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by Nancy F Clark (Follow me on Twitter & Nancy Clark on Google Plus)
Partnering with Forbes: Thirty Women Entrepreneurs To Follow On Twitter

Most men are on the lookout for any opportunity to negotiate. It’s a game to them—and it should be for women too, because . . . you get more of the stuff you like. Erase the image from your mind that a negotiation is something that only happens when you sit down to draw up a contract or ask for a raise. It happens much more often than that! You might be interested in moving your office or desk, having your boss give one of your tedious tasks to someone else, or having someone other than you take the minutes at those meetings. You have a chance to gain whatever you want, but it takes negotiation. Super negotiators are not born that way. They learn how to negotiate. And so can you.

In their book, The Shadow Negotiation, Deborah Kolb and Judith Williams state that we women “let opportunities to negotiate slip by us unclaimed or unnoticed. Cramped by circumstance, with no magic up our sleeve, we don’t consider negotiation a possibility. We just make do and move on, not realizing that we might have bargained. Often, from lack of training or experience, we fail to recognize that we are in the midst of a negotiation until it is too late to change the outcome.”

There’s Good News and Bad News for women and negotiation. The Bad News is that most of us have been conditioned to “make sure everyone gets along.”  So, we try to avoid conflict. If this is a pattern that you’ve been following, I’m sure you’ve lost out on a lot of things. You need to realize that negotiation does not have to be a win-lose conflict. It can often be a plus for both sides—a win-win situation. While you’re still in your Conflict Avoidance Stance, you don’t look strong at the table. And when you don’t look strong, other people will jump at the chance to undermine your credibility and even your right to have a position in the discussion. In my tip today, I’ll address this issue. You’ll also be helped by taking a few minutes to play my podcast, Powerful Body Language —Women, Change Your Body Language, Change Your Message.

The Good News for women is that we tend to be good at building relationships. And guess what? Your skills of connection are valuable for discovering the other party’s hidden agenda. In any negotiation there are two things going on at the same time. There’s the substance of the problem you’re trying to solve. And there’s a big something under all that—there’s the shadowy interpersonal communication that takes place concerning how each party wants to handle the negotiation and what the talk and gestures convey about relationships and expectations. You know how solving a problem within a family is not just about the logical variables. Yep, you know about that.

I want you to become an expert at drawing out the shadow negotiation. State the problem and how it affects you. Show the other people involved that you value them and their ideas. Your goal is to have both parties look at the situation from different perspectives and work together to come up with a creative solution. As the discussion gets underway, look for the underlying feelings and bring them to the surface. Talk about them. They’re important if you want to solve the problem. It may be that one person feels his or her opinions don’t get enough attention. You need to let others know that these feelings are important to you. It’s possible for those involved to come away from the table with better relationships. And with better relationships, problems are solved faster.

Here’s the tip.

Tip:

At the beginning of a negotiation, establish your I-Belong-At-This-Table position by stating your interests. This must be done in a firm, but not hostile manner. You have a right to advocate for your interests. Silently repeat this mantra: I will not become defensive! There is no reason to become defensive—you have a right to work for your interests. State the current situation, how it affects you, and how it affects the company. Doing this will help you appear strong and with every right to have a place at the table—the negotiation table.

See a related article on WomensMedia, by Dana Bristol-Smith, Presenting for Success: Simple Strategies to Add Confidence and Credibility to Your Next Presentation

Be sure to visit our site, http://www.womensmedia.com/ to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

See our latest on Forbes

See this related article: Listening to Women: New Perspectives on Negotiation —Women Have Powerful Insights In Negotiation by Deborah Kolb and Judith Williams

by Nancy F Clark (Follow me on Twitter)
Partnering with Forbes: Thirty Women Entrepreneurs To Follow On Twitter

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It’s not bragging if you can back it up.
—Muhammad Ali

Ali can get away with bragging but we women can’t. We must walk a fine line between informative self-promotion and outright bragging. Most of us have been raised on the little girl admonitions, “It’s not nice to brag!” and “Who does she think she is?”  As long as these sayings are still playing in your mental background, you’ll feel uncomfortable when you know you’re bragging. And when you’re uncomfortable, other people focus on your discomfort. You don’t want that! The secret I can tell you is how to promote yourself just short of bragging. And that’s something you probably do want.

You need to self-promote—even if you’re not interviewing for a job. As you meet people they’re going to form split-second impressions of you. If you’re a woman, that may tend toward the sister, wife, mother, girlfriend, low-level employee, or helper images. Remember this and craft something in the beginning of a conversation that sets them in the right direction. I’ll tell you 2 simple ways to craft it in the tips of the week.

Meanwhile, for the guys who tell me they read this blog, women are not impressed the same way men are. For instance, men are often impressed when another man mentions his car by brand. Or, as I saw, a man left his Ferrari keys on the table during an entire dinner. For women, this type of display is too blatant. We don’t feel we should do it; we won’t allow other women to easily do it; and we see through it when men do it. You know, maybe we should ease up. Or not. On the other hand, women, if you’re talking only to men, you can take it up a notch without worry. Mention the private jet business trip you took, even if it was ages ago, and watch the men’s heads swivel around. Same thing with the 6-figure and 7-figure contracts your company is involved with. It will earn you respect. Just don’t try it with women.

