✌️ Need A Shortcut? Try This Cringe-Worthy Strategy.

This week, I’m going to cover a simple, yet cringe-worthy exercise to shortcut your way to becoming a better communicator.

There’s NOTHING…I repeat NOTHING… more important than being a strong communicator in sales.

Yet most sellers are more worried about finding the next ‘slick’ cold call opener or script than practicing HOW to ‘deliver’ them.

In today’s article, I’ll cover:

• A simple 3-min cringey exercise to shortcut your learning

• The ‘why’ behind the importance

• What things to look for and how to improve

*Don't forget to stay til the end to see who won last week's "button" game.

The Exercise

Ok, what’s this cringey exercise I speak of?

I call it the 3 min. freestyle.

Here’s how you do it.

Step 1: Fire up Zoom, Teams, iPhone, or fav video recording tool

Step 2: Set a timer for 3 minutes

Step 3: Turn on the camera, un-mute, and hit record

Step 4: Start your ‘freestyle’ as if you’re talking to someone

No script.

No deck.

No practice.

Just start ‘freestylin’ gangster.

Once the 3 min. is up - stop the recording.

Now is where the real magic happens.

I Hate My Listening To My Own Voice

Yes, we all do.

But…This is the FIRST step to improving your skills.

Go back and listen to your freestyle.

However…the first time CLOSE YOUR EYES and ONLY listen.

This step is all about listening to HOW you sound and not what you look like.

1. Did you sound confident or unsure?

2. Did you ramble or have natural pauses?

3. Did you use a lot of filler words? (ums, uhs, etc.)

4. Did you have inflections in your tone or sound monotone?

Pay close attention to how you SOUND and make notes.

Ok - on to the next step.

WTH Am I Doing With My Hands?

Step 2.

Go back and listen again…

This time - MUTE your volume.

We’re only going to focus on your body language.

1. Did you use facial expressions or look emotionless?

2. Did you use your hands or did you look like a statue?

3. Could you understand the tone of your ‘freestyle’ w/o sound?

If you saw my 7-38-55 Rule post, you know that 55% of how a listener perceives emotion is based on the body language that we use.

Adding this alone can skyrocket your effectiveness.

What’s Your Go-To Filler Word?

For the last step, we’re going to listen one last time.

This time - listen for filler words (ums, uhs, etc.)

Each time you hear one - write it down - make a tick mark each time you say it.

Nothing will kill your credibility faster than a bunch of filler words.

We use filler words when we’re waiting for our brains to catch up with our thoughts.

Instead of trying to fill the space, try a “pause” instead.

Not only will this help reduce your filler words, BUT…

It will also add natural pauses in your speech pattern which helps your listener follow along.

Rinse & Repeat

The final step in this process is to keep practicing.

Add it once a week.

You’ll become more confident.

You’ll use more body language.

You’ll eliminate your filler words.

And most importantly - you’ll start DOMINATING your competitors.

If you take only 1 thing from this article - let it be this.

HOW you say something will ALWAYS be more important that WHAT you say.

Here’s me doing the 3-min freestyle this morning!

The Button Game...No Winners This Week

Thanks to everyone who played along last week.

The final number of clicks was...

Bad news - No one guessed it right. (4 people were within 1!)

Good news - the pot doubled.

For any new readers - playing is simple. Reply to this email with how many times you think the button below (Current Prize Pot Button) will be clicked.

Guess right, win the prize pot.

No one guesses right - it doubles for next week.

If you liked this article, share it with a friend. (check out others here.) ✌️