Fine Tune Your Communication Skills to Improve Your Interaction With Others

By Jason Jacobsohn

Communicating in a clear and concise manner is important when interacting with others. While conversing with others at networking events, speaking on the phone or presenting to a group of people, you want to make sure that you come off polished.



First impressions are so important in networking circles and you want people to remember you in a positive way. Make sure to spend time developing and practicing your communication skills.



Body Language



When talking with people, it is important that your body language works with you in a favorable and professional manner. You don’t want poor body language to detract from your conversation. Good body language actually enhances a conversation. Be cognizant of your posture, gestures, handshakes and facial expressions at all times.



When you approach others, you want to make sure that you are standing straight, smiling and giving a firm handshake. By doing so, you will make yourself more approachable and come across as sincere and confidant.



When speaking with people, give good listener cues by showing an interest with your facial expressions and eye contact. If you wander your eyes or you give a negative vibe during a conversation, you will come across as disinterested and rude.



Networking circles are small. Be careful how you interact with people.



Listening Skills



Not only is body language very important when interacting with others but listening skills are important as well. Without good listening skills, you will have a harder time building relationships. Show that you are paying attention by nodding your head, having good eye contact, listening without interrupting and asking good questions.



Keep in mind that people like to talk about themselves. Show respect and let individuals finish their thoughts before you jump into the conversation.



Of course, times do occur when someone may monopolize a conversation or you don’t have an interest in talking any more. In these instances, wait for a pause in the conversation to jump in and start talking or gracefully exit the conversation. Try hard not to interrupt because you don’t want to come across as insincere.



The same is true while talking on the phone. As you have less visual listener cues to show to the person on the other end, make sure you validate what is said and don’t interrupt.



Presentation Skills



Part of the process of branding yourself as a subject matter expert requires you to speak at events. It is important that you work on your presentation skills so you come across more effective. Presenting in front of groups is typically not as easy task – unless you are a natural – but most people don’t fall into this category.



The good news is that you can you can hire a professional to help you improve your presentation skills. One such professional is Lillian Bjorseth of Duoforce Enterprises. She provides one-on-one coaching and business consulting services and can help you with all of your communication skills.



Some pointers to keep in mind during a presentation: look around the room and make eye contact with various people, don’t read everything from a PowerPoint presentation or note cards, use hand gestures, speak slowly and loud enough, fluctuate your voice and even walk a little. While it may be hard for you to work on all of the above points, the more you can integrate into your presentation, the better you will come across.



Of course, practicing your presentation before you speak is very important so you come across knowledgeable and polished. The more talks you do, the more comfortable you should feel and the better you should get at presenting.



Professional Appearance



How you present your physical appearance to others is another important aspect of communication. You want to make sure you come across as a professional during your business dealings with people. Make sure you wear the appropriate attire for events, meetings and presentations. If you’re not sure, the safe bet is to go with professional dress.



In addition, try to have your shoes shined on a regular basis. If you attend a function or meeting with scuffed shoes, people will notice. Don’t let your shoes hurt your appearance.



Others appearance factors to consider are wrinkled clothes, stains, holes, bad collars, clashing colors and poorly tied ties. While this may be common sense, you will be surprised at how many people violate some of these items.



You need to spend enough time and effort to make sure you look your best whenever you can. After all, the impression you make on others is crucial to networking.



Final Thought



Keep in mind that the way you interact and communicate with others is very important for building relationships. You want to present yourself as a professional and come across effective when talking to others in all business settings.

Jason Jacobsohn is a seasoned networker who believes in relationship building as a key component to business success. He enjoys helping others succeed by making introductions, planning events, and sharing resources. In addition, Jacobsohn enthusiastically shares resources with his network through his e-mail newsletter, “Network Your Way to Success,” and http://www.jacobsohn.com, a comprehensive business and networking resources Web site. Further, he shares an additional perspective through his blog at http://www.networkinginsight.com .

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