Free Conference Call Services

How Free Conference Call Services Work

Many businesses have the need for conference calls. Whether you need to have a meeting with business partners or employees around the world, or you want to talk with several customers at once, a conference call service may be just what you need.

I Want To Learn How Free Conference Call Services Work

It is really very easy to get started. Many providers now offer free conference call services. All you have to do is first find a provider that works well with your specific needs. Check to ensure that they offer free conference call services and sign up. You will first want to read all terms and conditions to see how they apply to you, if there are any hidden charges, and what is available to you when using the free option.

When learning how free conference call services work, you will likely have a few restrictions to work around. For instance, one restriction that may be placed on the service is how many callers can call into the number provided to you. The number of callers allowed will depend on the service itself.

Another restriction may be how long you can hold your conference call. Some free conference call services may limit your call to a maximum of three hours, while others may be shorter or longer. Furthermore, it is important to understand that the time allotted will begin will the very first person calls into the number.

Now, in order to get the number to call, you will need to register with the provider. They will provide you with the number to dial in, as well as an access code that you should provide to your callers in order to access your conference. Now another thing that you should know is that the number will most likely not be a toll-free number. It might be a long distance number for your callers, which will mean that they incur long distance charges while in the conference.

Now that you know how free conference call services work, you can start organizing your own conference calls. Now you can talk with your dow line and boost your company and coordinate team building exercises or you could even host a conference party if you choose. No matter what the need, free conference call services are an excellent, money saving feature for any company, large or small.

Keys to Effective Powerpoint Presentation

Some key points to remember in order to build an effective powerpoint presentation.

Do you know the most effective way to get your message across during a powerpoint presentation?  Do you realize that good communication techniques are the key to a formidable presentation, and that there are a few key guidelines you need to follow in order to maximize your effectiveness when giving a powerpoint presentation.  Whether you are a masters student, a professor, or a salesman, effective powerpoint skills can increase your ability to communicate effectively and get your point across, no matter what your project.

The key point you need to keep in mind is that powerpoint is just a tool for use while giving a presentation to a group of people.  This means that you need to focus on the substance of your message at least as much as the presentation itself.  The powerpoint presentation should serve as a source of way points to keep your lecture effective and on track.

For example, if your presentation is on hybrid vehicles, you shouldn’t include lots of writing in your presentation slides.  Rather, you should include the key points and ideas that you want the audience to take away.  Let’s say you want the audience to believe that hybrid vehicles are superior to conventional gasoline transport.  Your presentation should outline the key points, like increased fuel efficiency, coupled with questions.  The questions would include something that causes the audience to ask why what you are saying is correct, to which you will have the answer ready.  In the case of hybrid cars, a slide would include a question like, “Why are hybrid cars a superior choice?”  to which you would have the answer ready with bullets and speech.

In addition to building an effective outline of your presentation, you should also include pictures and diagrams.  Diagrams and pictures will help reinforce the ideas you are trying to portray in your presentation.  Only through an effective blend of graphics and ideas can you communicate your point of view efficiently and poignantly.

So, now for a brief recap of what it takes to make an effective powerpoint presentation.  First, you need to gather your ideas efficiently, and utilize your presentation as an outline for your speech.  Second, you need to reinforce your ideas with graphics, diagrams, and pictures.  When you effectively utilize both of these aspects, you are almost guaranteed to reach your audience more effectively than you probably thought possible.  Only through active communication can you accomplish your presentation goals.

Speaking Strategies to Capture Listeners

Speaking Strategies To Capture Listeners

When you are speaking it is important to also listen. Here are 12 speaking strategies for staying focused and keeping your listeners attention while you are their focus.

12 Proven Strategies to Stay Focused When Speaking from the Platform

Whether you’re presenting to an audience, participating in a sales call or facilitating a meeting, if you struggle with active listening, chances are you’re missing opportunities that can advance your career. In a normal day, we all listen nearly twice as much as we speak and four to five times as much as we read and write (Rivers, 1981). The challenge for all of us is being 100% present throughout the day, being present in the moment to capture key points and ideas as a result of listening.

