Just Sell®... it's all about sales® | the web's resource for sales leaders™ 10 Ways To Explain Things More Effectively April 1st, 2008 By Calvin Sun In the course of your work, you may sometimes need to explain technical concepts to your customers. Having them understand you is important not only for technical reasons, but also to ensure customer satisfaction. The ability to explain things clearly and effectively can help you in your career, as well. #1: Keep in mind others' point of view You've probably seen the famous illusion that looks like either a young woman or an old woman. #2: Listen and respond to questions It's easy to become annoyed when someone is asking questions. #3: Avoid talking over people's head When you explain things to people, do their eyes glaze over? The same goes for acronyms. Even within IT, the same acronym can mean different things. #4: Avoid talking down to people Avoid the other extreme as well. Greek mythology has references to two monsters, Scylla and Charybdis, who sat on opposite sides of a narrow strait of water. #5: Ask questions to determine people's understanding
Verkooptraining en acquisitietraining Public Speaking (and Book Promotion) For Introverts My fellow Texas blogger, Sophia Dembling , recently wrote a wonderful post about the challenges of book promotion for introverts . I loved reading her interviews with the writers and discovering kindred souls because I, too, am an introvert and I also find book promotion the most challenging part of the writing process. But anyone who wants to succeed as a writer (or in many professions) will need to develop stronger self-promotion skills. I've heard there are studies that say public speaking is the #1 fear for most people-- even higher than the fear of death. For me, public speaking has gone from being something which filled me with anxiety and all its wonderful symptoms (see a funny Don Knotts version here) to one of my favorite activities. So here are 10 tips that have worked for me, and I hope you will find helpful: 1. Though I didn't know it at the time, my late father served as my role model. 2. 3. 4. I never try to tell a joke-- I suspect that would quickly bomb. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Presenting Your Best Self to an Audience One of the most important career-building and leadership skills you can learn is to speak effectively to an audience. I dedicated a chapter of my book, Self-Promotion for Introverts® , to this topic, based on work with my coaching clients over more than a decade as well as continuing education students in my Presentation Skills for Introverts™ workshop at New York University . While I was writing my book, I asked Warren Buffett how introverts could raise their visibility in their careers. He stressed the importance of learning to speak to an audience. Buffett, an introvert who was terrified of public speaking as a young man, shared that he “got physically ill even thinking about speaking.” If that describes you, too, help is available. No matter the butterflies fluttering in your stomach, you probably don't look as nervous as you think. Videos: “ The Importance of Public Speaking” “ Managing Your Fear of Public Speaking “ “ Public Speaking for Introverts ” Copyright © 2012 Nancy Ancowitz