audience”

1. The most important objective of any speaker is to appear

credible and knowledgeable about subject.

2. Embrace your audience. Remember, it is about them, not you.

Are you going to challenge them to think or behave differently,

or perhaps confirm or explain something they already feel?

3. Speak to your audience as if you were having a conversation

with them. Don’t lecture audience. Be inclusive. Say “us,”

not “you”.

4. People learn by three means; visual (what they can see),

the auditory (what they can hear), and kinesthetic (what they

can touch and feel). Try to include all three in your speech.

5. Be competent. Concentrate on your audience and customize your

remarks to show that you know what is important to them.

6. Have right amount of information. The talk should have

substance and show your knowledge of client’s business.

People pay attention to what impacts them directly.

7. Develop rapport with audience. Do your research to find

out what really interests them. Interview a few of attendees

several weeks before your speech.

I never imagined that providing freelance secretarial services could be such a busy endeavor! When I first started it was so incredibly difficult to obtain that first client. I spent hours each week churning out newsletters, post card mailings, and publicity material of all sorts.

Additional hours were spent fine tuning my sales pitch and presentation, practicing my elevator speech, reviewing my skills, and spreading word about my services and planned business. I was so incredibly motivated to get that first customer and get on road to wherever.

I was no longer under a corporate umbrella. It was just me now, and I had taken plunge. That first client did come along, and I still have account today. Then I gained my next client, and next. Word was spreading, and power of referral sales hit home. I had heard how high your closing percentage climbs when someone you work for refers you to a friend or associate. Wow, it was amazing to actually experience it in motion. Why do people have a problem getting referral sales? Because they do not ASK. Ask for referrals and ask often, you will be quite pleased with results. Now that that has been said, please do not neglect giving referrals in return. Ask your customers how you might best refer them, and what their ideal customer would be. Start this process today and never stop. It will certainly build business and good will with everyone you encounter. "Let's not lose conviction and drive we had when we were brand new."