tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89379260468232389752012-03-05T14:11:56.290-08:00Presentation skills training blog, inspiration and presentation strategies for business whether you are presenting reports to management, teams & boards, presenting credentials to prospects, presenting solutions to prospects or existing clients, presenting product or service launches effective communication can help.effectivecommunication.com.auhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01856269403049656222noreply@blogger.comBlogger36125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8937926046823238975.post-83107295108570159892012-03-05T14:11:00.000-08:002012-03-05T14:11:56.296-08:002012-03-05T14:11:56.296-08:00

We speak to be understood, yet as Robert Greenleaf once said, "Many attempts to communicate are nullified by saying too much". When asked about information overload in the House of Congress, Representative John Brockmann responded "Most houseplants in the U.S. are killed by over-watering". Business Professionals today attend meeting after meeting where they are barraged with information. At the

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Many audiences begrudgingly attend meetings with presenters. Audiences look upon many presenters as an interruption. The last thing a busy audience wants is more information. Often the presenter can be unprepared, distracted and pre-occupied. Anything but focused on the audience and audience needs. Afterwards, the audience quickly forgets the presenter’s message as they move to another meeting.

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Soft voices are the bane of many people. Soft speakers may think this is not such a big issue. However, for listeners, a voice that is not clearly heard is maddening. It causes people to interrupt or to tune out, especially if they are on a long conference call or the soft speaker is delivering a long presentation. One of our clients said, "When I cannot easily hear a presenter, I ask the

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A voice with inflection is captivating and motivating. Your voice can command attention and makes people want to hear you more. A voice without inflection is flat and monotone. An uninteresting voice bores, annoys and confuses those having to endure it. As you consider how you might ‘raise the bar’ when communicating, record your voice and review it as if you were a listener. Is it a voice

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How you relate to others matters greatly when delivering a face-to-face presentation. A key that creates immediate connection with any executive, manager or peer is strong eye contact. Sustained eye contact should begin the minute you walk in the door. With solid eye contact, you instantly appear transparent and confident. You project sincerity and demonstrate respect. Remember that being

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Clients today are busy; some are overwhelmed by the myriad of tasks they now have to perform. By the time they call your help desk or customer care center, they are often frustrated and anything but pleasant. You can put a smile back on their face about your business, and here are some tips to help ensure this happens: 1.  Say you will help   Every time you say, "I can help you," or "Let me

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An executive's time is valuable. These individuals go from meeting to meeting. It is not unusual for them to have as many as 10-15 meetings a day. For Marvin White, Chief Technologist for Innovation at ESPN, a sports entertainment programming network says, "it's all about ideas and figuring out how to execute them. An interview with Marvin produced the following suggestions on how to succeed

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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. If you can put a check in front of the following guidelines, you will likely score a win: 1.  Know Your Audience  Learn what

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Communicating with any team via teleconference or web session is challenging. When the team is spread across the globe, your task as a presenter requires real 'global smarts.' Do not overlook the importance of adapting your message and slides to the audience conferencing into your call. Here are 10 quick tips: . 1.  Simple is better! Use basic language, without slang or jargon. Recently,

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We have all heard speakers who are exceptional - their message is clear and it is delivered in a compelling manner. People like Steve Jobs, ex CEO of Apple Computers, Steve Ballmer CEO of Microsoft and John Chambers, CEO of Cisco Systems fall into this category. However, these gentlemen would be the first to tell you they weren't born being a gifted speaker. They practiced and practiced and

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Pausing is typically the most under-utilised tool that a presenter has.  Most people who use the phone to conduct business only concern themselves with their message. For example, they want to explain a product, fix your software or update you on month-end results. They forget that how you say it matters.  When a voice "sounds" great, the presenter is pausing a lot. If you aren't pausing,

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A good portion of anyone business person’s day is spent on the telephone.  Everyone desires to make a good impression, but it's the first few words out of your mouth that determine whether people will perceive you in a positive or negative manner or whether they will trust and believe you. In fact, studies confirm that your impact over the phone is established within four-seven seconds (4-7 sec

