Bite Your Tongue! 10 Ways to Be an Effective Listener

Written by Joy Fisher-Sykes


Bite Your Tongue! 10 Ways to Be an Effective Listener By Joy Fisher-Sykes © 2005 all Rights Reserved

Have you ever spoken to someone and then feltrepparttar need to say, “Did you hear what I just said?” Why did you feelrepparttar 107932 need to ask? Probably becauserepparttar 107933 listener didn’t provide you withrepparttar 107934 feedback you needed to know you were heard.

Listening isrepparttar 107935 most important, yet often most neglected, communication skill. In fact,repparttar 107936 ability to listen is often rated one ofrepparttar 107937 top five abilities employers seek in their staff. It’s also certainly highly sought after inrepparttar 107938 people nearest and dearest to our hearts.

Here are 10 ways to be an effective listener:

1. Recognizerepparttar 107939 difference between hearing and listening * There is a very distinct difference between hearing and listening. Hearing is to merely perceive sound. * Listening isrepparttar 107940 mindful, conscious act and desire to hear, comprehend, and response to others. 2. Be willing to listen * Begin with a commitment to listen - be open minded and consider other points of view. * Listen regardless of whether you agree or disagree with what’s said. Resistrepparttar 107941 urge jump to conclusions; be defensive or argumentative withrepparttar 107942 speaker. 3. Be attentive * Stop what you’re doing and giverepparttar 107943 speaker your undivided attention. If it’s not a good time for you, deferrepparttar 107944 conversation. * Ignorerepparttar 107945 desire to multi-task and selectively listen (only listening to bits and pieces of information). * Remain inrepparttar 107946 moment forrepparttar 107947 duration ofrepparttar 107948 conversation – don’t tune in and out or pretend to be listening when you’re really thinking about where to go on your next vacation. 4. Show respect * Acknowledge others with your body language - facerepparttar 107949 speaker, look interested, and make eye contact. * Avoid endingrepparttar 107950 conversation abruptly. 5. Empathize * Be sensitive, compassionate, and understanding – realize it

Public Relations—A Free Lunch?

Written by Claire Cunningham


Seems like everyone is looking forrepparttar proverbial free lunch these days, particularly when it comes to marketing communications. Well, I hate to burst anyone's bubble, but there's no such thing. However, there are ways to stretch your budget and marketing public relations (PR) is one of them.

By MARKETING PR I mean publicity that is directed towards your marketing target audience and carries marketing messages. (It's notrepparttar 107931 same as investor or employee relations.) Marketing PR can generate inquiries, economically extendrepparttar 107932 reach of your advertising and direct mail programs, boost your company's credibility and enhance its standing as an expert.

There are three basic marketing PR tactics for you to consider:

NEWS RELEASES Does your company bring new products or services to market? Improve existing products or services? Publish literature? These are all great subjects for news releases. Send releases to editors at relevant publications. One release a month is a good goal.

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