Power-blogging!

A BLOG ABOUT BLOGGING!!!

I am enjoying the beauty of the early evening………..when the sun is still warm, the breeze is cool and the shadows dance across the ground. My thoughts are on all of us as speakers. My thoughts are on the economic issues we are all facing in some way or another. My thoughts are on what should our attitude, approach and mindset be?

It makes me think about one of my favorite quotes:

“BE AWARE OF GOING BACK TO WHAT YOU ONCE WERE…………….WHEN GOD WANTS YOU TO BE SOMETHING YOU HAVE NEVER BEEN!”

Friends, collogues and fellow speakers…………this is not the time to look back! This is the time to look forward. This is the time to believe in yourself like you have never done before! This is the time to ACT!
I truly believe that our NSA chapter is not a feather in our caps, but a block in our foundation. It is a block we can stand on, it is a place to gain confidence, it is a place to learn from each other! It is a place to create collaboration not competition.

Today is a day to learn from each other about being something we have never been!

I want ………….YOU to use a BLOG to help create …………BUZZ about you………………BENEFITS to your clients…………AND BUSINESS in your calendar!

I challenge all of us to reach 1000 new people each month for the next 3 months .I challenge all of us to use technology-blogs, u-tube, vimeo, social media and podcasts to reach those 1000 each month I challenge all of us to report back the results at the NSA meeting in June!.

Remember PEOPLE BUY FROM PEOPLE………….BUT THEY CANT BUY FROM PEOPLE THEY DON’T KNOW!!! REMEMBER PEOPLE ARE STILL GOING TO BUY………BUT, THEY CAN’T BUY FROM PEOPLE THEY DON’T KNOW ABOUT. REMEMBER PEOPLE WILL BUY FROM THE BEST PEOPLE!.............. YOU ARE THE ABSOLUTE BEST!!!!!!!!.....................BUT DO THEY KNOW YOU???!!!!
YOUR JOB IS TO GET THEM TO KNOW YOU!!! USE TECHNOLOGY TO SPREAD THE WORD OF YOU!!!

I DARE YOU!!!!!!!

Bart

Obama Follows Leadership Communication Principle

Obama follows leadership communication principle…………….

I watched President Obama’s press event last night. I have to say I was impressed!!! Not necessarily at the answers to the questions. That is a topic for another time. I am talking about the strategy he is using to communicate with the American people.

From a leadership perspective a key communication principle is to communicate early and often. We have all worked for organizations that shoved some idea down our throats. What you and I might call the flavor of the month….. The result in that approach is that RESISTENCE becomes extremely high! Push back! Not buying it!!!

President Obama is taking a different approach. He is narrowing the gap between government and the people by communicating often his thoughts, actions and policies. This makes him more real, this makes him seem more like us! This begins to feel like you are having a discussion with someone in your home. The more we see ourselves in him, the more we relate to his thinking process, the more we realize we are similar………..the more trust he builds!

Again I say the three keys to a strong communication foundation are: build trust, build relationship with your listeners, and build engagement. He is definitely working to establish those ideas. From a communication score board I give him a B+ so far……………………….

The question for you and I is can we apply the same principles in our business life and personal life?

Do you communicate early, often and consistently? Or do you pout, throw brick walls and wait to the last second?

We can definitely follow President Obama’s lead on this one!


Bart Queen, Remarkability Expert
CEO, Ultimate POWERSPEAK
bart@ultimatepowerspeak.com

Always Make your CONFIDENCE Greater than your COMFORT!

ALWAYS MAKE YOUR CONFIDENCE GREATER THAN YOUR COMFORT!

The effort of building confidence is what “turns the art of communication into the science of results.” Companies spend thousands of dollars on marketing strategies, operational strategies, and financial strategies. Hardly any spend time on thinking through a communication strategy.
Most companies don’t even consider how to prep and train those individuals who are the human face of their companies: Sales, engineers, technology experts, customer service reps and many others.

In this economy the key differentiator is the ability to delivery the company’s message in a compelling, concise, clear manner.

I truly believe you have to focus on the four keys areas of the communication process: development of the message, deployment of the message, delivery of the message, and the sustainability of the message. To miss one area is to commit “business suicide”.

One of my client, SAS, has chosen to do it right as they prep for their largest user conference. Over the last several years they have taken the time to make sure their presenters were prepped, practiced and professional. They have seen their customer rating of the presenters’ sky-rocket! Customers are pleased, satisfaction is rising and success of the conference continues to be strong.

Here is a short video clip speaking about how they prep for their conference. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F5SxA7AQvJM

Now is the time to invest in your people!!! Give them the communication skills to successfully communicate the real value of your company, its products and services.

Failure is not an option. Take the BART-onomics test. Walk through your company and ask one simple question to five different people.

The question is: “WHAT ARE THE TOP THREE BENEFITS YOUR COMPANY, SERVICE OR PRODUCT BRINGS TO THE TABLE?”

If all 5 people answer with the same answer……………..you’re golden!!! If not ………….a COMMUNICATION STRATEGY IS NECESSARY AND CRITICAL TO YOUR SUCCESS!

