 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
PSR™ Method
(Presentation Skills & Reading)
Frequently Asked Questions
‘Why would my staff need to be taught to communicate? They have lots of experience, and in any case, we have our own training department. What makes you think you can teach them anything new?’
Steve:
‘Most of us make the following mistakes, which are more obvious when we are nervous or under pressure. How many of them do you recognise?
1. Talking too fast. It’s obvious that when someone speaks too quickly, it’s difficult for you to assimilate and analyse the information they’re sharing.
2. Not knowing the three vital things you must do at the end of a sentence (and I don’t include ‘stop and breathe’). This results in running one sentence into the next with no differential. Leaving sentences open reflects a lack of knowledge or indecision. Tony Blair was guilty of this.
3. Emphasising the wrong words. Newsreaders and TV commercial voiceovers are guilty of emphasising ‘is’, ‘and’, ‘are’, ‘you’, ‘your’ and ‘we’. They have failed to recognise and emphasise the words that really matter.
4. Not enough energy in the delivery of the speech. Even people with a dynamic personality often become nervous when faced with a microphone, camera, shareholders, customers or the press. Natural energy and enthusiasm easily diminish in these circumstances.
5. Most people are afraid of silence. Silence can be a presenter’s best friend, allowing him or her to organise thoughts before moving on to the next piece of the presentation. Silence allows the space for the audience to appreciate and assimilate the presenter’s expertise.’
‘Many corporate training websites and advertisements claim they will improve our communication skills. How are you different from other trainers?’
Steve:
‘Interesting point; but the fact is that none of these companies
has a communication technique. Some training companies give good advice,
but they are relying on the trainees’ instincts. Some people confuse
“technique” with “advice”. Both are essential,
but they are different.
‘First of all, let’s define the word “technique”. Imagine you want to learn to play golf. You go to a trainer and he tells you which clubs to buy, the best club to join and what shoes to wear. That would be very good advice, but it is not a technique.
| Dictionary: | ||
| ‘advice’: [ad-vahys] |
Recommendation. | |
| ‘technique’: [tek-neek] |
A set of specific rules which determine the degree of excellence. The degree of skill or command of fundamentals exhibited in any performance. |
‘The PSR™ Method is a technique that is written out in black and white. Whether you are giving a sales presentation (on the phone or face to face), making a speech or simply socialising, the PSR™ Method gives you the rules for speaking more confidently and persuasively.’
‘The PSR™ Method is the best staff development course I have attended in twenty years. It has made me totally rethink my own delivery style as a presenter and tutor.’ Mike Smith, Lecturer Manchester University
‘We have been using a well-established training company for years and are quite satisfied. Why should we even consider changing?’
Steve:
‘That’s excellent, but that company does not teach a communication technique because there is only one. Without a technique, they have to rely on instinct.
| Dictionary: | ||
| Instinct: [in’stingkt’] |
the innate aspect of behaviour that is unlearned. |
‘In other words, using instinct means we are making up the rules as we go along. We’re guessing!’
‘Are you suggesting that we should train all our staff?’
Steve:
‘No, only those who make sales presentations or communicate with
clients. After all, most staff are trained in product knowledge, but having
a head full of knowledge does not guarantee the ability to pass it on
in a clear and persuasive manner.’
‘Our directors have to give regular presentations. We are not entirely happy with our training. Can you guarantee an improvement?’
Steve:
‘The PSR™ Method is a life skill and therefore guaranteed
for life because, once you have completed the training (and practised),
your staff are always welcome to contact me for any help or guidance.
The PSR™ Method is a technique, just like learning to read music.
Once you know how, it’s there for life!
‘The PSR™ Method empowers the speaker. This is necessary because most of us speak out of tune. The Royal Family have the ‘best’ trainers at their disposal, but I think most of the public would agree that they are not the most effective of speakers.’
‘Some of our call centre employees sound bored because they read the script straight from the screen. Can the PSR™ Method eliminate this problem?’
Steve:
‘First of all, let’s be fair to the call centre operators.
They do a difficult and sometimes boring job. The main problem is that
they are not trained to read a script or to memorise one and make it sound
natural. The PSR™ Method was specifically designed for this purpose.’
‘In the current financial climate, it is essential to keep our call centre costs down, which is why we locate them in India, the Philippines, Glasgow and Northern Ireland. Any more training would increase our overheads, so how can we justify any extra expense?’
Steve:
‘Frankly, I don’t think companies have a choice, because call
centres have a very poor reputation. Your training costs would be the
same or less. Most importantly, your staff would sound more confident
and represent your company in a warmer and more positive way. Political
correctness is all very well, but some accents are so strong that it’s
difficult to understand what is being said. This defeats the object –
to say nothing of irritating your potential customers! Your staff are
the front line of your business and need to be professionally trained
in a technique so they make the best impression possible.’
‘What experience do you have in Asia?’
Steve:
‘Voice Master trains companies all over the world. Recently, we
were asked to train at the Singapore Media Academy. We have a partner
in India where we train companies and individuals.’
‘Do you train in the USA?’
Steve:
‘Yes, but at the moment it is mostly done with our Home Study Course
and via video conferencing. In fact, we are currently looking for a suitable
partner in America.’
‘We have recently purchased a new on-hold phone system, but we’ve had a few complaints about the voices used. Can you help?’
Steve:
‘This problem is universal. Companies selling you this type of system use untrained voiceovers, quite often their own staff. This saves money, but it’s unprofessional. Some of them claim to be experienced because they have recorded a few voiceovers; but in this case experience doesn’t equal expertise: they are not trained!
‘Voice Master recently conducted a survey about on-hold systems. The reaction was not surprising. The voices sounded bored and were unnecessarily repetitious. The “music” was frequently aggravating and top of the bill was: “Your call is important to us.” No, it’s not; I’ve been hanging on for ages!
‘Contact your supplier and demand that professionally trained voiceovers are used. If there is any doubt, you are welcome to contact me about it.’