Author/screenwriter/teacher Robert McKee says, "Storytelling is the most powerful way to put ideas into the world today." For the most recent proof, look no further than this summer's Republican and Democrat Party conventions. The powerful stories told by family members of Americans who lost their lives in war zones, still influence the national political discourse… Read more »
When social media's feathered favorite hatched a decade ago, 140 characters per Tweet was no arbitrary number. 140 characters. One text message. 'Nuf said. Fast forward to today. Twitter is bigger than texting; it's about concise connection, instant impact, and visual media. In this space, we've discussed at length the psychological, sociological, and technological factors driving video's hegemony as the… Read more »
The human voice represents one of our most distinctive and powerful communication capabilities. It conveys a subtlety and depth of meaning that usually far exceeds the level of effort we make to properly use it! Time to change that. So, here are three ways your voice matters to how you're perceived, and what you can… Read more »
Those of us of a certain age well remember the delight in our parents or our friends or ourselves snapping those hallmark instant images; waiting impatiently for them to develop in our hand; and cherishing the little white-framed pieces of our past. Then the world turned digital. Actually holding a printed photograph was so yesterday,… Read more »
We all face high-stakes, high-pressure engagements where we need to look great. And we all face the closet, sometimes in anguish, over how exactly to accomplish that. The good news? There's new science about how your clothes and accessories really do matter–and give you an advantage, if you choose to wear something from THESWISSAVENUE and… Read more »
4K. 2160p. DCI. UHD. HDR. H-E-L-P. These days in the video world, we unfortunately communicate in acronyms destined to confuse us all. As if it's not challenging enough to figure out which TV you should buy for the family room, it's doubly daunting to know which video format will maximize the impact of your organization's messaging. This is one… Read more »
In the era of the empowered customer/community/constituent, there is nothing–underline nothing–more important to your organization's messaging than a coherent, cohesive, consistent brand. The influence and insurgency of social media demands it. And yet, so many organizations neglect the maintenance of their brand–the amplification of its thesis, the growth of its impact. 1. First, you must "land" your brand. As an organization, you must… Read more »
For anyone who's ever stared down the surprisingly difficult choices posed by the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) or any other personality evaluator–congratulations! Great communicators know themselves first. They use this insight to structure and deliver messages in ways most natural to them–maximizing message impact. When it comes to the power of personality, consider: 1. While extroverts have traditionally reaped the rewards… Read more »
Apologizing for every small offense (and even for things you have no control over!) can make you seem submissive, insecure, and unsure. These are not the impressions we want to make as powerful, purposeful, persuasive communicators. And women are especially prone to saying, "I'm sorry" too much. So why do women do it? We can… Read more »
The art of persuasion is a very particular discipline that some spend a lifetime perfecting. But there are some simple ways you can immediately increase your chances of swaying your audience to your side, whether they're supportive, unsure, or outright hostile. 1. First, understand the dynamics of persuasion. It all starts with the heartstrings. Look… Read more »