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Bill Lampton Ph.D.
Hi there, welcome to the best communication Show. I’m your host, Bill Lampton the biz communication guy, bringing you winning words and ways, because I have a conversation with a business communication expert. And by hearing our conversation, you will learn tips and strategies that will boost your business. Today I’m delighted to welcome as our guest from the Atlanta metropolitan area. Keith Knabb. Keith Knabb, has been a health and Medicare plan advisor for 28 years. He is the founder and principal of affordable Medicare Solutions, and award winning agency with over 505 star reviews. That’s quite impressive. Keith and his staff of 10 personally advise consumers and professionals on health and Medicare coverage options and providing educational events throughout Georgia communities. All client and educational services are provided free of charge. I know you will join me and welcoming Keith Knabb to the biz communication show. Hello, Keith.
Keith Knabb
Hello, how you doing?
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
I’m doing great. And it’s it’s wonderful to have a conversation with you today. I noticed Of course, in your biography, your profile on LinkedIn that you had studied business and communication at two very fine university institutions in Georgia Oglethorpe Oglethorpe University and the University of Georgia. And I want you to think back although you’ve probably done this before, I want you to think back and share with us what your college curriculum did to prepare you to become an excellent communicator which you must be in your business. Can you recall any particular courses or instructors are activities that that you would like to describe to us?
Keith Knabb
Absolutely. Besides just my core studies, being involved in the great fraternity system allowed me to have leadership roles that allowed me to communicate both with the university itself and also throughout the system. So a lot of my communication experience started when I was a freshman and sophomore. And I highly recommend that that was a way to really get business experience also, with running finances and running budgets and other things. But as far as my studies, doing Communication Studies, actually understanding the Greek philosophy behind communication, understanding ethos, pathos, and logos, which is the basis of all communication styles has really served me well in my career.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
You’re bringing back my own college memories, because, like you I was, I not only learned communication in the classroom, but I had the opportunity. I went to a small college in South Mississippi, I had the opportunity I had a very strong dramatics program there. And high school, I truly had done very little and extra curricular activities I had played on the golf team, but that was sort of the fun part of it. But I remember so well, participating and probably during my years at Millsaps College, participating in several plays. Now one thing that taught me of course, was how to present to an audience. But another thing it taught me Keith was that eventually when I became a professional speaker, I really had I think an edge up on many people as far as confidence and overcoming stage fright, because to me, speaking on your own is much easier than acting because an acting you are very dependent on the other participants i i recall, and I still shudder a little bit when I recall it. I recall one time on stage when one of our veteran actors that it All sat, just went totally blank. And the rest of us had to improvise and try to get him back on track, which eventually we gave him enough cues. And he did. But that taught me that when you’re speaking on your own, you have, in many ways an easier role than the actor because you’re, you’re not relying on somebody else picking up your cues, or reciting their lines are responding non verbally. So so both of us yours was through fraternity activities, activity and leadership, and also in the classroom. And what ways is communication vital to your profession now?
