On a resume, a job applicant lists her past job responsibilities as:

Handled bookkeeping Managed client accounts Created new filing system To give more concrete value to these items, applicant needs to quantifying her successes and give them attention they deserve. A more effective listing on her resume would be:

Handled bookkeeping of accounts totaling $1.5 million Managed 125-140 client accounts annually Created system which saved 15 hours of manual work weekly Much better, right?

When you speak in quantifiable terms, people are more likely to understand value of items you are discussing. Quantifying is particularly effective when you are marketing a business, asking for a raise, developing a job resume, or debating an issue.

Quantifying is extremely effective in sales and marketing process. If you can quantify gain of what potential client will get by buying your product or service or loss by not buying, you will be more successful.

If prospect understands and quantifies problem specifically, he will be more likely to understand scope of issue. Rather then just thinking there is a “problem with employee morale,” help client quantify problem in real numbers.

Guide potential client into telling you that average length of time an employee stays with company is 16 months. Company statistics shows it costs an average of $3,500 per employee for training classes, a uniform, and standard employee supplies. During training, an employee receives a paycheck but is not yet productive. The average salary for an employee is $2,500 a month and it takes two months to train a new employee; costing company $5,000 in salary during training. An average of 25 new employees must be hired each year. Therefore, it conservatively costs company $212,500 a year just to train new employees.

If your solution to employee turnover is less than cost ($212,500) of problem, then client would be insane not to hire you, right?

Let numbers do selling for you. Numbers are tangible. Numbers are concrete. Numbers speak volumes.

So, by being specific and quantifying you will begin to get what you want, when you want it, and how you want it more often. You will be a better manager, leader, negotiator, and overall communicator. Now go out there and have fun with your new communication tools!

Studies of how people play “flirting game” found that eye contact was number one tool used (knowingly or not) when trying to attract a partner. The longer eye contact was held, strong each person felt attraction was. So, like woman in my audience, if you find that you are receiving too many unwanted romantic advances, you may want to reevaluate your use of eye contact. You could be sending out signals you didn’t know you were sending.

So, moral of story here is to find a good balance of eye contact and understand power of eye contact. Send message you want to send and make sure you use power wisely!