To test your own listening efficiency, think about how often you ask someone to repeat information, or how many times someone has said to you, “You’re not listening to me.” This occurs more than you might think, because most people only listen for the first three to four seconds of a conversation. After that, they’re formulating a response. No, it’s not just you!

Try these 12 proven strategies to stay focused:
1. Make solid eye contact and keep it. This shows your listener you’re really listening and helps you stay centered on what’s being communicated.

2. Pay attention to your listener’s body language. If they’re looking at you versus away from you, there’s a greater chance they’re interested in what you have to say—and will hear your message and be more open to the information. As a result, you increase the probability they’ll take the action you desire.

3. Is your listener walking away from you or crossing arms? Both of these behaviors are “closed” and communicate that your listener is unapproachable or in disagreement. Involve your listener in the conversation by asking an open-ended question that communicates you’re sincere and invites their participation.

4. Pause before answering. This encourages your listener to provide you with additional information and gives you an opportunity to “think on your feet.”

5. Listen for changes in your listener’s tone of voice, inflection, or volume. If the voice has more inflection, they’re communicating a positive response to your message. If your listener’s voice increases in volume or carries a harsh tone, listen and then respond with a softer volume and tone.

6. Listen for key ideas and facts. When your listener touches on something you want to know more about, simply repeat the statement as a question.

7. Summarize and paraphrase key points periodically to guarantee you’re hearing and understanding your listener’s words. Say, “If I understand you correctly…,” or “So what I hear you saying is…”

8. Be patient and avoid interrupting, even though you may believe what your listener is saying is wrong or irrelevant. Indicate simple acceptance, not necessarily agreement, by nodding or perhaps injecting an occasional “I see.”

9. Briefly and accurately acknowledge your listener’s concerns, frustrations, and challenges. Without acknowledgment, they’ll continue to focus on the emotion versus the issue being discussed. Say, “I can imagine you must feel…” or “I get the impression you’re unhappy about… “.

10. Don’t get emotionally involved. Avoid expressing your own personal views, because they may influence or inhibit what your listener says. Try simply to understand their concerns first and defer evaluation until later.

11. Encourage your listener to provide additional information with phrases such as, “Tell me more” or “As I understand it, what you’re saying is….”

12. “Listen” for what isn’t said. You’ll gain valuable information via your intuition. For example, your listener may say, “This solution is not negotiable; how will I afford it?” Your response may be, “So you’re concerned about how much this will cost you. Let me share with you some options.”

This speaking strategy article has been presented to you by:

Stacey Hanke of 1st Impression Consulting, Inc., focuses on changing communication behavior. She has coached over 4000 individuals worldwide how to enhance their ability to connect, engage and influence others to take action. Stacey is co-author of the book titled “Conversations on Success” and has a lengthy Fortune 500 client list. Visit her at www.staceyhanke.com to learn about how she can add value to your development.

I hope you’ve found this article on speaking strategies to keep your listeners attentive useful.

Other related Speaking Articles:

Platform Presentation Skills

Tips on Marketing Your Seminar

Tips to Launch Seminar Promotion

By Jenny Hamby, the Seminar Marketing Pro™
Certified Guerrilla Marketer and Direct-Response Copywriter

One of the deadliest marketing mistakes you can make when trying to successfully promote your own seminars and workshop is launching your promotional schedule too late. Many new seminar promoters wait until four to six weeks before their events to start promotions (sometimes even less) … and then can’t understand why their registration numbers are low.

The simple fact is that most prospective seminar attendees need time to clear their schedules and make up their minds about whether to attend your event.

Perhaps they want to do some research about you, to check your credentials and verify the claims that you make. Maybe they need to get permission from their approving manager. They might even just need to take some time to think about whether your seminar or workshop is going to be worth the investment of their time and money. Although a handful of prospects will decide within minutes of hearing about your event that they want to attend – even if it’s just a few days away – most people will need time.

