Improve Your Communication with Vocal Vitality
Making your words come alive is an integral component of your communication.
Many of you know I was an on-air radio news anchor and reporter for many years. In my college broadcasting classes, my favorite professor taught me that radio is “theater of the mind.” He then showed me and my classmates the importance of using our voices and vocal vitality to capture the essence of our words so we could create mental images for our listeners. After all, on the radio, there are no visuals or body language to fall back on. It’s all in the voice. We had to make our words come alive with vocal vitality. Give it life!
Your ability to use your voice to enhance your overall communication is essential. Even if you’re not on the radio, you probably still have to speak to people on conference calls, voicemail messages, in sales meetings, and for presentations. You don’t have to sound like a blustery game show host to have a vibrant and energetic voice.
A strong voice exudes confidence, authority, integrity, passion and enthusiasm. It builds instant credibility. A weaker sounding voice can diminish all of the above. The actual sound of your voice, which includes the timber, is something you are born with. Even with coaching and training, the true sound of your voice probably won’t change a great deal.
The good news is that you can learn how to improve your delivery and vocal habits and work with what you have. After all, you are the message.
Here are five tips to improve your vocal vitality and delivery:
1. Avoid timidity. If you sound nervous or unsure of yourself, your professional credibility will be diminished. Be sure to drop your voice down when completing a sentence. If your voice goes up at the end of the sentence, you sound as if you’re asking a question, not stating a fact. Be strong and confident.
2. Listen to yourself. For the sole purpose of learning, tape record a few casual conversations in your home and on the phone. Let your answering machine record your conversation. Pay attention to your inflection, pacing, tone of voice and vocal habits. Critiquing yourself can be a real eye-opener.
3. Emphasize important words. By stressing a key word or phrase, you truly drive your point home. Conversely, emphasizing the wrong word can add to confusion for your listener.
4. Take advantage of silences and pauses. These are especially powerful in business and sales. Many people feel uncomfortable with quiet. Silence is critical in sales meetings when you drop the gauntlet and ask your prospect the golden question, “Are you willing to give it a try?” or “Are there any concerns you have that are stopping you from signing the contract and getting started right now?” That moment of silence can make or break the deal.
5. Express passion in your voice. If you sound bored, dull or monotone, the people listening will be bored as well. If you are excited and truly believe in your words and message, you have a great shot at capturing their attention. Enthusiasm is contagious.
The two cornerstones of success are excellent communication skills and self-confidence. Improving your vocal viality will help you to succeed in these areas.
Insider Tips to Powerful Public Speaking
I wanted to share a few secrets I’ve discovered about public speaking with you. These go above and beyond the basics that I have written about previously, like organizing your content, snappy openings, and handling stage fright.
These tips are just as important as they build subliminal trust with your audience and help you to polish your presence on the platform.
1- Watch where you stand. If you are using PowerPoint or other technology, stand on the right side of the screen side (assuming your slides are in English, reading left to right). This will make it easier for your audience to read the written words on the slides and then naturally bring their eyes to you. By positioning yourself on the right side, your audience won’t have to shift their eyes. It sounds crazy, but that’s extra work for them! This makes for a nice, easy flow. If the podium is on the left side, either move it or don’t use it.
2-Keep your jacket open. In nonverbal communication, a closed jacket indicates you are hiding something. Send the subliminal message that you are open, honest and revealing.
3- Pass the prizes. If you have a giveaway for someone who volunteers for an activity and the person is seated, hand the item to someone in the front and ask them to pass it back to the winner. Others in the audience will touch it. This is especially effective if you have a product to sell. For instance, I usually have my “Communicating with Confidence” books for sale whenever I speak. I keep a few up front with me to use as give-aways when people volunteer. As the audience members pass the book back to the “winner” or volunteer, I casually mention I have copies in the back for sale. Once people have touched the book, they want to go back and buy a copy. It piques everyone’s curiosity.
These strategies can help you to build rapport and connect with your audience. They also build credibility and trust- two important qualities that speakers and experts need for success in business.
Proactive Crisis Communications Plans Required in Changing Media Landscape
Crisis communications is one part of the overall communications and public relations strategy that tends to be put on the back burner. After all, most people don’t like to think about a problem that hasn’t happened. But effective PR requires us to be proactive.
