Page 184 - How To Sell Yourself

The “Selling Yourself” Handbook 183 that,” and so we blurt out an answer. Any answer is likely to be
either wrong or a lie when you really don’t know.
Admit, “I don’t understand your question”
This is another key to honesty that’s harder to accomplish than it sounds. People think they’ll appear dumb if they admit to not understanding a question. You’ll look even dumber if you give a wrong or inept answer.
Remember your audience at all times
A speaker is not a speaker without an audience. And if an audience likes what they see and hear, understands you, agrees with you, trusts and believes you, you can be a winner.
Keep eye contact
You’re here for your audience. Talk to them. Involve them. When you look at objects instead of people, people grow unin- terested if not downright bored. When you look up, you look as if you’re asking God for a cue card. When you look down, it appears that you’re looking for help from your shoes. Side-to- side movement looks shifty-eyed. Random eye movement sug- gests fear and uncertainty. Strong eye contact suggests confi- dence and control.
Concentrate on what you know
You have good information. What you need is time to think about just what that information is and how you can get it across with the greatest impact.
You’re the expert
That’s the reason you’re speaking. You have no cause to feel self-conscious unless you’re asked to speak on a subject about which you have very little, insufficient, or no information. In that case, decline, admitting that this is not your area of expertise.