INDEX
A
absence of authenticity, customer relationships and the, 34
accelerating the growth of your idea, 169–170
acknowledgment, the benefits of, 144–146
acronyms, avoiding, 139
active listening, businesspeople and, 79
advertising, subliminal, 31
advertising copy, 3
advice, engagement and giving customers, 46
age groups, communicating across, 8
ambidexterity, advantages of, 84
ambiverts, personality traits of, 84
American Airlines, 100
amygdala, stories and the, 62–63
anecdotes, focusing too much on, 134–135
Anglin, Paul, 24
anxiety, your message and lowering, 54
applicability of knowledge, the immediate, 158–159
Arkansas Mutual Insurance Company, 169
assumptions, defaulting to your industry's, 32
assumptions regarding extraversion, 86–87
attention spans, messaging and, 6
attention-starved workers, conversational styles of, 15
audience, the power of your consumer, 40
authenticity,
customer relationships and the absence of, 34
customers' perceptions of, 34
authenticity and tradition, the differences of, 32–33
awareness percentage, the, 117
B
Baby Boomers, conversation styles of, 113–114
Barnes-Selby, Shayron, 141
Barrick, Murray R., 83
base skills for conversations, building, 3
behavior, the big picture of, 9
believability of messages, 98–99
Beloit College Mindset List, 91–92
Berger, Jonah, 2
brain activity
and stories, 62
and talking about yourself, 41–42
Braley, Bruce, 98
brand, inconsistency and your, 4
brand names and detachment, 100
Buffett, Warren, 85
building credibility, 52
business conversations, language in high-value, 30
business emails, response rate for, 29–30
business growth, stimulating, 87
business ideas and conversational environments, 172
business message,
default focus and, 40
opportunities for growth through your, 107
the timing of your, 43
business messaging,
everyday, 3
business messaging,
going on the offense with, 9
the three-legged stool of, 9
business relationships and marquees, 112–113
businesses
and disconnection, 47
and increased skepticism, 47
heading toward commoditization, 40
buying process, improving the, 90
case studies, finding the conversation starters in, 59
problems with using, 58
sharing stories and, 58
C
case studies used during customer conversations, 58
central messaging resource, creating a, 137
CEOs, daily schedules of, 133
cerebral cortex, stories and the, 62–63
Chalabi, Mona, 67
change,
building on, 162
creating a vision for, 162
customers and forced, 49
in your organizational culture, anchoring, 163
Chick-fil-A, 136
clarifying business messaging, 8
clarity, lack of, 4
Clinton, Bill, 39
coaching, the messaging roadblock of, 139–140
coaching,
qualities that provide positive change, 151
styles, managers and their, 157–158
coalition, forming a powerful, 161–162
Coca-Cola Company, 33
comfort, the messaging roadblock of, 137–138
commodities, your message and, 14
commoditization, businesses heading toward, 40
common understanding, matching your data to, 66
commonalities of persuasive messages, 23
communicating
credentials through marketing, 52
with data, 65
your vision, 162
communication,
activity, markets and, 5
building internal, 11
digital, 114
metrics, 165
Millennials and, 8
skills, lack of, 7
through social media, 79
the generation gap in, 113–115
communities, growth through, 1
company positioning, employees' customer interactions and, 80
competency, three levels of, 51–52
competition in the marketplace, 1–2
complexity, the messaging roadblock of, 138–139
confidence-building beliefs, messengers and, 123–124
confidence, messengers and the importance of, 115–116, 122–123
consistency, the messaging roadblock of, 136–137
consistency of your message, the, 170
constant stressed-out state, 38
consultative element, what you offer and your, 51
consumer audience, the power of your, 40
consumer psychology, 51
continuous partial attention, 38
contradictions, recognizing customer, 61
conversation, developing a master of, 53
conversation plans, writing out, 64–65
conversation starters, case studies and finding the, 59
conversational
environments and business ideas, 172
focus, 39
styles of attention-starved workers, 16
conversational opportunities, prioritizing, 88
conversational scenarios, role-playing, 70–71
conversational skills, lack of, 7
conversationalists, customer, 85
conversations,
building base skills for, 3
demonstrating empathy through, 53
face-to-face, 113
language in high-value, 30
offline, 2
online, 2
playbooks and specific, 16
conversations as
corporate brand, reinforcing, 57
coworker relationships and technology, 115
crafting your conversations, 55–72
