Save Time And Boost Your Leadership Status

by Nancy F. Clark (Follow her on Twitter)
Named one of Forbes: Thirty Women Entrepreneurs To Follow On Twitter

 

 Delegation and Time Management [4:51m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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In a previous post, Time Management & Procrastination, I mentioned that delegating tasks to others can save you time. I urged you to stop procrastinating and start giving them away. Now I’m going to say, “Take a few extra minutes—this is not procrastinating—to decide exactly which tasks would be the ones to give away.”

If you own the company and feel like making coffee, running the copier, and wiping smudges off windows, go ahead with the busywork. But if you work for others and you’re concerned that they may not view you as Leadership Material, drop these tasks as soon as you can.

The fact that you’re concerned about time management lets me know that you have more than enough to do at work. That’s good, because it means there’s probably something you can delegate.

Why don’t some people want to delegate?

1. It could be that they want to appear indispensable—you know, “Just try to replace me!”
2. It could be they think it’ll be too much trouble to explain to someone else how to do the job.
3. Or, it could be they don’t want to accept the responsibility of making sure this other person is performing the new task well and on schedule.

To all three above, I say if you want to be considered Leadership Material, get over it! Now, are you ready to delegate? Good, here’s the Business Tip of the Week.

Tip:

There are certain tasks that lower your perceived status in the eyes of others. Your self-improvement lesson this week starts with jotting down the tasks you do in a month’s time. Put an up arrow in front of the status-enhancing ones and a down arrow in front of the down-dragging ones.

Concentrate on the down arrows. Add a #1 to those that you can see others doing fairly soon. Ah, who can you dump these on? No, let’s not get negative here. It may be possible to mentor an underling. What if you combined a couple of your menial tasks with one that’s a level up for this person? You could coach her (or him) while making sure those tasks are handled properly as well. Bundle these jobs together and visit your boss with your proposal for that up and coming person you have in mind, you know, your Time Saver.

Now go out there and improve your status while saving time! What could be better? Oh, I know, improving your status, saving time, and increasing your pay! We’ll get to that part soon.

Visit our website, www.WomensMedia.com, for Expert Advice for Working Women.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

On our website, WomensMedia Expert Advice for Business Women you should read these excellent articles:

Women and Leadership: Delicate Balancing Act by Hilary Lips, Ph.D., Director of Center for Gender Studies at Radford University

The Y-E-S of Inspiration: Becoming An Inspiring Leader by Rebecca Hourston, MA, CPCC, Director of Programs at Aspire in London, Winner of “Leader in the Workplace 2010”

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on twitter here,

This Time Management Tool Really Works!

by Nancy F. Clark (Follow her on Twitter)
Named one of Forbes: Thirty Women Entrepreneurs To Follow On Twitter

 

 Using Time Management to Stop Procrastination [5:52m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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First, declare that procrastination is not a good thing. Then, admit that you are indeed procrastinating on a task or project. Get out your To Do List. Take a look at each item and ask yourself, “Am I procrastinating on this? Maybe just a little bit?” If so, put a “P” in front of it and go to the next item. Now, look at your list. Do you have a “P” in front of items that should be of high priority? That’s bad, admit it. Don’t beat yourself up too much. You’re beginning a reframing process and you’ll be better after you put into action the Tip of the Week.

Confess (to yourself) why this is happening. It may be a different reason for each item. Here are some of the possibilities:

1. I’m overly optimistic, as in “I could get that whole project done in 3 days, and there’s 2 weeks left, so what’s the hurry?” –
2. I see it as too overwhelming – “Great! Why did they give that to me? How could I possibly do it? It’s way too big of a project. I’m not good enough. Sob, sob.”
3. I’m too busy. Don’t ask me!.– (In this case take a look to see if you’re using precious time to complain to people here and there about how busy you are. This is time that could be better spent. Is complaining wasting your valuable time?)
4. This task is unpleasant. I dread doing it.  (It could merely be that you have to make a phone call to tell someone that they are not going to be happy with a new bit of information. Sound familiar?)

