentations, marketing campaigns – or even a night when you’re hosting guests – as a timeline. Like a good book or movie, that timeline should be punctuated with a compelling beginning and a satisfying or provocative ending. Everything in between matters, but no where near as much as how you start and finish. So in my presentations, I became very conscious of involving or engaging people early with high energy, questions, and special exercises. I also became very intentional about how I’d end presentations. I always wanted to be clear about providing next steps and including some element that pulled everything together. When I spoke in Hungary, that element was a story. When I spoke in Brazil, it was a song. At Jeff Walker’s PLF event, it was a surprise punchline. Did I nail it every time? Definitely not. But did I get better? Yes. And did I connect with people in a more emotional way? I like to think so. Some things came naturally. Others I still need a lot of work on. But the key for you and I to realize is just how important not only WHAT we say, but HOW we say it really is. And the more intentional you can be about HOW you share your ideas, the more effective you will be.
“Why are you settling?” “Why are you playing small?” “Do you not believe in what you’re doing?” When he first asked me this, I felt myself getting defensive. Almost angry. Of course I believed in what I was doing. But the moment he said it, my heart started pounding faster. He was openly challenging me, and I felt like I had to respond. So I blurted out… “YES! I absolutely believe in what I’m doing.” Right after, there was an awkward moment of silence. He could tell that he had touched a nerve. But he pushed again… “Then why aren’t you willing to talk about what you’re doing?” Instead of reacting, I stopped for a second. This was a friend. Someone I considered a mentor. Was there any truth in what he was saying? Was I hesitating? Here’s what I realized… This wasn’t an attack. It was coming from a place of love. He knew what I had would change a lot of lives. But he could see that I wasn’t confident enough to share it with more people. And he was right. And BTW – what he was talking about was my charity. I hesitated telling anyone about it because I didn’t want people thinking I was guilting them into contributing to our cause. I didn’t want to be seen as selling the cause. I was hoping people would just naturally want to help. But here’s the lesson… If you don’t intentionally get the word out, people will never have the opportunity to join you. And if he didn’t challenge me, we definitely wouldn’t have built 8 schools to date (with two in construction). We wouldn’t have raised over $1.5MM for our cause. And, thousands of kids wouldn’t have a school to attend. That’s why I want to challenge you. There is a COST OF NOT GETTING THE WORD OUT about what you have to offer. So let me ask you… Do you have a product, a service or message that would change a lot of lives? If yes (which I believe you do)… Then why are you hesitating? The #1 mistake I see entrepreneurs, authors, speakers, coaches or consultants making is they don’t have an effective strategy for sharing what they have with the world. It’s a shame. So much good sits idle. It never sees the light of day because people are afraid of selling (just like I was). Now is the time for you to draw a line in the sand. No more “hoping” that people will find you. It’s time for you to intentionally make it happen. Here’s my simple 3-step plan… 1) Pick One Platform and Master It That could be Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, SnapChat or whatever feels best for you. But pick ONE. Learn it. Master it. Can you expand to other platforms later on? Yes. But in the beginning, keep it simple and manageable. ONE platform. Got it? Next… 2) Become Known For Something Specific When people introduce you, what will you be “known for”? If you want to gain a lot of traction fast, then become known for something specific. Solve a particular kind of problem. For example, I want to help ALL entrepreneurs. But I realized that trying to help everyone with everything is a LOT more difficult than building momentum in one specific area. So I started with solving a specific problem where I have established credibility and expertise – recurring revenue. Will that lead to other things? You bet. Will that lead to more “generic” offers? You bet. But I’m intentionally staying hyper focused on a specific problem first. It’s the fastest way to build an audience. And then finally… 3) Get Consistent Once you’ve picked a platform and identified where to get specific, now it’s about consistently staying on message. Consistency is the key. You HAVE TO produce. You have to stay in front of people. Now hear me when I say this… It doesn’t mean you have to produce a TON of stuff. It does mean though that you need to consistently stay in front of your audience. So commit to a schedule. That could be once a week, twice a week or more. But establish a schedule you can easily maintain. If you follow this simple plan, the effects will compound over time. Your momentum will start small but over time (because of your consistency), you will find your results begin to skyrocket. The world needs what you have. Now it’s time to get it out there.
