Episode #037: Bill McGowan, Author, Pitch Perfect: How to Say it Right the First Time, Every Time (with Alisa Bowman)

Today more than ever, your ability to communicate effectively and command attention when necessary is critical to your success.
Unfortunately, if you’re like most, you’ve picked up some bad communication-related habits along your journey and, worse, you may not even be aware of many of them.
That’s where a communications coach like Bill McGowan comes in. He is the founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group and is a two-time Emmy Award-winning correspondent. After spending decades interviewing hundreds of newsmakers, CEOs, celebrities, authors, editors, attorneys and athletes, Bill now uses his his experiences to coach and train everyone from corporate CEOs to celebrities.
Fortunately for you and me, we’re able to tap into his expertise in his brand new book Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time. In it, Bill clearly and concisely lays out what he calls the Seven Principles of Persuasion, along with a litany of faux pas many speakers today are often guilty of.
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I saw at least a little of myself in each of the four Poor Communicators categories Bill McGowan references. See if you recognize yourself in any of these?

The Backspace Button Presser – You talk like you type, attempting to constantly perfect your words using the backspace button. In speech, this might sound like, “I was in California. I think it was northern California. And I was driving…well, actually, I was the passenger. My friend was driving. Anyway, we were going to this conference. Well, it was more like a meeting…” This can frustrate those you’re trying to reach.
The Minutiae Lover – You get caught up in explaining the details of, say, some new product you’re launching and less about what your customer can do with your awesome new product. Think instead how it will change their lives. How will it help them?
The Expounder – You like to repeat your main points over and over again to ensure you’re getting through. This is especially noticeable when the person talking is expected to meet some arbitrary duration requirement (a college professor, say, or a keynote speaker who has an hour to fill).
The Cliche Champ – If this one requires explanation, then you might not be the sharpest tool in the shed. Get it?

Don’t worry though. If you’re like me and noticed some of your own tendencies in the list above, Bill will help you understand the steps necessary to get to the other side.
In today’s episode, he shares:

* How to inspire others on your team to do their very best
* How to make the most of your staff meetings and stop wasting time
* How to stand up in a room full of people with confidence and command
* And a lot more!

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