Recent Articles in Business Communication

June 27, 2024

Negotiating and the Communication Advantage


Resources , Business Communication , Public Speaking Books

Good communication skills can boost your negotiating power. Negotiating techniques can sharpen your persuasive presentations. See how you can benefit from the win-win.

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March 19, 2024

Better Introductions: Introducing yourself at a meeting


Business Communication

Do they need to hear your job title? The names of your seven cats? With the audience and your goals in mind, here's how to use public speaking fundamentals to fine tune the way you introduce yourself.

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February 15, 2024

Think Fast, Talk Smart: A Podcast about Communicating


Resources , Business Communication , Seen|Read|Heard

Looking for another great resource to inspire better communication? We're liking this podcast from Stanford University's graduate business school!

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February 12, 2024

5 Tips for Making Company Messages Your Own


Business Communication , Presentation Tips , Public Speaking

Messaging guidelines and mission statements provide for consistent branding. But the words don't always come out of a speaker's mouth sounding authentic and engaging. Here's what you can do about that.

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January 15, 2024

The Evolution of Executive Presence: Positive changes you can make


Business Communication , Presentation Tips , Public Speaking , Seen|Read|Heard

While ideas about how an executive should look and behave are changing, public speaking and presentation skills are still at the top of everyone's list. See how the evolution of executive presence can work for you.

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January 3, 2024

Attracting and Retaining Young Talent: Etiquette training can be key


Etiquette , Business Communication , Resources

More companies are finding that an investment in employee soft skills - including etiquette - can help them improve performance and achieve important goals. See why it works on multiple fronts.

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October 18, 2023

Five Easy Ways to Make your PowerPoint Deck More Accessible


Presentation Tips , Business Communication , PowerPoint

Making PowerPoint presentations more accessible for people of different abilities benefits everyone in your audience - which means it's a beneficial effort for you, too!

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May 4, 2023

Inclusion and Critical Thinking: Choosing to Speak with Simple Words


Public Speaking , Business Communication , Seen|Read|Heard

Need more convincing that simple words are a speaker's friend? A Harvard student makes the case beautifully. See why flaunting a fancy vocabulary may not help you reach your goals.

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April 17, 2023

Applying Communication Techniques to Business Conversations


Business Communication , Presentation Tips

You want to have authentic one-on-one interactions with company leaders and potential clients, but you've got a message to relay, too. See how drawing on presentation and media techniques can help you do both.

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October 24, 2022

The Art of Q&A


Public Speaking , Business Communication , Presentation Tips

There's no single formula for handling audience questions. See how you can balance your goals with their needs, and how you can strategize for different settings.

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June 6, 2022

Three techniques for telling your story in a job interview


Business Communication , Three Things , Resources

See how techniques we teach in media training and Q&A coaching can help you demonstrate why you're the person they need to hire.

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February 21, 2022

To be seen as a leader: 'Work on public speaking'


Business Communication , Public Speaking , Seen|Read|Heard

See why a new study shows that people regarded as leaders aren't necessarily extroverts. They're good communicators.

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November 8, 2021

Difficult messages, difficult people: What You Can Do


Business Communication , Three Things

The techniques we use for persuasive presentations can help you with one-on-one communication, too.

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October 4, 2021

Boiling It Down: Reduction To Sharpen Your Messages


Presentation Tips , Media Training , Business Communication

When your time to speak is limited, how do you choose what to say? An economist shares his technique for zeroing in on the main idea.

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September 9, 2021

How to rescue Presentations drowning in Jargon


Business Communication , Presentation Tips , Seen|Read|Heard

Do audiences understand terms that seem common to you? See what a new report tells us about jargon and how you can speak to be better understood.

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July 25, 2021

FAQ: Acronyms in Speeches?


Public Speaking , Seen|Read|Heard , How To , Business Communication , Presentation Tips

How should you approach using acronyms in presentations? Like GEICO, we've got something to say about that...

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January 27, 2021

When in-person training moves online


Presentation Tips , Business Communication

Have "free webinar" become the two most dreaded words in the English language? While we muddle through these dog days of in-person training, here's what you can do to make online learning less onerous...

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August 12, 2020

Online Presentations: Essential skills are even more essential


Presentation Tips , PowerPoint , Business Communication

As we log hours watching online presentations, one thing is painfully clear: Essential communication skills have never been more valuable...

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March 15, 2020

Communicating about COVID19: Resources to help


Resources , Business Communication , Public Speaking

How can you best communicate important messages about the coronavirus to your employees, customers and community? Here are some resources to help:

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February 17, 2020

Public Speaking Virtues & Vices: Belligerence


Virtues & Vices , Strictly Speaking , Public Speaking , Resources , Business Communication

Worried that you antagonize audiences? Or perhaps that's your goal! Check out our founder's case for warming up your stage presence and his unconventional steps to get you there...

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January 20, 2020

Public Speaking Virtues & Vices: Honesty


Virtues & Vices , Strictly Speaking , Resources , Public Speaking , Business Communication

"Character is the primary element a speaker brings to the stage. Everything else can be learned," wrote our founder. Get his honest advice...

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January 14, 2020

Like, when speaking: Too much of a good thing


Public Speaking , Presentation Tips , How To , Business Communication

If you know speakers who overuse "like," maybe it's time to help them find some new words. Here's how to reduce our least favorite disruptor...

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November 25, 2019

How to Handle Questions Designed to Make You Look Bad


How To , Business Communication , Seen|Read|Heard , Presentation Tips

Facing a tough audience for a meeting or presentation? Here's what we can learn from Fiona Hill and how she handled her testimony before members of Congress...

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September 13, 2019

How To: Project Confidence


How To , Business Communication , Public Speaking , Instruction , Presentation Tips , Public Speaking Fear

Most speakers want to appear confident. When you know what that looks like, you can project a more powerful stage presence—whether you're feeling it or not. Here's how...

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August 15, 2019

Business Communication: Three Tips for Better Emails


Business Communication , Presentation Tips , Three Things

Don't be "that person"—especially when you can practice your writing and presentation skills AND craft better emails at the same time!

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June 10, 2019

Public Speaking & Storytelling: Stories to Teach


Resources , Public Speaking , Business Communication , Presentation Tips , Storytelling

Can a story help at-risk teens learn to make better choices? One former L.A. gang member thinks so. Here's how our Buckley coach helped him use his stories to teach and how the same ideas can work for your presentations...

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May 7, 2019

Economic Developer: Speaking to Motivate Communities


Public Speaking , Presentation Tips , Resources , Business Communication

How do you convince leaders to take action before a crisis comes to town? Economic developer Crystal Morphis says public speaking is one of her most important skills for helping communities stay open for business...

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April 9, 2019

Business Communication: Presenting at the Conference Table


Business Communication , Presentation Tips , Public Speaking , How To

You may not be standing on a stage--or even in front of a small group--but a seated presentation is no time to take a holiday. Here's how to pitch at the conference table and still own the room...

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November 16, 2017

Dial in a win: Secrets to successful phone interviews


Resources , Three Things , Etiquette , Business Communication

After hearing some crazy stories from employers, we turned to our resident interview expert for help...

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