The definition of strategy in its root meaning is ……….. “the art of generals”.

Are your people communicating with a STRATEGY in mind????

Bart Queen
CEO, ULTIMATE POWERSPEAK
www.bartqueen.com

Bartonomics! Communicating for the Competitive Advantage! Obama's Communication Strategy Leads the Way!

BARTONOMICS! COMMMUNICATING FOR THE COMPETIITVE ADVANTAGE-
Obama’s communication strategy leads the way!

President Obama is about to do a first! He is moving the office of president into the 21st century in his use of communication channels. President Obama is following the key principle we constantly teach at ULTIMATE POWERSPEAK …..We must be listener focused, not speaker focused. The bottom line today our communication is not about us………..It’s about the listener.
NO MATTER WHAT COMMUNICATION SITUATION YOU ARE IN……………..THERE ARE THREE KEY STATEGIC GOALS……………….BUILD TRUST, BUILD RELATIONSHIP, BUILD ENGAGEMENT!

President Obama is carrying on these two key communication principles through in the communication channels he is choosing.

The first example of this is the way he reached out to people thru the internet and email programs. The impact was huge! The result, greater awareness, greater relationships…….the final goal...more votes. Now we have social media blazing across the frontier as a way of communicating and staying in contact.

I would place a $20 dollar wager that somehow, some way we will be able to communicate with the President via a social media tool. I give him one year.

For our grandparents and parents it was the classic idea of a fireside chat. You will remember the image of Jimmy Carter, seated in his high back chair, wearing a cardigan sweater.
President Obama knows his audience! He is reaching out to his younger techno savvy audience!
The second example is his decision to be on the Jay Leno show! In my opinion this is brilliant!!! He reaches a huge audience by being on television……….nothing new. The catch is twofold……….late night TV and a talk show. The perception is SNL KIND OF STUFF!!!!
You want to watch, the country will watch, the world will watch! You want to build engagement? He has done it!

My question to all of you in your business communication- talks, speeches, keynotes, marketing campaigns, and meetings……………….Are you listener focused in your approach? Are you optimizing your communication channels to build engagement, awareness and results?
I challenge you as individuals and businesses to apply those two principles to your communication- be listener focused in your approach, make your goal to build trust, relationship and engagement! We don’t have to be the president to use these ideas………….watch what happens……………….you can turn the art of communication into the science of results!

Email me at Bart@bartqueen.com if you need additional information or if you have a story to share about being listener focused or building engagement!

Bart Queen
CEO, ULTIMATE POWERSPEAK
bart@bartqueen.com

Don't Go With How It Feels.....Go With the Impact It Creates!

DONT GO WITH HOW IT FEELS.........GO WITH THE IMAPCT THAT IT MAKES!

I have realized after my last few training classes that we base a tremendous amount on our feelings instead of our reason. I am so guilty of this in other areas of my life. It costs me every time...BIG TIME!!!

One of the most difficult issues in learning communication skills is fighting how some of these skills feel, compared to the results they get. We want the communication process to be about us!! It just doesn’t work. We can see that in our personal relationships almost every day. Our spouses, significant others say to us............”You’re just not listening!”

The bottom line is this…………..our customers, our clients, our colleagues are saying the same thing!!

“YOU’RE JUST NOT LISTENING!!!!!” People are fed up with anyone who ‘shows up and throws up!’

When will we get it?

Today in this economic time we have a golden opportunity to rise to the top. We can stand out! We can be a pace-setter!!!!! It is within our reach!

If you want it ……….its yours………..the question is if you want it badly enough. “If you always do what you have always done ……….you will always get what you always got!”

I believe we need to turn the art of communication into the science remarkable results!

How do we do it?

The first step is to develop a different mindset around the key principles of communicating.

Principle #1: Everything you do should map to these three key goals:
BUILD TRUST, BUILD RELATIONSHIP, AND BUILD ENGAGEMENT.

Principle #2: Be listener focused in your communication …. It’s NOT ABOUT YOU!!!!
.
Principle #3: Embrace and understand the concept of “perception versus reality.”

If you can grasp these three ideas and implant them into you life………..you’ve WON!

If you want to rise to the top, excel in what you’re doing and communicate to create remarkable results……………………I WANT YOU TO KNOW…..........I’m listening.

Bart Queen
CEO, Ultimate Power Speak

Be Remarkable! I Dare You!

Remarkable

What if we took the time to think about being “remarkable”? Forcing ourselves to look at what we are and imagining what we could be. Not waiting for change, but being the catalyst for change. The philosophy of REMARKABILITY has been ours since day one. Remarkable is believing you are! Remarkability is knowing you are the difference!


Remarkable is action.

Remarkable is doing what others believe is impossible.

Remarkable is sharing your life’s gifts.

Remarkable is letting your life speak!


Remarkable is finding your personal place to stand.

Remarkable is taking that stand.

Remarkable is moving the world.


Letting your life speak is remarkable! You are remarkable!
REMARKABILITY is doing it over and over again!

Do you dare to be remarkable?!

I dare you!


~ Barton J. Queen
Remarkability Expert
CEO, ULTIMATE POWERSPEAK