Time to confess to you. This blog was due to go out last week. What happened? It took me a while to see through my own procrastination habit. My idea is to select a blog topic that I think needs to be covered in the next week. I jot the idea down, and then finish the one I jotted down last week. What happens in my mind is that I succumb to #1 above: I think, “Oh, I didn’t write down next week’s topic. Well, that’s OK, I have plenty of time.”

Time management is a problem area for me, so I’m eager to delve into more ways to improve the situation. Stay tuned if you have this in common with me!

Break the procrastination cycle with one of these choices.

1. Delegate the task to someone else. Wouldn’t that be great?
2. Tell someone else that you’re going to do the task in question by X date and ask them to help hold you to it. (That’s why I confessed to you about next week’s blog.)
3. Picture the result of not doing the task—this is the negative incentive approach.
4. Or break the procrastination cycle by using my Tip of the Week.

Tip:

I’d like you to take a positive approach. Picture the result of doing the task in question. Fo r one thing, your To Do List will be shorter. And you’ll feel better about your productivity. Maybe you’ll gain gratification, if you’ve taken on a challenging task. For an extra positive approach, let’s add pleasure to the mix. Plan ahead to give yourself a little reward—a big reward if it’s a big task—when you’ve handled the item in question. Who said getting rid of procrastination couldn’t be fun? Fun is a great motivator!

Now, take a look at your list and decide if you want a little or a big reward!

Be sure to visit our website, WomensMedia.com, for Expert Advice for Working Women.

On our website, WomensMedia Expert Advice for Business Women you should read these excellent articles:

Making the Most of Criticism and Praise by Pat Heim, PhD with Susan Murphy, PhD

Money Worries: When Settling for Less Is Not the Answer by Eleanor Blayney, CFP

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on twitter here,

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By Stacey Hanke (Read about her here.)

 

 Communication Skills Using Visual Aids [9:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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How many times have you seen a speaker use visual aids packed with words, data and facts? As you get lost in the visual, the speaker’s message also gets lost. You leave the presentation confused and wonder why the speaker wasted your time when it would have been easier to simply send the visual aids by email.

According to a study by the University of Minnesota, visual aids can increase by 43 percent your chance of persuading an audience to accept your position. In addition, studies by Harvard and Columbia show that visual aids improve retention by up to 38 percent. This is why it is critical that your visual aids not lose sight of the message objective.

Your visual aid is not the message. You are the message. For example, avoid putting every word you plan to say on a PowerPoint slide. Instead, build your story into your visual aids.

Follow the tips below for getting the most out of your visual aids.

• Less is more! Create visual aids with more pictures and fewer words. Remember, a picture is worth how many words?
• Your visual aids are not designed to serve as your notes. Their purpose is to enhance your message through pictures and illustrations.
• Ask yourself, “Why am I using this visual aid?”
• Identify which visual aid format best supports your message based on the following criteria:

o    Audience expectations and needs

o    Audience experience and knowledge level

o    Program objectives

o    Time frame

o    Number of participants

o    Room size

• Design visual aids around key points or ideas you want your audience to remember. Allow the visual to tell a story.
• Follow the Three B’s: Big, Bold and Brilliant. Big for everyone in your audience to see, no matter what the room size. Bold words to increase visibility. Brilliant with generous use of color. Create just enough color to excite the eye—between two and four colors for text.
• Use simple typefaces that are easy to read. Tahoma, Arial and Helvetica are safe choices.
• Use bullet points to highlight key points and ideas. Limit your bullet points to four per visual, with four words per bullet.
• When sharing data, facts and statistics, illustrate the take-away points in a pie chart, bar graph, or line graph.
• Use builds when you need to discuss a complicated chart with a lot of information. Take time to provide an explanation for each segment as you build it.  This will make it easier for your audience to follow and understand.
• Save details for handouts. Your audience will appreciate a conversational approach, with interaction, accompanied by take-aways they may use as a resource.
• When illustrating your point with graphs, use only one graph per visual. Avoid trapping your message in information overload.
• Stay away from software overkill. If you are clicking the mouse every few seconds, you are working too hard.
• Avoid using all capital letters, which are difficult to read. You do not want to SHOUT at your audience.
• Always, always have a back-up! You want to be prepared in case technology does not cooperate on the day of your presentation, meeting, sales call, or face-to-face conversation.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on Twitter, or StaceyHanke here.