Keith Knabb
Well, All the world’s a stage, right? Yes. So we’re all we’re always needing to be communicating in a proper, effective fashion. For my business, it’s been really a great marriage, of understanding the problems that people have, it doesn’t matter if you’re a, you know, a tax attorney, or a dentist or car repair person, you have to communicate that language of your business to your clients in a way that they feel comfortable. And also, not just not just comfortable, but non threatened, you have to I teach my employees all this all the time that we are reducing anxiety, we are providing a peaceful space, we are providing a way for people to explore a new part of their life, which is an aging experience in my business is going from working to an ageing retirement experience in a comfortable way, and a non threatening way. But that starts with our language that starts with our posture that starts with our environment here at the office. Everything matters to getting someone comfortable to understand, hey, we are a resource, we are a safe place. And that’s before we even talk about Medicare or health insurance, it’s providing that safe, comfortable environment.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
Yes, and they the major reason for that is that it’s an a potentially uncomfortable environment for someone who comes to see you. When I think of discomfort, I think back to my graduate school days, when I took a course and statistics, I will have to say I was very uncomfortable. And if I were to take a course and insurance, I would probably be initially uncomfortable. We’ve noticed in the last five years, the impact of change on people on their personal lives on their, their professional performance. And when we come into a new topic that we think we have no capacity to learn. It is a threatening situation. And I’m very, I’m very much want to underscore what you said about the non verbal setting. Because when a person walks into an office, and I’ve mentioned this before, on this, this show, when a person walks into an office, if the individual that they’re going to talk with is seated behind a very huge desk, and they seat you 25 to 30 feet away. It’s a it’s a power play. And there’s just almost nothing you can say that that could bring the rapport that you want to bring. And then there’s something else you said and that I want to get back to Keith, where you talked about in your college days earning learning, ethos, pathos, and logos. And my great graduate studies and communication at Ohio University, we also studied Aristotle, and it’s very worthwhile for us to translate what that means. Logos is pretty easy. That’s logic. That’s the logical part of persuasion. Pathos is a motion and most good communication has emotion that supports the message. And then ethos, do you remember what ethos says
Keith Knabb
with the ethics? Yes.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
The credibility of the speaker is the credibility and I now and then browse back through Aristotle’s book the rhetoric which was notes from his lectures and in there when he mentions those three, he says that the character of the communicator might very well be the most important among those three. And of course, we don’t have to look very far around us to see instances where people have very good logic, they have very good emotion. But that credibility undermines, what their work what they’re they’re doing. Keith, I want to get back with you in just a couple of minutes, few seconds. And we’re going to talk then about your speaking I know that and conversations we’ve had before, that you have been very active in speaking to large number of professional groups. So I want us to get from you some keys that you can share with us. So we’ll be back in a few seconds.
Keith, as I mentioned, you, of course, from our previous conversations, I know that you’ve been very active in speaking to many professional groups. And there are people in your profession, and in others who shy away from doing that they, they’re afraid of it. But as you and I know, the ability to face a group to get your message across clearly persuasively, with energy and involving your audience. That that’s so important, professionally, for your image, for your impact and for, for the advantage that you have. So let’s say that I’m someone new in your business, and I say, Keith, I’ve attended your conferences, and my gosh, I I see how, how comfortable and how persuasive you are, as a presenter, share with me, Keith, some of your, your favorite tips, that and strategies that that would help me and my presentations.
Keith Knabb
So I look back in horror, sometimes, I’ve taught over 1200 classes. And I remember the first 100 Or maybe even 200 classes that I taught that there were people that fell asleep in the audience. And you know, you’re you’re practicing, every time you speak is a is a practice, but your materials matter, too. And so the whole engagement factor, you know, you might be charming, but your materials might not be charming, you might be effective as a public speaker with all the personal cues that you need. But if you don’t have the attention of your audience through both your subject matter and your engagement, it can be a miserable experience for both of you, for both you and the audience member. So I’ve learned a long time ago, that there has to be a story that is told, you have to have you know, a beginning, middle and end. And all the all the classic elements of literature have to be included if you’re doing a talk, whether it’s a 20 minute talk or a one hour talk. And typically mine are about 45 minutes long. And I get a lot of compliments. Now, I can tell you, I did not get those in the beginning, because it takes practice. And so those beginning people that are that are are trying to start public speaking, it’s you’re gonna make mistakes. You’ve got to evaluate yourself. I wish I had recorded myself. When I started today we record and it was a tragedy that I did not record myself when I first started, because I would have picked up much quicker. The things that I was doing right and the things that I were doing was doing wrong, and I would have been much better quicker had I recorded myself.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
