Stop Rambling: 7 Tricks to Make People Respect You

The gist

1. Open with something specific to the person, like a recent tweet or article, rather than generic flattery.
2. Admit a flaw early using the Pratfall Effect, since authenticity builds more trust than a polished presentation.
3. Replace vague adjectives with exact numbers, dates, and dollar amounts to make your message land harder.
4. End with a specific recommendation like a set meeting time, which Koerner says drives 60% higher follow-through than open-ended questions.