Smart Talk


Smart Talk teaches you to unleash the enchanting person inside you. It will help you end clumsy conversation, pitiful persuasion, and impotent influence.

Guy Kawasaki, best-selling author and Apple evangelist

Lisa B. Marshall’s “Smart Talk” is the kind of book that feels at once fun to read and yet something that requires a pen and note paper. Busy? Not an excuse. Marshall has you covered there, too. Dig in.
Chris Brogan, CEO of Human Business Works, NY Time Bestselling coauthor of “The Impact Equation”

Smart Talk: The Public Speaker’s Guide to Professional Success

Smart Talk is the “Swiss Army knife” of communication; a handy, no-nonsense, skill-building, field guide for tongue-tied novices and advanced communicators that have found themselves in hot water.

Never again will you miss opportunities or feel frustrated because you’re not sure what to say when…

…introducing yourself,

…following-up a conversation,

…giving performance feedback,

…accepting criticism,

…negotiating,

…etc.

Written for busy professionals, “Smart Talk: The Public Speaker’s Guide to Professional Success” [ St. Martin’s Press] offers proven strategies and techniques that have immediate impact in your life and in your career. It offers practical, fresh advice so you’ll have the competitive edge to get things done, big and small, through effective communication.

Using Lisa’s lively, engaging, style and unique sense of humor, she explains step-by-step how to overcome everyday communication challenges such as how to speak with tact and grace, how to say no, and how to deal with difficult people. The book is filled with real-world examples, quick quizzes, warnings, and practice exercises for readers to learn and put into action these vitally important skills.

Backed by solid research evidence and case studies, Lisa translates her decades of experience in the communication field into proven strategies and practical, actionable plans to make genuine conversations, build lasting relationships, and influence others.

I was always taught that “relationships determine results.” And now I know Lisa’s book, Smart Talk, helps you create those golden relationships! Pat Croce, New York Time Best-Selling Author and Serial Entrepreneur




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Worried about attending your next networking event, delivering feedback, saying the right thing, making a great impression? Worry no more! Lisa B. Marshall’s latest book is a field guide for being a more confident and effective communicator. Filled with challenges and resources to encourage you to try things out and get results in a way that few other books are able to accomplish.”

 

“This is an ideal reference guide for tongue-tied individuals like me. It is a communications manual of many speaking situations consolidated into one. Examples, action items, and interactivity… a handy volume all in one. You will probably need to read through it to familiarize yourself with the general concepts and then go back occasionally as a reference guide.

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Table of Contents

 

 

Introduction: (Not So) hidden cost of poor communication

Chapter 1: Taking the “Hell” Out of Hello: How to Introduce Yourself

Chapter 2: Conversation Magic: How to Improve Your Conversations Skills

Chapter 3: Cat Got Your Tongue? What To Say When…

Chapter 4: Giddy-up Your Follow-up: How t
o effectively Follow-up on Your Conversations

Chapter 5: From Archie Bunker To Mary Poppins: How to Speak with Tact and Grace

Chapter 6: The “F” Word: How to Deliver Restorative Feedback

Chapter 7: Ouch, That Hurts! How to Accept Criticism

Chapter 8: We Have To Talk! / How to Have a difficult Conversation

Chapter 9: Tongue Fu: How to Deal With Difficult People

Chapter 10: Say No More: How to Say “No”

Chapter 11: The Art (and Science) of Persuasion: How to Influence Others

Chapter 12: The Art of the Deal: How to Negotiate

Chapter 13: Say Yes to Impress! / How to Use Positive Language

Chapter 14: Magically Delicious: How to Unleash Your Inner Charisma

 

Rave Reviews from Beta Readers

This communication book is practical, resourceful, elaborate. It’s been written in a way that just knows ‘where to put the hinges’ to give a wide and smooth sweep over the subject…a must have for people who are serious about knowing ‘how to make genuine conversation, build lasting relationships and influence others and that’s EVERYONE!”

“Lisa B. Marshall has significantly advanced the literature on business communication with her new addition. This is a systematic review of how to communicate in various, often difficult situations, and is laced with scientific work, anecdotes, and personal stories. It is lively, engaging, fun to read, efficient, and, especially, VERY useful to a busy professional”.

This book is relevant for everyone, from the career professional down to the high-school student. It highlights relevant topics from how to do a professional handshake, to negotiation skills, how to persuade and influence effectively – and much more. This is a must have book for everyone’s quick reference and self-improvement bookshelf.”

“Would make a nice gift for a young person just starting out in the business world or a good self-help selection to anyone looking to improve their relationships. I enjoyed reading it and would surely recommend it to others.”