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What do you think of when you think of acting? I used to
think that acting was pretending, but after studying it I
discovered that it's more about making the most of your every
single move. It's about being fully alive, uniquely creative
and connected in the moment. Isn't that what our clients are
looking for? Where every action is intentional and nothing
is wasted. What if we brought some acting secrets into our
next business meeting or presentation?
Consider what actors do before they go on stage. They warm
up their body and voice. They know that nervousness causes
poor articulation and awkward body gestures. If you knew you
could come across with more of George Clooney's charisma or
Halle Berry's tenacity (or your preferred style/brand) would
it be worth it to you to carve out 15 minutes before presenting
your ideas to a potentially lucrative client?
Here's a suggestion from Gerald Lee Ratcliff in his book
"Coping with Stage Fright." If you hold tension in your jaw,
which a lot of us unknowingly do, you can make it easier for
people to hear what you have to say, by doing these exercises.
Before you go on stage (or to a business meeting) stick your
tongue out as far as possible and touch it to the tip of your
nose. Now stick it out again and touch your chin. Do this
a few times -- you'll notice it's easier to speak with distinction.
It's fun and loosens us up. Move your tongue around your lips
3 times, then counterclockwise. Exaggerate an ear-to-ear smile,
pucker, frown and grimace. To relax your voice, pant heavily,
sob quietly, babble incoherently, and count to 20 in one breath.
Notice how your voice sounds clearer and more resonant. As
we all become more aware, it's easier to discern when something
feels off or incongruent. Our clients can feel our confidence
(or lack of) through our body language. They can detect any
hesitation or misrepresentation in our voice. The question
I frequently ask my clients is "How can you use less effort
and be truer to your ideal self?"
How you say your message is important. You can say 2 + 2
= 4 in a way that makes people fall asleep or you can say
2 + 2 = 4 in a way that make mathematics seem like an incredible,
revolutionary way of understanding how things work in the
world. We can talk about our service in a way that sounds
pretty much like everyone else or in a way that wakes people
up to the value of it.
Another way to increase your awareness and have your desired
impact is to practice saying the same sentence through a variety
of identities. (A few chosen here from Gail Larsen list of
over 200 options in her book Transformational Speaking) authority
figure, buddy, caregiver, change agent, charmer, cheerleader,
fanatic, motivator, professional, scholar, mother/father,
teacher, therapist, tease, underachiever, workaholic For example
you could say, "It's nice to meet you" playing each of the
above roles and notice how your voice changes. If you want
to take it one step further, notice your body posture as you
take on each of these roles. Which role will bring you the
most business?
We usually have 2 voices: what we want to sound like and
what we actually sound like. Playing with these subtleties
will give you more awareness and with that awareness, you
might just make a different choice.
Ask yourself, "What comes first, being successful, then acting
like a successful person or deliberately acting like a successful
person and then becoming successful?"
Pamela Ziemann has been coaching entrepreneurs with natural,
effective presentations since 1997. Sign up for her free e-course
"Thinking on Your Feet and Answering Tough Questions in the
Moment" at http://www.OnlineSpeakingSchool.com.
Boost your confidence, create better relationships & attract
more sales.
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