What Do You Do If You Speak Too Fast
Do you speak too fast? Does everyone tell you to slow down? Do you also have a lot of “filler” or “crutch” words? Inevitably, if you speak quickly, there will be lots of “ums, ahs and you knows.” If this is you, don’t ignore this issue. It is not okay to speak...
Don’t Get Stuck on the Opening
Where most people get hung up is the opening. However, that’s actually the most important part of a conversation. If those first few minutes aren’t rock solid, it is unlikely the audience will listen all the way to the end. People make instantaneous decisions about...
Deconstructing What Charismatic Speakers Do
A lot of speakers wish they could be seen as charismatic. Martin Luther King, John Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Steve Jobs come to mind as people who were magnetic speakers. When they spoke, people listened and remembered. Obviously, no one is born charismatic, but how...
See Yourself as Tour Guide of Your Ideas
I just returned from a month-long tour of the Asian Pacific rim, visiting Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. In each country, I had a different tour guide. What struck me as impressive were their extraordinary communication skills. It occurs to me that we need to...
Turn Tough Questions into Opportunities
Sales have been lost, projects stalled and promotions given to someone else all because of the way questions were answered. Your ability to handle tough questions is critical. Since questions can make or break you, consider the following suggestions. They will help...
Captivate, Motivate, Educate
Creating a “knock your socks off” business presentation can seem overwhelming. Regardless of whether you’re making a formal presentation at a conference or sitting across the table with a client or your boss, there are three key things to remember. Captivate Motivate...
Corralling Your Nerves
Speaking publicly to a group can be traumatizing. In fact, Jerry Seinfeld, comedian extraordinaire, joked about preferring to be in the coffin than to be the person giving the eulogy. If you are one of those people that find themselves anxious, here are some tried and...
What’s Your Objective?
Just as competitive athletes visualize the outcome of their performance before the game begins, it makes a lot of sense for you to do the same thing. Never go into a meeting with only a vague idea of what you want to accomplish. Know ahead what you want people to...
Guidelines for Great Large Group Presentations
What is the difference between your audience and an elephant? An elephant never forgets; an audience occasionally remembers. You go to a lot of trouble to prepare for a large group presentation. You want it to be a success and people to feel their time was well spent....
Promise Never to Commit these Presentation Crimes
They say there are three presentations we give: The one we planned to give, the one we actually gave, and the one we wished we would have given. A lot of us leave a presentation wishing for a “do-over.” What can destroy a good outcome are the following “Presentation...- The Five Things Intentional Listeners Must Master
If you think you are a good listener, think again. Study after study confirms that most people listen effectively only 25% of the time. Instead of listening, they are focused on responding. What is often overlooked is that there are three levels of listening. At the very basic level, there is passive listening —where we […]
- Your Voice Affects How People Perceive You
Your voice is critical to your success when doing business over the phone. To establish trust and leave a positive impression, your voice must consistently sound upbeat, warm, under control and clear.
- Why Your Ideas Don’t Get Accepted
There are three reasons ideas don’t get accepted according to Rick Maurer, author of Why Don’t You Want What I Want? Reason #1: “I don’t get it.” Reason #2: “I don’t like it.” Reason #3: “I don’t like you.” Reason #1 “I don’t get it.” If customers don’t understand your argument, they certainly aren’t going […]
- Tips for a Killer First Impression on the Phone
For many of us, the telephone is our primary vehicle for doing business. Since people make instantaneous decisions about our competence and confidence, often within the first thirty seconds, it is critical to remember the importance of making a good first impression. While we all agree this makes perfect sense, the reality is that we […]
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