Communication

7 Words To Change On Your Resume (For More Impact & Value): 1. Responsible For Anyone can be “responsible for” something. Instead, use more specific, action-oriented language like:  - Developed  - Spearheaded  - Overhauled  - Generated  - Etc. Pair those with measurable outcomes for a winning resume bullet. 2. Hard Working Simply claiming to work hard doesn't convey tangible results. Replace this with:  - Increased  - Delivered  - Optimized  - Exceeded  - Improved Hard-working customer service representative → Improved customer retention by 30% through enhanced service strategies. 3. Team Player Employers don’t just want someone who says they’re a team player. They want to see the results of those collaborations. Replace this with:  - Collaborated  - Partnered  - Led  - Mentored Team player in marketing → Partnered with cross-functional teams to develop and execute a campaign, boosting lead conversion by 40%. 4. Results-Driven Being results-driven doesn’t mean you actually drove any results. Prove that with better language and metrics. Replace this with:  - Generated  - Produced  - Reduced  - Increased Results-driven marketing specialist → Produced a 200% increase in website traffic through a targeted SEO strategy. 5. Detail-Oriented Claiming you're detail-oriented is meaningless without evidence. Show it through actions and accomplishments instead. Replace this with:  - Audited  - Identified  - Improved  - Enhanced Detail-oriented project manager → Enhanced project documentation accuracy, reducing errors by 30%. 6. Self-Motivated Rather than saying you’re self-motivated, show it with results. Replace this with:  - Initiated  - Led  - Launched  - Created  - Developed Self-motivated team lead → Initiated a mentorship program, increasing employee engagement scores by 20%. 7. Communicator Don’t just say you’re a “great communicator” or have “communication skills.” Show them! Replace this with:  - Presented  - Negotiated  - Advised Consultant with excellent communication skills → Presented 30+ workshops to client teams resulting in 37% improved operational efficiency.

I just deleted 147 cold emails without reading them. Here’s what they all got wrong: Every morning, my inbox looks the same. A flood of pitches from people trying to sell me something. Most days, I just mass delete them. But this morning, I decided to actually read through them first. Within 5 minutes, I spotted a pattern. Everyone was making the exact same mistake. They were all trying to close the deal. ALL IN THE FIRST MESSAGE 🥵 Let me show you what I mean (with two small examples): APPROACH A: "The Wall of Text" Send 100 cold emails with full pitch, calendar link, and case studies. • 3 people open • 0 responses • 0 intros This looks exactly like the 147 emails I just deleted "Hi [Name], I noticed your company is scaling fast! We help companies like yours optimize their marketing stack through our proprietary AI technology. Our clients see 300% ROI within 90 days. Here's my Calendly link to book a 15-min chat: [LINK]. Looking forward to connecting! Best, [Name]" BORING!!! APPROACH B: "Micro Conversations" Same 100 prospects, broken down into micro-convo's. Email 1: "Do you know [mutual connection]?" • Send 100 • ~40 open • ~20 respond Email 2: "They mentioned you're scaling your marketing team. I'd love to connect about [specific thing]." • Send to 20 who responded • ~15 continue engaging Email 3: "Would you mind if they made an intro?" • Ask 15 engaged prospects • ~10 intros Final score: • Approach A: No intros • Approach B: 10 intros How to Apply These Lessons (Tactical Summary): 1. Focus on Micro-Conversations: Break your cold outreach into smaller, manageable steps. Build rapport before making any asks. 2. Personalize Everything: Reference mutual connections, specific company milestones, or shared interests in every message. 3. Play the Long Game: Aim for replies in the first message.. not conversions. If you’ve been struggling with cold outreach, you might just need a new approach. Give this one a try and lmk how it goes.

Here's how I write a cold email to an Enterprise account, without pitching a solution. - CEO spoke about X (x = observation about a strategic objective their business is pursuing) - Not sure if you're seeing Y (y = hypothesized problem that commonly occurs as a result of that objective) - Are you weighing the pros and cons of A vs B? (A & B = two possible actions their business might take to address that problem; ex: hire a dedicated ENT sales team vs. upskill their existing MMKT sales team) - If so, ALPHA company was in a similar spot. Open to hearing how they thought through it? - Either way, great to see X. Instead of leading with our solution, we're leading with insight into how others have thought through the problem. Not sure how to fill in the "A&B" section? Go back to deals your team won. How were those accounts solving the problem before they bought from you? (Tip: go to the call recording of that first call and listen for how they were currently solving the problem) And, what other categories of spend (not direct competitors) did they evaluate in addition to your solution? Ex: when I was selling sales methodology, I wasn't just competing against other sales training companies. I was competing against sales tech, re-orgs, hiring, etc.

