CHAMPION STRATEGIES – PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – JANUARY 1, 2021 (PT.1) 4 Powerful Public Speaking Tips Public Speaking Tip #1: Phrasing When you think about it, 93% of all communication is nonverbal. While amateurs are out there focusing on what to say, it’s the professionals that are focusing on how to say it. A large part of this is something that we refer to as “phrasing” – where you put different inflections and tonal patterns on specific words to reinforce the point you’re attempting to make. For instance, if I was to say the sentence “I didn’t say he stole the money”, just phrasing one word differently can actually change the entire meaning of the sentence. If you say the sentence in your head or out…

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HARDISON’S TIPS – DECEMBER 31, 2020 – USING THE PHONE TO SET FACE TO FACE APPOINTMENTS Most of us don’t sell products that can be closed on the phone; a face-to-face meeting is needed. If this description fits you, you must skillfully engage the prospect in the first moments of your cold call. Only then will your prospect agree to invest time meeting with you. It is easy for a prospect to break off a telephone sales call – much more difficult to end a face-to-face meeting. So the best outcome of most telephone prospecting calls in an appointment. The sales rep who called me for coaching sounded quite distressed as he explained to me, “I’m an outside sales rep, and my teleprospector quit. Therefore,…

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CHAMPION STRATEGIES – PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – DECEMBER 31, 2020 The COVID-19 pandemic has not only been difficult from a health perspective. It’s also been really challenging financially for those whose careers largely depend on in-person interactions, like public speakers. But that doesn’t mean you have to just wait around, with no income, until conferences and other events can resume. Public speakers can survive this crisis by focusing on digital opportunities in the short term and looking long term toward future in-person opportunities. 1. Book events for 2021 While many conferences have been canceled over the next few months, plenty of events are still scheduled for 2021. Be proactive and hit up every conference organizer you think could be a potential fit, even if that means going outside your main…

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HARDISON’S TIPS – DECEMBER 30, 2020 – HAVING A GREAT AUTOMOTIVE SALES YEAR IN 2021 Establish a strong online presence Search engines and social media platforms now play a significant role in consumers’ buying experiences. Research from Cox Automotive found that car buyers spend an average of 14 hours researching and shopping online before ever visiting a dealership in person. Without a strong and active online presence, you could be missing out on easy sales and opportunities to build lasting customer relationships. The study also found that close to 80% of shoppers visit at least two websites during their independent research – 65% start their search on a third-party website, while 32% end up on a dealership’s page. These findings demonstrate the importance of your website as…

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CHAMPION STRATEGIES – PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – DECEMBER 30, 2020 7 Public Speaking Tips for Writers I did some research for the inevitable moment when you’re also asked to prepare a great speech. Here are my seven tips: 1. Read Famous Speeches Are there any orators who you admire? Don’t just listen to their speeches; print them out and read them. What techniques do they use in their writing? 2. Research Your Audience Writers must always be aware of their audiences, but in speech writing, it’s more important than ever. You need the crowd to audibly react.  Have you ever heard a speech described as “great” when the audience was silent the entire time? I didn’t think so! My journalist friend giving the commencement speech returned to our…

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HARDISON’S TIPS – DECEMBER 29, 2020 – Personalize your sales processes A natural progression to asking those clarifying questions is the ability to personalize the process to each unique customer. In practice, personalization is all about adjusting your services to meet each customer’s specific needs, rather than focusing on broad sales tactics. While it’s true that buying trends can help your sales team understand the preferences of different customer demographics, it’s crucial to treat each visitor as an individual.  According to research from Accenture, around 43% of U.S. consumers are more likely to purchase goods and services from companies that personalize their experience. This includes things like offering product recommendations, special discounts and other incentives for customer loyalty. There is, however, a more direct and impactful…

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CHAMPION STRATEGIES – PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – DECEMBER 29, 2020 Public Speaking Tips: Audience, Attitude, Audible Whether you are networking, speaking to a client, presenting at a conference, having a conversation public speaking skills are an essential component to being a success in business. Three essential items to be aware of in your Public Speaking journey to be an effective speaker. Audience – always ask questions about your audience. Know who you are speaking to, what are they expecting to hear, what demographics are they? Are they going to be all male, all female or a mix? These questions are going to determine how you will create your presentation and often impact on how you present to the audience. Check with the event or meeting coordinator…

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HARDISON’S TIPS – DECEMBER 28, 2020 – WHAT YOU CAN DO TO IMPROVE YOUR NUMBERS IN 2021 Let’s face it, the auto retail industry is changing and many dealerships are having to get creative to meet their sales quotas and secure long-term profitability. Even before the unpredictable shift in our industry caused by COVID-19, U.S. car sales were down 5.8% in December 2019 compared to the same month in 2018, while full-year sales fell 1.3%. NADA anticipated an additional 1.2% drop in sales volume going into 2020 – but we all know what has happened since and the ground we need to cover to make up for the downturn. I don’t say this to scare you, but we need to face our reality to accurately set the stage for…

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CHAMPION STRATEGIES – PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – DECEMBER 28, 2020 Public speaking ability is a key ingredient to success in any profession. Unfortunately, society doesn’t do enough to train individuals on how to effectively nurture and grow this talent. This leaves many professionals feeling ill-prepared when it comes time to step up to the podium.  That’s why we’ve put together five quick tips to help make you a better public speaker: 1. Know Your Audience The first step to any successful public speaking engagement is to take a page from the marketing department and understand who your audience is. Think about the types of people that will be in attendance. This will help you determine your word choice for the presentation, the level of specificity…

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CHAMPION STRATEGIES –  PUBLIC SPEAKING WORKSHOP – DECEMBER 27, 2020 Don’t Let Fear of Public Speaking Keep You From Your Favorite Activities In some cases, it can be hard to avoid speaking in public. Whether you’re a high school student presenting at a science fair, or a college student taking a debate course to fulfill a credit requirement, chances are you’ll have to speak in public at some point. Speaking in front of others can be intimidating, but mastering this skill can go a long way toward helping you excel in high school and college. If you dread class presentations or find it difficult to speak up during group discussions, you are not alone. In fact, according to the National Social Anxiety Center, as much…

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