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On our website, WomensMedia you should read this: Leadership Success Advice from Yahoo Chairman of the Board, Carol Bartz

and you may benefit from this:  5 Ways to Lead an Unstoppable Team, Sylvia Lafair, Ph.D.

It may help to listen to:

How To Give Criticism — Sandwich Style Is Not Best!

A Good Leader Learns How To Give Criticism To Her Team
or read the blog here.

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Virtual Conversations That Influence

By Stacey Hanke (Read about her here.)

 

 Communication Skills: Conference Calls [5:23m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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Are you guilty of muting your phone during conference calls as you catch up on email or other tasks? During the first five minutes of a conference call, the majority of your audience will be distracted by other tasks if you don’t get them engaged.

Follow these best practices to influence action during your conference calls:

•  Stand when you deliver a conference call. You have more energy when you stand, which will be reflected in your voice.

•  Prior to the call, invite a participant with whom you feel comfortable to ask specific questions during the call. This will encourage interaction.

•  Start and end on time. When you go beyond the scheduled time frame, you communicate to participants that their time is not valuable.

•  Always prepare an agenda. Distribute the agenda at least 24 hours prior to the call. Even if participants only glance at the agenda before the call, it will mentally prepare them for what is to come.

•  Prior to distributing the agenda, ask everyone to notify you of a topic they want to discuss. Include their topics on the agenda, and allocate the time accordingly. If multiple or ongoing calls with the same group are needed, rotate the role of the facilitator and note-taker. This gives everyone an opportunity to take ownership of the calls.

•  At the beginning of the call, explain the purpose of the call, your expectations, your role, the participants’ roles and what needs to be accomplished. Explain to participants: “To make this call efficient, and to respect your time, I need your participation. To make sure everyone is clear on their individual action steps moving forward, I will be asking questions throughout the call.”

•  Explain your process of asking questions up front, at the beginning of the call.

•  Follow the agenda and keep the conversation “on topic.” If the conversation goes off topic, ask the group if they want to save the off-topic subject for future conversations or discuss it now.

•  The more specific an action step, the more likely the action will be taken. For example: “By the end of the week, identify three strategies within your department for servicing your customers while saving them time.”

•  Avoid talking “at” participants for more than 10 minutes at a time. Mix in questions and create opportunities for group discussion.

If you use handouts during your conference calls, follow these steps:

•  Verify that all participants have a copy of each handout. If some don’t, be prepared to immediately send copies via email.

•  Try to keep the majority of your audience with you as you move through the handouts. For example, say: “Please follow along as I explain the take-away from each page.”

•  Frequently check in with your audience. Remind them what page you are on, ask if they are still with you, and ask if they need additional information based on the handout’s take-away.

•  Pause immediately after moving to a new page, concept or idea. Take your time.

•  Rather than read aloud from the handout, give your audience a moment to read the content silently to themselves. Then explain the take-away from that page, or ask a participant to describe the take-away.

•  ALWAYS ask for feedback if you want to improve.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on Twitter, or StaceyHanke here.

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On our website, WomensMedia you should read this: Listening Skills: 10 Steps to Effective Listening

and you may benefit from this:  Leadership Strategies: Creating Healthy Boundaries .

It may help to listen to:

A Busy Working Woman Needs To Prioritize Her To-Do List —Take These 5 Steps For A To-Do List That Keeps Your Priorities In Mind
or read the blog here.