Here are three rules of thumb to follow when determining the timing of your promotions:

• The longer the event, the further in advance you want to market. Attendees need more lead time to clear their schedules for a 3-day boot camp than for a 2-hour evening seminar.
• Allow more marketing time for paid events than for free events. It’s easier to say “yesî to something that’s free. Ask people to fork over their money, and they’ll need time to “think about it, to ensure they have the funds, to get the powers-that-be to approve their attendance, etc.
• The closer the relationship you have with your prospective attendees, the less time you may need to market to them. If you have an inner circle group or clients that work with you closely, sometimes all you need to do is tell them “Here’s an event – show up please – and they’ll respond. If you’re marketing to people who don’t know you as well, you need more time and “touches’ to get them to trust you enough to attend.

This seminar promotions article by:

Jenny Hamby is a Certified Guerrilla Marketer and direct-response copywriter who helps speakers, coaches and consultants fill seminar seats and make more money from their own seminars and workshops. Her on- and offline direct marketing campaigns have netted response rates as high as 84 percent … on budgets as small as $125. For seven of her most powerful seminar marketing

Writing a Good Sales Letter

Writing a Good Sales Letter

Writing a good sales letter isn’t just a matter of throwing up your page in a couple of days. Take time to research and follow this list of seven steps and you’ll have copy that’s written like the professionals.

Copywriting Checklist: The 7 Critical Steps You Must Take Before Writing a Single Word of Copy!

by Lorrie Morgan Ferrero

Okay, you know you have your product (or service) in front of you. Now it’s time to get the word out with an attention-grabbing sales letter. But where do you begin? Whether you hire someone to write your copy, pass it off to a staff member or learn to write it yourself, you need this checklist.

What Steps to Take Before Writing Your Sales Letter

One of the biggest misconceptions new clients have when they come to me is I can whip out a sales letter in a few days. Wrong, wrong and wrong. A lot of preparation goes into writing copy. I spend on average 50% – 70% of my time PREPARING to write copy. If you don’t do your homework, the chances go up exponentially that your copy will fall flat on its face. Use this simple checklist to get you prepared for writing your own sales copy.

¨ Use the product or service yourself. I wouldn’t dream of writing copy about something I had never experienced. (If it’s your product, you may want to let someone else test it, then interview her about her experience). It’s one of the fastest ways to get a complete understanding of its strengths and weaknesses.

¨ Research your target market thoroughly. If you know anything about the way I help others write their own copy, you know about the “tarket” concept. Basically it goes like this. Segment your market down by age, income, marital status, etc. Then write out a detailed description of ONE PERSON in your target market – your “tarket”. When you write, speak only to that person.

¨ Spy on the competitors. Make yourself a customer to your competition. Then study how they handle marketing and customer service from A to Z. Sign up for their ezines, study their websites, collect their direct marketing campaigns. Learn to think like they do. Soon the differences between your company and theirs begin to reveal themselves. Your unique selling position pops its head out!

¨ Anticipate objections by writing out the FAQs ahead of time. Put yourself in your customer’s shoes and think like she does. What questions come up for her that would stop her from buying? Expect those frequently asked questions to come up and address them in your copy.

¨ Identify the features and benefits. We already know people buy more on emotion than logic. So have a list of what your product or service does (features) and how each feature makes your customer’s life better (benefits). The more you can stimulate an emotional response in your client with benefits, the deeper the connection goes.

¨ Collect compelling stories from the client. Nothing pulls us in psychologically more than a good story. Humans are a storytelling society. It’s in our genes. So give them what. Get the reader entrance by your copy with a hard hitting short story. Then connect it back to what you’re selling.

¨ Gather testimonials from happy customers. How often do you read a testimonial about how badly this product stunk? Not very often. Testimonials are designed to increase credibility. To put a face on people who have had success with your product. How it made them richer, happier, thinner. Let them speak for you. Your trust quotient goes way up!

If you follow each of these steps thoroughly BEFORE you sit down in front of a blank screen, you have all the elements you need for a successful sales letter. I know. I know. Putting the pieces to the puzzle together can be easier said than done. But no matter what your skill level is at today for writing copy, we all start from these same basic steps.

