3 Strategies for Powerful Communication (and Getting More Opportunities)

You've heard it, and I've probably heard it thousands of times.

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“It’s not what you say; it’s how you say it.”

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Your inflections and tone of voice can significantly alter the meaning of what you say.

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UCLA's Albert Mehrabian, a communications expert, divides communication into three levels:

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Body language/Actions – 55%

Tone of voice – 38%

Words spoken – 7%

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His breakdown leads us to the conclusion that tone of voice accounts for 38% of your message, while words make up the remaining 7%.

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Therefore, the previously quoted statement is indeed true.

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How you say it > What you say

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As a sales trainer, I write lots of scripts, specifically cold calling scripts.

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In my coaching sessions, when I ask my students to role-play and use a script to pretend they're calling a prospect (me in this case) to set up a meeting, they will recite the script exactly as it is, but they're still not properly calibrated.

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The congruency just isn’t there yet.?

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My interest wanes not due to the information itself, but rather due to the delivery method.

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Derek Murphy from www.creativindie.com , who owns a book cover design business, wrote an article titled “Can a new book cover double sales—a case study with 10 authors.”

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In this article, he talks about sometimes doing free makeovers for indie authors that produce amazing results. He redesigns book covers for authors, and the data speaks for itself.

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For example, one of his clients went from selling 15 books a month to selling 96 books a month. Now, let’s put that into perspective. We’ll call his book, Book A.

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He sells 15 copies of Book A on Amazon each month for $19.99 bringing his monthly revenue to $299.85.

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After the makeover, he sells 96 copies of Book A/month bringing his new monthly revenue to $1,919.04.

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From the aforementioned information:

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Old Revenue = $299.85

New Revenue = $1,919.04

Plugging these values into the formula, we get:

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Percentage Increase = (($1,919.04 - $299.85) / $299.85) * 100

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Calculating this gives us:

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Percentage Increase ≈ 540%

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Therefore, the revenue from Book A increased by approximately 540% after the makeover.

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I hope with these numbers I’ve proven my initial thesis, which states that:

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How you say it > What you say

1. Building confidence in communication

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It’s easy to tell someone to learn to communicate better with confidence, but the question will always be, “How?”

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First things first, you’ll have to challenge every negative thought you have about improving your communication skills.

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If you hold the belief that it’s either you've got it or you don't, you won't make any effort to improve in this area.

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I mean, why would you even try if you have this kind of self-limiting belief?

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I'm the perfect example, and I've come a long way.

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I've transformed from a shy boy with anxiety attacks and sweaty palms to a serial networker who isn't afraid to get in front of a camera.

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Let’s go down memory lane, shall we?

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The memory of that summer in Toronto is still vivid. I remember seeing this stunning Latina at a bar and feeling a surge of courage. But as I approached her, my nerves got the better of me. My legs turned to jelly, and my words vanished. I spent the rest of the night gazing at her, lost in my harmless fantasy.

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Would that happen today?

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Heck no!

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Why?

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I've mostly replaced my negative thoughts with positive ones.

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I see myself as an interesting, good-looking guy that any woman would be lucky to meet.

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Now, would that always be the case?

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Not really!

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The reality is that not everyone will see me how I see myself, but it doesn’t matter at all.

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The most important thing is how I see myself, period.

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I believe this negative pattern of thinking is a natural tendency in our brains.

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We assume that we may be bothering the other person.

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We never think that they may actually be yearning to strike up a conversation with us.

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The truth is that it can go either way, and the only way to find out is by striking up a conversation with that person.

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Their body language and tone of voice will tell you whether they’re interested or not.

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But first, you have to be an interesting person.

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And if you have negative thoughts, there's no way you'll be interesting. Those negative thoughts will come off in your energy (body language and tone of voice).

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Your next step is to practice regularly.

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Even if you have gotten rid of your negative thoughts, it doesn’t mean you’ll automatically be well calibrated.

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In those situations, practice makes calibration easier and more comfortable. You can find yourself an accountability partner, a mentor, or join a public speaking group like Toastmasters.

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2. Effective communication strategies

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To communicate effectively means you must know your audience.

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You’ll have to tailor your message to the people you're speaking to.

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For example, A kindergarten teacher will communicate differently from a university professor.

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Why?

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The audience, of course.

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In 2017/2018 I started learning a lot of high-frequency words, and I’d use them all the time to sound intelligent.

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Indeed, people perceived me as a highly intelligent individual, but was my communication effective?

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I mean, being impressive isn't bad, but if my audience doesn't understand me, why bother?

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So, I had to start using clear and concise language. I got rid of the jargon and technical terms that clearly confused my audience.

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Then I practiced active listening, and I don't mean listening just to respond.

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I mean actually paying attention to what others are saying and demonstrating that you're engaged.

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People know when you’re not engaged, especially if you’re faking it.

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That’s really one of the fastest ways to lose trust.

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The point is not to be disingenuous.

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3. Networking and building relationships

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Newsflash: You won't get better at communicating by staying in your comfort zone and only speaking to the people you already know, i.e., your friends, colleagues, and family.

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That’s definitely not going to help you improve.

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You’ll need to get out there in this big bad world.

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You’ll need to attend industry events, meet new people, and build your network.

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There are conferences held almost every month and, worst-case scenario, every quarter.

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Join chambers of commerce in your city.

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Just last year, I was a member of at least three chambers of commerce in Ghana.

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I can’t remember who said it, but your network is your net worth.

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Now, it’s not enough to just meet new people and exchange business cards.

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It is actually your responsibility to follow up with the people you meet.

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I always send a personalized email to thank people for their time and conversation.

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The key here is to be authentic because you only build genuine relationships by being yourself.

Conclusion

Look, I get it.

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Overcoming communication anxiety takes time and effort, but it's a worthwhile investment.

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It’s not easy, but it’s as simple as reciting ABC.

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All you need to do is follow the tips in this guide, and you’ll develop the confidence and skills you need to communicate effectively and achieve your goals.

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Let me say this: even to this day, I feel nervous at times.

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The trick is to embrace the challenge and use it as an opportunity for growth.

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Are you with me?

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If you need any help, feel free to reach out.

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This is Christopher Njokanma, signing off.

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Every week, I stay committed to providing value for you. Remember, my daring reader, to Like, Comment, and Share this article, for it might be the boost someone needs to improve their communication skills. Stay tuned for more awe-inspiring insights and discoveries in the captivating world of unconventional success.

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Christopher is the President @ Cloud 98 - We power your brand's growth by harmonizing content and conversion.