Suggestions
Catherine Johns
Everything rests on your ability to communicate. As a professional speaker and coach, I give you the confidence + clarity to create impact when you talk about yourself and your work.
Catherine Johns is a professional speaker, coach, and consultant who specializes in helping individuals and organizations improve their communication skills, particularly in the areas of public speaking, networking, and self-promotion.12
Professional Background
Catherine Johns has a diverse background in communication:
-
Radio Career: She began her career in radio, working as a news anchor and later hosting her own talk show.4 Her experience at WLS Radio in Chicago is particularly notable, where she appeared on C-SPAN as a talk show host.5
-
Current Role: As the Principal of Catherine Johns Ltd, she now focuses on coaching and training others in effective communication.
Areas of Expertise
Catherine Johns offers guidance in several key areas:
- Public Speaking: She coaches speakers for large events and helps employees become more comfortable presenting to large groups.3
- Networking: She provides insights on networking strategies, particularly for women leaders.2
- Self-Promotion: Her work emphasizes the importance of effectively selling oneself along with products or services.1
Content Creation
Catherine Johns regularly shares her expertise through various channels:
- She posts weekly content on LinkedIn about speaking, networking, and self-promotion.1
- Her content is available in both written and audio formats, allowing her audience to choose their preferred method of consumption.1
Catherine Johns' LinkedIn profile (username: catherinejohns) serves as a platform for her to share insights and connect with professionals seeking to improve their communication skills.
Highlights
They say timing is everything. It’s trite and it’s also true, as we’ve seen clearly in the past few weeks.
You may not have sat rapt in front of a screen the way I have. (I’m guessing you have a life.) I’m such a speaking-geek I’ve followed hours of convention viewing by listening to podcasts featuring speech-writers and political operatives.🙄
All the campaign speeches, along with the professional analysis, have clarified some things that work, and some that don’t, when WE have a message to convey and people ready to hear it.
https://lnkd.in/gz2T6vHy
What? Am I supposed to drop balloons and confetti when my plumber shows up at my door?
You know those standard texts you get when you have an appointment with your doctor, hair stylist, or, well, almost anybody.
“Reminder: your appointment is tomorrow at 10:00. Please reply C to confirm.”
“An appointment has been scheduled for (your name) on September 22.”
“Your (window washer/electrician/landscaper) is en route now.”
My phone is full of those messages. So, you can imagine my surprise when I got this.
“Get ready to witness plumbing mastery in action! Your appointment with Baethke Plumbing is set. Our skilled team will grace your doorstep … Together we’ll plunge into this plumbing adventure with gusto. Need to tweak the plan? Dial us up … we’re your go-to flow pros. 🛠️ ”
“Go-to flow pros” – really? It made me smile. And get that quizzical look you get when something seems a little over the top.
The next one was just as enthusiastic.
“🎉 Exciting news! Tomorrow, one of our awesome technicians will be popping by your place. Got any burning questions or just want to say hi? Give us a ring… Oh, want to lock in your appointment, just shoot us a quick ‘C’ in reply! Catch you later, plumbing pro! 🛠️ ”
And then …
“🌟 Hey there! Your superhero technician, Ron Page from Baethke Plumbing is enroute to your home. 🚀 Need the inside scoop or have any questions? Give our office a buzz. We’ve got you covered! 🛠️ ”
Wow! Who knew getting an estimate for a little bathroom upgrade could be such a big, exciting occasion?
The first of those messages made me chuckle. Then I started thinking—why not? And … how do we handle those pro forma notifications we send to clients and customers?
You probably do it about the same way I do. A quick text saying something like, “See you tomorrow at 1:00.” Or sometimes I go this far: “Looking forward to seeing you Tuesday at 10.” That’s about as rich as my reminders ever get.
What if I dressed it up? Could I make myself sound as special as my superhero technician, Ron Page?
“Your fantastic coaching program launches tomorrow. 🚀 Master communication coach Catherine Johns will help you rocket to speaking success. You’re about to become the star you were meant to be. 🌟 ”
My instinct is to be more low-key. And, maybe my instinct is wrong.
We spend so much time and effort trying to differentiate ourselves from the thousands of professionals who do pretty much the same kind of work. And then we settle for formulaic messages that blend right in with what those other professionals are sending.
So, two questions for you.
Let’s just say you got a dolled-up message reminding you of an appointment or a conversation we’d planned to have. How would you react to rocket ships and stars and enthusiastic language?
And … if you were going to translate your own client communication into more colorful language, what would you say? I can’t wait to see a sample of your new and improved reminder message.
