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Phoenix Public Speaking coaching and workshops

Archive for business communication – Page 6

20% Discount on Phoenix Business Journal Workshop

March 1, 2019
Posted by Paul Barton
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Phoenix Public Speaking workshop

In today’s fiercely competitive business climate, how well you present yourself can make the difference between getting ahead or going home. Business communication experts Paul Barton and Michele Trent will show you how to deliver like a polished professional in this workshop sponsored by the Phoenix Business Journal.

Participants will discover how to:
> Have an executive presence
> Use your body language to influence and include
> Connect with an audience in the crucial first 90 seconds
> Introduce yourself and make a great first impression
> Present your business card so that you are remembered
> Conclude with a sizzle, not a fizzle

The session will be held at the Better Business Bureau, 1010 E Missouri Ave. in Phoenix, on Thursday, May 16. Check-in and deli-style lunch are at 11:30 a.m. The workshop is from noon to 2 p.m.

EXCLUSIVE OFFER: Use discount code PAUL at checkout and receive 20% off.

These workshops sell out quickly so you best be signing up now!

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business communication, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training, public speaking workshops

Live Webinar: How to Engage a Virtual Audience

February 1, 2019
Posted by Paul Barton
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Colleagues laughing

These days, business presentations aren’t always made in person. Often, they’re conducted virtually through webinars and speakerphone conference calls. That requires a different approach than face-to-face meetings.

Join me and NYC-based social media expert Dhariana Lozano for a unique and free webinar that will show you how to:

  • Keep an audience engaged and paying attention during a virtual meeting or webinar.
  • How to hold organized and effective meetings via speakerphone.

 

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business communication, business presentations, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training, public speaking workshops

New Coach, New Offerings

January 15, 2019
Posted by Paul Barton
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Phoenix Public Speaking

We’re excited to expand our offerings. Presentation expert Michele Trent has joined our team and is offering two new coaching packages to help you master the basics and polish your public speaking skills. Having worked with big and small businesses, and for-profits and non-profits, Michele brings a wealth of experience.

Michele will focus on these two new personal coaching packages:

You can learn more about Michele’s extensive communication, marketing and entrepreneurial background on our About page, and you can learn more about our 1-on-1 offerings on our Personal Coaching page.

We are excited to grow our business and help more business professionals become the speakers they’ve always wanted to be in the year ahead!

business communication, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking workshops

Public Speaking Tip #54: Site Inspections Key to Success

January 7, 2019
Posted by Paul Barton
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Looking out to an empty crowd

It’s a good public speaking practice to inspect speaking venues before you deliver your presentation. Where will you stand? Where will your audience be? What AV equipment is available? Where will your laptop go? Do you have the right connections for your laptop? Will you need a microphone?

Checking out the room layout and the AV equipment is important for practical reasons. But there are also psychological reasons to do a site inspection. I like to do my inspections several days in advance so that I can visualize the location and become comfortable with it in my mind.

If you cannot do an inspection days in advance, come to your presentation an hour or so early. That way, you have some time to become comfortable with the room and the available equipment. If something needs to be fixed, moved or changed, you have some time to do that.

Doing a site inspection is a great way to avoid pitfalls and also a good way to see if your site offers any opportunities. Even if you are presenting in your own office building, make sure you are familiar with the room where you will be presenting and make sure you are comfortable operating all the technology.

Fumbling around trying to find out how to adjust the lights or get the sound to play on your video can ruin an otherwise great presentation.

When you take time to do a site inspection, you will be that much closer to having a great presentation. Make it part of your routine and you will present like a polished pro.

Related Posts

Preparation is Key to Public Speaking Success

Preparation Helps Reduce Fear

business communication, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training

Public Speaking Tip #53: The Most Engaging Question

December 3, 2018
Posted by Paul Barton
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Raised hands in audience

Asking your audience a “by show of hands” question just might be the most engaging type of question you can ask and one of the most powerful tools you have available as a public speaker or business presenter.

Here are some of the reasons why “show of hands” questions are so engaging:

  • First, like all questions, the audience has to think about their answer (provided you word it correctly and pause to give audience members adequate time to think).
  • Second, the audience has to involve themselves physically (granted it’s not calisthenics, but there is some physical motion involved).
  • Third, it engages audience members with one another as they look around to see who has their hands up and who doesn’t. Ask a question like “by show o hands, how many parents do we have?” and you’ll see audience members form instant bonds with one another.

Watch Out for These Mistakes

“Show of hands” can be very engaging, but here are a few things to watch out for so your question doesn’t backfire:

  • First, make sure the question is worded clearly so audience members are crystal clear about how to respond.
  • Second, make sure you take the time to see how many hands are up and report the results to the audience with a comment. Think of the “by show of hands” question as a real-time poll. Like a poll, you’ll want to note the results, report the results back to the audience and analyze the findings. “Ah, I see about half of you are parents. That’s about typical for working people.”
  • Third, don’t rush it.  I’ve seen many presenters ask for a show of hands but then charge on with their presentation before they’ve even counted the results of their query. This leaves an audience feeling a bit cheated and audience members are left thinking: “He didn’t even take the time to look at my answer. I hadn’t even got my hand up yet and he moved on. I guess he didn’t really even care about the answer.”

If you’re going to ask the question, take the time to get the answer. You and your audience will be glad you did.

Here’s to engaging presentations!

business communication, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips

Public Speaking Tip #53: A Home Brew for a Sore Throat

November 16, 2018
Posted by Paul Barton
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Ginger tea

It was the day before a big workshop that I was presenting and the unspeakable was happening – my throat was getting sore and my voice completely gave out a few times. Would I awaken the next morning with full blown laryngitis? Would I be able to speak for three hours or would I have to cancel? What could I do?

