Monetize Your Communication Strength

Do you know someone who enjoys sharing an entertaining story? Or someone who wordsmiths their conversation so people are inspired? People with the talent theme of Communication® express themselves with many forms – verbally, artistically, musically, or through writing.

People with the Communication strength like to explain ideas. When Communicators encounter a new idea, they want to express it and bring it to life. They also want to entertain and capture people’s attention. Communicators love finding the right story or the right image to express an idea. Communicators want and need a sounding board to identify which stories are exciting to other people. This helps them hone and refine their storytelling skills.

The Toastmasters organization helps people develop their communication and presentation skills by allowing them to deliver speeches in an open, supportive environment. It’s an incredible organization for anyone who wants to grow their communication and leadership skills; I’ve been a part of Toastmasters for the past ten years.

Communicators are often wordsmiths. They love vocabulary and like to use dramatic, inspiring words, making them not only great speakers but great writers as well. Communicators know how to use words to influence and sell. One way a communicator can maximize their strength is to keep a story or quote file. I’ve been doing this for years. When I have a personal experience, I think it is worth sharing, I write it on a three by five card and keep it on file.

Is it possible to monetize your Communication strength and make a million dollars?

A book for Communicators that I love is called Money Talks: How to Make a Million as a Speaker by Alan Weiss. Weiss is a skilled speaker and communication consultant, and, in his book, he talks about how people with communication and presentation skills need to have a balance of savvy, steak, and sizzle.

Savvy—Communicators can develop their skills by being savvy about what makes a great Communicator and creates the best connection with an audience by understanding the ins and outs of the communication world.

Steak—Audiences need steak or content. Make sure you are not only entertaining others but offering real substance, something “meaty.”

Sizzle—Most Communicators are great at finding sizzle—taking that steak and pouring a delicious sauce on it. This sizzle is what draws you in and makes you want more.

Alan Weiss say’s, “The secret to a great career is to find something you are great at and love doing and then you make money from it.” Now Alan is know as a million dollar consultant, speaker, and author because of focusing on his strengths of writing and speaking. 

Alan used to give speeches for free. Now his income from professional speaking and its spin offs totals more than $1,000,000. In his book Money Talks, Alan shows you the steps to the very best – paid-platforms!

In addition to his writing Alan has a consulting firm, Summit Consulting Group, Inc.  Summit Consulting Group list of clients includes clients such as Merck, Hewlett-Packard, GE, Mercedes-Benz, State Street Corporation, Times Mirror Group, The Federal Reserve, The New York Times Corporation, Toyota, and over 500 other leading organizations. He also finds time to serve on the boards of directors of the Trinity Repertory Company, a Tony-Award-winning New England regional theater, Festival Ballet, and chaired the Newport International Film Festival.

His typical year includes 20 keynotes a year at major conferences . Alan has been a visiting faculty member at several universities and has held an appointment as an adjunct professor in the Graduate School of Business at the University of Rhode Island.  He once held the record for selling out the highest priced workshop (on entrepreneurialism) in the then-21-year history of New York City’s Learning Annex.

In 2006 Alan was inducted into the Professional Speaking Hall of Fame® and the concurrent recipient of the National Speakers Association Council of Peers Award of Excellence, which represents  the top 1% of professional speakers in the world. He has been named a Fellow of the Institute of Management Consultants, one of only two people in history holding both those designations.

He has published over 500 articles and 60 books, including his best-seller, Million Dollar Consulting (from McGraw-Hill), now in its 25th year and fifth edition. His newest is Threescore and More: Applying the Assets of Maturity, Wisdom, and Experience for Personal and Professional Success (Routledge, 2018). His books have been on the curricula at Villanova, Temple University, and the Wharton School of Business, and have been translated into 15 languages.

Communicators are often willing to talk on behalf of an organization or cause for a fee—or even for free. They are excellent choices to be company spokespeople and are often willing to speak up for their family or friends. At the same time, Communicators can monetize their strengths by developing their skills as professional speakers through organizations like the National Speakers Association and Toastmasters.

Do you have the CliftonStrengths® theme of Communication, or know someone who does? How can you monetize your Communication strength to grow your business like Alan Weiss?  Give me some examples in the comments below. Want to talk with me about this or other strengths questions you have? Please schedule you free Ask Brent Anything call, and let’s talk strengths.