Is anybody really listening?

I have been working on my next book and was playing around with the title. Its’ focus is on presenting, pitching and positioning.

As I’ve been writing, I have been thinking about all the distractions that make it harder and harder to get your point across. From the Internet to new media; from free podcasts to increased advertising frequency.

It’s harder and harder to be heard.

In this Personal Best I wanted to suggest 3 ideas on how to be heard above the noise of others.

1. Use analogies and metaphors to explain what you do. This lets people understand what you are saying by using a mental hook they already have. They don’t need to fit anything new in their already crowded brain.
   
2. Say the same thing lots of different ways. Sometimes use big words - sometime use casual slang. Put simply, find ways to say the same thing with repetitive variety.
   
3. Ask questions. A question that’s on topic or around your point, creates a vacuum in the mind of your listener, which means that the messages that follow are more likely to stick.
   

So SPEAK UP! Nobody is listening to you.