One of the words that consistently has been coming up around me
lately with private clients and when I do speaking engagements is,
well... engagement. What I'm finding is that while the pendulum swing
way far to the side of awesome technology, it's starting to swing back a
little bit towards actual customer/human connecting. Now, don't get me
wrong, I'm not saying anything bad about technology, I love it, I think
it's amazing and absolutely the wave of the future. It's remarkable to
me, a woman who is nearly fifty and still mourning the loss of her
8-track player, the things that we can do today.
But, with that said, I find clients and people that I encounter longing for more, what they want is engagement. Perhaps because I'm in the "speaking and communication" industry I see more of it but I think one of the reasons the pendulum is swinging back a little is the brilliant work done by TedX speakers. So many people come to me wanting to create what they create, engagement.
I'm excited about this idea, concept, return of connection. I also love the idea of balance with technology and connection. I think there are few simple strategies/techniques you can implement to be more engaging with your clients, your employees, when you do pitches, presentations and certainly phone and video conferencing and classes.
To be more engaging with your people there are actually 5 steps which include:
Your voice
Your Non-verbals (face/posture/gestures)
Your Content
Your Visual Aids
Your Persuasion/Sales
That sounds like a lot, I know, but I'll break it up over the next few posts so it's not so much to digest at once.
Let's start with my absolute favorite your VOICE!
There are a number of things you can with your voice, different techniques that are important, but what I think is really important right now is that you remember this:
Be unpredictable
Be dynamic
Be interesting
Every 90 seconds we can shift our brain power to something else, so you have to keep us engaged, every 90 seconds, that means sexy, interesting, dynamic, captivating, ENGAGING.
Unpredictable, dynamic, interesting, engaging all start with your voice. The other pieces are just as important but it starts with your voice.
First, one of the worst things you can do is present with a flat voice, nothing interesting, no shifts, no dynamics.
When you present, speak, pitch your voice needs to have the following:
Variations in pitch, both high and low
Variations in volume both loud and soft
Variations in speed both fast and slow
Great pacing-not choppy but a normal flow
Appropriate stressing of words-come on, some of what you're saying has more value than other bits, apply stress accordingly
Appropriate use of pausing
Apply those vocal bits and you will automatically be more engaging, captivating, interesting, dynamic and you stand a much smaller chance of losing your audience every 90 seconds.
Just a side note on stressing of words, stressing of words can be in a variety of different ways including more volume, less volume, more intonation, elongating the word, slowing down, speeding up-you get the idea, but stress is very important on words or bits that have value. However, make sure you do not over stress, people absolutely hate that and will tune you out because they feel like you're yelling at them or hard selling them, which no one likes.
Up next, more on engagement with your body/non-verbals and a full article devoted to adding value!!
But, with that said, I find clients and people that I encounter longing for more, what they want is engagement. Perhaps because I'm in the "speaking and communication" industry I see more of it but I think one of the reasons the pendulum is swinging back a little is the brilliant work done by TedX speakers. So many people come to me wanting to create what they create, engagement.
I'm excited about this idea, concept, return of connection. I also love the idea of balance with technology and connection. I think there are few simple strategies/techniques you can implement to be more engaging with your clients, your employees, when you do pitches, presentations and certainly phone and video conferencing and classes.
To be more engaging with your people there are actually 5 steps which include:
Your voice
Your Non-verbals (face/posture/gestures)
Your Content
Your Visual Aids
Your Persuasion/Sales
That sounds like a lot, I know, but I'll break it up over the next few posts so it's not so much to digest at once.
Let's start with my absolute favorite your VOICE!
There are a number of things you can with your voice, different techniques that are important, but what I think is really important right now is that you remember this:
Be unpredictable
Be dynamic
Be interesting
Every 90 seconds we can shift our brain power to something else, so you have to keep us engaged, every 90 seconds, that means sexy, interesting, dynamic, captivating, ENGAGING.
Unpredictable, dynamic, interesting, engaging all start with your voice. The other pieces are just as important but it starts with your voice.
First, one of the worst things you can do is present with a flat voice, nothing interesting, no shifts, no dynamics.
When you present, speak, pitch your voice needs to have the following:
Variations in pitch, both high and low
Variations in volume both loud and soft
Variations in speed both fast and slow
Great pacing-not choppy but a normal flow
Appropriate stressing of words-come on, some of what you're saying has more value than other bits, apply stress accordingly
Appropriate use of pausing
Apply those vocal bits and you will automatically be more engaging, captivating, interesting, dynamic and you stand a much smaller chance of losing your audience every 90 seconds.
Just a side note on stressing of words, stressing of words can be in a variety of different ways including more volume, less volume, more intonation, elongating the word, slowing down, speeding up-you get the idea, but stress is very important on words or bits that have value. However, make sure you do not over stress, people absolutely hate that and will tune you out because they feel like you're yelling at them or hard selling them, which no one likes.
Up next, more on engagement with your body/non-verbals and a full article devoted to adding value!!