As is my custom, I had a backup plan for everything – everything that is except for my voice being reduced to a mere whisper. However, I had a secret weapon – my wife, Maribel, and one of her home remedy Filipino concoctions called Salabat tea.

The taste of Salabat is not exactly my cup of tea, but the effect was just what the doctor ordered. I sipped on the tea throughout the night and rested my voice as much as I could. With each swallow, the brew produced a slight burning sensation in my throat and that made me feel like something good was happening.

The next morning, I was able to speak with confidence and finish the three-hour workshop with all of my vocal cords playing in harmony.

And so, I offer the recipe for this enchanted elixir to public speakers and business presenters everywhere.

Here’s how to make Salabat: Pour 4 cups of water in a covered saucepan and bring to a boil. Peel and cut a 6-inch or so ginger root into thin slices and put them into the boiling water. Add ¼ cup of raw honey. Squeeze a fresh lemon into it. Lower the heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain the ginger root slices out and serve hot. Sip away. If your tea begins to cool, zap it in the microwave. Keep it hot but drinkable.

So, there you have it. May you be well and may you speak well. Cheers!

business communication, business presentations, public speaking, public speaking tips

Put Public Speaking Fear in Your Rearview Mirror in 2019

November 5, 2018
Posted by Paul Barton
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Fear in your rearview mirror

We’ll be saying goodbye to 2018 and hello to 2019 before you know it. If you have a fear of public speaking, 2019 can be the year you put that fear in your rearview mirror. If public speaking is holding you back in any way, why not make improving your presentation skills your New Year’s Resolution? It can certainly help make your 2019 more prosperous.

We’re teaming up with the Phoenix Business Journal to help you get 2019 started off right. We’ll be offering a workshop at the Better Business Bureau from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 23.

Exclusive Discount: Use promo code PAUL to get a 20% discount off. Our workshops with the Business Journal always sell out so make your reservation now.

This is the perfect chance to make head into 2019 with the confidence to speak up and the skills to stand out!

 

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business communication, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training, public speaking workshops

How to Make Better Business Presentations

October 12, 2018
Posted by Paul Barton
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Business meeting

Most business public speaking isn’t done from a podium on a stage. Most business presentations are done in conference rooms, in boardrooms, by speakerphone, or Go to Meeting webinars. Some presentations are done by teams or in panels.

Here are a variety of previous blog tips to help you navigate these real-life business presentation opportunities:

Making Better Speakerphone Presentations and 7 Ways to Engage a Virtual Audience

Perfect Panel Presentations

Terrific Team Presentations and You’re Always On in Team Presentations

Stand Out in Business Meetings and Use the Language of Leadership

Are there business presentation tips you’d like to read? Let us know what they are and we’ll post them.

business communication, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training

Sold Out Workshop — New One Added for October

September 21, 2018
Posted by Paul Barton
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Phoenix Public Speaking workshop

I had a great time presenting my “3 Steps to Own ANY Room” workshop yesterday. Many thanks to the Phoenix Business Journal for sponsoring the workshop and the Better Business Bureau for hosting it.

This one sold out, so I’ve added a new workshop to be held Saturday, Oct. 20, at the Phoenix Central Library, from 10 a.m. to noon.

In this workshop, you will discover:

  • Secrets to having an executive presence
  • Tips to deliver a polished presentation
  • A formula to capture your audience’s hearts
  • How to make your conclusion sizzle not fizzle

The workshop is free to current and past coaching clients. General admission is $30. Seating is limited to the first 12 signups.

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business communication, business networking, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training, public speaking workshops

Public Speaking Tip #52: Making better speakerphone business presentations

September 17, 2018
Posted by Paul Barton
No Comments
Business presentations on speakerphone

Have you ever had to make a business presentation for remote colleagues over speakerphone? Despite all the whiz-bang technologies available, it’s still common to hold business meetings via speakerphone and doing so present challenges for a presenter.

Audiences cannot see your facial expressions or gestures, and they may not have a high-quality speaker system to hear you.

Here are eight tips to help you deliver a better speakerphone presentation:

  1. Test the sound quality on your end before you start. Are you close enough to the speakerphone? Are there any distracting noises on your end that can be eliminated?
  2. Encourage speakers who are not speaking to put their phones on mute.
  3. If you typically speak fast, speak slower than you would before an in-person audience. Use simple words. Make complex ideas simple.
  4. Consider sending handouts before the meeting so that participants can follow along. You may want to include a good picture of yourself with these handouts so that participants can put a face with your voice.
  5. Be careful with dry humor and sarcasm. This type of humor could be easily misconstrued without visual cues.
  6. Be careful with open-ended questions. It’s easy for people to talk over each other. Consider calling on each person by name for comments and questions.
  7. Be careful with interjections. In person, it’s nice to interject with “uh-hum” or “I see” to let the speaker know you’re listening. But, speakerphone microphones typically only let one person talk at a time and these injections can cause the sound to cut in and out. Instead, listen silently until they are done talking.
  8. If you’re using a conference bridge service to host the call, understand how to use all the technology that is available to you. Can you mute non-speaking lines? Can you take polls? Can you record the conversation and make it available later to those who missed the meeting?

Following these tips will help your speakerphone presentation be more effective. What tips would you add? Please share in the comments section below. We’d love to hear from you.

business communication, business presentations, public speaking, Public speaking skills, public speaking tips, public speaking training
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