This guide belongs to 100 Ways To Be Being Remarkable Series, a special project that brings you business and self-development advice from The Success Manual.

Research shows that 40% of your professional salary is earned by listening…80% of a CEO’s salary is earned through listening.
- Colleen Mckena

Never miss a good chance to shut up.
- Anon

Communication is something so simple and difficult that we can never put it into simple words.
- T.S. Mathews

It is a luxury to be understood.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nobody ever got trouble by keepin’ his mouth shut.
- Forrest Gump

It takes two to speak the truth – one to talk, another to hear.
- An Old Saying

The medium is the message’ because it is the medium that shapes and controls the search and form of human associations and actions.
- Marshall Mcluhan

A good conversationalist is not one who remembers what was said, but says what someone wants to remember.
- John Mason Brown

If you don't like what you're hearing, respond with a question, even if it's no more than "Why are you saying that?"
- Mark McCormack

Email is a communications medium, not a collaboration medium. When confused as a collaboration tool, efficiency plummets.
- Ben Casnocha

A closed mouth gathers no feet.
- Finster's Law

The basic rule of human nature is that powerful people speak slowly and subservient people quickly—because if they don't speak fast nobody will listen to them.
- Michael Caine

Silence is one of the hardest arguments to refute.
- Josh Billings

Silence is golden when you can't think of a good answer.
- Muhammad Ali

It is a great thing to know the season for speech and the season for silence.
- Seneca

To communicate well, you need,
- A lucid though process.
- Clear articulation of these thoughts.
- Arranging these thoughts in a logical manner for expressing.
- Language and grammar knowledge.
- Right accent and pronunciation.
- Knowledge of the subject.
- Poise in case of verbal communication.
- Confidence.
- Ability to generate communications which is reader-friendly.
- Ability to listen and retain the significant inputs.

Book Summary: SECRETS OF THE WORLD’S GREATEST BUSINESS COMMUNICATORS
by Carmine Gallo

Three types of speakers
* C Speakers: Do No Harm
* B Speakers: Make People Care
* A Speakers: Change the way they see the world

Passion
- Figure out what you're truly passionate about
- It's usually not about the widget, but the great things the widget will do for your customers

Inspiration
- Paint a picture of a world made better by your product, service, company, or cause
o Kathy Sierra's corollary: Paint a picture of how your users can use your p/s/c/c to make their world better
- Sell the benefit (a picture of a world that does not yet exist...but could)
o "The Internet is changing the we way we live, work, play, and learn."
o "Do you want to sell sugar water your whole life, or do you want to save the world."
o "We create a sense of community--a third place between work and home."

Preparation
- Great communicators prepare and rehearse. Steve Jobs rehearses for days.

Know your audience

Three key questions
- What does the audience need to know?
- Why should they care?
- What action do I want them to take

Start strong
- Grab their attention IMMEDIATELY
- "Salespeople, our Wal-Mart deal is going to make this the best year in company history."

Start strong and end strong
- People always remember how you start and how you end

Clarity
- Cut through the jargon in your language

Make your message easy to follow
- Tell stories
- Use examples, facts, figures, analogies, and metaphors
- Flag key points ("If you're going to remember anything from this presentation, remember this."

Brevity
- At most, 15-18 minutes
- Use short words
- Use short paragraphs
- Cut ruthlessly

Dynamic Delivery
- Vary tone
- Vary speed
- Pause for impact
- Punch key words

Command Presence
- Convey authority, confidence, and control (e.g. Larry Ellison's body language)
- Good posture
- Eye contact
- Open posture
- Hand gestures
- Dress the part
o Dress well: "Leaders dress a little better than everybody else."
o Dress appropriately for the culture--e.g. Steve Jobs and his turtleneck

Reinvention
- Bring up something new--show that you are learning
- e.g. Madonna!

Also Read
The Networker's Bible: 75+ tips on connecting and influencing people
A simple guide to becoming a Great Listener
How To Talk Well and Impress Everyone
How to be remarkable #51: Be a great public speaker
Body Language simple, very simple

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