Don’t wait for a disaster to hit—it’s critical that your top leaders are prepared and coached with a crisis communications plan in place before the emergency strikes. The onslaught of social media and breaking news on the Internet by citizen bloggers and “journalist wanna-be’s” is forcing us to be proactive. Preparation can save your job, organization and reputation. Many organizations have been wiped out because they failed to effectively manage an emergency.
Consider this: Dozens of your employees become sick after eating tainted food in the company cafeteria. A former disgruntled employee returns to your office and takes a hostage (or worse). A car crashes into your building leaving people badly injured. These scenarios can unfold at 2:00 on Wednesday afternoon or 2:00 on Saturday morning. This is not made up –it’s reality! Would you be able to respond and recover?
Virtually every story I see in the media where one of these situations has taken place, someone is interviewed and says, “We never thought it would happen here.” Think again.
Here are 5 tips prepare a plan prior to the crisis:
1- Designate two people who will be the face and voice of your organization. It should be the president or executive director, and a senior manager as a back-up. These individuals should be excellent communicators who are readily available and can remain calm under pressure.
2- Assemble a support team. This group will be your behind-the-scenes team who can help to provide expertise and input. It may include your PR director, an attorney, human resources person, and a trusted manager who thoroughly knows your organization. Everyone must be ready to spring into action.
3- Decipher information. Develop a checklist so everyone knows their responsibilities and is comfortable in their roles. You must gather and understand the details and scope of your situation, how it is unfolding, how it can be resolved and the impact on the community.
4- Understand the timeliness of your response. Prepare a template statement of 3-6 sentences that can quickly be changed in a moment’s notice to fit a specific situation. This can be ready-made for reporters. Your goal should be to contact the press before they find you. You must say something. “No comment” =guilty.
5- Review and update your plan. Staff changes, growth and other issues may significantly impact your crisis communications strategy. Dust off your file every few months. Make sure the new CEO or PR person has the right training and interview skills to deal with a crisis. Meet with your attorney as well to make sure you both understand the language that needs to be used with the media.
Remember the 5 P’s: Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.
Lessons Learned from the News
We’ve all been inundated and overwhelmed with the news these past few weeks. Celebrity deaths and politician press conferences have overtaken the media- both traditional and online. You can run but you can’t hide.
My intention here is not to regurgitate the news headlines and Tweets we are flooded with, but to share some insights into my own “Lessons Learned.” Maybe you will agree.
Michael Jackson: Aside from his obvious and distinct talent, we have witnessed a man who seemed to have desperately wanted to feel comfortable in his own skin. Celebrity does not equal reality.
Farrah Fawcett: It would be years after she shed the sex symbol image and embarked on more intense and profound acting roles that we had the opportunity to see the depth of her gifts. The bathing suit and big smile of the 1970’s morphed in her acclaimed roles in “The Burning Bed”, “Extremities” and of course in her final role in “Farrah’s Story.” Farrah was able to reinvent herself. In doing so, she forced us to look beyond the surface of her bathing suit and teeth and discover what she was really made of.
Karl Malden: His average looks weren’t in the same league as Brando, Bogart and Connery, but he taught us that with hard work and a willingness to learn your craft, you can be in the same league.
Gov. Mark Sanford of South Carolina: He has shown us a few things. First, he desperately needs to become more media savvy (at a press conference of marital confessions, you don’t open up the floor to questions from reporters, cite the Bible and cry). Second, if you put aside the issue of taxpayer reimbursement for his trips/love visits to Argentina, he taught us about the word Integrity. And I have to thank him for having a gutsy and strong wife who is so much better than he will ever be. A lesson for every young girl.
Governor Sarah Palin: Regardless of your political views, I absolutely think this woman is genuine. Like her or not, I don’t believe she is mean-spirited, evil or “dumb.” It’s unfortunate that she has had to endure the odious scrutiny of an unbalanced media who has treated her so unfairly. No man running for any political office in the US has ever had to tolerate what Palin has faced. Please don’t misunderstand my point: I say the exact same thing about Hillary Clinton. Shame on us.