credentials, the importance of, 52
credibility,
building, 52
and earning trust, 52
through consistent messaging, 14
cues, paying attention to customer, 85
culture, the messaging roadblocks of, 140
culture of middle management, the, 154
cultures, communicating across, 8
Cutting, James E., 6
D
daily schedules of CEOs, 133
data,
personal experiences and, 66
understanding and communicating with, 65
decision-making cycles, customers', 44
decision-making process, customers and the, 44
engaging customers in the, 44
focusing on consumers', 134
default focus and business messages, 40
detachment and brand names, 100
developing relationships and growth, 52
digital communication, 114
digital communication assets, messages and, 105
digital media, the growth of, 5
discipline for talking about others, building the, 42–43
disconnection, businesses and, 47
disruption in the marketplace, 1–2
distraction, attention spans and, 6
Domino's Pizza, 34
DSG Consulting, 64
E
e-commerce, the rise of, 76
Edelman Trust Barometer, 47
effective engagement, three results from, 46
effective words for marketing, 25–26
elevator pitch, perfecting your, 67–71
emails, response rate for business, 29–30
emotional benefits, speaking to your customers', 70
empathy,
conversations and demonstrating, 53
message mistakes and showing, 109
employee engagement, good conversations and, 89
employee trust, employers and, 47
employees, frontline service, 80
employees as messengers, 82
employers and employee trust, 47
engagement,
effective, 46
engagement
growth through, 1
and asking customers questions, 46–47
and giving customers advice, 46
with communities, 1
engaging customers in the decision-making process, 44
environment, paying attention to customer, 85
erosion of traditional social structures, 93
establishing trust in your community, 47–48
everyday messages, the importance of, 2
expressing thanks and optimism, 146
extraversion, assumptions regarding, 86–87
extraverts,
personality traits of, 86
the benefits of, 88
and the customer conversation, 85
as salespeople, 83
F
face-to-face communication, generational, 114–115
face-to-face conversations, 113
Facebook, talking about yourself on, 41
Facebook ads, words used in, 22
Facebook friends, median number of, 87
family businesses, the struggles of, 166–167
feedback, Millennials and, 159–160
focus,
business messages and, 40
conversational, 39
forced changes, customers and, 49 friends, networking your message to, 13
frontline interactions of good companies, 79–80
frontline service employees, customer encounters with, 80
frustrations of managers, 155–156
G
Gardiner, Brent, 34
Gates, Bill, 85
generation gap in communication, the, 113–115
Generation X, conversation styles of, 113–115
Generation Y, conversation styles of, 113–115
generational change, growing through, 166–169
Gino, Francesca, 145
goals, customer retention, 88
Godin, Seth, 63
Goldfayn, Alex, 117
Goodwin, Kimberly, 24
government, trust in, 47
Grant, Adam, 83
Grant, Heidi, 149
gratitude, the importance of showing, 144
gratitude journals, 146
growing through generational change, 166–169
growth, defining your company's, 1
growth and developing relationships, 52
growth message, high-level intention and your, 182
growth metrics, tracking improvement through, 165
growth of social and digital media, the, 5
growth opportunities, creating, 4
growth opportunities that are overlooked, 2
growth through your business message, 107
guidance, messengers and, 147–150
H
helpfulness, buying into the idea of, 149
high-level
characteristics of effective messengers, 115–116
intention and your growth message, 182
high-rising terminal, see HRT
high-value business conversations, simple language in, 30
Holtz, Lou, 37
Hootsuite, 22
HR metrics, 165
Huckabee, Mike, 39
human behavior and social comparison, 90
I
identity,
making changes in your professional, 172–175
storytelling to build, 177–179
images, defaulting to your industry's, 32
inauthenticity, examples of, 34
inconsistency
and your brand, 4
and your reputation, 4
inconsistent messages, 102–103
inflection points that need attention, the, 140–142
information and insight, the difference between, 44
informed customers, engagement and, 46
insight and information, the difference between, 44
internal communication, building, 11
internal processes, focusing too much time on, 134
interrogations, conversations as, 60–61
introverts,
the benefits of, 88
introverts and the customer conversation, 85
J
jargon, avoiding, 139
just-in-case messaging, 156–157
K
knowledge,
immediate applicability of, 158–159
messengers and the importance of, 117
sharing, 92
