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Get The Message Across: 8 Ways To Improve Your Communication Skills

Image Credit Pixabay.com License CC0 


Getting your ideas across to other people can be harder than you might expect. In your mind, your ideas will feel clear and obvious, yet to other people, they seem confusing and muddled. 


There are ways that you can ensure your ideas are allowed to be heard in the way that you intend them though. 


Here are eight ways that you can improve your communication skills to help get your ideas across. 

Show Don’t Tell


A picture paints a thousand words. 


If you find that you’re struggling to get a concept across that may be quite visual in nature, then you should give up talking about it and start showing the visuals. 


Find out more about Verified Views, they’re a company that creates visual mock-ups of future building projects. By showing the new building in the space that it will inhabit, buyers, investors, and neighbors can make a better sense of what the concept behind the project is. 

The more visuals you can use, the easier it will be to get your message across. 


Keep It Short 


If you talk for too long about elements of the idea, then you will lose your audience. Once people have stopped paying attention, you will struggle to get it back. 


Keep your presentation as short as you possibly can. 


Get To The Point 


Start off by stating what you will be talking about. Then, move onto the point of the message and speak confidently about your idea. Once you have done that, summarize your idea. 


Don’t Lie


When you are talking about your ideas, make sure you don’t make any exaggerated claims. If you suggest something that isn’t true, then it will end up coming back on you in the long run. 

Back It Up With Stats 


If you want to get the attention of your audience, throw in some statistics to back up your claims. 


Make sure that your stats are well researched and accurate and they will enhance your presentation. 

Encourage Others To Ask Questions


To check that your audience is listening and they are understanding what you are saying, then you should check their understanding by allowing them to ask questions. 


It is a good idea if you ask if there are any questions at the end of every section in your presentation. 


Thank the person for asking the question, and try and provide as thorough an answer as possible. 

Be Open To Suggestions


When listening to those that are asking questions, pay attention to people who want to make a suggestion about the way that you can improve your idea. 


You may believe that your idea is as good as it can be, however, a new perspective may improve it even more.

Speak With Confidence 


If you want to convince people about the strength of your ideas then you should do your best to speak with confidence. You can do this by keeping your head up when you are talking, make plenty of eye contact where possible, and by projecting your voice in a clear way.

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