5 Tips For Impromptu Talks

Actively Strive To Improve Your Ability To Handle Impromptu Talks.

Chances are high that you will eventually find yourself in an impromptu speaking situation, so the best thing you can do is arm yourself in advance. Quite honestly, putting a little time and effort into improving your impromptu speaking skills will benefit your everyday life, not to mention those inevitable moments when you are put on the spot. And with the tips we have provided below, even the most nervous on-the-spot speakers will find themselves in better control during an impromptu talk.

5 Tips For Impromptu Talks:

Tip #1. Use Your Natural Style: Everyone has their own distinct way of speaking. Some people are storytellers, who rely heavily on examples and anecdotes to support their points. Other people rely on humor, and still others rely on hard data. Knowing your style will help you feel more comfortable when thrust into an impromptu speaking moment. You won't struggle to get your point across, and your audience won't struggle to keep up with you.

Tip #2. Use An Example Immediately: The best way to connect with your audience is to appeal to them emotionally with an anecdote. Putting a personal spin on your talk humanizes it, making it more relatable to your audience. Not only that, but using a personal experience is an easy way to ease into your argument, as opposed to trying to develop logical supporting facts from the onset. An even better way to get your audience to relate with your point is to bring stories that involve them.

Tip #3. Be Engaging: The success of any speaking engagement hinges upon how well you capture and maintain your audience's attention. The key is to speak with animation and force. Enthusiasm is contagious -- the more enthusiastic you are, the more your audience will keep their attention locked on you. Walk around the room, gesture occasionally and use eye contact to help deliver your point.

Tip #4. Know There Is A Beginning, Middle And End: Impromptu talks can't just be a series of unrelated sentences strung together; they require structure -- a beginning, middle and end that move from one to the next with ideas that support your central thought logically. After all, your objective is to get your point across. So instead of rambling on, speak slowly and use pauses to gather your thoughts and to let your audience digest the last thing you said.

Tip #5. Keep It Brief, If Necessary: Don't get hung up on how long you have been speaking. Impromptu talks aren't like college public speaking courses -- there is no set length of time. If you feel you have reached the end of your story, or that you are drifting from relevant points that support your central argument, cut to the conclusion. If nothing else, the audience will appreciate your brevity.

Executive Summary: If you think about it, almost every time you speak it is an impromptu talk -- whether you find yourself on the phone with someone or you strike up a conversation at random. Situations like these, as well as impromptu talks in the work environment, require that you form your thoughts on the fly and try to present whatever you are saying in a clear, concise, logical format. Like any activity or skill, the more you actively seek to improve at it the better you will become over time.

5 Tips For Maintaining A Positive Attitude At Work

Positive Attitude In The Workplace Improves All Aspects Of Work.

Very little, if anything, is gained out of negativity. Conversely, a positive attitude can improve all aspects of your work life. Those who display and maintain a positive attitude tend to see career success, a reduction in stress, tend to be healthier, more motivated and enjoy stronger interpersonal relations -- not just in the workplace, but also in life.

5 Tips For Maintaining A Positive Attitude At Work:

Tip #1. Be A Team Player: To put it simply, roll with the punches. Part of being a team player is shouldering assignments or work you do not find enjoyable, but are necessary for the greater good of the team and your company. The key is to recognize that greater good and your part in making it happen instead of focusing only on the inconvenience to you.

Tip #2. Avoid Complaining: Complaining is just about the biggest waste of time and energy out there. Every second spent complaining is a second that could be spent improving. Besides, no one likes a complainer. If you have an issue, think of a solution before you bring it up in discussion. You will feel better for taking initiative and others will be glad you didn't just turn to them for the solution.

Tip #3. Turn Problems Into Opportunities: When faced with a problem, take the "glass half full" approach. Problems are inevitable, especially in the workplace. So brace for impact and focus on the good that can come out of solving a problem -- what you can learn by challenging the problem and how you can improve your work life through its solution.

Tip #4. Focus On The Good, Not The Bad: It's easy to ignore the good and focus on the bad because the good is what we want, where the bad sticks out more since it is unwanted. Try making a list of all that you enjoy about your job and your work environment. Then consult this list on a regular basis to help remind yourself that the good typically far outweighs the bad.

Tip #5. Stay Healthy And Well Rested: The human body is a machine, no different from a car. It needs to be maintained properly in order to run well. You would be amazed at how much of an influence poor diet and lack of exercise has on your attitude. Eating healthy, drinking plenty of water and finding a slice of time to exercise will go a long way in improving your attitude and outlook, which in turn will improve your work life.

Executive Summary: For some people, maintaining a positive attitude comes naturally. For others, however, it requires a bit of conscious effort. Every job has dull aspects, responsibilities that contribute to the grind. The trick is to recognize what those dull aspects mean for the big picture. Furthermore, by taking good care of yourself, both body and mind, and striving to focus on the good, you will find your work -- and home -- life drastically improve.

6 Traits Successful Salespeople Possess

Whether great salespeople are born or made, one thing is certain: They possess a particular set of characteristics -- personality traits that contribute to their prowess in sales. And as many great salespeople have proven, these traits can be developed through hard work, practice and perseverance by anyone striving to become a great salesperson.

These Qualities Appear In The Best Of The Best.

