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  The Presentation Pros

Basic Telephone Etiquette 101

5/1/2017

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Here are some basic telephone etiquette tips to be aware of:

Think through what you plan to discuss

Make notes about what you want to cover and any questions that you want answered or that may come up for you. Be prepared as to how you will answer them. Prepare a specific, succinct message should you receive voicemail. Include in your voicemail your name, the time of your call and a brief message letting them know the subject matter you wish to talk with them about and articulating your contact information slowly.

Monitor your tone of voice

It is important to convey confidence without coming across as aggressive or pushy. Sit up in your chair or stand to engage your diaphragm. You will come across with a stronger voice and thus more authority.

Identify yourself at the beginning of the call
 
  1. From your cell phone answer “Hello, this is your name
  2. From the office answer “Hello/Good Morning, _______ Department, your name speaking
  3. When making a call always state your name along with the name of the person you are calling. I.e. Hello, my name is your name from _____Corporation. May I please speak with _______?

State your name and number at the beginning and end of the message

Make sure you say your phone number slowly. It is one of the most important pieces of information in your message and I am always amazed at how many people rattle it off with lightning speed, often mumbling the numbers so they are unintelligible. I recommend stating your name and number at the beginning and again at the end of your message. There are few things more frustrating than to have to listen to an entire message a second time just to get the phone number.

No interruptions or distractions during your phone conversation
Give the person on the phone the courtesy they deserve. They should take precedence over someone who breaks into the call via another call, text, or comes into your office to ask a question. If you must break away excuse yourself to the caller and let them know you will be right back. Then when you return apologize and thank them for holding.

Turn your cell phone off
Taking a phone call during a meeting of any kind, especially one with friends is rude. If you really must take a call let whomever you are with know that you are expecting a call and then excuse yourself to take the call. When you return apologize to the person or people you are with and turn the phone off for the remainder of your meeting together. If you are expecting a call but know that you have a meeting, let the caller know that you will not be available during the time period specified but will check your messages as soon as you are free and get back to them.

Do not use speaker phone unless you notify them ahead of time
​Do not answer the call on speaker phone or put someone on speaker phone unless you notify them that you need to do it for a moment while you type some of their information or get what they need or they need to speak to several people at once. As soon as you can get them off of speaker phone and thank them for their understanding.
 
How you behave on the phone sends a huge message to people as to your interest or lack thereof in them. Make sure you treat people with the respect they deserve. Your conversations do not need to be lengthy but they certainly do need to be courteous and respectful. This includes conversations with friends. If you would rather talk with one friend on the phone instead of having dinner with the friend you are with, then don’t schedule the dinner. The friend you are dining with deserves your attention. If you don’t think so, they are not a good enough friend to have dinner with in the first place. Remember you are showing who you are at all times. Make sure you put forth the best representation of yourself.




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R & R

8/12/2015

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We're taking the week off for some much-needed summer R&R but will be back next week with our newsletter, new podcasts and new blog posts.

Look forward to seeing you then. Enjoy your August.
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Membership has its Rewards - A Tool for Sales Teams and Individuals

8/6/2015

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sales team development
At The Presentation Pros we are all about helping you present yourself and your ideas with passion and persuasion. In this busy world it’s often hard to find the time to attend a workshop. And even if you do, perhaps you forgot to ask an important question or weren’t sure of what questions to ask because the situation you now need answers for had not yet come up. 

Do you have a sales team that needs polishing or employees with potential that just need to be taught the right skills?

Do you have an important presentation to deliver and need a few tips to put it together persuasively?

Do you need some help on what to wear, or how to put together your PowerPoint presentation?

Are you being interviewed by the media and need to know how to stand or sit, where you should look, who to face, etc. 

Because we know that questions pop up all the time, we have created a membership area of our site that includes:

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The Critical P's—Pace and Pause

7/28/2015

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Pace and Pause
In order to be a presenter you have to have an audience and in order to have an effective presentation you have to have an audience that listens to the message you are delivering. It is the job of the speaker, not the listener, to make a presentation easy and comfortable to listen to. There are two critical components to speech that can make or break you in the listening department—they are pace and the proper use of pauses.

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Here’s Looking at You Kid

7/22/2015

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eye contact to build rapport
Eye contact is one of the fastest ways to build rapport with an audience and yet I am always amazed when I hear a workshop participant tell me that they have been told to look at the person’s forehead or above their head or to imagine they are naked or a baby. Not only do these techniques not work, they will actually have you as the presenter becoming more nervous. Making eye contact with someone is about making a connection. It is about seeing the person and knowing the person has seen you. You can’t build rapport with someone who is looking at your forehead or above your head and you can’t stay focused on them if you are imagining them as naked or a baby. You need to be looking right into their eyes to build rapport.

