MAKE YOUR POINT!: SPEAK CLEARLY AND CONCISELY ANYPLACE, ANYTIME [Paperback]

Bob Elliott (Author), Kevin Carroll (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 8, 2005

In less time than it takes to fly from LaGuardia to O'Hare, readers of Make Your Point! will know exactly what to do to speak clearly and concisely anyplace, anytime. This is a wise and witty book everyone in business should read. At the core of the book is a powerful tool called THE DIAMOND. This gem will give readers a simple way to instantly organize their thoughts so they'll always be able to convey exactly what they mean. THE DIAMOND format will work whether the reader has to give a formal presentation, talk on a conference call, leave an important voicemail or is caught in an impromptu "elevator conversation" with the boss. Most books written about communication skills tend to be hard-to-digest, wordy manuals. Make Your Point! stands above the rest because it's a quick read that's loaded with lots of user friendly ideas and numerous real-world anecdotes. If you need to improve your message or your delivery, this book is for you.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Collaborating on the book are Bob Elliott and Kevin Carroll representing over forty years of executive speech coaching for several of America's finest companies. Bob Elliott started his career with large corporations including Pfizer, Cigna and Westinghouse. Interested in looking at corporate life from the outside, he became a communications consultant in 1982. While Bob is proud of his relationship with companies like GE and MasterCard, at the drop of the hat he will bring up his work with Cindy Crawford, Claudia Schiffer and other Revlon models. Kevin Carroll grew up in a large Irish Catholic family where, to the best of his recollection, he was somewhere near the middle. As one of seven, Kevin learned early on that if you don't make your point, somebody else will make it for you. In 1996, after 17 years in the advertising business, Kevin started his own consulting, speaking and training company. His client roster includes IBM, Merrill Lynch and Cisco Systems.

Product Details

• Paperback: 132 pages
• Publisher: AuthorHouse (February 8, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1420804391
• ISBN-13: 978-1420804393
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,051,991 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reference!, December 20, 2009

By 

Charles Evans "Call me Kevin" (North Carolina) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Make Your Point!: Speak Clearly And Concisely Anyplace, Anytime (Paperback)

99% of the reviews that I write is to help readers find books and items that I think that would or would not enjoy. I am recommending "Make Your Point" for a more selfish goal. I have sat through way too many terrible presentations that would have greatly benefited from "Make Your Point". If everyone read "Make your Point" I would no longer be exposed to those long winded, rambling, and boring talks that seem to be the norm.

"Make Your Point" is both an excellent reference and teaching guide. I think that college students would appreciate the concise approach to public speaking. Business profession will benefit with a refreshing course and the introduction of "The Diamond". "The Diamond" is an approach to clearly and concisely present your ideas wile being confident that your audience is hearing your main points and internalizes the message that you are trying to sned.

Final Verdict - I have read many books on effective communication and I can say that "Make Your Point' is at the top of the list. It concisely blends an effective approach with readability to make it a great reference.

5 Stars

----Please note that I reviewed a free promotional copy provided by the author/publisher---------

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Won't Sit on the Shelf Collecting Dust!, June 11, 2005

By 

Judith L. Eckles (Villanova PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: MAKE YOUR POINT!: SPEAK CLEARLY AND CONCISELY ANYPLACE, ANYTIME (Hardcover)

Just like "Wheel of Fortune's" before and after, Make Your Point is filled with "common sense of humor." But there is nothing common about it. A quick, easy read, these real tales about real people help clarify the Diamond technique introduced in the book. I always considered myself a good communicator, I know I am now a better one for having read the book. I loved the book the first time I read it, and the next 6 times I referenced it for help. In fact, I'm putting it on my gift list to give to my clients.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Advice for Many Situations, July 5, 2010

By 

Lisa Shea "medieval swordfighting enthusiast" - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (TOP 50 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Make Your Point!: Speak Clearly And Concisely Anyplace, Anytime (Paperback)

All of us need to sell our talents at some point in life. Maybe we're riding in an elevator with a boss and need to make a good impression. Maybe we have a home business and need more sales. Make Your Point! is all about communicating in a clear, effective manner - even in voice mail and email.

The key is to be simple. YOU are the brand manager for yourself. Make sure you consider your audience and what THEY need. Don't focus on your own needs. Think about what they want to learn.

There are great examples in the book to help you get a sense of what they're talking about. Know your purpose. Keep it logical. Go through a series - get their attention, tell them the purpose, preview your content, provide the content, summarize it, and give an action step for them. Try to keep your topics down to 3 main ones. This is what the human brain focuses on best.

Think up a 15 second promo for your main goals. If you were stuck in an elevator with your boss for 15 seconds, could you present yourself in a way that gave the best impression?

Don't data dump. Focus on the important items.

People react to your emotions. Be upbeat, friendly positive, enthusiastic. Most first impressions are made in only 2 minutes! there is advice in here on how to project a positive image well. It can really make or break you. Use natural hand gestures. Vary your tone of voice, and have a moderate volume. Use pauses. Speak clearly. Avoid jargon. Practice, practice, practice!

Well recommended for anyone who interacts with other humans! :)