The Power of Listening and Responding

Listening and responding to your clients when there is nothing in it for you will help you strengthen your relationships with them and bring rewards in the future.

Listen to your customers – and social acquaintances — to see what nonbusiness needs you can help fulfill.  There are many opportunities to do this – recommending an auto mechanic, a dentist, a plumber.

English Communication- Connecting Info for Online Dating

Relationship. Connection. Online dating.  Have you wondered about that route for initiating relationships?

Perhaps you have heard friends and coworkers talk about their experience.  According to Harwell, Washington Post, 2015,  1 in 10 Americans currently use online dating.

I went to Melissa, one of our staff, for information about online dating.  Here we’ll share some of that information with you.

According to Online Dating Magazine, there are 2,500 dating websites in the U.S.  So how do you know which website might suit you?  Here are a few tips.  People in their 20’s and 30’s are more likely to use sites such as OkCupid, PlentyOfFish, or the mobile app Tinder.  Sites such as Match and eHarmony, which may be used by younger groups as well, are more regularly used by those in their 40’s and above. For those over the age of 50, sites such as OurTime, SeniorMatch, and SeniorsMeetUp may have a good match for you.

Relationship is at the center.   E-harmony, in particular, puts heavy emphasis on persons looking for long-lasting marriages.  On the other hand, Tinder is known for casual dating opportunities.  Currently, however, more and more people are reporting that they have found long-term relationships through it as well.  People interested in the possibility of either short- or long-term relationships may find OkCupid, Match, or PlentyOfFish best fit their needs.

To match people up, dating websites can focus on particular features of a person’s life. eHarmony aims to link people based on compatibility. JDate and others link people based on religion. You can find dating sites for techies, hiking, badminton, music lovers, Buddhists, etc.   Google the feature of your choice by typing in “dating sites for _____.”

What are people looking for?  Connection.  For some, it is looking for others who share core values and common interests.

Some sites emphasize social networking, friendship, business networking.

How do dating sites help you to find common interests with others?  Sites like PlentyOfFish allow users to browse profiles and message other people freely.  Match and many others provide multiple quizzes users can take that can help you to find common interests with others.  Yet others, such as eHarmony, offer a tiered question system in which users pick questions from a dropbox to ask the other person. This approach may be more user-friendly to those who are unsure of how to initiate an interaction with someone they think they might like to date.

If you are interested in trying online dating, one of your goals is probably to decide which site best aligns with your interests.  It is often suggested that you try several sites.

What about communication style?  My associate Melissa reported that  Americans generally have informal communication styles when presenting themselves on dating sites.  The degree of informality likely depends on your goals.  If you are not interested in dating seriously, a more relaxed and fun approach to your profile and interacting with others would be appropriate.  If you want to show that you have the potential for a lasting relationship, it is helpful to include some elements of seriousness in your profile.  Relaxed communication is key.

For online dating sites, you make a profile.  More about that next time.

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercise.

Check out our new advanced weekly speech tip program, our new subscription called ClearTalk Weekly, www.subscription.cleartalkmastery.com

What to do When Listening

Listen to  your clients, and when you hear them talk about something they need, step in and offer help.  Help could come in the form of offering information  or introducing them to another person who could help them.

English Speaking Skills-  Keep Your Vision In Front of You

Keep your vision in front of you.

The idea is simple.  You know in your heart what you are wanting.  Keep the fire burning by placing a symbol of that in front of you.  We move toward what we constantly see.

What you are wanting is communication.  Where your speech is clear.  Where you are able to make connection with people in daily life, at work, in school and your clear speech and the message of your words makes that possible.

So how do you keep your vision in front of you?

Is there something you see every day that reminds you  of what you are believing for, something that inspires you, something that ignites your faith of what you are dreaming about?  With no vision you’ll get stuck.  Ignite your passion by getting something that reminds you of what you are dreaming about.

Find a picture.  Perhaps it is of someone you admire – a relative, friend, teacher, famous person.  Or a picture of people happily communicating.  A photo or from a newspaper or magazine. Put it on your bathroom mirror or over your desk.  Put it in a place you will notice everyday.

You will move towards what you see.  When you have a choice of talking or not talking, engaging in conversation or remaining quiet, volunteering to answer a question in a small or large group,  taking special effort to do clear talking, doing direct practice a few minutes longer – your picture will remind you of your dream.  And you will walk to that dream step by step.  Until there are leaps.

What you keep in front of you, you’re moving towards.

Having a vision – that is the joy of your journey into communicating confidently in English.

Keep your vision in front of you.

The idea is simple.  You know in your heart what you are wanting.  Keep the fire burning by placing a symbol of that in front of you.  We move toward what we constantly see.

What you are wanting is communication.  Where your speech is clear.  Where you are able to make connection with people in daily life, at work, in school and your clear speech and the message of your words makes that possible.

So how do you keep your vision in front of you?

Is there something you see every day that reminds you of what you are believing for, something that inspires you, something that ignites your faith of what you are dreaming about?  With no vision you’ll get stuck.  Ignite your passion by getting something that reminds you of what you are dreaming about.

Find a picture.  Perhaps it is of someone you admire – a relative, friend, teacher, famous person.  Or a picture of people happily communicating.  A photo or from a newspaper or magazine. Put it on your bathroom mirror or over your desk.  Put it in a place you will notice every day.

You will move towards what you see.  When you have a choice of talking or not talking, engaging in conversation or remaining quiet, volunteering to answer a question in a small or large group,  taking special effort to do clear talking, doing direct practice a few minutes longer – your picture will remind you of your dream.  And you will walk to that dream step by step.  Until there are leaps.

What you keep in front of you, you’re moving towards.

Having a vision – that is the joy of your journey into communicating confidently in English.

Be sure to watch our English Speech Tips videos and Accent Reduction Tip videos  for more English pronunciation and accent reduction exercise.

Check out our new advanced weekly speech tip program, our new subscription called ClearTalk Weekly, www.subscription.cleartalkmastery.com

What Happens When You Don’t Listen… and When You Do

Poor listening skills can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and missed opportunities.

Developing your skill of listening will increase your ability to make immediate connections with people, develop trust and rapport quickly, and build strong relationships that lead to greater satisfaction and successful outcomes.