hey team,

It's football season here in the US.
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And there I was Sunday night, watching the premiere game of the weekend: Bills - Ravens. Playoff rematch, past two MVPs, all kinds of hype.
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I'm sure everyone else was fixated on the two quarterbacks, but when the Bills are on, I'm watching the coach, Sean McDermott.
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Why?​
​Because my dad was his guidance counselor.

​​I learned this a few years back. Here’s the relevant text exchange with dad:

This was a student from 30+ years ago. He remembered the mom’s name? His IQ? Honors classes? Thousands of students later, how did he remember this one? Dad must have known Sean McDermott would be a star.
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Actually, that had nothing to do with it.
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The reason he remembered Sean so well? “Both parents came to parent-teacher conferences,” Dad told me, “that was very unusual.”
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Lesson: You don’t need to be ostentatious to stand out.
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​People often ask me how to make their speech stand out. When I hear that phrase - stand out - my brain goes straight to pink hair or pyrotechnics or hot takes. I need to be creative and loud and force people to listen to me.
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That’s probably true for, like, TikTok. But for a speech? You stand out if you’re clear. And if I’ve learned anything over the years, it’s: most speakers are not clear.
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​Sounds good so far. But you might be thinking “okay, Mike, but how do I know if I’m clear?”
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Try this:
Rehearse in front of someone
Ask what the speech was about
Ask what action they are supposed to take as a result
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If their answers are close to what you said, you’re in good shape.
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Then, watch what other speakers do. They overtalk, almost without fail. Watch how their point is murky. It happens all the time.

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Example:
Last year I saw Davey Jones (the BDOW CEO, not the Monkee) stand out at Showit Spark.

Even after the previous 18 paragraphs, you probably read the words "stand out" and translated that as flashy entrance or pyrotechnics or some volatile point of view.

He had none of those things. Closest was a bright red T. Swift slide.
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How did Davey stand out?
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He had one clear point he repeated in three different ways. Nothing more strategic than that.
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And wouldn't you know, at the same conference with speakers like Amy Porterfield and Mike Janda, audience members sought him afterward to say "best speech I here" and "exactly the message I needed."
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In a world where it's easy to feel the pressure to be showy, you can win just by being clear.
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Limit your information. Speak clearly. You’ll stand out in the best way.
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​Do good things out there, friends!
​

Mike

P.S. Speaking of Showit Spark, I'll be there this year! Let me know if you'll be there, too

600 1st Ave, Ste 330 PMB 92768, Seattle, WA 98104-2246
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