How To Talk To Absolutely Anyone. Rhodes Mark

two motivators who inspire me to do and be more.

      Therefore, this book is dedicated with love to my mentor and wife Jackie Rhodes, and, of course, to my two motivators and inspirers – our children Holly and James.

In memory of Fred

      About the Author

      Author photo by Peter Evans Photography (www.peterevansphoto.com)

      Mark Rhodes is an entrepreneur, mentor, international speaker and trainer in success who shows people how to massively improve their results with little or no extra effort! He is also the author of Think Your Way to Success, published in 2012 by Wiley.

      Mark empowers individuals in their lives, careers and businesses. He has also “been there and done it” – from the ground up, he started, built and ran his own Internet software company, which he then sold to a USA Silicon Valley organization in 2001. This was just two years after starting the business in 1999. Mark's clients included top brand names such as The Body Shop at home, Virgin Cosmetics and Dorling Kindersley Publishers.

      On selling his company, Mark retired at the age of 35, but only for fifteen minutes before he got bored!

      Mark was keen to figure out how he had become successful and now spends his time teaching others, so that they can achieve their own dreams. Mark's focus is on what he believes to be one of the most crucial aspects of whether someone achieves success or not, their “success mindset”, as well as the business‐specific topics of “winning more sales” and “exceeding goals” – because of the simple fact that most people don't set a big enough goal! In everything Mark does and teaches, communication and the words we use are paramount.

      In addition to speaking at conferences and events, Mark is a trainer and mentor for people who want to succeed. Mark makes everything so easy to understand and implement. His natural, down‐to‐earth style and the fact that he teaches the exact same tools and techniques that he uses every day in his own life is a refreshing change.

      Mark speaks internationally for many types of businesses at both conferences and internal staff development events. For more information, go to Mark's website at www.markrhodes.com where you can find out about his speaking engagements and sign up for his free content of video, audio and articles to support this book and your success in general. You'll also find out about events where Mark is speaking live and details of his online webinars.

      There are also details on the website about Mark as a speaker and mentor around the world and how to get in touch with him.

      Foreword by Armand Beasley

      I have to admit that I was slightly puzzled and taken aback when Mark approached me to write the Foreword for How To Talk To Absolutely Anyone. You see, my forté is makeup, beauty, grooming and style. So I was a bit confused as to why Mark would approach me to write a foreword for this kind of book. But then I thought about it and as soon as I started to read it everything clicked into place!

      As a makeup artist and beauty/image expert I have been fortunate to work with some of the most beautiful and successful men and women in the world. Individuals who appear to exude confidence whether they are on the red carpet or performing on a stage in front of thousands!

      Yet for years I have been a regular face on British TV makeover shows, giving advice and transforming the Great British Public from “drab” to fab. The appetite for these types of shows is relentless.. People WANT to make the most out of themselves. It doesn't have to cost the earth or take a huge amount of time and effort. Indeed looking and feeling fabulous is NOT just for the rich and famous.. it's an achievable goal that can work into everyone's timeframe and budget!

      The main attribute you need is not Angelina Jolie's perfect pout, or Hugh Jackman's six pack – it's confidence!

      Identifying and highlighting your best features will set you on the road to a renewed confidence in yourself.

      How To Talk To Absolutely Anyone gives you easy‐to‐follow steps and ideas on how to instantly boost your confidence to approach anyone in any situation. From tackling sensitive work‐related issues to breaking the painfully awkward silence of “lift” travel, this book is an easily digestible read that helps to rethink your approach to socially and personally challenging situations.

      I think this is the perfect travel companion as it is easy to skim through to areas of concern for you, as well as containing handy confidence‐boosting techniques for so many tricky situations.

      This book really helps you to move your comfort zone, in a similar way that a red lipstick can for a woman or a skincare routine can for a man. There's that classic Fear Factor: “there's no way I can say that!”, “there's no way I can wear that.. ”, but Mark's refreshing approach on addressing real‐life situations will have an instant effect on how you interact with friends, family and total strangers. After years of public speaking and hosting various events, even I have picked up some invaluable tips.

      Like Mark's sellout seminars, his sense of fun and enthusiasm exudes throughout the book, allowing you to relate to the various scenarios regardless of your background.

      Enjoy!

      Armand

      Armand Beasley

      International beauty/image expert and celebrity makeup artist www.armandinternationalltd.com

      Introduction: Why You Should Want to Talk to Absolutely Anyone

      Communication, the ability to talk to other people, is one of the most important skills you can develop in life. We communicate with other people all of the time. Sometimes it's easy, but at other times it can seem impossible.

      This book will give you the tools to become a more natural and effective communicator. You'll become better at talking to people you already know and discover what it is that stops you interacting with people you don't. By the end, you'll be communicating more confidently and more often, and your communication will be sharper; giving you a better chance of getting the outcomes you're looking for, more often.

      Part One covers the fears associated with starting conversations, from the fear of rejection to worries about what other people might think. You'll also find out how you can reverse the negative feelings that are inbuilt in most of us about communicating with strangers.

      Part Two is a walkthrough of the four main stages of an interaction. You'll learn lots of new skills to help you get more of what you want from a conversation or communication, including how to identify who to talk to and who not to talk to, how to open the conversation, how to get people interested in what you've got to say, and how to lead them in the general direction you'd like the conversation to go.

      Part Three is a master class in making your communication even better, by working on voice and other conversation techniques. It also covers common pitfalls and you'll learn how to deal with difficult conversations such as telling someone they've made a mistake or asking somebody to do something for you.

      Of course, armed with all this information you need to take action, get out there and start talking to people. That's where the daily development plan comes into play at the end of the book. This plan gives you a day‐by‐day process to start really easily, and then gradually build up your skills and confidence. Then you'll be able to talk to absolutely anyone – if you want to that is!

      Communication Is All About Understanding

      The person you're talking to needs to feel that you understand them and, of course, they need to understand you as well. It is only when you reach a place of mutual understanding that real progress can be made and rapport can grow.

      There are two main levels of