When you talk about your initial attempts and how you sell people fall asleep in the audience. I will mention when we end our conversation I will mention my my YouTube videos. I have somewhat more than 450 instructional videos on my YouTube channel. I’ve been doing that since 2007. Keith, one of the things I hope is that nobody looks back at the ones from 2007. And I look back at them. You’re right. I want to underscore to something else you said there that had we had access to the very easy and cost effective recording devices that we have now, we could have picked up flaws and mannerisms that, that we knew to work on and to eliminate makes me think of one time that I was giving for one hour programs for a client. And they said the this is back in the days of videotape before we got more sophisticated. And they said to me, Well, do you mind if we videotape the programs, I said only one condition if I can get a copy of of the videotapes. So when I left, they gave me the four videotapes, I came home, I had a wonderful lesson in humility. Because I looked at those four hours, certainly not all at once, but I looked, I took careful notes, I found mannerisms, I found words that I was was repeating too often, I found sometimes a lack of animation where it was needed. And one of the things I tell my speech coaching clients is exactly what you have indicated in that is, the camera doesn’t lie,
Keith Knabb
or does it? It really does. But it
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
is a it is a great training tool. And as I as I said, and you know, all you need now is, is a smartphone camera, and as a stand to put it on. And you can record yourself. And as you said, do do that in some practice sessions. The caution I would give there is don’t over practice, because if you teach people that if you over practice, then you will lose all the vitality, that you needed you in theater, I’ll go back to what I learned in theater, they had a phrase there, they the illusion of the first time you and the best presenters do that you’re thinking my gosh, you know, this is this is not something they’ve memorized or written. They’re thinking this and they’re saying it currently. And that I would guess is what you have come to achieve. After speaking what you said, did you say 1200 conferences
Keith Knabb
1200 Different speaking engagements just so far.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
Well, like I should learn something then shouldn’t. And he hopes he does. I’ll also respond on what you said about your message needs a story. How many times when we were kids, that our ears perk up. When somebody said to us, once upon a time, they picked up a book. And I and started reading to us, We Never Outgrow our love of stories. And when I hear speakers who go for 20 or 30 minutes, and they have no real vivid stories that illustrate their points that stimulate our minds and give us a picture that we can take away. I just know that they they missed some great opportunities there. One item that I noticed is very important on your LinkedIn profile is that you like many highly successful business leaders believe in service to the community. And so you have been involved in philanthropy and charitable causes. Tell us about those, please, that actually
Keith Knabb
started prior to my agency. About 30 years now. I’ve been involved in community service here, especially in Gwinnett County. And it’s a range from leadership groups. I was part of the Gwinnett neighborhood Leadership Institute and ended up becoming the board chair for that group. It’s now defunct, it’s was around for about 20 years. And then I transitioned into the senior industry, which was the Gwinnett council for seniors, which is the Gwinnett council on aging as the US government has the National Council on Aging. So I ran that office as a volunteer for about six years in Gwinnett County and then I transitioned into the arts. My daughter was struggling in high school, and she was an artist and I got her involved in the local Arts Association. I ended up becoming a benefactor for that association and then the actual president and reformer of that association that works closely with the city of Swanee, which then led me to become part of the city of Swanee Public Arts Commission. So I’m one of the people that chooses the artwork for all the different public park parks and Parks. projects in Swanee, and I’m also on the steering committee for the city planning. So all of those things have been very impactful for my communication styles for being involved with different elements. Instead of just being involved in the business community, or the religious community, it gets you involved in all aspects of the community. And it’s really been a valuable piece to my life and my career, I recommend everybody to seek out any sort of participation as a volunteer in their community, it really does help your life become much more balanced, and rewarding. And as we work towards retirement, you need to have other hobbies, don’t just want to do one thing in your life.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
And one of the things that that you pointed out is that as you’re enriching the community, you’re certainly enriching your life as well. I’ve had the privilege over several decades of knowing. I live in Gainesville, Georgia, and I’ve had the privilege of knowing some of the most prominent longtime leaders here. And there’s a there’s a common tie that no matter how high they get, and the financial world, the corporate world health care, education, athletics, whatever they’re in, they they give back. And I think, what was it Winston Churchill said that, that something to the effect of volunteering is, is the price we pay for, for being on merit something to that effect? have time for one more question, a very vital one, as all of them have been, and you’ve given terrific answers. I noticed that 85% of your business comes from referrals. There’s so many of us in the business arena, who would like to know, how do you get those referrals? And how do you get them to tell your story, we all know that somebody else telling our story for us, is more effective and persuasive. Give us a couple of tips on how to do that, please, I think that
