Employees and customers want authenticity in communication, consultant Deborah Shames told the Women in the Fastener Industry’s 7th annual speaker series.

David Booth and Shames, company communication consultants with Eloqui – which provides communication training – spoke at WIFI’s conference in conjunction with the 2016 National Industrial Fastener & Mill Supply Expo.

“People respond to structure,” Shames said.

• Speaker anxiety is natural, she noted. A red neck or dry mouth in anticipation of a presentation are normal. Ignore those and in the 10 minutes before a business presentation, “focus on your message. Remind yourself of your intentions. And breathe,” Shames advised.

There is a difference between being “self-conscious” and “self-aware.”

• The best gestures are open and “natural,” Shames said during the session titled “Own the room: Business Presentations that Persuade, Engage & Get Results.”

• A speaker’s material should sound like “your material and not just delivery material,” Booth told WIFI.

• Self-effacing humor can be effective, Booth said.

• “Rehearse vs. memorize,” Shames termed preparation for a presentation. “Don’t rehearse the same way more than twice.”

However, preparation is important. “You can’t just wake up in the morning and be great at what you do,” Shames observed.

Eloqui seeks to train company speakers to be natural, authentic and use conviction.

• Authenticity is vital, Booth said.

Shames said authenticity increases “if you are connected to the material.”

Booth added that demonstrating a “feeling of commitment” provides a “downward infectiousness” with the audience.

• “What does the audience need?” is a question in preparing a presentation, Shames said.

• Make communicating a priority.

• Finally, Shames advised in communicating with employees to “never give away the ending too soon.” Web: FastenerWomen.com and Eloqui.biz