Apr 2

How to Establish Eye Contact During Public Speaking

Connect with Your Audience for Better Public Speaking PresentationsOne of the most commonly-held fears is public speaking, which is terrifying even to some experienced performers. A case of the nerves is almost guaranteed before you hop up on stage in front of a large group of people, and it can be difficult to remember all of the tips and techniques
 that make a speech great. If you’re going to be pursuing a career or hobby in public speaking, one of the things you need to do is establish eye contact.But what if you’re delivering a speech to 3,000 people in an enormous auditorium? How can you possibly maintain eye contact with each and every person in the audience? You can’t, obviously. However, establishing eye contact with at least a few people throughout the course of your speech will help it hit home, according to Presentation-Pointers.com, even when there are hundreds of other people who never feel he power of your gaze.When Reading from a ScriptIf you’re new to public speaking, you likely bring at least a few notes along to your engagements, if not an entire script from which you intend to read. This makes it slightly more difficult to make eye contact, but certainly not impossible. One of the best ways to overcome this obstacle is to “trace” the script with your finger as you speak, which will help to mark your place when you look up to the audience.The Critical First Few MinutesMany experts in public speaking agree that the first few minutes of a speech are the most critical. This is the time when you want to make as much eye contact as possible, varying your “targets” from all areas of seating. Eye contact doesn’t need to last longer than three or four seconds before you move on to your next “target”, but make those few seconds count. This allows your audience members to feel as though you’re speaking directly to them, which makes for a more powerful presentation.Look for Familiar Faces

Dec 15

Public Speaking: How to Choose a Topic

A few weeks ago, I wrote an article about Public Speaking as an Alternate PR tactic; now I want to help you choose a topic. Public speaking is something you learn as you go, and eventually the butterflies dissipate. You might even find that you enjoy public speaking because it’s a great
 way to help your business flourish. But what on earth should you talk about?Know Your AudienceThe first step in choosing a public speaking topic is to analyze your audience. You wouldn’t give the same speech to a group of college students as you would an assembly of high-powered business men; it just wouldn’t work. Factors that might influence your topic would include demographics such as age, education level, income bracket and profession as well as their potential interests. Your goal is to relate to your audience, not to talk above or below them.Know Your Time LimitThe topic of your speech will also be directly related to the length of time you have to talk. Obviously, a speech on the fundamentals of fusion marketing would be a far shorter speech than one on quantum mechanics. You don’t want to get halfway through your speech and realize that time’s run out. Be sure to factor in questions that your audience might ask, because that will take up time as well.Choose an Interactive TopicOne of the best ways to get your audience engaged during a public speaking event is to choose a topic that allows you to interact with the crowd. You don’t have to act like a rock star and crowd surf, but you do want to get your audience involved. This might be something as simple as taking a poll by asking people to raise their hands, or it might be more complex, such as asking for volunteers to assist with a demonstration. Your topic should allow you to get involved with your audience.

Dec 4

Debt Consolidation vs. Debt Negotiation

When you find yourself drowning in debt, you have several options with which to proceed. Two of the most common options are debt consolidation and debt negotiation. These are two very different vehicles for debt reduction, and their usage will benefit some while hurting others. If you are
 considering different options for debt reduction, consider both consolidation and negotiation before making your decision.Debt Consolidation vs. Debt Negotiation: Are You Experiencing High Interest Rates?One of the major debt problems Americans experience is the weight of high interest rates. When you’re making purchases on a daily basis, you might not stop to calculate the cost of the item combined with the interest charged until you can pay it back. Credit cards with high interest rates can swiftly enter you into a nasty debt situation, but debt consolidation can help alleviate the strain. When you sign up for a debt consolidation program, you essentially hire a third-party company to combine all of your debts (i.e. multiple credit card balances) into one lump sum with a lower interest rate. This allows you to pay off your purchases faster without the incumbrance of a high interest rate.Debt Consolidation vs. Debt Negotiation: Are You Being Harrassed by Creditors?If you’re in debt, then you probably know it, and the daily calls from the credit card companies probably aren’t going to create money with which to pay them. When you use either a debt consolidation or a debt negotiation program, the creditors will stop calling because you are taking steps toward paying them. This is especially true with a debt consolidation program because the third-party company is handling the problem. With debt negotiation programs, you may still hear from creditors if you aren’t meeting your obligations.Debt Consolidation vs. Debt Negotiation: Are You Unable to Make Monthly Payments?

Aug 1

Top Three Debt Consolidation Services

Debt consolidation is a hot topic among people who are looking to repair their credit history and reduce their monthly bills. Debt consolidation involves combining debts from credit cards, lines of credit and other sources into one large lump sum with a low interest rate.Debt consolidation services are popping up all over the country and many operate solely through the Internet. After some careful research, I’ve come up with the top three debt consolidation services.
 Debt Consolidation Service #1: Credit Solutions Credit Solutions has been covered extensively by NBC and MSNBC as an excellent method of debt consolidation. A major reason that this service is so popular lies with the fact that the credit counselors understand how difficult admitting one’s debt can be. They take a tactful and friendly approach to helping their customers resolve debt issues. In 98% of cases, Credit Solutions is able to help their customers consolidate their debt in less than 36 months, which is quite an accomplishment for any one service to provide. They call themselves a “Debt Settlement Program” versus a debt consolidation service because they don’t just resolve your debt into one large sum; they also negotiate with your creditors to avoid having to secure your debt with equity in your home or other property. Credit Solutions can lower your debt by 40% – 60% through their conversations with your creditors, and they don’t perform credit checks or advocate bankruptcy. You can learn more about this debt consolidation service by visiting www.creditsolutions.com or by calling their toll-free number at 800.353.7630. Debt Consolidation Service #2: Money Management InternationalMoney Management International partners with Consumer Credit Counseling Services (CCCS) to offer exceptional credit counseling and 24/7 support. Their experienced counselors can help you develop a debt management plan that will assist you in lowering all of your debt and consolidating it into one convenient monthly payment.