Kotter, John, 161
L
lack of clarity and relationships, 4
defaulting to your industry's, 32
messages that use the same, 30
potential buyers and correct, 21
language in high-value business conversations, 30
language of the customer, losing the, 134
language of your message, changing the, 14
Laskey, Alex, 171
leaders, conversational, 131–150
leadership, middle management and future, 154
leadership qualities that provide positive change, 151
leadership teams, the focus of, 2
learning, six principles of, 159
Letterman, David, 86
limitations, being clear about, 67
LinkedIn, references on, 147
listening, the value of, 119–120
Lizard Brain, elements of the, 63
locations, communicating across, 8
loyalty, building customer, 87
Lui, Wei, 114
Lyubomirsky, Sonja, 146
M
management, brain activity and, 62
management habits, 10
management reinforcement, the importance of, 143
managers,
the four categories of, 157–158
marketing,
brain activity and, 62
communicating credentials through, 52
popular words used in, 22
stories and, 62
marketplace consequences of message mistakes, 97–98
scarcity, 37
markets and communication activity, 5–7
marquees, your business relationships and, 112–113
mastery of conversation, developing a, 53
McCourt, Charlotte, 35
media, trust in, 47
Mediakix, 5
mesolimbic dopamine, talking about ourselves and, 41, 43
message,
creating a personal, 175
identifying your, 10
inflection points in your, 141–142
the consistency of your, 170
too few people using your, 11–12
using the right amount of words for your, 29
message mistakes,
messages
and a lack of authenticity, 98–99
and digital communication assets, 105
on social media, poorly executed, 104
on Twitter, poorly executed, 104
that are delivered inconsistently, 102–103
that are detached from reality, 99–101
that are not conveyed skillfully, 103–105
that use the same language, 30
messaging,
business, 3
credibility through consistent, 14
going on the offense with, 9
simplifying and clarifying, 8
messaging opportunities, watching for, 156
messaging resource, creating a central, 137
messaging roadblock
of culture, the, 140
messaging strategy, building engagement and your, 43
messaging system, noise in your, 6
messaging world, the speed of the, 5–7
messengers,
changing customers to, 112
employees as, 82
high-level characteristics of effective, 115–116
identifying your, 10
personal touches of your, 179
messengers and confidence-building beliefs, 123–124
messengers and guidance, 147–150
metrics,
communication, 165
customer-level, 165
HR, 165
operational, 165
tracking improvement through, 165
middle management, the future of, 154–155
Millennials,
conversation styles of, 113–114
and communication, 8
and smartphone interaction, 8
mission statement,
words used in a, 28
Mission Statement Book, 28
Mountain Valley Spring Company, 33
Mueller, Pam, 64
N
national identity, shared, 93
negative stereotypes of salespeople, 77–78
Nestlé, 33
networking, the growth of, 87
networking your message, 13
Newport, Frank, 37
customer conversations through the, 85
unleashing the, 89
your colleagues in the, 86
non-sales selling, 76
pulling back from, 77
notes, the benefits of writing, 64
numbers and statistics, how to use, 65–67
O
obstacles, removing, 162
offline
conversations, 2
word of mouth, 80
onboarding, building a system of, 11
one-way pitch, 68
online
conversations, 2
customer experience, the 79
word of mouth, 2
operational metrics, 165
Oppenheimer, Daniel, 64
optimism and expressing thanks, 146
options, giving customers too many, 117
organization presentation, the, 56–57
organizational culture, anchoring change in your, 163
organizational leader, identifying the, 133–135
organizational leaders, common frustrations of, 137
organizational message, socializing changes in the, 138
oxytocin, stories and levels of, 62
P
peers, networking your message to, 13
Pepsico, 33
perceptions of authenticity, customers', 34
personal experiences, matching your data to, 66
personal message, creating a, 175
personal touches of messengers, 179
personalities, communicating across, 8
personality traits of salespeople, 83
perspective, the feeling of power and, 40–41
persuasion,
popular words used for, 22
the big picture of, 9
persuasion and statistics, 65
persuasive messages, commonalities of, 23
phrase, effective words for a profitable, 25–26
Pink, Daniel, 76
pitch structure, developing a, 68–69
planning for message mistakes, 108
playbook content, validating your, 17
playbooks,
conversations and, 157
political leaders, qualities of, 39
Porter, Michael, 133
positive change, leadership qualities that provide, 151
