Or perhaps you’re writing. Do you know what your audience is reading?

I know many speakers who’ve been surprised when they discovered the distance between the message they sent and the message the audience received. That’s not really unexpected. After all, we really can’t gauge how our content or delivery comes across to others unless we’ve had the evaluations of others.

For example, I’ve learned from speaking evaluations that I’m often too serious, and that I should lighten up. That’s not something that was obvious to me, but after several formal and informal evaluations, I now recognize the truth of that observation.

In the same way, I’ve learned to reduce the amount of content in my speeches. When I’m writing a speech, I now know I’m not writing a book. By that, I mean the listener can take in much less than a reader, and it’s up to the speaker to make the content fit. That, too, I learned from the evaluations of others.

If you can get someone to evaluate your speech or presentation, ask for specific assessments on several criteria, rather than just general comments. These specific criteria might include:

* content suitability for the audience

* vocal variety and pacing

* posture and general bearing

* gestures and body language

* eye contact.

Make your list as long or as short as you wish, and remember that the more specific the criteria, the easier it will be to get information you can you use for improvement.

Much of what we’ve discussed about speaking works for writing as well. Again, ask for specific assessments rather than general comments. While it’s nice to be told, “Your memo was great,” it’s much more useful to get feedback on specific criteria, such as:

* writing style (too formal or too casual, for example)

* word usage

* amount of content

* suitability of content

* overall readability by target audience.

Many friends and colleagues will happily give you feedback if you ask for it; now you need to approach the subject strategically, and make sure you get feedback you can use to improve your performance.

Related posts

• Speak. Stop. Start Speaking Again. (0)
• Writing Love Letters And Poems For All Occasions (0)
• Write Articles And Captivate Your Readers (0)
• Words Matter (0)
• Top 7 Ways to Succeed in the Business of Speaking (0)
• The Benefits of Writing Articles (0)
• Public Speaking Dilemma: What To Do When You Don’t Have Enough Time (0)
• Note Articles And Charm Your Readers (0)
• Choose Life: A Eulogy For My Mother (0)
• Choose Duration A Eulogy In favour of My Mother (0)
• A Copywriting Lesson from Dr. Seuss (0)
• Your Book Arrives From Your New York Publisher! (0)
• You’re Always Public Speaking So Be Prepared (0)
• Writing: Is It A Skill, Trade, Or Gift? (0)
• Writing: Is It A Skill, Craft, Or Gift? (0)

Despite the high volume of e-mail that flows invisibly all the time, there is often no substitute for talking with people. Indeed, in many organizations, big decisions are made only after in-person conversations. Many career people take this seriously. Herein lies an opening for misjudgement.

present with sincere gusto

It is not uncommon to find a white-collar worker who believes that tone of voice and body language are underrated in effective speaking. Some polish their hand gestures and rehearse specific tones of voice because they believe that substance without style is weak. It’s not just content, they say, but delivery. Seeking an edge, some even have the famous 7% rule memorized.

The 7% rule states:


• 55% of meaning comes from presentation


• 38% of meaning comes from tonality


• 7% of meaning comes from the words themselves.

Though this has brought confidence and success to some, there are still people who pay more than 7% attention to the words others speak. Neither is a fringe group. However, only the latter has the backing of scientific research.

still misunderstood

In 1967, Dr. Albert Mehabrian and his UCLA colleagues concluded studies in communication that yielded an astonishing result: The words you use in speaking to others do not matter nearly as much as the tone of your voice or your body language. As the press picked up the story, the idea was extended: written words also take a back seat to presentation and tonality.

good for shock value

According to Mehabrian and his team, the original studies were never well understood. They have always asserted that words matter very much. Perhaps they didn’t use the right presentation and tone – or perhaps the media were hunting for shock value.

single-word expressions only

The Mehabrian studies attempted to reveal the relative impact of facial expressions and tonality on the understanding of spoken words. Subjects listened to recordings of a female voice saying single words (such as “maybe” and “honey”) in different tonalities. They were also shown photos of female faces with different facial expressions. They were then asked to guess the emotions portrayed in each, and to link the recordings with the faces.

presentation and tone as guides

The results of the studies appeared in full in Mehabrian’s books, Silent Messages (Wadsworth, 1971) and Nonverbal Communications (Aldine Atherton, 1972). In both books, he clearly states that for inconsistent messages or incongruent communications, body language and tonality are probably more reliable indicators of meaning than the words themselves. Presentation and tone are more reliable than words alone for interpretive guidance with single-word expressions. These are not general circumstances.

The 7% Rule is a Lie!

In a 1994 issue of Anchor Point, Dr. C.E. Johnson writes, “If these percentages were really valid, it would mean that learning foreign languages could be greatly abbreviated. After all, if the words only account for 7% of the meaning, we should all be able to go to any country in the world and simply by listening to tone and carefully observing body language, be able to accurately interpret 93% of their communications!”

Tone mightier than a sword?