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by Sharon Michaels (Read about her here.)

 

 5 Steps To Being An Expert In Your Field [6:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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The key to success in this digital age is to be the “go to” expert in your field. A strong and powerful web presence is a business-building necessity. You don’t have to spend a fortune to develop the web presence of an expert. However, you do have to commit time and energy to honing your expertise and sharing your knowledge with others.

Here are five steps to being seen as an expert in your field:

1. Learn and stay current in your craft. In my opinion, self-education is a major key to success. Learning new skills, staying current in your field and fine-tuning your current skills are essential activities if you are to cultivate the self-confidence necessary to remain an expert in your field. Believing in yourself and your expertise is as important as the expertise itself. With belief comes the self-confidence to share your skills with others.

2. Write well-thought-out articles in your area of expertise. This is the digital age. From the Amazon.com Kindle reader, to e-books formatted in PDF, to streaming video and Internet radio podcasts on iTunes – you can get your message out to your target market quickly and, often, at no cost. The key is writing for exposure. If no one knows about you, you are an expert only in your own mind.

Find websites that cater to your target market and begin writing articles. You can also write for article directories, which attract thousands of newsletter publishers who are looking for material of interest to their readers. One such directory is EzineArticles.com.

3. Develop the “go to” blog or website in your specialty. In this day and age, having a blog and website is a must if you intend to share your expertise with readers worldwide. Become the “go to” authority for your target market. Share tips, success strategies and how-to’s that your audience can put to immediate use. A well-written blog or website will help develop loyal readership, and loyal readership produces loyal customers.

4. Become a guest on forums, radio shows and podcasts that reach your target market. Audio is a perfect format for sharing your expertise. It can help your target market get to know you, like you and trust you. It’s not that difficult to prepare podcasts or become a guest on an Internet radio show. The key is to have a clear idea of what you want to say and then say it with confidence and expertise.

5. Consistently share your expertise with others. Don’t keep your expertise to yourself. Let others know that you are willing to share your knowledge. Develop a workable plan of action to market your expertise. Ask to speak at networking functions, email talk-show hosts and let them know you are available as a guest, and contact blog owners and suggest that you become a guest author. It’s up to you to market and share your expertise. You are limited only by your own imagination.

These steps will help you start building a reputation as an expert in your field. If you are serious about reaching your target market and developing a positive reputation, start now to seek out opportunities that will showcase your expertise.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

On our website, WomensMedia you should read these excellent articles:

Understanding Moneymaking Activities: 5 Tips for Business Owners

Ten Success Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs

7 Steps to the Best Leadership Style

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on twitter here, or SharonMichaels here.

Sign up for the WomensMedia Newsletter. We make it easy!

by Sharon Michaels (Read about her here.)

(Listen to it here.) fix

 

 5 Steps To Being An Expert In Your Field [6:31m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Sign up for the WomensMedia Newsletter. We make it easy!

The key to success in this digital age is to be the “go to” expert in your field. A strong and powerful web presence is a business-building necessity. You don’t have to spend a fortune to develop the web presence of an expert. However, you do have to commit time and energy to honing your expertise and sharing your knowledge with others.

Here are five steps to being seen as an expert in your field:

1. Learn and stay current in your craft. In my opinion, self-education is a major key to success. Learning new skills, staying current in your field and fine-tuning your current skills are essential activities if you are to cultivate the self-confidence necessary to remain an expert in your field. Believing in yourself and your expertise is as important as the expertise itself. With belief comes the self-confidence to share your skills with others.

2. Write well-thought-out articles in your area of expertise. This is the digital age. From the Amazon.com Kindle reader, to e-books formatted in PDF, to streaming video and Internet radio podcasts on iTunes – you can get your message out to your target market quickly and, often, at no cost. The key is writing for exposure. If no one knows about you, you are an expert only in your own mind.

Find websites that cater to your target market and begin writing articles. You can also write for article directories, which attract thousands of newsletter publishers who are looking for material of interest to their readers. One such directory is EzineArticles.com.

