Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

September 13, 2007

Getting Comments: Seven Secrets of a Superstar Conversationalist

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 5:59 am

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A Superstar Conversationalist? Who Me?

<relationships button

Chris Brogan, no shrinking violet, called his blog post 39,000 comments. He said it was the first thing I said. It wasn’t really. I talked about Becky McCray and Darren Rowse, and all of the people who come here. The comments were just what caught his attention.

Then in the comments to that post, Phil Gerbyshak — the all-time relationship geek, not a quiet job — named me a superstar conversationalist.

I hear my older brothers translating . . . kid, they’re saying you can’t shut up.

Seven Secrets of a Superstar Conversationalist

Writing or talking about what we know isn’t a problem for most folks. People don’t ask me how to do that. What they ask is How do you get folks to talk back?

Here are seven of my secrets.

It hardly takes much to be gracious. Communities and conversations really build themselves. We don’t build them. If we stop trying to control them and let people know we’re not afraid to hear what they have to say in respect and honest communication. Amazing thing can truly happen.

I know. 39,000 comments was a long time ago.

I don’t really count comments. I count friends, and who could ever have enough of them?

C’mon let’s talk!

What did you right before you read this post? It had to be more interesting than reading about me.

–ME “Liz” Strauss
Work with Liz!!

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36 Comments to “Getting Comments: Seven Secrets of a Superstar Conversationalist”

  1. September 13th, 2007 at 6:54 am
    Mihaela Lica said

    What a nice entry. It really brings out you true spirit. I’d call it Liz’s self portrait. :)

    These special human features you listed here make the best foundation for gaining trust and respect.

    Liz, you are a true inspiration. :)

  2. September 13th, 2007 at 7:27 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mihael1a,
    I didn’t mean to publish this until later. Goes to show you how much I like to talk! :)

  3. September 13th, 2007 at 7:53 am
    Alex Shalman - Personal Development said

    Liz,

    We know you need to keep up with your 18 posts a day. No need to explain yourself here =)

    #8 Be Lovable. That’s the true reason we keep coming back here, we love you.

  4. September 13th, 2007 at 8:21 am
    Brad Shorr said

    Those are very helpful tips, Liz. Blogging is really helping me overcome my resistance to Secret 2. The idea of leaving a piece of writing unfinished or inconclusive used to bother me to no end. Blogs are wonderful because the conversation brings a topic to its natural conclusion (or not). Blogging takes the pressure off me to know all the answers. Have fun in Southern Cal!

  5. September 13th, 2007 at 10:27 am
    Nathania - Bold Interactive said

    I agree with Brad - I struggle with conclusions in my writing. Now I feel I have the freedom to leave them open for comments!

  6. September 13th, 2007 at 10:43 am
    gp said

    #9…. Be interested.. not interesting :)

    gp in montana

  7. September 13th, 2007 at 11:57 am
    LaurenMarie - Creative Curio said

    Right before this post I thought “Oh! I have 2 unread posts from Liz in my reader! I wonder what she has to say!”

    I think Secret 6, Be a cheerleader, a bartender, a friend, a host stands out to me the most as YOU. That’s why I love coming here every day and why you’re one of my favorite people in the blogosphere–you make me feel special! I always say that, but it’s so true I had to say it again :D

  8. September 13th, 2007 at 1:40 pm
    Chris Brogan... said

    Knowing now that the number is probably like 75,000 or something, I just wanted to say that your post really motivated me to think on this further, and I’m grateful to know you.

    I bet you’d make a great person to show businesses how to communicate and drive value from such.

  9. September 13th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
    Mike said

    I’m committing to increasing #4 by an order of magnitude (if that’s possible)! LOL

  10. September 13th, 2007 at 2:51 pm
    Mike said

    Oh, and right before I read this post I was debugging stock industry ranking algorithms. Fun, huh?

  11. September 13th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Wow! You guys. I sure am glad you found this useful!

    Alex, the love goes both ways!

    Hey Brad, Yeah. It took me a while to get used to not finishing things out too, but once I did. I learned so much more. And it is more fun!!

    Hi Nathania, Just because we blog, doesn’t mean we know the conclusion to everything. . . . let’s let our world of the Internet help us.

  12. September 13th, 2007 at 5:54 pm
    ME Strauss said

    GP! You never need many words to get the message perfectly! Yeah!! I like your #9!
    Lauren Marie, Thank you. I look forward to having you around here too. :)

    Mr. Brogan, You are best recommendation a lady could ask for. :)

    Oh Mike! That magnitude of laughing with will be so much fun!!!

  13. September 13th, 2007 at 5:58 pm
    Liz - Internet Marketing Strategies said

    From your post: “My husband often says to me, “You’re smiling at your computer again.”

    That made me laugh, very funny! :o)

    Great tips.

