Day: May 11, 2015

Recent research shows that the human brain can detect confidence in your voice in 0.2 seconds — faster than the blink of an eye. And it’s confidence that influences the listener to give you attention and perceive authority.

It’s an interesting finding, especially with the mainstream emergence of podcasting. We’ve already discussed how audio is smart foundational content that can be repurposed into text, slides, and infographics. But perhaps audio is simply the smartest content of all, standing alone?

Not everyone writes with authority. But anyone can speak with authority, assuming you know your stuff and apply some basic tactics that let your confidence shine.

In this 19-minute episode of New Rainmaker with Brian Clark, Brian and Robert Bruce discuss:

• The maddening path to mastery and confidence
• How to learn any topic at a deeper level
• Four quick tips for more confident speaking

Click Here to Listen to

New Rainmaker with Brian Clark on iTunes

Click Here to Listen on Rainmaker.FM

Fulfilling work is built on who you are and what you love.

– Roadmap: The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do with Your Life

This week, Editor-in-Chief host Stefanie Flaxman talks to Annie Mais, Education Director of Roadtrip Nation, and co-author of the new book Roadmap: The Get-It-Together Guide for Figuring Out What to Do with Your Life.

After you decide you want to intentionally create a meaningful life for yourself, how do you make that happen?

In this 23-minute episode of Editor-in-Chief, host Stefanie Flaxman and Annie Mais discuss:

• How a road trip evolved into a recurring documentary series on public television, bestselling books, an educational curriculum, and live events
• Roadtrip Nation’s mission and how it relates to Editor-in-Chief
• Why it’s okay (and necessary) to continually figure out what you want to do with your life
• The process of “Let Go. Define. Become.”
• Lessons learned while writing and editing Roadmap

Click Here to Listen to

Editor-in-Chief on iTunes

Click Here to Listen on Rainmaker.FM

The end of your article is one last final opportunity to catch and keep the attention of a reader. Don’t screw it up.

The sad thing is that the closing section of an article, sales letter, or an email is usually an afterthought. It’s something we writers rush to get to, and then we wipe our hands clean when we write that last word.

That’s unfortunate, because your closing is the one last opportunity you have to flag down a reader barreling through your article.

In this 8-minute episode of Rough Draft with Demian Farnworth, you’ll discover:

• The two phenomena of memory that get thrown around (we only care about the second one)
• Why asking your readers to end world hunger is a terrible way to close an article
• The easy closing trick developed from eye-tracking studies
• How asking the right kind of question is a great way to end
• How to write the absolutely perfect ending (and how it’s related to your opening)

Click Here to Listen to

Rough Draft on iTunes

Click Here to Listen on Rainmaker.FM