I spent a half day at Deborah Shames and David Booth’s beautiful house in Calabasas for their Eloqui Business Communication Workshop. Co-founders of Eloqui, they are presentation and communication training specialists, helping professionals like myself communicate naturally and authentically. Whether you a preparing for a speaking engagement or want to better communicate your services to prospects, they are effective at identifying your strengths and the ways you can communicate your value. Although I encourage everyone to attend their workshop, below are a few pointers that can help any professional communicate more effectively:
- TBU, “True but useless.” Many professionals when describing their services tend to ramble on, trying to educate their listener. Eloqui believes you shouldn’t try to educate, but instead, persuade your listeners.
- Three core pieces to speaking – visual snapshots, novelty and surprise, and authenticity.
- Visual snapshots. Eloqui encourages speakers to communicate through visual snapshots, meaning, make the other person see what you are trying to say.
- Novelty and surprise. Be more of a storyteller than a dictator. Stories always have an obstacle, benefit and solution. Using this model, you will entice the person to want to hear your full story.
- Authenticity. It’s always better to be yourself versus acting like a professional. If you are acting, it’s more likely you will come across fake.
If you haven’t yet attended an Eloqui Business Communication Workshop, I strongly recommend it. You won’t regret it.
