Public Speaking: What you should know before you open your mouth (Part2)

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Lorwai Tan PhD

In this post, we will consider the final three don’ts of public speaking.

I have also included some tips on “selling the sizzle” of your message.

4. Enunciate
Unless you are at a ventriloquists’ convention, do relax your jaw muscles and move your lips when you are speaking.

When you slur or drop the endings of words, or swallow the first and/or last consonant of a word will leave people guessing what you’ve just said.
For example, saying “wif ‘im” instead of “with him”.

Mispronouncing words will not win your audience over either. Some commonly heard examples are, “noo-ke-lar” instead of “nuclear” or “aakks” instead of “ask”, or “seveneen” for “seventeen”.

5. Verbal Diarrhoea
We all have a tendency to speaking a lot quicker when the adrenalin is pumping and our hearts are racing.

You have probably spent hours writing and carefully crafting your presentation. Don’t waste this opportunity.

Your listeners have to process what you have just said, especially if it is the start of a logical sequence of ideas. Remember, you are taking them on a journey with you.

As difficult as it may seem at that moment, remember to slow down the speed at which you are giving out information.

In order to avoid looking nervous, pause (count 1 and 2) and then proceed with the next point. Do not be uncomfortable with silence as it is okay to have these breaks in your presentation.

6. Wimp out words
Finish your presentation on a high, and leave your audience believing every word you have just uttered.

When a speaker uses insipid terms such as “well, if things go according to plan..” or “we are hopeful that..” or “it is very possible if…” does not fill them with confidence that you can deliver whatever it is you are selling or pitching to them.

On the other hand when you say “I have every confidence that this service or product I am offering will fully meet your company’s needs..”, it doesn’t leave much doubt in their minds as to what you’ve just said.

Is it a matter of appearing confident and believing in what you are selling? Yes, indeed.

Why?
They sense a strong level of conviction from you.

This brings me to the “sizzle selling” aspect.

When you walk past a food stand selling ribs on hot coals, what hits you first? Is it the smell of hickory smoke on the barbeque, or the aroma of the ribs and that sizzling sound of the sweet and sticky marinade dripping on the glowing coals.

I put it to you that it is the whole deal (and by the way, did that description make your mouth water?).

Let’s say that you are selling a service of delivering home cooked meals to busy executive women with families. It would be dead boring if your said precisely that.

When you pitch to these women the valuable time they can share with their husband and kids instead of being stuck in the kitchen after a 10 hour day in their jobs, everything takes on a new perspective.

You follow up by saying that you have planned for them highly nutritious two course meals for each evening of the working week. These meals only require 15 mins in the oven and dinner is ready. Of course desserts are available as an added option.
The guilt factor they may have had about neglecting their family just went out the door.

Is the cost of this service the predominant factor in their minds when they are tossing up whether or not to take you up on your offer?

What do you think?

You have engaged them at an emotional level, and remember that in any competition between the heart and head, the heart always wins.

Yours in health, wealth and happiness

Adapted from Excelle.Monster.com

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Public Speaking: What you should know before you open your mouth (Part1)

Posted on July 8, 2010 by Lorwai Tan PhD

I am preparing a seminar where I will address an audience of professionals, predominantly male members of the medical fraternity. The room screams dark suits (single breasted), cuff links, polished leather pumps and old school ties.

I check that my Powerpoint slides are in the correct sequence, with text of a size that can be easily read by people seated at the back of the auditorium.

As I go through a mental rehearsal of my presentation, I think of the occasions when I was an audience member and how I formed my impression of the speaker the moment he/she opened their mouth.

The first 10 seconds are crucial-I will either pay attention or mentally switch off based on their opening stanza (don’t you love the opera/theatre analogy).

It is a given that the speaker is dressed appropriately for the occasion. I don’t know about you but I find that women (or men) who wear a lot of jewellery especially metal bracelets that jangle with the slightest movement to be a distraction.

Folks, you want to sell the message here, not have their concentration broken each time you wave your hand.

Similarly with ear rings-leave the big gold hoops to the gypsies at carnivals.

Your speech pattern: Listening to a presentation that is unpractised and stilted is similar to reading a document that has punctuations at inappropriate points.

It does not make sense and it irritates the person listening to you.

There are 6 fundamental don’ts that will help you present in a professional manner, 3 of which are covered in Part1.