Last quarter I received a perfect cold email. It followed the same simple prospecting framework I teach. Here's a line-by-line breakdown of why it works so well: SUBJECT LINE: Make it all about them and reference your research Why it works: Shows that it's not spam or automated, and creates curiosity to open the e-mail and here what they have to say PARAGRAPH #1: Warm, personal, with a sincere compliment Why it works: Shows the prospect you took the time to learn about them, and humanizes you. PARAGRAPH #2: Share relevant observations based on research and a potential problem which their research uncovered Why it works: Shows that you are reaching out to identify a potential way to help them which they may not be thinking about PARAGRAPH #3: Shares specific, clear value proposition which includes the problem you solve and the outcomes you deliver Why it works: people need to clearly understand what you do so they can decide for themselves if it makes sense to meet with you. Sharing generic outcomes without being direct or specific confuses and annoys prospects because they still don't know what you do after reading the e-mail. PARAGRAPH #4: Soft Call to Interest (CTI): Ask if they have ever given thought to what you wrote, and if they're open to discussing further. Why it works: Never assume that a prospect needs what you are selling. Instead, confirm whether they've thought about the problem you solve and are open to discussing further. A call to interest (CTI) is much softer than a call to action (CTA), such as asking them to meet before you've confirmed they even have a need or interest. Don't assume anything, just ask and validate first. Kudos to the seller for sending a well-written, thoughtful e-mail.

Last week Glenn Kramon, a professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business gave a master class on cold emailing in our class (Lean Launchpad). Glenn was an editor The New York Times for more than 25 years and has supervised reporters that have won 10 Pulitzer Prizes. I always start my emails with “How are you? Hope you are well!”. It turns out I have been doing this wrong for decades - violating rule #3  in Glenn's list (see below). I recommend you listen to Glenn in this YouTube video (minute 38 to roughly 45). It does not do justice to his full lecture but you will get a sense of his wisdom. TLDR: ✍ When writing cold emails instead of being one OF a million, be one IN a million.  🌟 To make yourself one in a million, make them feel like one in a million. Ai writing software makes emails look the same. Ask ChatGPT to write you a cold email - you will be one OF a million. Spend time following Glenn’s rules and you can stand out, making someone feel you care about them.  At the end, the person you are reaching out to is a human and your goal is to establish a connection with them that goes beyond the transaction. Glenn’s ten rules below: 1️⃣ Know something about the person to whom you’re writing, and exploit it.  2️⃣ Clear, personal subject line indicating urgency.  3️⃣ Start fast. Get to the point quickly, not at the end.  4️⃣ Begin with something she doesn’t know, not with something she does know. 5️⃣ Name someone you know whom the person you’re writing about also knows (and respects).  6️⃣ Try to compare yourself to the person you’re writing to.  7️⃣ Can you tell a story you know will make that person smile, even laugh?  8️⃣ Keep it short. Make sure there’s an “ask” or next step. And keep the ask as small as possible. Make it easy to say yes.  9️⃣ Offer something in return. Maybe you know something, or someone, that she doesn’t.  🔟 Check for accuracy, then check it again, before sending. For fun, I used ChatGPT to write a few emails and noticed that they violate many of Glenn’s rules! https://lnkd.in/gjN6j24Z

As a Chief of Staff at Google, one of the most frustrating things to watch was smart people struggling in their interactions with senior executives for one simple reason: They didn’t answer the question. This issue is at the top of my list for why people struggle with “executive presence.” Senior executives are extremely good at prioritizing their most precious and limited resource: their personal attention. This means they often prefer direct, concise, and compelling conversations. Not presentations or lectures unless they specifically request them. I’ve seen very senior execs being forced to either cut people off mid-sentence or let them continue a long rambling and irrelevant response. In a brilliant blog post (link in comments), Dave Kellogg provides a useful example: Question: “On a scale of 1-10, how is the team working?” Bad Answer: “Well, you know, the team has been trying hard, and while things haven’t been perfect, they’re making progress…” What the Executive Hears: Blah, blah, blah—this person is not answering my question. Good Answer: “7.” Best Answer: “7, but there are one or two key problems to work out.” The last answer works best because it directly answers the question upfront and adds enough detail to let the executive probe deeper (or not). And look, I get it. When you’re put on the spot by a senior executive, the urge to add context or soften your answer is strong. But the best exec engagements are those where folks are clear and concise. If you’re struggling with this, here are a few tips: - Breathe. If you’re stressed out, breathing helps reduce anxiety, making you a better communicator. - Practice listening to understand, not just to respond. When someone asks a question, try to rephrase it and confirm if that’s what they’re looking for. - Collect your thoughts. A 15-second pause feels more painful but is MUCH better than a 5-minute irrelevant monologue. Bottom line: One of the quickest ways to boost your executive presence is simply to answer the question—clearly and concisely. Have you seen this happen in meetings? How do you handle it? 

