The Bezos blueprint Communication secrets of the world's greatest salesman

Gallo, a communications instructor at Harvard University Graduate School of Design, follows up Five Stars with this incisive look at the communication strategies used by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Deemed "the world's best business communicator" by Gallo, Bezos shocked people when, in 2004, he banned PowerPoint presentations in favor of "memos and narratives." "He's the world's greatest salesman because he sells dreams, not products," Gallo writes, and to do so, Bezos focuses on "the way Amazonians write, collaborate, innovate, pitch, and present." To communicate well, Gallo writes, readers should strive to write at an eighth grade level or lower; use regular language to "talk about hard things"; avoid "weasel words" (such as "sort of" and "kind of"); and steer clear of the passive voice. Examinations of Amazon press releases show the tactics in action, and a deep dive into the company's "working backwards" strategy--starting "from the customer's perspective" when creating a new product--will be helpful for entrepreneurs and those working in professional communications alike. The result is a rewarding and informative take on how to craft a convincing message. (Nov.)

Communications coach Gallo (Talk Like TED) teaches successful speaking and writing by breaking down the communication style of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Intended for professionals in a business setting, the book draws lessons from real excerpts of speeches and shareholder memos that Bezos has delivered over the past 20-plus years. Gallo also mines the records of other successful entrepreneurs for examples of effective writing. Among the book's basic communication strategies are to write at an eighth-grade level (using words with only one or two syllables, in sentences of varying lengths) and to deploy metaphors and analogies to add interest. Some of the techniques come from screenwriting, such as formulating a logline and developing "three-act" presentations. Key Bezos tactics include replacing PowerPoint presentations with narrative memos in management meetings, working backwards to get ahead (i.e., writing a product's press release at the beginning of the design stage), and treating every day as "day one." Additional examples reveal insights on communication at companies such as Apple, Canva, and Airbnb. VERDICT An insightful guide to improving communication skills.--Rebecca Mugridge