3. Develop the “go to” blog or website in your specialty. In this day and age, having a blog and website is a must if you intend to share your expertise with readers worldwide. Become the “go to” authority for your target market. Share tips, success strategies and how-to’s that your audience can put to immediate use. A well-written blog or website will help develop loyal readership, and loyal readership produces loyal customers.

4. Become a guest on forums, radio shows and podcasts that reach your target market. Audio is a perfect format for sharing your expertise. It can help your target market get to know you, like you and trust you. It’s not that difficult to prepare podcasts or become a guest on an Internet radio show. The key is to have a clear idea of what you want to say and then say it with confidence and expertise.

5. Consistently share your expertise with others. Don’t keep your expertise to yourself. Let others know that you are willing to share your knowledge. Develop a workable plan of action to market your expertise. Ask to speak at networking functions, email talk-show hosts and let them know you are available as a guest, and contact blog owners and suggest that you become a guest author. It’s up to you to market and share your expertise. You are limited only by your own imagination.

These steps will help you start building a reputation as an expert in your field. If you are serious about reaching your target market and developing a positive reputation, start now to seek out opportunities that will showcase your expertise.

fix Listen to today’s podcast here. fix

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

On our website, WomensMedia you should read these excellent articles:

Understanding Moneymaking Activities: 5 Tips for Business Owners

Ten Success Strategies for Women Entrepreneurs

7 Steps to the Best Leadership Style

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on twitter here, or SharonMichaels here.

Sign up for the WomensMedia Newsletter. We make it easy!

by Sharon Michaels (Read about her here.)

 

 Marketing for Business Women [6:03m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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There are some powerful and inexpensive ways to market your business using your computer and the Internet. It doesn’t matter if you are spending hundreds or thousands of dollars, or using the many free marketing tools available on the web, the key to a successful income-producing marketing plan is to aim your efforts at your target market.

My advice is to truly understand your target market and be able to relate effectively to their needs, wants and desires. You may want to ask yourself these questions:

• Who will be purchasing my products or services?
• Why do they want to purchase my products/services?
• How will my products/services enhance my customer’s life?
• What specifically do I want my target market to know about the product/service I’m providing?
• How easily can my target market find and purchase my products or services?

With those questions in mind, let’s look at a few inexpensive ways to reach and impress your ideal customers.

1. Blogging - I am a big believer in blogging as long as you use your blog to provide information that will actually be read and used by your target market. If you choose to use your blog as a marketing tool, then it is your responsibility to provide meaningful information. Don’t waste time blogging if you are not providing your target market with valuable tips, strategies and how-to’s.

Free blogging platforms are available that make it easy to start and develop a blog. These platforms also provide templates, so your blog will instantly have a professional and interesting look and feel. A well read and respected blog takes a commitment of time and effort. To provide an effective blog you should plan on updating your posts at least once a week and preferably two or more times per week.

2. Reviewing books and products – Major websites, such as Amazon.com and Barnes and Noble, provide free venues with which to reach your target market. Do a little research and find out where your target market shops. Go to those sites and begin reviewing products. Most sites allow a link to your website from each review you write – that’s free advertising.

Reviewing products is one more way to not only reach your target market but to set yourself apart as an expert in your field. Reviews are a targeted way to get your name and website listed in Google rankings, too. The more you write for the web, the more your target market will begin to know you, like you and trust you as the “go to” person in your field. Look around your bookshelf, office and home and decide which products you can begin reviewing today.

3. Free conference call services – FreeConferenceCall.com is the one I use for my tele-seminars and tele-conferences. I have a dedicated telephone number assigned to me and I’m able to schedule calls any time of day, any day of the week. I also have the capability to record my calls for use as a product or free give-away.

Clients and customers are looking for information to enhance their personal and professional lives, and if you can provide that information they will readily buy your products and use your services. One way to reach your ideal market, and to set yourself apart as an expert, is to provide tele-seminars and tele-conferences. In addition, you can then re-purpose the scripts from those calls into special reports and blog posts.