1. Filler words:

Starting a sentence with non-words such as “um,” “ah,” “you know,” “err” or “like” indicates to the listener that you are nervous and unprepared. It is a pity if you really know your subject matter but come across as lacking in confidence in your material.

To avoid this, pause, breath and smile. Then pick one person in the front row and speak to them as if they were the only person in the room.

When you regain your composure, look around and address another person and so on.

The “pause and breath” method is also a good strategy when you lose your trend of thought.

2. Rising inflection:

A rising inflection at the end of every sentence makes you sound like you are asking a question rather than stating a fact. (When I hear this, I am almost compelled to give you an answer!).

It is important that you come across as the authority on that subject, and not tentative nor timid especially if you are making an important pitch for business.

By bringing your intonation down at the end of a sentence you appear more in control and certainly more convincing.

3. Grammatical errors:

In a casual or social setting, informality may be the norm. However, the usage of incorrect grammar during a presentation will cause the audience to question your educational background.

Using phrases such as “youse” for “you” or “ain’t” for “isn’t” and “he don’t,” for “he doesn’t” are not appropriate.

Do yourself a favour and speak in complete sentences. Even better, make sure that the tenses agree.

Next post I will cover the other 3 don’ts and tips on “selling the sizzle” of your message.

Yours in health, wealth and happiness

(Adapted from Excelle.Monster.Com)

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First Impressions Count

Posted on July 7, 2010 by Lorwai Tan PhD

On meeting another person for the first time, we are judged (fairly or otherwise) by our appearances and then when we open our mouths.

When you think of ducking down to the local 7Eleven for milk and the newspapers on a lazy Sunday morning, the dress code is informal-think jeans, sneakers and a sweater.

In an amusing account by an Australian woman living in France with her French beau, she described the horrified look on his face, when the first time she thought of stepping out casually to the boulangerie for breakfast provisions.

French women would not dream of going to the shops sooo unprepared to face the world. Oh no, they present themselves in their best possible light and ladies that means make up and co-ordinated fashion and accessories, at the minimum.

If you work on the principle that any and everyone you meet is a prospect and potential client, ask yourself how you want them to see you?

I will pre-empt you by saying that the previous statement does not imply that you are going out there with an ulterior motive of taking financial advantage of the unsuspecting. This is hardly the case.

As an illustration, if you are tired, grumpy in the grocery store check out queue, you may be forgiven for being a bit short with the young person packing your groceries.
However, that young person’s parents may also require your services or business should you meet them socially at a barbeque, for instance.

Imagine your surprise when you enter their home to find that young check out person lives there.
There can be a couple of scenarios here, i) there is awkward silence when you recall how you spoke to that person at the store or ii) absolute delight that he/she remembers you as the nice person who took the time to have a little chat with them as they were scanning your box of Cheerios.

So this is what I usually do: 1) smile and make eye contact, 2) comment on how busy or quiet things are in the store, 3) engage them in a conversation, usually around the fact that they are earning whilst studying at university or college, and 4) say bye bye.

Now, that wasn’t so hard and it certainly made me feel better. Try it.

Yours in health, wealth and happiness

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How to Negotiate a Pay Rise

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Lorwai Tan PhD
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Asking For a Pay Rise

Posted on July 6, 2010 by Lorwai Tan PhD

HOW TO GET A PAY RISE

It is easier for a company to give good employees a pay rise rather than risk them leaving for another company. Replacing an employee costs time and effort in recruitment, handover and training so if you are a good employee you are already in a decent position potentially to request a pay rise.

STOP FOR A MINUTE. DO YOU DESERVE A PAY RISE?

First, stand back and be realistic. Are you a good employee? Have you been diligent in your duties? Is your attendance record good? Have you delivered in the eyes of your boss? If you have only been in the job for a few months and have yet to prove yourself, you may too early to request a pay rise. Is the company struggling financially? Has there been announcements about company-wide pay freezes or similar? You have to start out with sensible expectations without curbing your ambitions.

START WITH THE RIGHT MINDSET

Once you have taken a sensible, hard headed look at your situation, your company’s situation than make a decision to move forward and proceed with absolute confidence. A positive mindset, posture and tone of voice will go a long way in getting that pay rise. It is all too easy sometimes for us, the “Dilbert” generation to think about the corporate culture as evil but this mindset will not help you at all. Believe that your boss and the company are on your side. They are not out to ‘rip you off’ nor willfully underpay nor exploit you. Go in with the mindset that they want to see you happy and receiving a level of salary which reflects your role and value within the company structure.

