What you have to say

There is a great line in one of Neil Simon's plays. One of the characters is discussing the merits of what another of the characters is saying. His line regarding the verbose tendency is: "He doesn't have much to say, it is just that you have to listen to so much to figure that out." One of my friends from early in my career was explaining the specifics of a screenplay when he told me that every line in a movie is designed to be a part of the overall story. Noting is left to chance, every word has a designed meaning as it relates to the intention of the writer.

We should all be more selective when we are talking to prospects or clients about our product or service. Make every statement count because time, especially time that they are really focusing, is precious and limited. Business is full of distractions and even though you may feel you have the undivided attention of the person you are talking to, it is very likely that they are processing other information based on the need to make things happen or solve a particular problem. People are busy and while you may feel that what you have to say is really important, they may not and their opinion is all that matters. You need to continually sharpen your conversation skills so that you are listening intently and then responding appropriately by saying as much as possible in the fewest possible words. The value of repetition cannot be ignored when you are attempting to make an mission-critical statement, but make sure to do so in a manner that is not condescending or insulting. Saying the same mission-critical things in a number of different ways is smart but can be distracting if you are not doing so at an appropriate time in a strategic manner.

Do not assume that people really care what you have to say unless it is relevant to helping them solve their problems or grow their business. Stay focused and on point!