Page 181 - How To Sell Yourself

180 How to Sell Yourself Work at getting your ideas across
Again, this is the difference between the “good morning” of small talk and the “good morning” that sounds like you really mean it. It takes an extra effort. Make that effort.
Be yourself
The real you is far more desirable for an audience than the one you think you’re supposed to be. Carefully watch the young man who’s making a presentation to an audience of successful businesspeople. He’s probably going to do exactly the wrong things—try to impress them with his maturity and professional- ism rather than to express his ideas clearly, concisely, and simply. You, speaking naturally and with good preparation, are the most impressive person you can be.
Open your face
The open face is the strongest signal an audience can receive that there’s warmth, affection, and love motivating the communi- cator. No body language, no non-verbal communication technique does what the open face does. It’s the skill that pays the quickest dividends in audience acceptance.
Smile when appropriate and genuine
Just as you can’t pout or throw a tantrum with your brows elevated, you can’t look angry, hateful, or oppressive when there’s a real, honest-to-goodness smile on your face. It’s another won- derful signal of genuine affection, and we can’t ever get too much of that.
Gesture when it’s comfortable and appropriate
Nothing reaches across the distance between you and your audience the way a gesture does. Nothing serves as well as a hug without touching. The gesture is the speaker’s picture-painting device. It illustrates and emphasizes what you’re saying. It dem- onstrates, so your gestures should be reserved for the highly de-
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