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Friday, June 1st, 2007
 Susan Berkley's
VOICE-COACH
WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
"Your Source for Success in Public Speaking"
Friday, June 1st, 2007 |
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WARNING: Slang Slinging Can Be Harmful or Fatal to Your Career
Webster defines slang as "1. a language peculiar to a particular group 2.an informal nonstandard vocabulary composed typically of coinages, arbitrarily changed words, and extravagant, forced, or facetious figures of speech."
Peculiar, informal, forced and facetious, is not exactly a positive definition, and should be a clear indicator as to why slang should be limited to certain occasions and in the company of certain people; not the workplace.
Jo Ann, our Marketing Manager recalls the day "Mary", joined the Sales Team at her former employer.
Mary was introduced as a bright, aggressive former Senior Accounts Manager for a famous magazine. According to Jo Ann, the way management raved about her, it felt as if they were in the presence of Saint Mary!
A day or so after formal introductions, Mary was given the green light to deal directly with Senior Product Managers, Buyers and Heads of Product Development at Target, the company's most important client. The office layout was an open floor plan. You could hear every word of every deal that was closed or under fire. Your business was literally everyone's business.
Mary was positioned dead center of the room, right in front of Jo Ann's desk, where she heard her first phone interaction with Target's finest. Jo Ann was excited for a chance to watch the Maestro in action. This is what she heard:
"Hiyee Michelle, I'm the new Senior Accounts Manager and I'm like absolutely psyched about working with you and of course developing awesome product."
The conversation continued:
"Yeah and whatever has happened in the past with your previous vendor, like just know that a bogus situation like that is unacceptable. We only wish you had dealt with us sooner. Such a bummer."
The effects of that phone call were immediate. Mary was ostracized from the Senior Team and her contact with Target was immediately limited --at the direct request of the client. Soon Mary resigned. Talk about a "bummer."
We all have a game face, a professional persona, complete with office lingo and mannerisms. But during interviews, meetings, dealing w/ colleagues or peers, slang must never be allowed to slip into your speech.
Be smart, recognize who you are dealing with and express yourself clearly. Ask a close friend or family member if they notice a heavy use of slang in your daily speech. Record yourself making presentations and ask yourself "did I sound like I was talking to a group of executives or to a group of friends at a poker game?
Don't sling slang, even amongst your closest peers. You never know who is listening and word travels fast when it's time for promotions. | |
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GOT A PET PEEVE?
Thanks to our Voice Coach Subscriber, Martin Davis who writes:
"My employer thought it would be acceptable to have a meeting and eat while presenting his new business proposal. Let's just say that by the end of it, his proposal was literally full of bologna."
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FOOD FOR THOUGHT
"Ideal conversation must be an exchange of thought, and not, as many of those who worry most about their shortcomings believe, an eloquent exhibition of wit or oratory"
-Emily Post
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"The Secret" to Speaking Success...
Recognize this guy with Susan?
It's David Schirmer, one of the success experts featured in "The Secret". They were attending the recent "Money Making Super Conference" in Chicago, with their marketing gurus Bill Glazer and Dan Kennedy. Both Susan and David are members of the Glazer-Kennedy Inner Circle.
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Magnetic Speaking Power
"Persuasive Speaking Secrets of the World's Most Confident and Successful People"
Discover how you can eliminate speech fright, improve your speaking voice and become a more confident speaker, practically overnight!
Your voice has a profound impact on how successfully you influence and persuade others. It determines how seriously you are taken, how respected you are, the results you get with clients, co-workers or vendors in business, and in your personal life.
In fact, consider that whenever you present your opportunity or make an important phone call, even though you've honed your message to perfection, the quality of your voice (pitch, tone, inflection) counts for a whopping 84% of the message. Your voice has amazing powers to attract and also to repel.
Learn the secrets to finding your million dollar voice.
Give us a call at 1-800-333-8108 for more information on products and programs right for you! |
Susan Berkley
The Great Voice Company
1-800-333-8108 |
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