In a 1997 issue of The Toastmaster, J.E. Pearson asks, “Imagine if Nathan Hale had said, ‘Okay; I’m willing to die for my country,’ instead of ‘I regret that I have but one life to give for my country.’ Imagine Winston Churchill saying, ‘Don’t be afraid,’ instead of, ‘We have nothing to fear but fear itself.’

Yes; tone of voice and body language matter very much – especially with single-word expressions. When speaking within a common language and culture do not be fooled by the myth of the 7% rule. Words matter – probably much more than 7%.

Related posts

• Writing Love Letters And Poems For All Occasions (0)
• Write Articles And Captivate Your Readers (0)
• Why I Killed My Muse … And You Should Too (0)
• The Benefits of Writing Articles (0)
• Secrets For Writing Great Articles For Beginners (0)
• Quel Cadeau Offrir A Vos Employes (0)
• Note Articles And Charm Your Readers (0)
• Most Newsletters Don’t Work – part one: Success and How to Monitor It (0)
• Is Writing a Skill, Craft, or Gift? (0)
• How To Write Articles Quickly (0)
• How To Write Articles Quickly (0)
• How Can You Write For Fun And Profit? (0)
• Get Evaluations to Grow (0)
• Article Writing and Clients: When Things Do Not Work Out (0)
• Article Letter and Clients: When Things Do Not Livelihood To (0)

- help build your profile

- draw traffic to your site, and

- help build a database of clients through associated e-courses or newsletter.

How do you write the article? You can come up with the content – How do you grab those readers and make them come back for more?

As you can construct and edit an article (it has a beginning, middle and end; and you can check the grammar and spelling); if you want to WIN readers – think about what they want to know.

Put your readers first. Give them what they want and they’ll be queuing up to read anything you produce.

A blueprint for writing articles that captivate your readers – whatever the topic – is a follows:

== 1. What Do Your Readers Want ==

You may know what they want because you’re an expert in the field. If you don’t know the subject well, you’ll have to research. Look for forums on your topic and see what people are discussing. What are the problems? Can you provide an answer?

== 2. Start With An Attention-Grabber ==

Work on your opening. Try to avoid trite questions like “Have you wondered why people find it difficult to lose weight?” It’s dull and it’s not targeting the person reading the article – what do they care about the difficulties “people” have losing weight? They care about THEIR weight problem!

The opening paragraph should give the reader that warm “Hey, this is about me!” feeling. – “This could be the answer I’ve been looking for…”

Example: “Diet gurus make it all sound easy: to lose weight, all you have to do is expend more energy than you take in. Huh! If it were that simple, the “Big People” stores would be out of business. For those of us tired of diets, gyms and dull group meetings, there is a back-to-basics way to tackle this. It won’t cost you a fortune or leave you feeling deprived.”

== 3. Write As You Speak… Then Edit! ==

The sample opening above illustrates the importance of the tone used in your article. You need ‘meat’to make it worth reading.

Write your article in a natural style that’s akin to normal conversation. If the first draft is too informal – fix that when you edit. Readers may want facts, tips, and strategies, but they want entertainment too! Let your personality shine.

== 4. End On A High ==

Most articles fizzle out! Writers often don’t know how to end on an upbeat note. They either stop dead or come up with a trite ending like: “So what are you waiting for? Get started today!”

The beginning and the ending of your article are the parts that make the biggest impression. Creat a feeling of anticipation… and leave them feeling satisfied (or excited) when you finish.

Offering advice to help solve a problem gives your readers a reason to feel optimistic about themselves. Don’t make promises… but offer hope. If you are giving hints on marketing or business, sum up the benefits. Experiment with using a humorous quote, or giving readers a specific action to get them started. Be creative.

Here’s a final tip: create a cheat-sheet. Divide it into beginnings/middles/ends and add more strategies as you think of them. (For example, using the tips in this article, you might write: ENDINGS – end on a high, offer hope, use funny quote, suggest action to get started.)

Do this, and you’ll be cranking out articles everyone wants to publish!

Related posts

• Note Articles And Charm Your Readers (0)
• Writing Advice From The Experts Part #3 (0)
• Writing Advice From The Experts Part #2 (0)
• Who’s Speaking: Choosing A Narrator’s Voice (0)
• Thesaurus: Word Roulette (0)
• The Benefits of Writing Articles (0)
• Practically Perfect Proofreading And Other Editing Myths (0)
• It (0)
• Writing The Article (0)
• Writing Short Articles Is Easy (0)
• Writing Love Letters And Poems For All Occasions (0)
• Writing in exchange for bread on the table (0)
• Writing Articles-how To Attract The Audience To Visit Your Website. (0)
• Writing Articles To Promote Your Website (0)
• Writing and Walking – Beating Writer (0)

One of the best ways to build the relations, credibility and to help get people to know more about you and your area of expertise is to write articles. People are always looking for good articles for their websites, blogs and newsletters. The important words here are good and content.