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Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) - An Easy, Effective Way to Eliminate Nerves for Good

7/14/2015

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Tapping Points
© Copyright The Presentation Pros
Back in the late 90's Jack Canfield introduced me to a very interesting and effective technique to eliminate fear and trauma called the Callahan method. This was later called Emotional Freedom Technique or (EFT). I used it to eliminate a lot of my own fears. It’s easy to learn, has profound effects and the individual can do it for themselves with or without the help of a facilitator.

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Gestures are Your Most Valuable Visual Aid

7/8/2015

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how to effectively gesture
It is not your PowerPoint slide filled with data, or your precision with the white board or flip chart that are your best visual aids. Your best visual aid is YOU! Studies have proven that gestures and facial expressions significantly help the audience understand the message being delivered.  In a study conducted by The University of Chicago, they found that by not using gestures you run the risk of your audience missing large chunks of your presentation. The same study found that “…Gesture is a hand movement that is as much a part of language as speech.” So the question is not whether you should gesture or not but how do you gesture effectively?

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Are There Any Questions?

6/30/2015

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how to conduct a Q&A
You can craft the most brilliant presentation, have visual aids that hit it out of the park and deliver the presentation flawlessly but if you fumble on your Q&A you can damage your credibility quickly and maybe even permanently. The challenge is that no matter how knowledgeable you are, once you lose credibility it is very hard to get it back. The Q&A segment of your presentation is a great way for your audience to see how knowledgeable you are, how well you think on your feet and for you to answer any of their concerns. It also provides you the opportunity to reinforce your message and persuade the audience to take the desired outcome. Here are some pointers in dealing with Q&A and crafting a persuasive ending.

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Practice, Practice, Practice

6/24/2015

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Speaking Video Critique
Mark Twain once said, "It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech." Everyone knows that in order to have a successful presentation you need to prepare properly. You need to put your presentation together and create your supporting visual aids. But this is just the beginning. Your preparation isn’t done until you have practiced your presentation thoroughly. I hear so many people say that they don’t practice their presentations because they believe they deliver a better presentation when they “fly by the seat of their pants”. These are usually the same people who get sick with stage fright. The more you practice the more you know your material and the more relaxed and confident you will become.

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What Did You Say Your Name Was?

6/18/2015

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Remembering names is one of the most difficult and yet one of the most memorable things you can do. Remembering someone’s name and the correct pronunciation of it in a face to face encounter can set you apart immediately. William Shakespeare said: “There is no sound so sweet as the sound of one’s own name” and he was oh so right.

Everyone loves the sound of their name. In fact, studies show that hearing one's name spoken actually activates the brain, even when the name is spoken aloud in a noisy room. Calling someone by their name is one of the easiest ways to make someone feel acknowledged, special and valued and yet so many people begin a first meeting with “I apologize; I am so terrible at remembering names…”

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    Deborah Darling

    Deborah Darling is a professional development coach, trainer and an internationally acclaimed best selling author and speaker. She is an expert in the fields of personal image, self-esteem, personal growth and development. She is the author of five books, including Upsize Woman in a Downsize World™, the international best seller Dress to Look Your Best: Fashion Secrets the Experts Don't Share and her new book PRESENT: 7 Keys to a Powerful, Persuasive Presentation. She conducts powerful, provocative workshops on all aspects of communication and personal growth and transformation. She has trained for many Fortune 500 companies in all aspects of communication and empowers her clients with the skill sets to deliver their messages with power and persuasion.
    From 1997-2002 she was the national spokesperson for the largest retailer of women's plus size fashions in the world. In addition, she's been an on-camera and voice over personality for some of America's best known companies, and has appeared on numerous radio and television shows, including Hard Copy, The Richard Simmons Show and The Oprah Winfrey Show. Debbie is a facilitator for both Jack Canfield's self-esteem seminars and Dr. Teri Mahaney's Change Your Mind program.

    The workshops she conducts give her the opportunity to use her skills in helping her clients identify their greatest strengths and provide them with tools to achieve their full potential. She loves to help people find their voice and gain an open, confident credible presence. Debbie's ability to recognize and build on others' fundamental strengths provides immediate results for her clients. She looks forward to working with you to achieve your goals.

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