13 Jun How to Maintain Proper Eye Contact
Eye contact is generally considered the most important visual reinforcer a speaker has. Listeners like to be watched;, this is particularly true in persuasive business speaking. The American business culture relies heavily on the “look ’em straight in the eye” approach.
Generally speaking, eye contact should be a controlled speaking behavior. Don’t stare at people, yet don’t be too fleeting. That may sound contradictory, so here are three tips for effective eye contact while speaking:
- Hold eye contact for approximately one to three seconds, then move on to someone else. If you’re in a deep and serious one-on-one conversation, the time could easily double or triple.
- Use the X-Y-Z method, which means moving eye contact around the room in an X, Y, or Z pattern. Imagine yourself drawing one of these letters with your eyes.
- Move your eye contact everywhere; don’t look at only one or two people. This is a common mistake. You may find textbooks on speaking that urge you to “find a friendly face in the audience, make eye contact with, and talk to that person.” Don’t do it. It’s nice to feel comfortable with your listeners. However, if you get too comfortable and have too much eye contact with one listener, you’ll lose the others. They will feel rejected and ignored. Be careful of this common mistake. Move the eye contact around.
27 Mar Be Prepared Before You Speak to a Group
Here are 10 important questions to ask before the business presentation process. These 10 questions relate to listener analysis, and therefore, your needs:
- Why am I speaking to these listeners?
- Why are they listening?
- What relationship do we have?
- What relationship do listener members have with each other?
- What do they know about this topic?
- What would they like to know?
- How will they use this information?
- What are they doing the day before I speak?
- What will they be doing the day after?
- What are the logistics of the event?
This last one, logistics, is often overlooked. What do you need to know about the speaking situation before you speak? Answers to the following questions will help you to gather information. Add additional items to fit your particular situation.
- Where will I be speaking?
- What time of day will I speak?
- How long will I be speaking?
- Who is speaking before and after me, and on what topics?
- Will there be a moderator? Will I be introduced?
- What is the size of the room?
- How will the seating be arranged?
- Will the setting be interactive? Will it be formal or informal?
- What audiovisual equipment do I need? Will a technician be available on site?
- What are the lighting and temperature of the room?
- How far in advance may I check out the room before speaking?
The information you gather from all these questions will make preparing a speech much easier. Additionally, if your listeners understand that your research has helped you tailor your preparation specifically for them, they will be more likely to respond positively.
15 Nov Affect and Technology
Affect relates to the presentation’s general impression, the feeling it evokes. It’s like overhearing loud voices in the next room or getting “an impression” of what is happening. Affect refers to the openness, tension or mood of the experience. It is primarily intangible but a genuine and crucial part of communication. (more…)
26 Sep Products Don’t Sell – People Do: True or False?
Is this age-old sales mantra still true? After all, when it was first said, it certainly wasn’t delivered on the devices you are reading it on right now. So has technology changed the meaning of this mantra? And how about products in today’s world? (more…)
7 Apr Three Approaches to Better Presentations
Whether it’s a team effort or a one-person responsibility, a presentation can make or break a contract or client relationship. This brief article gives you three critical elements required for preparing a successful presentation.
If you provide a product or a service, there is truth in the old adage that “products don’t sell, people do.” Certainly, there are isolated exceptions, but person-to-person contact is invaluable for most businesses. In this framework, the business presentation holds a unique and critical place. It is an essential part of the public relations, marketing, and sales for any company, large or small.
3 Apr The Structure of the Mind
Psychologist Jeff Thomas and I agree on the structure of the mind. The mind and the difference between the brain and the mind have been the focus of conjecture, controversy, and intellectual consternation for many centuries.
It is generally accepted that the brain is the repository of the things and stuff that we are exposed to during our lifetime. There may not yet be general acceptance of what exactly gets stored, where in the brain it is stored, or how it is retained, but we can accept that the brain takes in and holds the information from our life experiences. In addition, it’s possible to actually see the brain. We can measure it, weigh it, touch it, and know for sure that there is such a thing as the brain.