10 Tips for Delivering A Powerful Speech
Stage fright can paralyze people. Even well-educated, polished professionals often have difficulty delivering a fabulous presentation. As a communications expert and trainer, I want to share the following tips with you. These pointers will help you supercharge your public speaking skills. Just remember, the following tips are for delivering your message, not preparing the content. For that aspect, watch my short video on YouTube. http://tinyurl.com/dc2pml
1. Practice- Stand up and read your speech out loud. This opens up your diaphragm and allows more air in, which gives you energy. This will also allow you to project your voice and get comfortable with how it sounds and the flow of your remarks.
2. Memorize as much as you can. Start with the first few lines, practice out loud whenever possible (driving, at home, in the shower, etc.). Keep adding a few lines to it, building on the beginning. You will soon have the speech memorized. This will allow you to speak to the audience, scanning the room with good eye contact and only referring to your written notes periodically.
3. Write key points on an index card. These “buzz words” will help jar your memory and keep the flow moving.
4. Speak from your stomach and not your throat. This will give you volume.
5. Say each word as if it were a word in its own right. Avoid rushing through the sentences in order to finish. (Listen to TV and radio newscasters for delivery and pacing tips)
6. Emphasize the important, funny and touching words. Let the audience know this is critical information. Grab and keep the attention of your audience and truly engage thme with your words and verbal/nonverbal communication.
7. Pause. Take a split second or two during key points to give the audience an opportunity to digest and take in what you are saying. This will also give their emotions a chance to react to your words. Silence is extremely powerful.
8. Get out from behind the podium. If you hide behind the podium, you will be a “Talking Head.” Walk around a bit and use gestures and your body to help make your words come alive.
9. Visualize the success of your speech. Days or weeks before, make a mental movie of how you will stand and deliver your remarks. See yourself in vivid and clear pictures looking superb, dressed impeccably, calm, and feeling excited and confident about your speech. See yourself on statge calmly and gracefully delivering the best speech of your life! See the faces of the audience who are silent and captivated by what you are saying. Hear the applause as you wrap up and the many compliments, handshakes and hugs that follow your speech. Picture yourself as a huge success and you will be flawless!
10. Smile and relax. Tall, strong and proud! Remember- You are the Message.
Creating A PR and Marketing “Buzz”
Our jobs as Public Relations and marketing professionals (and entrepreneurs) is to create a buzz about our products and services. Whether you work in business, government or nonprofits, we need to get people talking.
I teach many classes, workshops and teleseminars on how to create news and publicity. Thinking and breathing do not constitute a news story. You must actually do something to generate publicity. Get creative because your presence affects your prosperity.
In your PR or marketing plan there should be four words:
Create Curiosity
Become Known
These two goal statements are quite powerful.
First, you can create curiosity in your press releases and pitches; conveying such a compelling, concise and articulate message on paper that reporters rush to call you to find out more and cover your story.
The second goal is to become known. Become ubiquitous. Be everywhere. Promote your local speech to the Rotary Club with a calendar listing in the business section. Speak at a Chamber of Commerce event and send out a press release prior to your speech. Follow-up with a digtal picture or short video snippet with the president and a raffle winner after the program (Offer the video to the Chamber to post it on their website). Be a guest on a public affairs show on radio or TV. Write a bylined article that shows your value as an expert and provides useful information to the public (not a poorly-written, self-serving, fluffy piece). Team up with another company or nonprofit for a community cause. Be proactive and become known. Blog. Use social media. Create online videos. Say something bold. Get out of your own way. Think big.
Create curiosity. Become known.
Make More Money: How to Publicize and Promote Your Business
Your presence affects your prosperity.
It’s that simple.
Despite the dour economy, you can not only keep your current clients but you can make more money by attracting new business and building new relationships.
Many people mistakenly think that Public Relations and marketing are not essential to running a successful organization. Your competitors may be swinging the PR budget axe but they are the ones that will likely NOT survive this economic downturn.
PR, marketing and networking are critical in these tough fiscal times.
When you are consistently proactive and visible to mass numbers of people who have buying power, you will not only withstand this difficult cycle but you will thrive.
Countless business and nonprofit professionals here in San Antonio and across the country tell me they are “the best kept secret.” My immediate response is, “You don’t want to be a secret! It’s time to let the cat out of the bag.”
