Tag: Speaking

People make judgements about you based on how you speak. Your speech affects your credibility and even how intelligent you are seen as being.

I recently watched a presentation where the speaker used “uh,” “umm” and other verbal fillers more than 37 times in 10 minutes. I counted. He fidgeted, put his hands in his pockets and looked completely uncomfortable. He knew his subject, but his nervous mannerisms made him appear less than credible.

Fillers, tics and nervous mannerisms are most common when speaking in front of a group, but they can creep in to your daily conversations, too. At the airport, I overheard two women having a business conversation and I was astounded at how often they used the word “like.”

If you catch yourself using “like,” “uh,” “you know,” etc., it usually means that you are stalling for time to think of your next word. Slow down. Take a breath. Think about what you’re saying.

Ask a friend to signal you when you slip into one of your bad habits.

Record yourself speaking in different situations and listen to how you sound.

Concentrate on removing one bad habit at a time. Trying to fix everything at once may make you more nervous and self-conscious when you speak. Start by, for example, getting rid of “like.”

Remember that anyone listening to you speak, whether one-on-one or in a group, is usually hoping you will speak well and communicate effectively. They’re on your side. Don’t let nervousness affect your ability to communicate powerfully.

Public speaking is known as one of the most powerful ways to market your business. It’s an important skill that anyone can discover get more prospects, more clients, and of course, more cash flow.

As a professional speaker and speaker trainer, I often teach the best ways any business owner can use public speaking to benefit your business. Yet there is another side of the speaking coin: listening.

If you don’t have an audience, then you don’t have any reason to give a speech. In order to target an audience effectively – whether that’s an audience of one or an audience of many – you have to listen to them first.

One key component is knowing what your audience values. When you know what your audience values you can speak to those values within the details during your presentation. To find out what they value ASK them, then LISTEN! Here are a few tips to the 3 best free ways to listen to your audience:

1. Social Media: Ask a question on Twitter, Facebook, or in other networking groups you belong to. People like to be asked their ideas and opinions and will readily give them. The benefit of this option is you will usually have your answer quickly – often within a few minutes or hours.
2. SurveyMonkey.com: Go right to the source and ask your subscribers what is important to them. When you use this option, the answers you receive will be neatly organized so you’ll be able to see at a glance what’s important and be sure to address what your clients and prospects value.
3. Ask Campaign: Alex Mandossian created this concept. Using a teleseminar format, ask people what is important to them. One question you can ask is, “What is most important to you about X?” And then follow up with, “What is your most important question about X?” Ask via email and social media, then hold a teleseminar to answer the questions, build rapport, and create a space for people to ask follow-up questions.

Once you have listened to your audience you’ll be ready to speak to them confidently knowing you are addressing their values every time. And that’s what will get you the results you want!