Your prospect has 147 unread emails. Yours just got added to the pile. What makes them open YOURS instead of the other 146? After sending thousands of cold emails and generating over $700M in sales throughout my career, I've identified the #1 mistake destroying most cold outreach: ZERO RIGHT PERSONALIZATION. Most reps "spray and pray". Sending the same generic template to 1,000 prospects hoping something sticks. Then they wonder why their response rate is 0.5%. Here's the cold email framework that consistently gets 20%+ response rates:  → Make your subject line about THEM, not you. Use recent news, achievements, or common pain points to spark curiosity. Example: "Your Inc 5000 ranking" or "Austin expansion" 1. Keep your email so simple it doesn't require scrolling. It MUST be mobile friendly, as 68% of executives check email primarily on their phones. 2. Use this 3 part structure:  → Personal opener: "Hey [Name], [specific personalization about them]"  → Show understanding: "In chatting with other [title] in [industry], they're typically running into [pain point]"  → Soft CTA: "Got a few ideas that might help. Open to chat?" 3. Research these personalization sources: • Company website (values, mission page) • Press releases • LinkedIn activity • Earnings transcripts (for public companies) • Review sites The hardest territory to manage isn't your CRM. It's the six inches between your prospect's ears. They don't care about your product. They care about THEMSELVES. Recently, one of my clients was struggling with a 1.2% response rate on cold emails. We implemented this framework, and within 2 weeks they hit 17.4% - with prospects actually THANKING them for the personalized outreach. Find your sweet spot on the personalization spectrum. You can't do hyper personalized video for everyone, but you can't blast the same generic template either. — Hey reps… want another cold email strategy? Go here: https://lnkd.in/gKSzmCda

One of the most overlooked superpowers in a founder is concisely answering questions. Here’s why it matters: -- A clear, direct answer builds trust and credibility. -- Long-winded explanations signal unpreparedness or a lack of focus. -- It shows confidence—you don’t need extra words when you know what you're talking about. 🔑 Tips for nailing concise answers: 1️⃣ Answer the question directly—no tangents, no fluff. 2️⃣ Provide context, not excuses. If something needs clarification, keep it brief. 3️⃣ Prepare for FAQs. Investors, partners, and customers often ask the same questions—be ready. 4️⃣ Know when to stop talking. If they want more details, they’ll ask. The goal is to leave your audience informed, not overwhelmed.

Most candidates waste their first 2 minutes. The best candidates use these 4 power moves instead → Here's the framework to nail the dreaded question: (Tell me about yourself) 1/ Recent Achievement That Matters Don't just state your role—show your impact. ↳ "In my current role, I increased user adoption by 156%" ↳ "I'm leading a team that just shipped our biggest feature" ↳ "Last quarter, I drove $2M in new revenue" 2/ Past Win That Built Your Foundation Connect the dots to your journey. ↳ "Before this, I transformed our analytics strategy" ↳ "In my previous role, I scaled our team from 3 to 15" ↳ "That experience came from turning around a failing project" 3/ Connect Your Story to Their Needs This is where most people mess up. Show them why these wins matter for THEIR role: ↳ "These experiences taught me how to..." ↳ "This combination uniquely positions me to..." ↳ "That's why I know I can solve your [specific challenge]" 4/ Share Your Excitement Make it personal. Make it real. ↳ "I'm particularly excited about..." ↳ "What really draws me to this role is..." ↳ "I see an opportunity to apply these wins to..." It's not about telling your story. It's about telling their story, With YOU as the solution.

Harsh truth. You can: Memorize confidence hacks Practice in front of mirrors Copy your coworkers' style But if you aren't: Finding your governing thought Understanding the power of three Separating ideas before combining them You won't become a strong communicator. You don't need more confidence to develop your Executive Communication skills; you just need to 𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗔𝗡𝗜𝗭𝗘 𝗬𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦 (and if you do need more confidence it still starts with organizing your thoughts; you have value to add) 𝗪𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝗮 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁 😅 Here's what I've discovered after coaching leaders and executives: 1. Clarity comes from separation, not organization When you try to organize everything at once, you create mental blocks. Start by separating your thoughts like you'd separate laundry: by type and color. → Instead of forcing all project updates into one message, separate them first: status, challenges, needs, next steps. Then connect them. 2. Resistance to structure is often fear in disguise We avoid organizing our thoughts because we're afraid of what we might find. Messy minds try to hide our fears. → "I need to share project delays" becomes "I'm afraid they'll question my leadership" becomes "Here's our current situation and solution" 3. Your first thought isn't your best thought - and it's rarely your governing thought Your governing thought is the one that actually needs to be communicated, and it often sits quietly behind the noise, waiting to be discovered. → Instead of sharing three slides of background context, lead with your core message: "We need to pivot our strategy" versus "Here's everything that led to this decision" We get so caught up in learning HOW to speak that we forget we actually need to organize WHAT we're saying. Nail down thought organization and repeat every day. That's how you find your voice. #aLITTLEadvice -- Hi, I'm April, a certified Executive Coach and former executive. I've helped hundreds of professionals land new positions and promotions. The Executive Material Program starts January 2025 - a 4-month women's coaching program blending executive communication and strategy to break through to executive roles. Join the waitlist for early bird pricing: https://lnkd.in/g99gspix