Here are 5 fast and affordable tips to increase your company’s visibility, credibility and revenues:
1- Focus on your expertise and how it impacts the public. Write a tipsheet or short article (formatted like this one!) to position yourself as an expert in your field. Address the pain/problem of the public and offer solutions. Then post the information on your blog, website, e-zine or Facebook profile. E-mail copies to your clients and prospects. Let them know you’re thinking about them.
2- Learn the power of technology. You don’t have to be online 24/7 to supercharge your marketing and visibility. It’s critical to understand how social media can be an integral part of your marketing mix. Make a commitment to learn about online marketing opportunities. Sign-up for a free teleseminar or webinar, take a class at a local school, or ask a college student to provide some quick tutoring. If you dedicate 30 minutes in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening to social networking, you will reap the benefits of your investment.
3- Speak. Volunteer to provide a free presentation at your local Rotary Club, church, library or professional association. This is an excellent way to get in front of a group of potential customers who are interested in your topic. You’ll be able to help people while building your credibility and name recognition. A few weeks before the event, send out a calendar listing or promo to the business journal and some local newspapers.
4- Pay attention to the news. Read the papers, watch and listen to the TV and radio news. Develop relationships with reporters so when they need a source in a particular field or industry, they will contact you for a quote. Send them press releases, letters to the editor and calendar listings.
5- Get out from behind the computer. As helpful as Twitter, YouTube, Jigsaw, Digg, Delicious, LinkedIn, SKYPE and other technology can be, we must still leverage the “human factor” of business. A cold keyboard can not replace a warm handshake. Determine where your ideal clients spend their time and go there. Attend a few networking events, conferences or trade shows every week or month. Face-to-face connections, smiles and human conversations are priceless.
When you decide to be proactive and use a combination of public relations, online marketing and networking, your presence will increase. So will your prosperity.
Developing Strong Vocal Habits
It’s no secret that New York Senate wanna-be Caroline Kennedy is getting raked over the coals for her “you knows” and other distracting vocal habits.
Make no mistake: I am not here to criticize or evaluate what she has said or done.
I prefer to offer some tips if you are interested in improving your own speech patterns, vocal vitality and communication skills. I cover this topic in my book Communicating with Confidence: Tips & Techniques for Powerful Business Communication. I also include a lot of this information, and more, in my Powerful Public Speaking program. In fact, I even write wedding toasts and eulogies, and coach individuals on their public speaking.
You may know that Kennedy is a Harvard-educated lawyer and author. She is clearly well-educated and bright. Articulating a message, to one person, or 100, is an art that can be learned. Many people, both public and private figures, hire communication coaches to help them learn the art of public speaking. Strong leaders are typically strong communicators. They have the ability to make their words come alive, which is an integral component of communication. Reading a textbook in college is quite different that actually practicing with a coach.
In my college broadcasting classes, my favorite professor taught us that radio is “theater of the mind.” He explained that on the radio, we had to use our voices and vocal vitality to capture the essence of our words so we could create mental images for our listeners. After all, in broadcasting, there are no visuals or body language to fall back on. It’s all in the voice. We had to make our words come alive.
Even if you’re not on the radio, you probably still have to speak to people on conference calls, on voicemail messages, in meetings, and for presentations. The spoken word is a huge part of your overall communication and how you convey a message. You don’t have to sound like a blustery game show host to have a vibrant and energetic voice.
A strong voice exudes confidence, authority, integrity, passion and enthusiasm. It builds instant credibility. A weaker sounding voice can diminish all of the above. Saying “you know” and “um” are empty fillers that distract listeners and imply you are struggling to formulate your thoughts.
The good news is that you can learn how to improve your delivery and vocal habits and work with what you have.
Here are five tips to improve your vocal vitality and delivery:
1. Avoid timidity. If you sound nervous or unsure of yourself, your professional credibility will be diminished. It’s all about self-confidence. Be sure to drop your voice down when completing a sentence. If your voice goes up at the end of the sentence, you sound as if you’re asking a question, not stating a fact. Avoid the “sing-song” delivery used by a lot of teenage girls.
2. Listen to yourself. For the sole purpose of learning, tape record a few casual conversations in your home and on the phone. Let your answering machine record your conversation. Pay attention to your inflection, pacing, tone of voice and vocal habits. Critiquing yourself can be a real eye-opener.
3. Emphasize important words. By stressing a key word or phrase, you truly drive your point home. Conversely, emphasizing the wrong word can confuse the listener.
