For many years one of the best talk shows on TV was the Larry King Live on CNN. The Atlanta based superstation reached audiences around the world which made the talk show even more important for people to want to be on. The host is Larry King and part of the lure of the show was information, part was entertainment and a huge part of the appeal was the ability of the host to bring out the sincerity and honesty of the guest. Every group has a communication strategy – what message they want to get out and as members of the public we know this; the sincerity of the person is why we keep listening or watching. Larry King who has done it better than most – offer his secrets which are not really secrets just very hard to do every day. One of Larry King’s books is How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere – The Secrets of Good Communication, Crown Publishers, NY, 1994.

Business Talk

1. The same basic principles apply in business talk as in social conversation. Be direct and open, and be a good listener if your want to be a good talker.
2. If you are talking within your industry you can assume people know the terms, if not assume they do not know the terms and you need to speak in a lay language.
3. Time is money. Do not waste the time of the people you are talking to.

The Art of Selling

Everyone is selling something. Know what you are selling; and once you have closed the deal do not keep selling. Always sell the advantages of the product, not the features (soon all the competition will have the same features).

Interviews

Show prospective employers what you can do for them. How you can solve a problem.

Maintain an open attitude

Be prepared – what do you want to bring up or ensure your best is shown.

Ask questions. – if you can ask a positive question you have already gone a long way toward demonstrating that you are with the program. Listen to the answers and then you can move forward.

How to Negotiating – when you are in negotiations you will need to negotiating from an upper hand or from strength. This can be seen both in appearance, body language, and having other options (at least in your mind).

If you believe in sledgehammer approach do not expect a long term relationship. People have long memories and will be looking for alternatives. Try to keep fences mended so you can win again the next time.

What makes a Good and Bad Guests?

What I look for in a potential guest:

1. A passion for his or her work.
2. The ability to explain that work clearly and in a way that our viewers will find interesting
3. A chip of the shoulder
4. A sense of humor, preferably self deprecating.

A bad guest never starts as a bad guest because you believe they would be interesting.

A person who only hits the same note over and over again – the same point in different fashion – a talking head.

The Larry King show is a phone in and if the guest can not take a kidding or listen to a different view, they are a poor guest.

People who answer 90% of the questions with one or two words are poor quests.

Giving a Speech

The secret is really no secret, it is to think of it has do different from any other form of talk. It is a way of sharing thoughts with other people. Talk about something you know, people you met or talked to.

Be Prepared with the following structure

Tell them what you are going to tell them

Tell them

Tell them what you have told them

Look at your audience – if you read part look at different parts of the audience

Know the pacing and inflection you want to use

Stand up straight

Know thy audience

Brevity can be great, but people do what to hear.

KISS – keep it simple, stupid

Linking to dividend paying stocks, as a shareholder the first thing you want to hear is the company made a profit and can continue to pay its dividend. How much and how the execution was and continues to be is the next steps. If the company made a profit, then you can either continue to hold or at least be comfortable in your convictions. If not then move to alternatives on your lists. If the President tells you how hard the year has been, those are times to reduce your holdings.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.