We are celebrating A/E/C pros who know how to use curiosity in communication and sales.

I met Sydney Unnerstall recently. She's an emerging leader and marketing coordinator at Vessel Architecture in St. Louis.

After my communications presentation at an SMPS regional conference, Sydney jumped at the chance to transform business conversations by being curious.

"I have started asking more relevant questions and hiding less since I attended Susan's program at the SMPS conference," she said.

"These go hand-in-hand with feeling more confident as I gain experience in meetings and with clients."

You get quality information when you ask quality questions (and listen deeply).

Sydney adds a couple of more quick gems in this 30-second video.

Take a look above.  

And reach out if your emerging leaders want to be more effective communicators. Our "Amplify for Emerging Leaders" online group coaching program is now available. Details are here!

We create content.

We build funnels.

We set up systems.

We write marketing and business plans.

But do you know how to create curiosity and become known?

Curiosity is a soft skill that most people miss.

Exceptional communicators and sales pros don’t focus on stuffy scripts.

No one needs more jargon.

We crave intrigue and desire.

Gary Vaynerchuk agrees.  

When you post something that grabs (and keeps) someone's attention, you've intrigued them.

They want to know more.

You get them:

Thinking (not confused)

Feeling

Reacting

Involved

Curiosity moves conversations forward.

You planted the seed.

They look at your website or Insta profile.

Maybe they subscribe to your newsletter.

You get points if they share your post.

You create a buzz around you and your brand.

This happens when you make people curious.

It rarely happens when you ask "open-ended questions” and grovel hoping you'll close a prospect.

For f**k's sake.

I approach every conversation—sales or...

In elementary school, most of the girls I knew were told they “talk too much in class.”

Both of my sisters got those lovely comments on their report cards from time to time.

Not me.

I was a roamer.

I didn’t talk all that much; I wanted out. Out of whatever classroom I was in.

Why?

I have insatiable curiosity.

I saw myself as “life’s little observer.”

 I always sensed that something interesting was happening…somewhere else.

And I was hell-bent on finding out where it was, who was involved, how things were playing out, and even why.

My modus operandi was simple. Ask for a bathroom pass or volunteer to deliver something to the library, office, or anywhere.

And get the hell out.

I felt like Maya Angelou’s “caged bird” trapped in Mrs. Rosenthal’s 3rd-grade classroom.

Of course, the tall people in charge at Woodbrook Elementary School –and my parents—weren’t keen on this roaming thing. (Wasn't I a...