Posts Tagged ‘Presentation communication’

Article Content Research Creates Quality Life and Work Balance for Writer

Sunday, April 11th, 2010

Article marketing in this communication strategy laden world is a hot way  to put across expert advice and key messages, especially online. It thrives on its own and is fertilized further via social media and the social proofs writers capture in comments and testimonials. It occupies a critical page of notes in my courses on business writing and image elevation through effective communication.

The quest for article content recently got me out of the command centre of my office and out to enjoy news the old fashioned way – live.

After class on the current live teaching sessions on writing tools or in communication coaching for presenting and networking, or my writing to deadlines, I have been taking in face to face conversations. More precisely, I took back the power of the in person information exchange that is communication.

Revitalization came from the human component so essential to producing the perfect words and capturing concepts  through live or online chats. I broke past the writer’s screen on to the other, live side these past months.

Douglas College’s Self Employment Program which supports would be entrepreneurs was one source of this personal and professional satisfaction. In my seminar there on Professional Image and Business Writing, I get to share the wisdom of  30 years work in marketing and PR.

The Grammar Refresher course for the Vancouver School Board was canceled. Did you know? More than 50% of adult education courses in North America are canceled due to low registration. Pity. We had such fun in the last 16 hours of class.

Producing articles led me to adventures in ‘non-virtual land’ these past months since my last blog post. Some of this was due to dispatch by www.theafronews.ca and the forward thinking publisher, Honore Gbedze. His desire to positively cover a broad spectrum of Canadian and new immigrant achievements and the Communication Culture column I write regularly saw:

  • A sharing of spinach dip and updates at a casual media reception setting with Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism and Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway.
  • Oxfam Fundraiser where, oh, the lesson on food losses, I got food poisoning dining on the deluxe menu served to the 15% of the world’s affluent seated symbolically at our table.
  • YMCA Diversity Training for awareness of intercultural, anti homophobic and anti racist communication. Immediately useful in life and positive seeding for peace in the planned  community garden.
  • Vancouver Fashion Week where young designers inspired by other times and other places saw their work sashayed, strutted and showcased. This bookworm was outed as a follower of fashion, for at least 15 minutes of runway flashes.

Communication was at its full technicolor best as it took place here on the screen I share with you and out in the world of messages conveyed by people, language, fashion, food, colours and the energy of people out in real life, mixing it up together.

For effective business writing and conversation training for individuals and small groups who wish to improve their workplace and personal communication contact Helena via the Contact Page today.

Twitter, Face Book ID is: HelenaKaufman.

Narrowing the Global Gap

Tuesday, December 1st, 2009

Communication at every level, cultural, linguistic, personal, regional and international has never been so important on our ever shrinking planet, where all we do and decide affects everyone – near and far.

Communication is speeding up. It is adjusting. It is both more inclusive now than ever, and demanding.

No one language can dominate. Those of us who can operate in English are relieved that we can continue to converse for commerce and personal pursuits – because most of the world plugs into English still as a common language. We must now also respect a new world order.

In the 40th year of the Internet’s impact on our lives, we are faced with the reality that much of the world now CAN communicate and search in their own regional language and preference. And they can reasonably expect communication in the style, if not the actual words of their language, culture and ways of doing business.

I was reminded of my need to learn more, and faster about the world around me while listening to a song recently. To respect the growing strength and expectations of the ‘non-English’ speaking world. It was not enough that I felt somewhat comfortable in French, German or dabbled in Polish and even some ancient holy scripts. I realized that I would have to be prepared to embrace a good deal more and to be familiar with many more means of effective communication if I was to understand and be understood as a global citizen.

I was reminded recently of my hope to do so in our ONE world in a song sung by Bette Midler and the words written by Julie Gold.

The song …From a Distance.

Do these images inspire you?

From a distance the world looks blue and green,
and the snow-capped mountains white.
From a distance the ocean meets the stream,
and the eagle takes to flight.

From a distance, there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
It’s the voice of hope, it’s the voice of peace,
it’s the voice of every man.

From a distance we all have enough,
and no one is in need.
And there are no guns, no bombs, and no disease,
no hungry mouths to feed.

From a distance we are instruments
marching in a common band.

Playing songs of hope, playing songs of peace.
They’re the songs of every man.
God is watching us. God is watching us.
God is watching us from a distance.

From a distance you look like my friend,

even though we are at war.
From a distance I just cannot comprehend
what all this fighting is for.

From a distance there is harmony,
and it echoes through the land.
And it’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves,
it’s the heart of every man.

It’s the hope of hopes, it’s the love of loves.
This is the song of every man.
And God is watching us, God is watching us,
God is watching us from a distance.
Oh, God is watching us, God is watching.
God is watching us from a distance.

Investing in Words N’ More

Monday, June 1st, 2009

‘Where was I last week instead of at my desk blogging?

In a word, investing.

I was seduced, as I often am, by the siren call of learning. With less these days in the form of discretionary funds to invest, I chose to take an asset even more precious than money – time- and spend some of it at a four day, 8 am – 10 pm, educational event called InvestFest.

Any word that begins with IN and ends in FEST now makes me anxious. Due to my tech bugs and last week’s preventative spraying in my building for bed bugs running rampant in other suites, I summoned courage.

At each of the numerous and lengthy sessions I listened and sometimes wrote furiously. The event had all the expected motivation, inspiration, education and selling from the illuminated stage. Infotainment is descriptive word that covers such an entertaining presentation complete with lights, cameras and action.

While there, the ‘currency’ of the material and ideas I was already teaching  in my Business Writing and Communication Courses was affirmed. Only the size, mass crowd energy and the checkbooks at the ready stance of the audience differed from my own class participants.

As writers, we usually execute our daily communications in writing and speaking duties in isolation. Ideally we have control over the soundscape that surrounds us. This event featured people. Lots of them. Standing, shouting, cheering, clapping and buying. Lots of buying.

What is common to both scenarios is the care taken to present the right words. I noted the words and styles most effective in presenting products, service and ideas. What works in business plans and pitches? What will help articulate the power that might help or hinder our success over barriers?

What was true in each category of interest for personal or business success, was the absolute impact words have on us - internally and on our readers and listeners externally.

Consider your words  - your choices, combinations, sequence and the images you choose to express the elegance of your thoughts - with clarity and brevity.

Words are powerful.