My advice is to make the best use of the free and inexpensive marketing tools available on the Internet. With the right marketing plan and a clear vision of your target market, you can reach that market right from your computer.

Listen to today’s podcast here. fix

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

On our website, WomensMedia you should read these excellent articles:

• Financing a New or Growing Business: The Basics
• Team Branding: A Step-by-Step Path to Recognition
• 8 Great Strategies for Working Any Room

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on twitter here, or SharonMichaels here.

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By Stacey Hanke (Read about her here.)

 

 Communication Skills [5:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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You’ve just finished an effective presentation, sales call, or meeting, and it’s time for the inevitable (and often dreaded) question-and-answer session.

For many people, the most frightening part of any conversation is the unscripted part. Suddenly your mind goes blank and the nightmare begins. What if someone asks you a question you can’t answer? What if a listener turns hostile? What if someone monopolizes your thinking and wipes your brain clear of all relevant knowledge?

How you handle questions and answers can either make or break your credibility and your opportunity to build a relationship with your audience. Both the content of your answers and your behavior in delivering those answers play critical roles in how you handle questions and answers.

Do’s

To deliver brief, clear answers that help to strengthen your credibility and overcome any hostility or negativity, do …

1. …connect with the questioner’s eyes to show them you are listening. Be careful not to interrupt the questioner; if you don’t wait for the entire question, your answer may be inadequate.

2. …direct the first two sentences of your answer to the questioner when presenting to two or more people. Then, to keep your listeners involved, direct the remainder of your answer to the entire group.

3. …at the end of your response, provide closure by asking the questioner, “Does that answer your question?” Another option is to end the response by visually connecting with the questioner and nodding your head for closure.

4. …keep your answers brief. Answer only what has been asked. If you elaborate on your answer you run the risk of getting off track, not answering the question and losing the attention of your listeners.

5. …ask for clarification in the following situations:

• When the question is unclear

• When the questioner asks several questions and you need to determine which to answer first

• When someone makes a statement and you are unclear whether they are looking for a response or merely voicing an opinion.

Don’ts

To help strengthen your credibility, don’t …

1. …fidget, avoid eye connection, lean or take steps backwards, away from your listeners.  Instead, communicate that you are open and willing to take questions by standing still and staying focused on your listeners.

2. …raise your voice, speak with an aggressive tone, or invade the questioner’s space as you are answering a question. Instead, maintain your composure, remain calm and answer the question with poise and dignity.

3. …exclaim, “Good question!” Most speakers use this comment as a filler to buy time while they search for an answer. Instead, simply pause to give yourself time to think.

4. …use the words “but” and “however” when answering a question. These words communicate, “You’re wrong and I’m right.” This invites your questioner to fight back or dispute your position. Nothing productive can result from “but” and “however” when used in this context.

5. …repeat the listener’s question unnecessarily. Repeating a question can be helpful if you think that other listeners didn’t hear it. Ask the questioner to repeat the question to clarify any miscommunication.

Effectively managing questions and answers can help to communicate your knowledge of the topic to your listener.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on Twitter, or StaceyHanke here.

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On our website, WomensMedia you should read this: 10 Tips From Gretchen Rubin on How to Be Happy at Work

and you may benefit from this:  Business Communication: 5 Tips for Building Your Authority.

It may help to listen to:

Gender Communication with Authority And Care —A Business Woman Can Be Careful Without Losing Her Authority
or read the blog here.

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by Sharon Michaels (Read about her here.)

 

 Standard Podcast [5:36m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

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A little over a year and a half ago I began my own Internet radio program called “Women Enjoying Success” on blogtalkradio^sm. My weekly 30-minute Internet radio show now has over 7,000 listeners, and approximately 70 episodes are available on iTunes as podcasts.

