Hi !

Welcome to this week's edition of the One for the Week newsletter.

This past week, did you participate in a zoom meeting (or two)?

Text a donation to a charity?

We don't really think about the technologies enabling these communication pathways - it's just how we interact these days.

But both technologies revolutionized the way we communicate with each other.

And both were invented by the same person, Marian Croak, who pioneered VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) and text-to-donate technology and recently was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame. 

Holder of more than 200 patents, when Marian Croak was inducted  (one of only two Black women inductees), she took her rightful place alongside Alexander Graham Bell, Steve Jobs. and other inspiring inventors.

So...

The next time you do a meeting in comfy sweatpants and a more business-appropriate top, you can thank Marian Croak. 🙂 

And...

As you're preparing for that important meeting or high-stakes presentation - on zoom or in-person - consider this:

How often have you been told to "Know your audience"?

Thanks for being here...and now, your One for the Week.

I've always felt "Know your audience" is an essentially worthless cliche for presenters.

➡️ What are you supposed to "know" about your audience?

➡️ Where do you find this information?

➡️ After you've found it, how do you incorporate the knowledge into your talk?

In this week's OFW, I'll share a more powerful, specific approach to communication informed by the field of persuasion so your presentations and written content can become more focused and impactful.

But first, a few words from our sponsor.

 

Sponsorship message:

This week's newsletter is sponsored by OneSkin.

Led by Ph.D. scientists dedicated to helping people age in a healthy, vibrant way, OneSkin patented the first peptide (protein building block) scientifically proven to reverse skin aging at the molecular level.

Readers of One for the Week receive a special 15% discount off an entire OneSkin order (any product(s), no minimum purchase). If you haven't yet subscribed to OneSkin products,  you'll get a first-time subscriber discount plus an additional 15% off your order when you subscribe with the special SCIENCE15 code for OFW readers .

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* 2 things to know: I only accept sponsorships from companies whose products I use myself, and I receive a small commission from sales that use the SCIENCE15 discount code (enabling One for the Week to remain free for readers).

Ever said or heard someone say "We really connected" or "I just felt such a connection with him/her/them"?

Were the words meant to express a positive or negative sentiment?

Like "It was awful. We really connected. I couldn't get out of there fast enough"?

🤣😉😜

Said no one ever, right?

In this short video clip, I talk about the power of connection:

✅ What it is

✅ Why it's so important

✅ How to use it authentically to broaden your impact

Spoiler alert: It's not about "knowing" your audience.

It's about connecting with them.

What do you think about the ideas in this week's edition?

Do you see the difference between "Connect before you communicate" and "Know your audience"?

Let me know your thoughts, and I'll share your comments in a future One for the Week.

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