potential buyers and correct language, 21
power, perspective and the feeling of, 40–41
power and self-focus, 41
presentation, the organization, 56–57
preventing message mistakes, 97–105
processing information, 7
professional, three steps to being a trusted, 49–53
professional identity, making changes in your, 172–175
profit, measuring growth through, 1
profitable phrase, effective words for a, 25–26
promotional language, hyped–up, 22
provoking customers, 45
psychology, consumer, 51
Q
questions,
asking customers important, 46–47
subjecting customers to needless, 61
R
Radio Shack, 103
real estate, popular words used in, 23–24
reality, messages that are detached from, 99–101
Reed, Richard, 167
rehearsing for message mistakes, 108
relationships,
developing, 52
fortifying customer, 87
reputation, inconsistency and your, 4
response, causes for lack of, 12
response
rate for business emails, 29–30
time for message mistakes, 108
responses to mangled messages, 108–109
revenue, measuring growth through, 1
revenues, authenticity and higher, 34–35
roadblocks, strategies for getting around, 135–140
roadmap for success, creating a, 143–144
role-play, conversational scenarios and, 70–71
roles, your playbook and, 18
Rolex policy, 32
S
sales, good conversations and a boost in, 89
sales and marketing, the disconnect between, 15
sales metrics, tracking improvement through, 165
salespeople,
ambiverts as, 84
assumed personality traits of, 83
extraverts as, 83
negative stereotypes of, 77–78
scarcity, marketplace, 37
Schwab, Charles, 85
seeking information, 7
self-focus, power and, 41
selling,
core belief system around, 82
non-sales, 76
Sharing Generation, characteristics of the, 91–93
sharing knowledge, 92
sharing stories, the benefits of, 138
sharing transportation, 92
short-term wins, creating, 162
signal-to-noise ratio, 6
simplicity, your playbook and, 18
simplifying business messaging, 8
Sirianni, Nancy, 80
skepticism,
businesses and increased, 47
words that provoke, 27
skills, messengers and the importance of, 117
slogans, 3
smartphone interaction, Millennials and, 8
social comparison and human behavior, 90
social media,
communication through, 79
poorly executed messages on, 104
time spent on, 5
social structures, erosion of traditional, 93
socializing, being confident in, 3
socializing changes in the organizational message, 138
sources, being clear about, 67
speaking to your customers' emotional benefits, 70
spiritual concepts, embracing, 93
spiritual values, shared, 93
statistics, persuasion and using, 65
statistics and numbers, how to use, 65–67
Stephanopoulos, George, 86
Stone, Linda, 38
stories,
brain activity and, 62
finding customer, 59
stories
and creating tension, 62
and marketing, 62
storytelling to build identity, 177–179
strategic moves, leadership teams and, 2
strategy, your playbook and, 18
stressed-out state, constant, 38
subliminal advertising, 31
T
taglines, 3
talking about others, building discipline for, 42
and related brain activity, 41–42
talking points, playbooks and, 14
technology, constant connectedness through, 93
technology and coworker relationships, 115
television, time spent watching, 5–6
tension, the benefits of, 62
tensions, recognizing customer, 61
three levels of competency, 51–52
three-legged stool of business messaging, the, 9–11
time pressures, technology that can alleviate, 37–38
Timex policy, 32
timing of your business message, the, 43
Toman, Nicolas, 54
tone of your message, changing the, 14
tradition and authenticity, the differences of, 32–33
training, building a system of, 11
transportation, sharing, 92
trust,
credibility and earning, 52
trusted professional, three steps to being a, 49–53
Twitter,
poorly executed messages on, 104
talking about yourself on, 41
U
Under Armour, 97
understanding, matching your data to common, 66
Ung, Haeng, 167
upspeaking, the success of, 118–119
urgency, creating, 161
V
value of consistency, the, 136
value proposition, customer-facing employees and your, 80–81
values and the connection to culture, 140
Vicary, James, 31
visible behaviors, consistent, 152
vision, communicating your, 162
vision for change, creating a, 162
W
Wammes, Jeffrey, 63
weakness, knowing your point of, 11–12
wins, creating short-term, 162
word of mouth,
offline, 80
online, 2
words,
using pictures to represent, 63–64
your message and using the right amount of, 29
words
for a mission statement, 28–29
that help focus conversations on others, 42–43
that provoke skepticism, 27
that provoke unease, 27
writing notes, the benefits of, 64
writing out conversation plans, 64–65
Z
Zak, Paul, 62