Business Communication Skills Exam #1

Packets #1 and #2

Demeanor (Speaking at Work)

presenting yourself appropriately by being pleasant and easy going on one hand, and on the other hand having a serious professional ___

Tone (Speaking at Work)

speak clearly and confidently with a strong but not too loud voice

Manners (Speaking at Work)

always observe the rules of good ___ and use language appropriate to the work place

Image (Speaking at Work)

project a likable ___ never showing anger or hostility, remember to smile

Why Give a Presentation?

it is the best way to communicate information that requires explanation because a ___ combines the power of the spoken word with structured text

Catch Your Listener’s Attention (Presentation Introduction)

make them want to listen to you by standing with an attention grabber (ex. statistic, short story, quotation, asking a question, making a joke)

Establish Your Credibility as a Speaker (Presentation Introduction)

using some important contributors → educational background, professional credentials, job title, your experience, the quality of your content and research, a calm self assured demeanor

Establish the Context and Purpose of Your Remarks (Presentation Introduction)

give enough background on the subject to orient the listeners to your material and purpose, outline slide

Most to Least Important Structure (Informative Presentations)

if the purpose of the presentation is to deliver information by clearly identifying each main point, following up with details and organizing most to least important

Problem/Solution Structure (Persuasive Presentations)

if the purpose is to persuade, begin by convincing the listeners that they have a problem to be solved or a need to be filled, then follow with information on how to solve the problem

Limit Your Topics (The Main Points of Your Presentation)

for a presentation to be most effective, you should cover a single topic, two or three at most

Use Concrete Examples to Illustrate Your Points (The Main Points of Your Presentation)

to keep the listener’s attention, support general statements with examples the listeners can visualize, if the topic is complex consider using a written document

Reinforce Your Message with Visual Aids (The Main Points of Your Presentation)

listeners retain 60% of a message with visual aids but only retain 10% to 20% if presented without them

Rehearsing Your Presentation

be sure to practice in the actual venue if possible, practice speaking out loud at least three times, check your timing, and practicing is the best remedy for speech fright

Check Out the Room (Delivering Your Presentation)

make sure you have adequate space for your equipment and other materials

Do a Trial Run With the Equipment (Delivering Your Presentation)

make sure the connections are working, that audio and video are functioning, and that there is good resolution on the screen (test out projector)

Smile at Your Listeners (Delivering Your Presentation)

:)

Summarize What Your Presentation Will Cover (Delivering Your Presentation)

outline slide and pause to go through it

Other Guidelines (Delivering Your Presentation)

move your eyes from person to person, face your listeners (not the screen or computer monitor, ask if anyone has questions, and thank your audience

Prepare Together (Group Presentations)

everyone in the group should know all of the content and have a turn to speak but not a one, two three (there should be hand off back and forth style)

Memos and Emails

the primary means of formal internal communication in the company, they are used to convey information, report findings, make recommendations, introduce larger documents or attachments, make requests, provide a permanent written record of actions and events, and promote good will

Create Context (Step 1 of Organizing Memos)

links your new information with what the reader already has (ex. “I have performed the research you requested”)

State Your Purpose (Step 2 of Organizing Memos)

why are you writing and what do you want your reader to know (ex. “I will summarize the results of my research”)

Organize Information from Most to Least Important (Step 3 of Organizing Memos)

your most important reason or bit of information should come first follow by your other information in descending order of important or interest

Develop One Idea Per Paragraph (Step 4 of Organizing Memos)

start with a topic sentence and develop further with deails, break up topics

Close by Summarizing/Asking for Action (Step 5 of Organizing Memos)

give a brief summary of what your tried to achieve and if relevant, ask for a decision or answer

closure statement → offer to assist and give contact information