This article on writing a good sales letter is brought to you by:

Article by: World class copywriter, Lorrie Morgan-Ferrero is the author of the highly acclaimed home study course, Red Hot Copy to Woo Your Target Market and founder of Copy Campus, a unique online copywriting school. Lorrie is also a direct descendent of Ralph Waldo Emerson. Learn more about her products and services at http://www.red-hot-copy.com/.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this article on sales letters and copywriting.

Other related Copywriting articles can be found here:

Copywriting

Tips for Doing Radio Interviews

Tips For Doing Radio Interviews

Doing radio interviews are a great way to get publicity if you are prepared. Here are ten great tips on doing radio interviews.

10 Tips for Doing Radio Interviews

By Kristie Tamsevicius

Are you an author looking for ways to promote your book? Radio publicity can get the word out to thousands of potential buyers. But doing a good interview can take some practice. Here are some tips to help you be a wow radio guest during your next interview!

1. Give the announcer a review copy of your book before the interview. If the announcer is familiar with your e-Book, he can refer to specific areas of the book during the interview. If your e-Book is lengthy, then point out specific chapters you would like for him to read. If the announcer really enjoys your e-Book, ask him for an endorsement you can use on your web site.

2. Get to know the interview style and personality of the radio host. Listen to previously recorded interviews by that announcer to get a feel for his style and the types of questions he will ask you. This will also give you a feel for their show as a whole.

3. Know your announcer. To personalize the interview, try to call the announcer by name. So you don’t forget, write the announcer’s name and radio program name and call letters on an index card. In the heat of the interview, nothing could be worse than having your mind go blank!

4. Warm up. Take time to talk to the announcer ahead of time. Start with the easy stuff. Warm up, by telling the host about yourself, your background, and your current projects. By knowing more about you, the announcer can ask more in depth questions that showcase your knowledge and abilities.

5. Relax, smile, and be yourself! Don’t try to put on some “cool-hip author facade”. Be honest and sincere. If you have the jitters, you might want to consider doing a practice interview with your friend or spouse. You might feel silly role-playing at first, but you’ll be surprised at how helpful it is. Standing up, walking around, and gesturing during a phone radio interview can add to the liveliness of your connection with the interviewer and audience. You may even want to do the interview in front of a mirror. Look to make sure you are smiling. The smile will come through in your voice.

6. Focus. Call from a quiet, comfortable place where you can focus. If you have children, take them to a babysitter. Call from a high quality telephone to improve the quality of the radio recording. A cordless phone or headset can cause static. Having a rich clear tone to your voice will paint a better visual image of you in the listener’s mind.

7. Be prepared. Get a set of the questions ahead of time. Write out your key points out on index cards and tape them to your desk. If the host asks you about something and your mind goes blank, you can refer to your notes without shuffling to find them. Keep your answers short and to the point. Longwinded answers will bore your audience. People LOVE stories. So try to tell stories related to your book – that will draw the audience into your conversation. Remember, if the radio host asks a question that you don’t want to answer or don’t know the answer to, then answer the question that they should have asked.

8. Tell them your story. Stories capture the emotions of the audience, are easy to relate to, and are very persuasive. Tell the story of what inspired you to write your book, how your book has helped people, what you did before you wrote your book, and how writing the book has brought you success.

9. Mention the title of your book and contact information. Never say, “In my book…” Always call your book by name. For instance, “In I Love My Life, there are ten keys to ….” Mention your name, the title of your book, your web site URL, and your newsletter during the interview. Ideal time to mention this is at the beginning and end of the interview.

10. Showcase your knowledge: It’s your time to shine! If you have specific questions for the announcer to ask, give them to him ahead of time. Try to stress the uniqueness of your book. The real power of a radio interview is that you can position yourself as an authority on your area of expertise. If he asks key questions on the subjects you know best, you’ll come off sounding like a star! Likewise, if there are questions you don’t want to talk about, let the announcer know that too.

If you have a radio interview coming up use these tips and you’ll be ready for great publicity.