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People are moved by their heads and their hearts. Data alone will not convince people. Knowing this, many companies have adapted a storytelling approach when presenting, especially with prospects and clients. A relevant engaging story helps to deepen the human connection and increase the likelihood of ideas being remembered. Stories also distinguish you as a presenter. If you would like for

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Individuals who seem attacking can disarm even the most experienced presenters. When statements start with an accusation or an acerbic tone of voice, it can be hard to keep your composure, especially if other audience members are witnessing this attack. Difficult individuals need to be contained. The wise presenter remembers the following quick tips. Never Interrupt When a difficult person

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 How often have you heard someone say to you, "You need to be more influential?"   When we hear that request, often we don't know how to address the issue. From a communication standpoint, three issues are critical to making a powerful impression on others. People need to: Understand your ideas Accept them as appropriate Trust you as being honest and credible    Understand your ideas  

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MYTH: Presentations are Performances One of the most common presentation assumptions found has to do with the notion of performance.  While many people may not actually use the word ‘performance’ to describe it, it’s clear they assume that a business presentation is a type of performance. Many presenters believe ‘practice makes perfect’ and ‘practice at least X number of times before

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For the past 10 years EffectiveCommunication.com.au (EC) Specialist Trainers are commonly asked the answer(s) to the following business presentation concerns:   “How do I overcome nervousness, lack of knowledge, unexpected questions, PowerPoint challenges, sentence structure etc.” These are challenges people and discuss with both our Asia Pacific & Americas offices. In other words, these are

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The health and well being of your organisation depends on the service your clients receive. If they receive stellar service, then clients smile and stay loyal. If they are not impressed, they begin to look elsewhere. There are some phrases inside sales, technical support and client service representatives use inadvertently that may sabotage building rapport when communicating. The following

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Malcolm Gladwell in his book Outliers says 10,000 hours is the ‘key’ number for true expertise. He sites examples of composers, basketball players, skaters, concert pianists, chess players and fiction writers who achieved greatness after 10,000 hours of hard practice. Obviously, 10,000 hours is an enormous amount of time, and most people can't reach this by themselves. They need people to coach

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Social media, e-mail and other advancements in technology seem to suggest that face to face communication in the business world is "old school," that people do not miss or desire in person communiqués. Recently I heard of a businessman who when anyone calls his mobile phone hears the following recorded message. "Hi, I only check phone messages once a week so if your message is important, please

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E-mails can either build or erode credibility. For e-mails to differentiate you in a positive light, take the time to write them clearly and concisely. Make sure to focus them on the recipients and their needs. Lastly, plainly define any follow-up actions.   When e-mails erode one's image, they contain unnecessary details, endless amounts of background or multiple digressions. Because today's

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Clarity should be a writer's highest priority. While people might externally nod in agreement, miscommunication is rampant.  How many of us have had the unsettling experience of trying to assemble a child's toy, only to be thwarted by unclear directions. Anyone interested in healthy living will tell you how difficult it is to make wise food choices when they can't understand the contents on a

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It is not okay to end meetings and presentations late... When moderators say, "I am sorry we ended 15 minutes over time, but I hope you found it valuable," it is not really all right. People have commitments. Sometimes, they are rushing to airports or to pick up children at day-care; sometimes, it is to cheer their child on at their soccer game or to make a dentist's last appointment for the day

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Amidst all the changes happening at present across international economies there are a number of companies that are still maintaining growth. Let’s look at 3 presentation principles that growing companies apply to shift buying criteria away from price during economic challenges. 1. Position Your Business As An Expert  Here's the thing... In today's business environment, you need to

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 Let’s consider best practices for presenting using synchronous video conferencing. Synchronous Video Conferencing Video conferencing capability has come a long way, and it’s gaining momentum for becoming a standard delivery technique for meetings, presentations and training. Here are 5 best practices for your next video conference: 1.  Understand Lag & Synch Issues  It’s important to

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