Good articles are content rich. The help the reader understand that which you are writing about. It gives them insight, whether it is about Business, Communication, Health or any number of subjects.

When you provide an article for your reader, whether you wrote it or published it, you are doing your clients a service by educating them in the areas that they wish to learn. Moreover, your credibility can be built or diminished by the article.

Articles also help to keep your website updated and helped to increase your search engine ratings.

Stagnate websites that never change, get a much lower rating with Google. As well, do not encourage your audience to come back. They are thinking, ok, I saw it.

A summary of the benefits are:

For the author, they:
• Increased Exposure
  
  
• Give Credibility (You show your expertise)
  
  
• Develop Relations (People get to know you better)
  
  
• Create links to your site
  
  
• Give you free Publicity

For the Publisher or Website Owner, it provides:

• Content
  
  
• Related Articles that you don’t have to write
  
• Reference and information that you don’t have to write
  
  
• A vast resource of free information

However, it is important to remember that there can be a downside. Of which you can avoid, once you understand what it is.

There is nothing worse than reading an article that is nothing more than a sales letter, a news release or an inflated glorified piece on how wonderful you are. You need to give the public something that they can use.

Then they are much more likely to follow your link in your resource box, back to your site to find out more about you.

Remember, that in each article, you are communication something about you. You want the message that be one that encourages people to want to get to know you better, to learn more about you know and to become one of your clients or subscribers.

In your resource box, make sure you are clear, stating who you are and where they can find out more about you.

Most article directories and magazines have set limits on the size and amount of information you can place so it is important to ensure it is accurate and inviting. You are not writing articles just for praise and admiration. You do have a business to run and bills to pay. Even if you are a millionaire and want to write just for the shear joy of it and love to teach for free, your resource box is still important, as you would want the readers to know that the information came from a credible source.

So go ahead and get started. Don’t stop at one article, it can easily become buried.. Make it a habit and write them regularly whether it is once a week or once a month. And remember, have fun doing them.

Related posts

• What Everybody Should Know… About The History & Development Of Communication (0)
• Write Articles And Captivate Your Readers (0)
• Overcoming Writer’s Block (0)
• Note Articles And Charm Your Readers (0)
• Writing The Article (0)
• Writing Short Articles Is Easy (0)
• Writing Love Letters And Poems For All Occasions (0)
• Writing in exchange for bread on the table (0)
• Writing Articles-how To Attract The Audience To Visit Your Website. (0)
• Writing Articles To Promote Your Website (0)
• Writing and Walking – Beating Writer (0)
• Writing Advice From The Experts Part #3 (0)
• Writing Advice From The Experts Part #2 (0)
• Writing – Job Or Hobby? (0)
• Writer’s Block (0)

Dead air means silence, unintentional silence, that is. So, if I happened to be standing in the hall, for instance, and heard no music or voice for more than a couple of seconds, I would quickly check to see what had happened in the announcer’s booth or the news booth.

Speakers and presenters, too, often think of silence as a bad thing. But, they should not. In fact, silence, as in a long pause, can be wonderfully powerful.

Pause for a moment before you start speaking, and you’ll almost immediately have the attention and respect of everyone in the audience. Any whispering that had gone on will stop, as will the shuffling of feet and papers, and the opening and closing of briefcases and purses.

The same holds if you lose the attention of the audience part way through your speech or presentation. Pause, look systematically around the room at everyone in the audience, and you’ll have them back with you again.

Pause for a long moment if you want to emphasize a point. When you pause, you not only get the attention of the audience, but you create a contrast between the silence and the sound of your voice.

You’ll also find pauses helpful when you change from one subject to another within your presentation. In this case, the pause signals that something’s about to change, especially if you foreshadowed the new subject as you wrapped up the preceding section.

Of course, you can also pause when you lose track of where you are in your presentation. Deliberately stop, look at the audience as if you had planned to stop at this point, collect your thoughts, and then start again.

In summary, don’t be afraid of pauses or long moments of silence in a presentation or speech. They can get and hold attention better than almost anything you can say.

Related posts

• Get Evaluations to Grow (0)
• Top 7 Ways to Succeed in the Business of Speaking (0)
• Public Speaking Dilemma: What To Do When You Don’t Have Enough Time (0)
• You’re Always Public Speaking So Be Prepared (0)
• Writing Love Letters And Poems For All Occasions (0)
• Write Articles And Captivate Your Readers (0)
• Words Matter (0)
• Website Translation and Localization: DIY Guide (0)
• Top 5 Strategies to Effective Public Speaking (0)
• Three Nonchalantly Steps To Be Obedient In Special-interest group Speaking (0)
• Three Easy Steps To Be Good In Public Speaking (0)
• The Secrets of “Watchability” for Speakers (0)
• The Secrets of (0)
• The Benefits of Writing Articles (0)
• The Barriers That Stop Most People Presenting In Public & How To Overcome Them (0)