Other related Publicity Articles:

How To Get Publicity

Story Pitch Follow Up

Story Pitch Follow Up

Have you ever submitted a story pitch that got zero response?  If so, you probably thought it was long dead and haven’t given any more thought to it.  It always makes sense to be prepared, you never know when a publisher may want to pick up your story.

How to Follow up Your News Releases and Story Pitches

By Joan Stewart
The Publicity Hound

Can you remember a story idea you pitched a year ago that resulted in no news coverage of any kind?

If so, how quickly could you respond if a reporter called you today wanting to cover the story? Would you start groping for words, or asking stupid questions like “Who did you say you wanted to interview?” Or would you be ready, on a second’s notice?

Sound ludicrous? Well, it happened to publicist Jill Lublin, who knew how to handle it, and it can happen to you, too.

A few years ago, Jill pitched an idea about one of her clients, a professional speaker, to Meeting Planner magazine. Despite several follow-ups, she never got a response.

“Then one year later–count ‘em–365 days later, I got a call and this reporter said, ‘Yes, we want to do the story, and by the way, tomorrow. Are you ready?’ And of course the answer is yes, you’re always ready when the media calls.”

That’s valuable advice regarding follow-ups. Never assume a story pitch is dead.

Jill, co-author of the book Guerrilla Publicity,” also says:

When following up, remember The Rule of 7. That means you should follow up seven times, using a combination of phone calls and emails, before you stop contacting journalists. But always be ready in case they call you.

Never follow up on routine news releases announcing things like promotions or awards you’ve won, or they’ll view you as a pest. Your efforts are better spent following up on larger stories you have pitched.

When following up, concentrate on benefits. Explain how the idea you are pitching is the solution to a problem–and do it quickly, in fewer than 30 seconds.

When you call or email, don’t say, “Did you get my press release?” or “I’m following up on a call I made two weeks ago.” Jill says: “I typically will say, ‘I sent you some information.’ That’s my code word for press release. What I have found when talking to the media is they hate when you call them up and say, ‘Did you get the press release?’ What they love is for you to talk about the information in terms of how it can be readily used by them, and why they would care. Really. That’s the bottom line. Why would they care?”

When following ups, never, ever ask a reporter to alert you when the story is printed, or to send you a certain number of copies of the story. It’s your job to monitor the publications, then call the circulation department and order however copies you want. Expect to pay for them.

Jill shared dozens more tips for follow-ups during a live teleseminar called “Failproof Ways to Follow Up After Sending a News Release or Pitch Letter.” Read more about what we discussed or order the CD, the cassette tape or the immediately downloadable transcript.

This article on following up after a story pitch has been bought to you by:

Publicity expert Joan Stewart shows you how to use free publicity to establish your credibility, enhance your reputation, position yourself as an expert, sell more products and services, promote a favorite cause or issue, and position your company as an employer of choice. Get more publicity tips at www.PublicityHound.com (link to http://www.speakersuccessonline.com/publicity-hound.htm) – that’s my affiliate link.

I hope you’ve found this story pitch article helpful and are always prepared for that call.

Read more related Publicity articles here:

How To Get Publicity

Get Publicity with Briefs & More

Get Publicity With Briefs & More

If you’re looking for a good way to get more publicity, then try writing up some briefs, fillers and quizzes. Read the article below for ideas.

Editors Love Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes

By Joan Stewart

Pick up any national magazine, flip through the pages, and count the number of short articles you see. They can include those little 3-inch fillers, short quizzes, 400-word “how-to” articles or resource boxes.

Editors love them. And you can generate some fabulous publicity for yourself by writing them.

1. Because they are so short, editors often rely on them to “fill a hole” on the page. A 75-word brief stands a much better chance of being published than a 750-article.

2. Briefs help portray you as an expert in your field.

3. They appeal to readers with short attention spans and can be skimmed quickly.

4. They’re easy to write. And you don’t need to submit a query letter to editors.
Simply snail-mail, fax or e-mail the copy.

5. Unlike a story idea pitch, or a longer article you are submitting, you can usually
submit briefs to editors at a variety of non-competing publications at the same
time. Editors don’t expect exclusivity on these items and usually don’t care if they
appear in other publications.

