Scribd
Upload
160 views2 pages

15 Ways To Communicate Like A Pro

The document provides 15 tips for communicating like a professional: 1) win over the audience from the start, 2) eliminate all distractions, and 3) prepare cue cards as a discreet reference. It also recommends speaking smoothly, keeping a professional tone and pace, making eye contact, encouraging communication, and preparing for questions. The overall message is that communicating ideas clearly and persuasively is key to getting people onboard to take action on those ideas.

Uploaded by

Basilio Maliwanga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
160 views2 pages

15 Ways To Communicate Like A Pro

The document provides 15 tips for communicating like a professional: 1) win over the audience from the start, 2) eliminate all distractions, and 3) prepare cue cards as a discreet reference. It also recommends speaking smoothly, keeping a professional tone and pace, making eye contact, encouraging communication, and preparing for questions. The overall message is that communicating ideas clearly and persuasively is key to getting people onboard to take action on those ideas.

Uploaded by

Basilio Maliwanga
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2

15 Ways To Communicate Like A Pro

You are heading a meeting or on your way to make a presentation for a small group of people. You
already know how hard it is to be engaging and persuasive, having seen enough meetings and
presentations that have put you in a deeper stupor than a bottle of Quaaludes. Now it's your turn to
trump the windbags.

How can you communicate like a champ? Below you'll find 15 cardinal rules -- learn them, absorb
them and incorporate them into every speech or presentation you make. Use these tips, and not only
will you convince people of your ideas, but they'll be jumping to put them into action.

1- Win the crowd over at the start


Politicians are masters of winning over crowds. Just watch them at work: in press conferences, they'll
start by massaging reporters with light banter and humor. It may seem innocuous enough, but
buttering the journalists up steers them away from being tough and uncompromising. Follow their
lead, and try to win your audience over right off the cuff. A joke may not always be appropriate, but
even a bit of light conversation can help sway them to your side.

2- Eliminate all distractions


Don't make the mistake of thinking that your audience will overlook minor distractions. A tie that
doesn't match your shirt draws away their attention. The incessant drone of a photocopier in the
background draws away their attention. The glare of outside light on you presentation screen draws
away their attention. They should see you and only you up there.

3- Prepare cue cards


In the heat of discussion or an extended speech, it's easy to skip over an important point. Have a
small list of the items that you need to cover. It should only serve as a guide, not as your rock -- you
don't want to make a show of relying on it. Write your notes in big letters so you can reference them at
a glance, and relatively discreetly.

4- Use expressions correctly


It's good to inject some color into your rhetoric with some familiar expressions, but make sure that you
get them right, or your audience will only focus on your fumbles. No one barks on the wrong tree, or
anticipates that finishing a project will be a piece of pie.

5- Get your point across


Say what you mean, and say it concisely. Don't try to communicate more than one thought at a time.
As numerous individuals can attest to, when you ramble on for an extended period of time, using
copious amounts of clauses and convoluted phraseology, the general consequence is one of
obfuscation of meaning and sedation of addressees. Get my point?

6- Adapt to your audience


The best pitches are those that directly address the audience's needs. Take the time to get informed
about the daily concerns of your audience and prepare some concrete examples accordingly. When
introducing new ideas, compare them to something that will be familiar to them. Anecdotes can also
be powerful rhetorical tools. A story of how a common problem was solved in the past can really drive
a point home.

7- Repeat yourself
No matter how much you simplify your pitch, some people will still squint in confusion. Be prepared to
reframe your words for them. Know how to deliver the same message using other examples.

8- Avoid clichés
Don't "head them off with a pass," suggest they "nip it in the bud" or demand an "ETA," especially
when "the going gets tough." Clichés indicate a lack of imagination and ingenuity.
9- Watch your body language
So much of communication is nonverbal. A confident posture, controlled hand gestures and absence
of ticks goes a long way in getting others to listen to you. With your body you subconsciously
communicate how people should perceive you. In other words, if you open yourself up (don't cross
your arms, stand up straight and don't look nervous) others will be more open to you. Smile, be
friendly and open and you'll seem approachable, pleasant -- hell, even trustworthy! And in the end,
isn't that what you want?

10- Speak smoothly


If you're going to get your ideas across, you'll need to eliminate all stutters, hesitations, "ums," "likes,"
and "you knows." Staggered speech communicates lack of confidence and poor preparation. Practice
your spiel in front of a mirror or your friends. If you find you have to pause for thought, resist the urge
to fill the silence with noise. Collect yourself and keep going.

11- Keep a professional tone & pace


Good sellers don't talk in a sheepish voice. To persuade you have to project, as though your voice
was the herald of salvation. Speak in a measured, easy pace; don't feel like you have to get your
message out in a hurry. Believe in what you say and others will, too.

12- Know the industry lingo


Nothing shows knowledge about a field quite like speaking the language. Industry jargon addresses
complex matters known only to those who practice them, so stay abreast of them. But take caution,
and don't go overboard. Too much lingo will confuse your audience or worse, pin you as a show-off.

13- Make constant eye contact


Scan your listeners with your eyes, hold someone's gaze once in a while, then move on. You want
people to know that you're addressing everyone, so force yourself to look at everyone.

14- Encourage communication


You should invite questions from your listeners. Let them know that you care about what they think
and aren't just dictating from a pulpit. At the end of your presentation, ask other what they think. Avoid
asking, "Do you understand?", which can come across as threatening or condescending.

15- Prepare for questions


People will likely try to punch holes in your ideas. You need to anticipate what questions will be
raised. How? Pick out the flaws in your own presentation. Expose every crack to yourself. Then find a
way to downplay or compensate for them.

close the deal

So you've made a persuasive and powerful presentation. People have agreed to your ideas. That's
great, but good ideas are just a start. You have to incite action and see to it that your plan is realized.
Have a plan of action ready to get the ball rolling -- pronto.

Think of yourself as a business. What good is a brilliant product if there's no marketing to draw
customers to it? Knowing how to communicate ideas clearly places you above the competition and
shows that people can trust you. That's the most anyone can hope for.

You might also like

pFad - Phonifier reborn

Pfad - The Proxy pFad of © 2024 Garber Painting. All rights reserved.

Note: This service is not intended for secure transactions such as banking, social media, email, or purchasing. Use at your own risk. We assume no liability whatsoever for broken pages.


Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy