I’m a little skeptical when someone wants to sell me something.Back in college, I served tables at a steak and rib house and lemme tell you: I could rack up a receipt. Oh, I could not only sell you on the best steak, but I could have you upsize it, add on a loaded baked potato, and convince you that you couldn’t leave without trying the famous banana cream pie, served in a mason jar.  I knew exactly what to say, exactly how to convince you that the loaded baked potato would uplevel your entire meal, and exactly how to tell you to use the leftovers the next day so you felt like you were getting at least two meals out of one. I was so good that I was employee of the month for the entire organization of steak and rib houses - not just the place where I worked.But here’s the thing: I was (and still am) a vegetarian. I never once tasted the steak. I just knew exactly how to talk about it.Why am I telling you this? I believe that communicating - whether it be on stages, team meetings, or business negotiations - is one of the very best ways to grow your business. I’ve been honing my skills since my days talking about steak and potatoes, and in this episode, I’m sharing everything that I’ve learned with you (including some of the lessons I’ve learned most recently as I’ve spent more time on stages). Click play to hear all of this and…[00:05:35] Why I'm convinced that honing your speaking skills will help you grow your business (hint: it will help you lead your team, close sales, and more!)[00:12:44] What I do when I feel anxious before speaking[00:16:44] How I choose between using an outline or a script for a presentation (and what the difference is)[00:22:27] How I craft a presentation to fit the needs of the audience and the event host[00:26:17] Six things I incorporate in my speeches to keep engagement high throughout [00:31:24] How I think about structuring and presenting my presentations [00:33:20] When and how I use statistics, expert opinions, and personal stories [00:40:21] The importance of including a call to action (and how to choose one!) For full show notes; visit: https://jasminestar.com/podcast/episode366