Pitch Perfect

“With Bill McGowan’s book in front of you, your days of thinking ‘I wish I had said that’ will be behind you. His peerless advice offers readers a real chance to be heard and to succeed.” — Sheryl Sandberg, Chief Operating Officer, Facebook

“Success depends on having a great game plan. In Pitch Perfect, Bill McGowan provides just that – winning strategies for how to improve your communication skills, especially in life’s red-zone situations.” —Eli Manning, Quarterback, The New York Giants

We all experience Pitch Perfect moments every day in every area of our lives, high-stakes situations where it is critical to know what to say, what not to say, and what to do or not do as you say it. How we deal with these decisive moments can be game-changers when it comes to nailing or tanking a job interview, dazzling or disappointing the boss, or charming or antagonizing future in-laws.

But whatever the situation, renowned media coach Bill McGowan, who has trained everyone from CEOs to celebrities to everyday job seekers, has the solution. Now he reveals the secrets to always communicating efficiently and successfully in Pitch Perfect: How to Say It Right the First Time, Every Time (HarperBusiness; Hardcover; $27.99/$32.99 Can.; ISBN 13: 9780062273222; On Sale: April 1, 2014;), an indispensable guide written with Alisa Bowman that shares all of the tools required to speak with conviction, enthusiasm, and confidence at the office, while socializing, and everywhere you go.

His innovative philosophy centers around Seven Principles of Persuasion, simple yet powerful guidelines for tackling a wide variety of personal and professional scenarios and handling the most frequent communications issues you will encounter. These transformative principles include: The Headline Principle: To grab your listener’s attention, keep your introduction short, suspenseful, and surprising, just like a catchy lead to a news story; The Scorsese Principle: Good communicators are like film directors, telling stories that paint visual pictures in the minds of their audiences; and The Pasta Sauce Principle: Like pasta sauce, the more you reduce your message, the more dynamic its flavor.

Under McGowan’s expert tutelage, you will project greater self-assurance and command, inspire others to deliver their very best, and learn to ask for what you deserve in a way that’s persuasive. From preparing for a media appearance and closing a deal to shining as a guest on a panel and honing public-speaking skills, Pitch Perfect will overhaul and optimize your verbal and nonverbal approach to communication. Follow his suggestions and you will never again wish for a conversational do-over.

Filled with anecdotes and illustrated with makeovers, Pitch Perfect identifies common mistakes and pitfalls and then advises corrective measures using the can’t-miss principles. McGowan also points out the five reasons not to talk longer, the six clues that you’ve lost your audience, and the top seven ways speakers blow their presentations. He explains how to maximize your listening abilities, why you should never ad-lib, how to break your addiction to business jargon, why even born communicators need to practice and prepare, what signals your body language is sending (for example, beware of “bitchy resting face”), why you should ask for advice and not favors, and so much more.

The Seven Principles of Persuasion—which McGowan first developed during his broadcast career and has since fine-tuned during his four thousand coaching sessions—are as easy to master as they are to implement. So whether you’re giving a TED talk or a best man toast or having an impromptu chat with your boss, Pitch Perfect will ensure that your message resounds clearly and memorably.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Bill McGowan, the founder and CEO of Clarity Media Group, is a two-time Emmy Award-winning correspondent who has reported more than seven hundred nationally televised stories and anchored hundreds of hours of news and information programming. During his twenty-five years in television, McGowan conducted hundreds of interviews with newsmakers, CEOs, celebrities, authors and editors, attorneys, and athletes. Specializing in hard-hitting investigative reports and feature lifestyle segments, he has worked on such notable programs as ABC News’s 20/20 and CBS News’s 48 Hours. McGowan now uses that experience to coach and train on-air talent. As a media coach, McGowan trains everyone from corporate CEOs to celebrities to everyday job seekers. Among many others, his clients have included New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning, the actress Katherine Heigl, the chef Thomas Keller, the fashion critics Tim Gunn and Nina Garcia, and the singer and songwriter Kelly Clarkson. McGowan also speaks regularly to large corporate audiences for such companies as Diageo, Wrigley, Campbell’s, IKEA, Teach for America, Time Inc., and Clinique.