I’ve learned that if you are willing to put in time, energy and effort, an Internet radio show can prove to be a powerful marketing tool for your business.

I can’t remember exactly how I came across blogtalkradio^sm. But when I read that it would be easy to begin my own show, and that it was also a free service, I decided to jump into weekly broadcasting with both feet.

During the past 18 months, here’s what I’ve discovered:

1.  The discipline of producing, developing and hosting a weekly radio show keeps me current with what is new and developing within my field, coaching women entrepreneurs.

2.  I now have multicultural and global exposure that I probably could not have gotten anywhere else.

3.  I’ve met women experts in a variety of disciplines and have globally expanded my professional network.

4.  My weekly Ezine subscriptions have steadily increased, and with the new Ezine subscriptions have come loyal clients and customers.

5.  I have developed teleconferences, special reports, e-books, e-courses, articles, blog posts and audio products from the materials I’ve gathered and used on my radio shows.

6.  I have increased my Google rankings.

7.  I am now a sought after expert regarding women in business.

I won’t lie to you. You have to be willing to make a commitment to the success of your radio broadcasts. There has to be a commitment to content-rich programming. It takes time to find guests, create materials and produce a quality show that will have listeners coming back for more.

Here’s what it takes to get started:

1.  Sign up for a free blogtalkradio^sm account.

2.  Think of a good strong name for your show, one that will tell listeners what to expect when they call in and listen.

3.  Decide on the day, time and frequency of your show.

4.  If you like, you can go in with several other like-minded success-oriented entrepreneurs and develop a joint radio show.

5.  Take the blogtalkradio^sm online new-host training. It is conducted at your pace and on your time schedule.

6.  Develop the first few shows and get them on the air.

7.  Begin publicizing your radio show on Twitter, Facebook, in your newsletter, on your business card and places where you connect with your target market.

Producing and hosting my own Internet radio show has proven to be a great business-building and marketing tool. I recommend that you take a few minutes to check out Internet radio, because it may prove just as valuable for you.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

On our website, WomensMedia you should read these excellent articles:

Stop Treating Your Business Like a Hobby! and

Understanding Moneymaking Activities: 5 Tips for Business Owners and

Women in Business: Stop, Look, Listen and Succeed

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Communication Skills: When Public Speaking, K.N.O.W. Your Listeners!

By Stacey Hanke (Read about her here.)

 

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You are an expert within your industry and feel confident with your level of knowledge. You are frequently invited to share your knowledge with small to large groups and have delivered the same message on numerous occasions. The night before a typical delivery you review your notes, make a few adjustments to the PowerPoint slides and voilà — you’re ready to rock ’n’ roll.

Who really has time to prepare for a presentation with the same level of focus and precision as an athlete uses to prepare for the U.S. Open, Stanley Cup, Super Bowl or World Cup? Well, I can’t imagine that professional golfer Phil Mickelson simply reviews his form and swing the night before a tournament, without having a deep understanding of his success strategy weeks prior to the event.

Just like an athlete, musician or actor, if you want to perform at the top of your game you need to think about how your communication impacts others.

Too often we arrive at a presentation, sales call, or meeting with an “A to Z” plan and are unwilling to veer from that plan. We fear we’ll lose our train of thought or be perceived as inadequate or lacking requisite knowledge. We talk too much, confuse our listeners and become a talking head.

An effective communicator is someone who can change her message on the fly to meet her listeners’ needs and expectations. Although this might seem obvious, most of us tend to be deficient in this skill. The message is not about you! It’s about putting your listeners into your story. When you tap into your listeners’ emotions and what’s important to them, you will influence them to take action.

Prior to a presentation, sales call, meeting, face-to-face conversation or even sending an email, take time to apply the acronym K.N.O.W.

K – What is the knowledge level of your listeners?

N – What do your listeners need to know to take action in the allotted time?

O – What are your listeners’ opinions on your subject?

W – Who are your listeners?

When identifying who your audience members are, ask yourself the following questions:

•  What do they know about the topic being discussed?