Here’s my Women in Business Tip of the Week. Actually, there’s two this week!

Tip 1:
Rather than saying, “I have …,” or “I can do …,” the secret is finding an item in the conversation that relates to your accomplishment. Then start with something like, “I learned X when I was faced with a problem at IBM. I had to…”  Talking about what you learned or experienced keeps you just short of bragging—right where you want to be.

Tip 2:
You know how comfortable you feel when you’re telling someone about a memorable vacation you took? I want you to take a piece of paper, right now, and jot down a list of items from your life or career that are memorable, including a few that are impressive. I want you to craft what Peggy Klaus calls a “bragalogue.”  Pretend you’re writing a screenplay that only includes the good parts. OK, throw in a couple missteps to show your humility (we still are expected to be somewhat humble) and to show your sense of humor. This is now Your Story—a story you enjoy talking about.

Now, get out there and tell Your Story!

Be sure to visit our site, http://www.womensmedia.com/ to get Expert Advice for Business Women.

Website, WomensMedia, by Simon and Pedersen, Communicating With Men at Work

Be sure to visit our site, www.WomensMedia.com to get Expert Advice for Working Women.

See our related article: How to Get Out of Your Own Way —5 Strategies for Thinking Outside the Box

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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 our tips on the podcast for getting the most out of your visual aids.

——————–

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.

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

By Stacey Hanke (Read about her here.)

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“We are here today to talk about…” How many times have you heard individuals open a meeting, conference call, sales call or presentation with those words? Do they grab your attention? Most likely not. Listeners usually know where they are—and why. You don’t need to state the obvious and encourage them to tune out.

To grab listener attention within the first 30 seconds, you need structure. Most individuals fall into the trap of saying too much in the first minute of a conversation (or presentation).

Keep in mind that people remember the first and last things that are said. Therefore, it is critical that your message include a powerful beginning, and a dynamic ending that includes your opinion, the call to action and a summary of benefits.

When you are creating these elements of your talk, write down trigger words to minimize verbosity and to prevent you from writing word-for-word what you are planning to communicate. If you need to use notes while delivering your message, trigger words will spark your thoughts. Write two to three trigger words or bullet points for each idea you have. Your listener does not want to be read to, nor do you want your message to seem memorized or scripted.

Trigger words will allow you to convey a message that is conversational and welcoming. It is natural to lose your train of thought during a presentation, sales call, meeting, conference call, webinar or face-to-face conversation. Trigger words will jog your memory and get you back on track quickly.

To guarantee your message has impact and influence, follow these four steps.

1. Opinion

If your listeners think you do not believe in your topic, why should they? To influence your listener, share your opinion and feelings about the topic. If you do not state your opinion, your listeners will be confused about your position and what you want them to do. Stating your opinion adds believability to your message and builds listener trust.

Two examples of opinion statements are, “Communication skills are essential to getting your message across” and “Our current position with the ABC project will either make or break our budget.”

State your opinion in the opening and closing of your message. Stating your opinion will increase learner retention and the likelihood that listeners will take action.

2. Action Steps: General and Specific

Communicating directly to your listener what you want them to do increases the likelihood that you will get the desired results. Remember, this is the reason you are communicating the information in the first place. If you are struggling to identify what action you want your listeners to take, you may need to look for a more appropriate way to convey the information.

General Action Step

A general action step states what you want listeners to do while they are physically present during your message. This action step will be part of your opening. Examples are, “Consider applying these new behaviors” and “Explore the opportunities.”

Specific Action Step

Identify a specific action that is measurable and quantifiable. A specific action step puts commitment in the lap of your listener. Listeners need to walk away with a clear understanding of what you are asking them to do. State this action step in the closing of your talk. For example, “Set a goal by the end of the day on Friday identifying how you will practice and get feedback on the skills and techniques we have discussed.”

3. Benefits

When listeners are asked to take action, they want to know what’s in it for them. When you show listeners the benefits of taking action, you increase the odds that they will comply.

Identify two to three benefits your listener will receive as a result of performing the action you recommend. For example, “Setting a goal by Friday will help increase listener trust, enhance your credibility and boost your confidence.”

Remind listeners that your information is of value to them. The benefits may seem obvious to you, but your listeners need to hear and understand them. Benefits are the most persuasive elements of your talk. Repeat the benefits in the opening and closing of your message.

Let’s put these steps together for your opening and closing. If my topic were communication skills, I would open and close as follows:

Opening

“Communication skills are critical to influencing action. Stay open to the skills and techniques you will practice here today. These skills will increase listener trust and the credibility of you and your message.”

Closing

“Communication skills are critical to influencing action. Set a goal by the end of today identifying how you will practice your new skills and how you will get feedback. By using these skills, you will quickly build trust and credibility with your listeners and influence action.”

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

Virtual Conversations That Influence

By Stacey Hanke (Read about her here.)

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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.)

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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.

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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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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

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.)

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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?

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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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