Meryl Runion,CSP is a speaker, trainer and author. Learn more.

Imagine a world where every word marketers told you was true. Where you always got what you thought you were getting. Of course our world isn't like that, and that's one of the reasons relationship marketing is on the rise. We've decided we can't trust Madison Avenue, so we prefer to trust someone we are familiar with.

Of course, relationship marketing can be abused as well. There are plenty of people who will promote their friends and partners whether it is in the customer's interest or not. That violates trust. We each need to have our own policy about how we give out endorsements.

I pass on most of the endorsement requests I receive, but if I like a product and think it will be useful to my readers, I'm happy to share the word. This week I recommend that you check out Randy Dean's new book Taming the E-mail Beast: 45 Key Strategies for Better Managing Your Email Overload. I also provide a bonus product for his launch called How to SpeakStrong Electronically.

I received a bonus in that when I told Randy that I had uploaded my bonus PDF myself, he told me how I could upload files and send links instead of attachments. I'm sure you'll find hundreds of tips in Randy's book that are as useful to you as that one was to me.

Imagine a world where your inbox was empty and you could find every email you look for instantly. If your e-mail is bugging you, get a copy today. And get my bonus eBook in the process.

Comment

You've got to love it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BxckAMaTDc Insightful and amusing. Check it out and read my comments.

What does Twitter teach us about Zen and Speaking Strong?

"If you are checking e-mail numerous times throughout the day, you are probably having difficulty maintaining the required focus on your higher priority projects."   
~ Randy Dean

Taming the Email Beast

A Woman's World journalist called me for input on how to say "no." Read my comments for her here.

Comment

Read about my new book release: Speak Strong - Say what you mean. Mean what you say. Don't be mean when you say it. It's the next step.

I'm playing with my flip cam but am not at all happy about what it does with the lighting and how I look. I recorded myself in front of a mirror and could see my own reflection in the mirror and also the reflection of how the flip cam was rendering me. I told a friend that:

- The camera was more cruel than the mirror.

Later I realized I could have said the mirror was kinder. As many times as I've mentioned the importance of talking more about what we want than what we don't want, I still slip into the negative side of the equation at times.

I realized that tendency when reviewing my writing for a new project. My words spoke more about the problems with how things are than about my vision of possibilities. My Brand Aid formula starts with,

• Imagine a world where.

I am reworking my writing to emphasize my vision. That's how my World of Truth video starts too. Talking about solutions more than problems is both more uplifting and more effective.

I'd like to find a flip cam that is as kind to me as my mirror. Any suggestions?

Meryl,

It seems all the common point of poison phrases is they are meant to undermine one's identity.
 
Here the question is:
 
1) Does the term "identity" refer to self-esteem?
2) If yes, what exactly are the components of self-esteem?
3) If no. then what are the components of identity with reference to Speaking Strong?

Response

Do you have a communication question?

You can Ask Meryl.

Comment

There's lots of information about how to communicate up the ladder in PowerPhrases. Enjoy the in-depth description here.

Blog discussion