•  What do I want them to know about the topic?

•  What are their expectations?

•  How do I want them to feel about the topic?

•  How will the action I want them to take benefit them?

•  What behavior do I want them to change as a result of my message?

•  What preconceived ideas do they have about my topic?

•  What’s their past experience with this topic?

•  What’s important to them?

•  What impact will their decisions have on decision-makers, clients or peers?

•  Why is this message being delivered now?

•  What are my listeners’ goals?

•  Will my message contain more information than my listeners need or want to hear? If so, how do I plan to prioritize the key points and concepts?

•  Why should my listeners be interested in this particular topic?

•  What are three challenging questions my listeners might ask?

When you take the focus off of yourself, you are able to put all of your energy into what matters most: influencing your listeners to take action. Isn’t that what communication is all about?

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on twitter here, or StaceyHanke here.

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On our website, WomensMedia you should read this: Women in Business: Stop, Look, Listen and Succeed

and you may enjoy this: 8 Great Strategies for Working Any Room

It may help to listen to:

Business Communication Skills: Less Is More, So Get to the Point!
or read the blog here.

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by Suzanne Doyle-Morris, PhD  (Read about her here.)

 

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As a woman in a male-dominated field, entertaining clients and building relationships through social contact are vital activities, though not always straightforward. For example, as an executive coach who specializes in working with professional women, I have yet to meet a woman who has the interest or time to take a client golfing, a long held networking tradition for men.

Women who want to develop relationships during office hours, through activities traditionally associated with male-dominated fields, such as drinking or at sporting events, are rare in my experience. Equally, women don’t tend to enjoy impromptu after-work drinks that go on late into the night. Most women can engage in after-work drinks now and again if given enough forewarning. However, impromptu get-togethers can be difficult for women with families, or even for women who just happen to value their own social lives and time away from work.

Maggie Berry, Director of womenintechnology.org, agrees. She indicated that, for her members, some of the key draws for her events were the focused attention on career development and the advance marketing that allowed women to plan to attend. She explained, “One of the comments I hear is that women can’t just spontaneously decide to go to the pub after work. They have different interests and responsibilities. If you know your team is going out on a Tuesday, you can plan around that. A woman can get the appropriate childcare and make transport arrangements ahead of time. Our members like to network, but like to set time aside specifically for it, rather than having to make themselves available all the time.”

If you avoid socializing completely, you will not be privy to political discussions, strengthening relationships or hearing about career opportunities that are almost always first discussed informally. Furthermore, you will send out the message that you are an outsider with no interest in becoming an insider. That being said, most women recognize that they need to make time to socialize with clients and colleagues on work trips or dinner out, which, while it has its obvious benefits, also has potential pitfalls. In addition to taking up what precious little time working women have, there is the danger of sending mixed messages to clients or colleagues—especially in settings where alcohol is involved.

This is a potential time to shine, as people promote those with whom they feel comfortable and who will make a good impression on their clients. Tread carefully, though, because if you get it wrong, you can backtrack your career considerably. Breakfast, lunch and coffee meetings are unlikely to be misconstrued, and have the additional advantage of being less likely to make you feel obliged to order alcohol with the meal. For example, you can invent a deadline back at the office if need be.

With dinner, you end the evening when you want to go home, which can be harder to negotiate your way out of if your dinner companions pressure you to stay. During the day, you can always say you have a meeting at the office, which is a more socially acceptable way of curtailing the evening than saying you just want to go home. So network please, but in a way that suits you, whether it be with groups that allow you to plan in advance or with meals at times that suit you. Just make sure you do it in a way that is respected, but can’t be misconstrued.

Be sure to visit our site, WomensMedia to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

Or on our website, WomensMedia you should read:

How to Succeed in a Male-Dominated Profession or

Business Women Can Play in the Boys’ Club or

Communicating With Men at Work .

For quick updates for Business Women you should follow NancyFClark on twitter here.

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