  14. September 13th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
    ME Strauss said

    HI Liz
    He really does say that to me all of the time! Glad it made you laugh!

  15. September 13th, 2007 at 7:34 pm
    Chuck said

    My first comment here!

    My favorite commentors on my site are the ones that make me laugh. Some of them do it with regularity.

    When I laugh out loud for real, lol seems so inadequate. I often send an email, “You made me laugh out loud for real. Well done.”

    I think I could improve on leaving my posts unfinished. Like Brad above, it’s counterintuitive for me, but I’ll make the effort.

  16. September 13th, 2007 at 7:54 pm
    AgentSully said

    You got it right, there, Liz! You’re the best blogging bartender! I’ll take a Mojito, or whatever you happen to be serving up tonight! :)

  17. September 14th, 2007 at 12:05 am
    Mother Earth said

    For all the negative’s that are implied about folks who are attached to their computers blogging all day, I am finding the blogosphere rather warm and fuzzy - the human part, the head and heart part, the having a personal view has been wonderfully well rec’d - who knew?? Besides I did leave my computer several times today - so there!!

    Mother Earth
    http://www.bestwellnessconsultant.com

  18. September 14th, 2007 at 12:06 am
    ME Strauss said

    A mojito for you Sully! no problem! :)

  19. September 14th, 2007 at 12:08 am
    ME Strauss said

    Ah Mother Earth,
    It’s not about computer time. It’s about the love. End of story. :)

    In the computer or out. :)

  20. September 14th, 2007 at 5:36 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Checkc #15,
    My husband sure notices when someone makes me laugh . . . wich is often. He’ll often ask. Other times he’ll just shake his head and know better. . . .

    Conversation always has us throwing the ball back to each other. Instead of trying to tie things up, why not talk about what you’re most cuious about on the subject? Sometimes that works for me. :)

  21. September 14th, 2007 at 6:02 am
    Alina Popescu said

    I do feel at home here. You have a unique way of encouraging people to be themselves and show that true core to the world. Even if I have a different opinion, you are not the type to shut people up without looking at the problem from all possible perspectives. And I agree with the Be Lovable reason :)

  22. September 14th, 2007 at 10:51 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Alina!
    Thanks! I like people and I like to keep them around. we’re pretty fascinating and easy to learn things from. :)

    Thanks for saying that. :)

  23. September 14th, 2007 at 3:14 pm
    AgentSully said

    Thanks Liz.

    Do you use any special comment responder plugin that would make responding to comments easier?

  24. September 14th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
    Chuck Westbrook said

    Better Comments Manager is a great wordpress plugin that lets you edit and reply to comments from the admin screen.

  25. September 14th, 2007 at 5:27 pm
    Vernon Lun said

    Hey, you just gave away the secret sauce! :)
    but that’s just so like you.

    It’s awesome. This is something we should read everyday before we blog.
    Vern

  26. September 14th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sully!
    I am my own comment responder. :) That’s why my responder is sometimes slow. :)

  27. September 14th, 2007 at 7:12 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Oh Vernon,
    I didn’t say anything you’ve not already proven you know. :)

  28. September 14th, 2007 at 7:41 pm
    AgentSully said

    :) You’re very good Liz. Behind every great woman is a great man. Sounds like your husband is very supportive. That helps a lot!

  29. September 14th, 2007 at 9:15 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Sully!
    Thanks! My husband lives with me . . . so he does have that slight sanity problem. :)

  30. September 14th, 2007 at 9:47 pm
    MichelleVan said

    What a great list. Every time I catch myself thinking “I wish I was more like so and so”, I’ll think of #5

    p.s. I don’t think your Becky link works at the top of the post

  31. September 14th, 2007 at 9:51 pm
    13 Best Online Marketing Quotes of the week - 9/14/07 said

    [...] Don’t finish up every blog post so perfectly that I have no room to answer. - Liz Strauss on Getting Comments: Seven Secrets of a Superstar Conversationalist [...]

  32. September 14th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Michaelle!
    Yeah, I need to remind myself of stuff like that all of the time too.

    Thanks for letting me know about Becky’s link. That http://www. can make a real difference! :)

  33. September 15th, 2007 at 9:13 pm
    Phil Gerbyshak said

    Right before this post, I read another article by you Liz, plus the comments. As you always say, at least half the show is in the comments. You keep us talking about EVERYTHING, including Y-O-U!

    Superstar!

  34. September 15th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Phil,
    You and I belong in a room complimenting each other. :)
    You’re no wallflower, yourself. :)

  35. September 16th, 2007 at 8:28 am
    Soulful Dots Speaking - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] spoke this week of what it takes to be a superstar conversationalist. We have to be imperfectly human to draw a response and then be active [...]

  36. November 12th, 2007 at 5:36 am
    Robinson Go said

    Gosh! It’s so hard to be an easy laughter! =D

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