New Persuasive Presentations Blog

Thank you for following me on The Grab

My blog has now been incorporated into my website, you can view it here www.persuasivepresentations.com.au

I look forward to seeing you there!

Regards

Sharon Ferrier

Simple is not always easy…

One new year’s resolution that constantly appears on January the first is: ‘I want to lose weight.’

Well, the good news is, is that losing weight is simple! All you have to do is move more and eat less – it doesn’t get much simpler than that!

But, as those of you, like me, have tried – you know,  it ain’t easy.

I’m not an expert in weight loss, but if your new years resolution is to become a better speaker, well, the strategies are similar.

1. Have a goal
   • Just as you set a goal to lose 5kg, you also need to set a goal when you speak
   • Ask yourself when you sit down to write your presentation: “What is it that I want the audience to do, say, think or feel as a result of this presentation?”
2. Be prepared
   • It’s pretty hard to eat healthily if you don’t have the food in the fridge
   • Same with your presentation. Do your homework.
     • Familiarise yourself with the venue
     • Find out who will be in the audience and what they will want to hear
3. Develop good habits
   • Habits take time to change
   • Ensure you give yourself plenty of time to practice your presentation and join a public speaking group such as Rostrum or Toastmasters if you need more practice.
4. Get a coach
   • We all need a little help at times
   • A coach can help you strengthen your ‘soft spots’ and keep you motivated
5. Flip the tape
   • Be aware of your self talk
   • Are you sabotaging your good work with negative thoughts?
   • Remind yourself of how far you have come and  what you are capable of

So, simple is not easy. But if you follow some simple steps and just keep moving forward, you will achieve your goal.

Here’s to a fabulous 2013 and now I’m going to grab an apple and go for a walk!

PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – March 14th 2013 – Please contact me for details

DISC Facilitation now available

I’m now a DISC Advanced Facilitator. I chose to be accredited in DISC because of its ease of use in the workplace.

Here are some of the benefits of DISC:

The DISC ADVANCED® Profile
A profile tool for measuring the person’s behavioural style.

The profile provides the following information:

• Behavioural style overview
• Attributes describing the person
• Communication style
• Learning style
• How the person responds to supervision
• How the person prefers to make decisions
• What motivates the person
• What the person fears
• Strengths and weaknesses
• Work style tendencies
• What type of work environment the person prefers
• How the person appears under stress and what they need
• Conflict behaviours

The report also has an advanced “application” section providing an array of “what now” tools and tips including:

• Tips for others on how to communicate with the subject
• Strategies to reduce conflict and increase harmony
• Action Plan – worksheets, which enable the subject to create desired change
• An overview of the various styles
• How to identify another person’s behavioural style
• How to adapt to the various styles
• How to communicate with the various styles
• Identifying tension among the styles
• Tension among the styles worksheet
• Communication plans with the various styles

What are some of the applications?

Some of the most common applications for DISC ADVANCED® profiles in organisations worldwide are:

• Leadership Development
• Organisational Development
• Team Building
• Communication and Interaction skills training
• Sales Training
• Recruitment
• Internal Promotion Selection/Development
• Succession Planning
• Customer Service Training
• Coaching
• Conflict Resolution

and of course……………

Simply getting the best from your most expensive resource – People.

The DISC ADVANCED® Profile is very easy to use. Unlike other “personality tests”, it is designed specifically for the workplace.

The DISC ADVANCED® Profile is a useful tool not only for the individual him/herself, but for everyone communicating with that person. Its main purpose is to increase understanding of human behaviour; our own and others.

If you or your team would like more information about DISC, please contact me for an obligation free chat over a cup of coffee. sharon@persuasivepresentations.com.au

What is your ‘Soft Spot?’

We all have what I call ‘soft spots’. These are the areas in our lives that we think are not up to scratch. A soft spot on its own is not a problem – as long as it doesn’t stop us from doing something we really want. For example: I cannot rollerblade. So I ask myself am I happy with that? Will my life still be full and complete without me being able to rollerblade? Yeah…. I think so! So there is no need to change.

But what if that soft spot stops me from doing something that I know will benefit my life? I see this a lot in participants who attend my workshops. They realize that their fear of public speaking is hampering their career and they have bravely decided to confront that fear and take a leap of faith. The most exciting thing about my job is seeing the joy on their faces when they have pushed through that barrier and come out the other side.

So have a look at your soft spots, and if you feel there is something holding you back, have a chat with an upfront friend to see if this is something you need to confront…. and if it involves public speaking, give me a call as I’d love to help.

Defining Persuasive

Definition (-sw-) a. Convincing, winning. (L persuadeo -suas- induce)
We all need to be persuasive speakers. During job interviews, sales presentations or just getting your three year old to eat broccoli…. we all need to be able to convince and influence.
Persuasive Presentations is all about communicating to get what you want, while respecting the needs of others. Being persuasive is not about being manipulative, persuasion is about being clear, concise, logical and influential. Skills we need in business and everyday life. Persuasive Presentations will help you develop these skills.
Presentations can be delivered in a keynote or workshop format. Topics include:

• Public speaking skills
• Presentation skills
• Sales pitches
• Communication skills

One-on-one coaching is also available on any of the above topics.
Please call me on M: 0438 831 877, or email: sharon@persuasivepresentations.com.au to discuss your needs.