6. You can promote yourself, or your product, service, cause or issue much more in a
brief than you can in an article you would write.

7. Briefs are an excellent way to promote a new book, particularly if you are willing to
give away free advice in the brief that ties into the book. You an include a web site
URL or contact information where readers can buy from you.

Types of Briefs

Briefs come in all shapes, sizes and formats. They include how-to articles, tips sheets, quizzes, new product announcements accompanied by a photo, and polls and surveys. If you work within a particular industry that has its own jargon, you can also supply a list of industry words and definitions so readers can better understand your industry.

Sometimes all you need to do is provide editors with a list of resources on a particular topic. If you write books on marketing, for example, you might provide a list of the top three marketing web sites, top three marketing magazines and top three audio tapes on the topic of marketing for small-businesses. This brief can be used as-is, or it can be used as a sidebar to accompany a longer article on marketing that someone else has submitted.

Now get going. Dozens of editors out there are waiting for your briefs. If you need step-by-step directions on how to submit briefs, see “Briefs, Fillers & Quizzes: How to Write Them and Why Editors Love Them.”

This article on how to get more publicity was brought to you by:

Publicity expert Joan Stewart shows you how to use free publicity to establish your credibility, enhance your reputation, position yourself as an expert, sell more products and services, promote a favorite cause or issue, and position your company as an employer of choice. Get more publicity tips at www.PublicityHound.com (link to http://www.speakersuccessonline.com/publicity-hound.htm) – that’s my affiliate link.

I hope you’ve found this article on how to get publicity using briefs, fillers and quizzes useful and will use it to get yourself more press!

Read more related Publicity articles here:

How To Get Publicity

Speaker One-Sheet

Speaker One-Sheet

A speaker one-sheet is an important tool that will describe you, the speaker, in the best way possible. Taking some time to have one completed will showcase you as a professional.

What are the Essential Elements of a Speaker One-Sheet?

You meet someone who could hire you for your expertise and services. In the spirit of getting to know you, that decision-maker asks, “What do you speak about?” or “How do you help organizations?” or “Which groups have you worked with?”

These questions become your opening to convey how you assist people and why you’re the one experienced to do so. That’s exactly what a speaker one-sheet does, too. To convey that you’re a “must-have” expert, your one-sheet needs to be written and designed effectively.

Answers Key Questions

Your one-sheet, in effect, succinctly answers these seven questions that decision-makers would ask you in person at a first meeting:

1. How would you describe your area of expertise?

2. Whom do you work with and give presentations to?

3. What are the benefits of hiring you—

for the leaders of the organization?

for the participants in the ranks?

for organizational progress?

4. What have you done that makes you an expert?

5. Which groups have you worked with before?

6. What did participants think of your contribution?

7. How can you be reached for more information?

Well-crafted words on your one-sheet answer these questions in the form of seven corresponding “must-have” elements:

1. Topics/Programs

2. Target Audience

3. Benefits (especially in headlines)

4. Biography

5. Client List

6. Testimonials

7. Contact Information

Adding Personality with Your Brand

Even if you have all of these elements in place, what turns it into a stronger “must-have” piece that represents you? In a word: Personality. Use bold, creative, unique graphics that support your brand, and set you apart from your competition. Follow up with a strong logo and a powerful tag line.

Discover 6 secrets to boost the buy appeal of your one-sheet. What if YOU could know the secrets of a 1st class graphic designer that would help you create amazing marketing materials in a few hours, would you want to know how? Find out now at www.BuyAppealMarketing.com

You are welcome to “reprint” this article on how to design a speaker one-sheet as long as it remains complete and unaltered (including my “about the author” section at the end).

This article about speaker one-sheets was brought to you by:
Karen Saunders is the author of “Turn Eye Appeal into Buy Appeal: How to easily transform your marketing pieces into dazzling, persuasive sales tools!” Hundreds of business owners have used her simple do-it-yourself design system to create stunning marketing materials that really SELL their products and services! Pick up FREE articles, audio classes, eCourse and ezines at http://www.macgraphics.net

I hope you’ve found these tips on one-sheets useful.

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