THE RIGHT TIME TO ASK FOR THAT PAY INCREASE

When is the right time to ask? Some business books say any time is the right time, but that is plain wrong. Timing can make all the difference.

A performance review is a good time obviously, but the end of the calendar year or financial year might work well too. This is when your company is planning their strategy, manpower requirements and budget for the future. Another obvious but often overlooked time is soon after you have accomplished a successful project or similar important achievement.

Once you have considered the best timing in terms of the company, you need to consider the best timing in terms of your boss.

You will need to your boss’ undivided attention for around thirty minutes. Before you book time in their diary, consider their personality, habits and current levels of stress and priorities.

Mornings tend to be stressful so afternoons are often better, but you need to consider your boss’ personality. They might be the type to get sluggish and a little grouchy by the afternoon, or they develop a mini-panic around 4pm as they realize how much work they still have to get through. Perhaps the end of each financial quarter is particularly stressful as he/she is trying to meet their targets.

If they ask what the meeting is about, it is best not to directly say it is about getting a pay rise, but you should emphasize its importance so they will take it seriously. It doesn’t hurt to get the boss slightly nervous about the meeting and what it might be about.

ALWAYS BE PREPARED

Never go into the meeting without being prepared. The more compelling you state your case, the better your chances of that pay increase. Consider your case from every possible angle beforehand and then list out your advantages in order of importance. If you have helped to the company to make money or helped them make considerable savings, this will probably be your strongest achievement in their eyes.

Other considerations could be additional training, qualifications and skills you have gained. Make a of list of times when you have gone above and beyond the call of duty such as covering for an absent colleague or taking care of an urgent task on behalf of the team. Or even volunteering for those thankless but necessary chores such as buying leaving presents or organizing the Christmas party.

Do not forget to list down your soft skills such as attitude, teamwork, attendance record and personal popularity. Do not make the mistake of assuming your boss will be aware of your good work and reputation.

COMPLETE THE HIGH PROFILE TASKS ON YOUR TO DO LIST

Before booking the meeting, make sure you have tied up any key loose ends and duties that might count against you. You might have an item that has been on your to-do list for ages. Your boss is aware of it and it has always niggled him/her that it was never completed. Or pick something ‘niggly’ on your boss’ to do list and assist them in completing that. Make sure your boss is aware of this task completion a few days or so before the meeting.

ACT THE PART

Walk into your meeting with confidence, seriousness and resolve. Sit up straight, do not fidget around and use strong, confident hand gestures. You might be nervous; this is understandable. If you are well prepared, you will find that your nerves will lessen.

Present your case clearly and concisely. Never say you want a pay rise because one of your colleagues is getting paid more or received a recent pay rise. Never make vague, self-centered statements such as ‘because I feel I deserve one’, ‘because I’m the best person in this department’. This is not considered a strong enough reason and worse, it may sound like you being personally resentful. And don’t belittle your boss in the process “because I’ve saved your bacon so many times’ because ‘you can’t do this without me’.

Tell your boss that you understand that you may have to take on extra responsibilities with a pay rise and you are more than prepared for this.

THINK OF A NUMBER, AND ADD A BIT MORE

Ask for more than you expect to get. Do not go overboard with this, but there is no harm is asking for a little bit more than the amount you are seeking.

Be prepared in case your boss says no. However, do not let the conversation get personal and do not make threats such as “if I don’t get this pay rise I’m going to quit”. If your boss gives an absolute no first time round, ask them for a period of time to consider your request, say you will book another appointment at a later time, say two weeks so they can mull it over.

BE PATIENT

Very few supervisors are in the position of granting a pay rise there and then. Your boss will have to review his/her figures and perhaps seek approval from higher up. In large organizations, the process may take weeks. Be patient but do ask for updates from time to time.

You may want to think about benefits available if it is clear that extra cash is not an option. This may include flexible hours, a company car, more vacation days or an increased contribution to your pension plan.

IF AT FIRST YOU DON’T SUCCEED…

You may be rejected first time around, do not be afraid to ask again. Be careful not to over do it though and work smarter, achieve more in the intervening period to make yourself even more valuable as an employee.

I hope you found useful tips in this complete guide to asking for a pay rise.

Gemma Swansburg is a writer and researcher on a variety of topics. You might want to check out her latest articles, Luminess Tan review on the hottest airbrush makeup system plus a Hollywood pro’s airbrush make up tips.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gemma_Swansburg

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