Thursday, July 19, 2012 | Body Language, Messaging
When you think about what has the greatest value to you, it’s likely that time is way up there on the list. Or, you may say you value life most, but isn’t it the same thing? After all, life is time, right? Life is just moments here on earth; one moment followed by another and another eventually creates a lifetime. So, if you respect life, shouldn’t you respect every moment of time, both yours and others’? If you value time, does the way you spend it reflect this?
How many hours in a week do you spend wondering why that person to whom you sent a proposal hasn’t returned your call or worrying about things that haven’t even happened yet?
How much of your business day do you while away talking to people with whom you know you’ll never do business? Could you politely tell them you’re not interested and not waste their time and yours?
“Time is the coin of your life. It is the only coin you have, and only you can determine how it will be spent. Be careful lest you let other people spend it for you.”
~Carl Sandburg
Do you respect others’ time?
Consider the amount of time people spend wondering why you haven’t returned their call. Whose time are you wasting? What else could they be doing with that time they’re wasting wondering why you haven’t called? Could they be doing charity work or inventing a new product or helping the world in some other way? Take it a step further: how many people will not receive the benefit of that person’s charity work or wonderful creation?
Are you chronically late?
If so, think about this. You probably wouldn’t reach into other people’s pockets and take their money and spend it for them, so why do you feel okay about taking their time and spending it for them? If you’re paying people for their time and you keep them waiting, you’re essentially wasting your money on their time, but at least you’re paying them for their time.
“As if you could kill time without injuring eternity.”
~ Henry David Thoreau
Do you spend hours driving across time to save a few dollars or haggling or trying to get things for free? Could that time be better used working, producing more products and services, or developing new ways to promote yourself or your business in new ways?
Respect for time is respect for life.
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This post was written by Lisa Elia, a media trainer, presentation trainer, pitch coach, communication expert, and speaker. She trains clients around the world for media interviews, speeches, internal and external presentations, panels, investor presentations, and promotional videos, and provides executive and team communication coaching.
With more than 25 years of experience, Lisa has prepared clients for interviews with TODAY, GMA, The Wall Street Journal, CNN, ESPN, and hundreds of other outlets. Lisa has shared her expertise with national media outlets that include Inc., Entertainment Tonight, E!, and many others. Clients include entrepreneurs, Fortune 500 companies, and everything in between as well as athletes, celebrities, and other public figures.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012 | Media Training, Messaging, Social Media
Authenticity and honesty are integral to creating a strong business and brand. However, this does not mean you must divulge everything about your business, nor should you.
During economic downturns, I’ve heard business owners and entrepreneurs complain about how hard it is and how tough business had become. While people need to vent and express themselves, it’s important to consider several things before you open your mouth or hit your keyboard.
Ask yourself these questions before you speak negatively:
• What is the purpose of this communication?
• Is this conversation going to help me propel my business forward?
• Will complaining about what I believe is my current state of being help me?
• Will this behavior attract or repel potential clients or referral sources?
• Is there a more proactive way I can express my desire for more business and possibly elicit help, ideas or referrals?
Some proactive communications strategies you might consider:
Communication tip #1: Survey clients or potential clients about what they need or want most. In addition to providing you with insight about products and services your clients and potential clients are seeking, this will get your clients interacting with you and your brand and could remind them you’re there and may even result in sales.
Communication tip #2: Let people know that you “have room for” more clients or business. This does not sound desperate, especially if you avoid the word “need.” Even busy, successful people let others know when they have room for more clients or business, which is why they’re busy and successful.
Communication tip #3: Tell people of other opportunities you’re seeking, such as speaking engagements or ad trade opportunities.
Communication tip #4: Be creative and approach businesses that provide products and services that complement yours with the idea of cross-promoting your products or services.
Communication tip #5: If you have extra time on your hands, use it to promote yourself or your company. Use this time to write articles, pitch ideas to the media or put together a talk that you could present to a group of business people or others you’d like to reach.
Communication tip #6: Ask what you can do to help others promote their business. An introduction you make could help someone bring in more business, and most of us have learned, what goes around comes around. Plus, it feels good to help people grow their businesses.
A few communication tips to remember:
Be positive. People are more likely to get involved with a hopeful cause than a hopeless one. Be as positive as you can be. If you begin to use more positive words, you can even change your mind and your mood.
Don’t say it if you wouldn’t want it etched in stone. Consider that everything you write on your website, blog, Twitter or Facebook can live on forever. The same goes for e-mails and even phone conversations. As Oprah says, “I don’t write anything in an e-mail that I wouldn’t want to see in the New York Times.” It’s a good rule to follow.
Choose your confidantes wisely. If you really feel the need to share negative feelings or fears, do so with a few trusted friends or colleagues. This doesn’t mean you’re being false with everyone else; it just means you’re doing what’s best for your business. If you present yourself and your business as something that is vital and evolving, clients will be more excited to work with you and referral sources will be more enthusiastic about referring business to you.
Words have power. Use them to your advantage.
Now that you have a few communication tips, would you like some additional media training resources and tips?
If so, visit these links on our site:
10 Things to Do to Become a Trusted Expert and Thought Leader, Tips from a Media Trainer and PR Expert
What is Influence and How Do You Increase It? Tips from a Media Trainer
Monday, July 2, 2012 | Presentation Training, Public Speaking
Before you make any presentation—whether it’s on the phone, in person or via Skype—or deliver your message at a press conference, the best thing you can do is to prepare yourself.
Once you’ve prepared your presentation, polish it, refine it and rehearse it again. Great presentations lead to sales, joint partnerships and prosperity!
Presentation delivery tip #1: Establish your goal.
Think about your reason for making this presentation. For example: Are you trying to establish a connection with a new person or group of people who could become clients, referral sources or associates? Or, are you trying to sell them something?
Presentation delivery tip #2: Write an outline.
Write out what you want to cover in the presentation. (It’s generally not a good idea to read something word-for-word, unless you’ve trained at sounding natural reading from a teleprompter or script.)
Presentation delivery tip #3: Follow this format.
If you’re making a presentation where you’d like to attract new clients or associates, here is a simple format to follow:
- Establish rapport. (You can spend around a few minutes doing this in a long, in-person meeting. In a phone call to someone who’s busy, you may have only 30 seconds to do this.) Allow your natural humor to come through, but avoid cliches and bad jokes.
- Identify your audience’s need or problem.
- Present your solution to their need or problem in a broad sense.
- Explain the details of your solution (your product/service).
- Tell your audience how they can work with you or access your product or services to solve their problem.
Presentation delivery tip #4: Be friendly and accessible. But don’t be overly familiar, which can ring false if you don’t really know the person/people to whom you are speaking.
Presentation delivery tip #5: Use the appropriate tone to suit your audience. If it’s a more formal business situation, speak in a more professional manner. If you’re speaking with people who like the “warm fuzzies,” you can be more warm and fuzzy.
Presentation delivery tip #6: Rehearse your entire presentation at least a couple of times. You’ll notice that it will get smoother and your confidence will increase each time you do it. If you can record it on an audio or video recorder, you can review it.
Presentation delivery tip #7: Refine your presentation. After you’ve rehearsed and reviewed your presentation, identify sections you can smooth out and determine whether or not you should change the order of your presentation points.
People feel more comfortable working with people who come across as knowledgeable and confident. If you prepare and polish your presentations, you will prosper!
Do you want additional media training tips and advice? Use these links:
Acronyms and Abbreviations in Media Interviews and Speeches
Body Language in Interviews and Meetings – Nonverbal Communication
Do you respect others’ time?
