Whether you’re participating in a news media interview, giving a presentation, or simply sitting in a meeting, there’s always a chance you will get hard questions. How you answer can affect how your audience hears and perceives you. Most of us use some type of stalling technique when we’re asked hard questions. Common techniques include … Continue reading "The smart way to answer hard questions" The post The smart way to answer hard questions appeared first on Crystal Clear Communicat...| Crystal Clear Communications
At a conference I attended last week, I paid close attention to all the presenters and the audience’s reactions. Some of the presenters engaged the audience and clearly captured their attention. Here’s what I noticed about those speakers: They used the word “you” frequently, so the audience knew the content was about them. They had … Continue reading "Presenting? See what great presenters have in common" The post Presenting? See what great presenters have in common appeared first on...| Crystal Clear Communications
Once again, I didn’t set out to write a blog about presenters while watching an episode of the YouTube talk show Hot Ones. (My previous blog inspired by the show is here.) All I wanted to do was watch the host interview Conan O’Brien as he ate a series of hotter and hotter chicken wings. … Continue reading "Presenters: Don’t let the audience in on your doubts" The post Presenters: Don’t let the audience in on your doubts appeared first on Crystal Clear Communications.| Crystal Clear Communications
I didn’t set out to write a blog on how actress and producer Viola Davis can help you reach your audience. I set out to watch an episode of the YouTube talk show Hot Ones. If you’re not familiar with the show, the host interviews celebrities as they eat a series of hotter and hotter … Continue reading "Viola Davis on how to reach your audience" The post Viola Davis on how to reach your audience appeared first on Crystal Clear Communications.| Crystal Clear Communications
On speaker panels, does the panelist order matter? If you’ve ever attended or spoken on a panel, you know it’s hard to make a panel presentation interesting enough to capture and hold the audience’s attention. Why? Because each panelist must speak on the same topic yet differentiate from the other speakers by saying something new … Continue reading "Panel presentations: Does speaker order really matter?" The post Panel presentations: Does speaker order really matter? appeared first on...| Crystal Clear Communications
The Golden Rule: Respect Your Audience. Have you ever attended a presentation where the speaker said something like, “Let’s see… what does my next slide say?” Or where the speaker actually read word-for-word what was on their slides? Unfortunately, I’ve witnessed countless speeches where these or similar scenarios occurred. And it really bugs me! Here’s … Continue reading "The Golden Rule of Speaking: Respect Your Audience" The post The Golden Rule of Speaking: Respect Your Audi...| Crystal Clear Communications