As a matter of fact, research into the qualities that successful sales professionals share has tracked the prevalent presence of these personality traits among the best of the best. And as we stated earlier, just because you do not possess these qualities now does not mean you can't build them up. Just be prepared to roll up your sleeves and put the work in to make it happen.

6 Traits Successful Salespeople Possess:

Trait #1. They Are Forward Thinking: Successful salespeople have the edge because they stay on the edge, always managing a steady stream of information via trade magazines, newspaper, various Internet resources, etc. to stay up to date with all the latest trends and information relevant to them and their industry. This may seem exhausting, to stay so informed all the time, but being two steps ahead is a key to success.

Trait #2. They Are Relationship Oriented: Networking is a fundamental aspect of the business world, including sales. Building and maintaining long-term business relationships requires more than merely handing out your business card at every opportunity you get -- though it can and often does start there. But after, you need to keep in regular contact with every new business relationship you establish. You never know what networking opportunities will blossom. This is known by many experts as an "Oh By The Way" call. Without proactively reaching out to your database of prospective buyers, you will have a hard time reaching rock star status as a salesperson.

Trait #3. They Are Service Focused: Customer service remains one of the major hot buttons with consumers today -- even more so due to social media, especially Twitter. In some sense, everyone at a business is involved in customer service. And since salespeople act as a bridge between the business and its buyers, they need to be just as service focused. That means returning calls and e-mails in a timely manner, following-up with clients and making good on any promises made.

Trait #4. They Are Tech Literate: Ignoring the advantages new tech affords salespeople is essentially leaving money on the table. The acceleration in telecommunication technology has given salespeople an assortment of new ways to reach out to prospects, referral sources and clients -- from their pockets, no less, thanks to the evolution of smartphones. Great salespeople not only recognize the advantages of new technology, but also utilize them.

Trait #5. They Are Value Minded: What sets great salespeople apart from the rest of the herd is their ability to present and emphasize value to a prospective buyer. They do this through a variety of means, such as add-on products, custom proposals and free trials to educational whitepapers -- tools that get prospects to make that final buying decision. And just like customer service, high-value, risk-free offers are a hot button for buyers.

Trait #6. They Are Competitive And Team Driven: You have heard this countless times -- there's no "I" in "team," no one is an island, etc. Well, it's true, and great salespeople not only know this, but they are also fierce competitors who know how to win. That is why great salespeople back themselves up with a great team and recognize the importance of everyone winning. After all, the greatest victories are the ones that are shared.

Executive Summary: If you know a great salesperson, one who possesses all these qualities, it might seem as though they were born that way, and that if you do not already have these traits you could not possibly get them. Well, that simply is not true. These traits can be cultivated, developed and harnessed by anyone determined to improve themselves. And even those who inherently possess these traits must actively work to maintain them, to keep the skills sharp. By developing these qualities in yourself, you will gain a distinct competitive advantage in today's ever-changing global market.

6 Simple Tips For Remembering Names

Part of everyday business life is maintaining relationships between the various people with whom you interact. Naturally, this requires being able to keep track of names. If not, it can be extremely embarrassing for you.

A Lot Of People Aren't Great With Remembering Names.

Just because you don't have an ear for remembering someone's name doesn't mean you cannot develop this skill on your own. By following the six tips below, you will gain the extra edge when recalling someone's name.

6 Simple Tips For Remembering Names:

Tip #1. Listen Carefully: The first step to remembering a name is to absorb its pronunciation like a sponge. If you didn't hear someone introduce themselves clearly, ask that they repeat their name for you. Don't go beyond introductions until you know someone's full name and can pronounce it.

Tip #2. Repeat Their Name: Repetition is one of the foundations of learning. Fortunately, in conversation, there are plenty of opportunities to repeat someone's name. Not only will this help you maintain their attention through focused communication, but the repetition will also aid in helping you remember their name.

Tip #3. Use Visual Cues: Everyone tends to have a striking characteristic about them, one that you can use to help remember their name. Hair color, tone of voice, style of clothing, all of these make good visual cues. After all, 65% of people are visual learners. Once you have a mental picture associated with their name, recalling it later will come more swiftly because you have more than one device helping you.

Tip #4. Make An Association: In addition to visual cues related to the person, try associating their name with something more exaggerated -- a famous person with the same name, perhaps, or a fictional character. It doesn't really matter what you use, so long as what you choose effectively triggers recall of a person's name.

Tip #5. Write It Down: This is especially useful for phone conversations. After someone introduces themselves, jot their name on a scrap of paper and leave it within sight. Between hearing, speaking and writing the name, you stand a much better chance at locking it down in your memory. Plus, if you do forget, the name is right there in front of you.

Tip #6. Employ Mnemonic Devices: This is just about the oldest trick in the book. In fact, I have an associate whose last name is "Fallavollita." Since he knows that his last name is a challenge for people to say let alone remember, he tells everyone he meets to think of the game "Follow the Leader." Yes, it's that simple.

Executive Summary: Remembering names is far more a learned behavior than a natural talent. Once you get started practicing these tips on a daily basis, you will find yourself more comfortable when introduced to new people. In turn, you will see improvements in your professional and even personal lives. Also, keep in mind that most of these tips can be employed simultaneously, which increases your chances of remembering a name. So mix and match to see which techniques work best for you.