Keith Knabb
goes back to the ethos, the character that people want to deal with people that they can trust, and they want to refer you to people that they trust. But that trust is paramount. And it’s all encompassing. So I work very hard to build relationships with business owners, such as financial planners, estate, lawyers, people that help seniors and all different aspects of their lives, moving seniors or home health care, etc. So I build a big professional relationship with a lot of people who are touching the lives of vulnerable seniors. But also I do a good job of touching the lives of our clients to make sure that they know that we’re a Medicare Resource Center. So I want to contrast that with what a typical Medicare person is, they are what we call a set it and forget it, agent. So what they do is they sign somebody up for Medicare, and they never talked to them ever again. And that is exactly polar opposite of what we are, we want to be engaged in our clients lives, if they need help with an estate lawyer or a financial planner, or some other resource, I want them to call us, I want them to touch base with us. I want to manage their Medicare every year. And because we behave that way, which is genuine, and we do these things with a staff of now 11. People know, hey, I can trust this person, I’m going to send my friend, my brother, my sister to them, my neighbor, and they’re going to take care of them the way that I got taken care of. And they’re not joking with on TV. They’re not some guy at Walmart that you never see, again, this is a professional Resource Center for Aging Services, especially around health care, Medicare, and health insurance. And that way we get those referrals because people know we’re different. We are purposely taking care of their lives, not just that one time event.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
Wonderful yardstick for the rest of us. And that makes getting referrals much, much easier. And one of the I’m wondering to underscore what you said we do it sincerely. We do it with authenticity, and people can detect when that’s not the case. And when it is wonderful to have you as our guest today on the biz communication show. Your tips and strategies have given us winning words and ways I know that there are people who want to get in touch with you, our viewers and our podcast listeners. So Just give us your contact information, Keith.
Keith Knabb
Absolutely. And we service the state of Georgia, I want to make sure everybody knows we can handle the entire United States. We have resources in every state, including Puerto Rico and Guam. But my contact information is 770-945-5261. That’s 770-945-5261. But our website links you to everything. So our website is very easy. It’s a m s plans.com. So Alfa Mary Stewart, AMS plans.com, will link you to everything about us, including our YouTube channel.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
Thank you, you are a model communicator. What a privilege to host you. And since you’ve given your contact information, I’m glad to give mine I invite our viewers and listeners to go to my YouTube channel. I mentioned earlier that there are 450 Plus instructional videos on there. There’s some of them, many of them solo instructions. But over the last several years, I’ve had the privilege of hosting many top quality guests like Keith NAB. And so I invite you to go there when you’re on my YouTube channel. Please look at the and to get there. Of course you’re typing in my YouTube moniker which is Bill Lampton PhD. And once you’re on there, make sure that you hit that subscribe button. And then of course, I certainly invite you to go to my website. Since I’m the Business Communication guy. My website is biz bi Z biz communication guy.com. While you’re there, if you haven’t already signed up for this podcast, you’ll see opportunities to sign up for the podcast. Definitely I like Keith wants you to have my phone number 678-316-4300 Call me for a non obligation introductory call to talk about your communication challenges and problems and how I can assist you with them. I will welcome those calls. And before we conclude, I want to again, thank you, our viewers and listeners and also thank Keith NAB for wonderful information about business communication. Keith, is there anything you’d like to say to sort of pull together our our conversation?
Keith Knabb
Well, I really appreciate being here today. And Bill, as you know, we you and I met years ago and you did not remember me. But I remembered you. And I learned a lot from your book, the complete communicator. So I really encourage people to actually use the resources, your website, your YouTube channel and your books as true ways to develop communication styles. And don’t do it by the seat of your pants. It takes practice. Absolutely.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
Thank you very much for that endorsement. One of the biggest professional kicks I’ve had in a long time is when I came to your office a couple of months ago. And you pulled that book of mine off your shelf. How about that?
Keith Knabb
That was a signed copy too.
Bill Lampton Ph.D.
So I was I was quite a compliment. And closing thanks again to Keith Nam for a provocative, helpful, interesting and lively conversation. Thanks to those of you who were with us. Join us again. I’m Bill Lampton the biz communication guy inviting you to be with us for the next edition of the biz communication show
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