4. Take advantage of silences and pauses. These are especially important in business communications and sales. Many people feel uncomfortable with quiet. Silence is critical in sales meetings when you drop the gauntlet and ask your prospect the golden question, “Are you willing to give it a try?” or “Are there any concerns you have that are stopping you from signing the contract and getting started right now?” That moment of silence can make or break the deal.
5. Express passion in your voice. If you sound bored, dull or monotone, the people listening to you will pick up on it. They will probably be bored as well. If you are excited and truly believe in your words and message, you have a great shot at capturing their attention. Enthusiasm is contagious.
Whenever you have the opportunity, try and smile when you speak. It may seem funny, but a smile on your face translates into happiness in your voice.
Sugar Coating Communication is for Kids and Grandma’s
I was recently interviewed for the International Association of MBAs. It was a fun and intriguing interview that prompted me to remember all the media training tips and strategies that I provide to my public relations clients. I invite you to read the interview. It’s titled, “Sugar Coating is for Kids and Grandma’s.” It is a short and quick read that covers personal PR and self-promotion, communicating with candor and “The 3 Most Dangerous Words.”
http://internationalmba.wordpress.com/2008/12/27/susan
If you enjoyed the interview, you’ll want to read Communicating with Confidence: Tips & Techniques for Powerful Business Communication. It covers these topics plus public speaking, reading body language, writing with simplicity, building rapport with Silent Listening skills, Emotional Intelligence, bridging communication gaps, NLP, and other topics on interpersonal relationships.
I am following the lead of a new associate I met recently. She told me she reads one new book a week and applies it to her life and/or business. I am grateful to her for this personal development tip. I have already started following her lead. Sign up for my free report, “Top 20 Success Tips to Master Your Life.” http://www.getinfrontcommunications.com/report/Top20SuccessTipstoMasterYourLife2008.htm
Communicate with Confidence. The sugar-coated stuff is for Kids and Grandma’s.
Market or Die
Whether you’re an entrepreneur, work for a company or nonprofit, or you want be proactive in your career, you must market. It’s that simple. Forget the recession and economic cycles. If you don’t promote and publicize your organization, it will fade into oblivion. If you don’t promote and publicize your own career and accomplishments, it will whither away before your very eyes.
It’s like basic Economics 101. If it’s not changing, it’s not growing. If it’s not growing, it’s dying.
Marketing and publicity are integral parts of your success. Even with people bellyaching about the economic crisis and budget cuts, there are plenty of things you can do every day to proactively promote your organization.
Consider these options and apply them regularly. If you do this for 30 days, you will have new leads, prospects and opportunities to help people and build relationships.
1- Attend 3-5 networking events a week or a month, time permitting.
2- E-mail 5 old clients to “just say hi” and keep in touch. You may want to send them an article or newsclip that could be of interest. Better yet, take the time to send a hand-written note. These are far more personal and meaningful.
3- Forward an e-zine or newsletter that you receive (or have published yourself) to a prospect or client on a topic that could be helpful to them. Let them know you are thinking of them.
4- Look in your database or rolodex and call 3-5 people you haven’t seen in at least 3 months. Invite them to coffee, just to catch up. No hidden agenda.
5- Volunteer with your local business organization, Chamber, Rotary or nonprofit to “work” an event. Spend an hour handing out nametags, helping at registration or greeting guests. You’ll be seen by a lot of people and will be helping at the same time.
6- Exhibit at 1 or 2 trade shows a year. Promote your products or services and increase your visibility. Offer an affordable door prize or certificate for a one-hour consultation.
7- Get involved with social networking. Be vigilant about blogging on a regular basis. Commit to spending 30 minutes a day to connect with people and increase your online presence. You can make a short video about your products or services with a basic home video camera and upload it to many different sites.
8- Deliver 3-5 free speeches a year to targeted audiences at local professional groups, nonprofits or associations who can benefit from your expertise. You’ll be in front of dozens of people; including prospects, leads and those who can offer referrals. This will keep your pipeline full (and you can polish your public speaking skills!)
There’s more to come on this topic. Visit my website at www.getinfrontcommunications.com.
If you want to promote yourself, learn more about my program, “The Shameless Art of Self-Promotion.”
Market or die.
