Attention span, Grabbing your audiance, First Impression

GRAB AUDIENCE ATTENTION WITH POWERFUL OPENINGS
If adult attention spans are limited...and they are...(a study by the Navy determined the average adult attention span is 18 minutes One research study actually
suggested that the attention span of most adolescents is about 11
minutes -- roughly the time between commercials in a typical
television show.?
Studies on attention span also shed light on why students have
difficulty with the traditional lecture format. Adult learners can
keep tuned in to a lecture for no more than 15 to 20 minutes at a
time, and this at the beginning of the class. In 1976, A. H. Johnstone
and F. Percival observed students in over 90 lectures, with twelve
different lecturers, recording breaks in student attention. They
identified a general pattern: After three to five minutes of "settling
down" at the start of class, one study found that "the next lapse of
attention usually occurred some 10 to 18 minutes later, and as the
lecture proceeded the attention span became shorter and often fell to
three or four minutes towards the end of a standard lecture." Other
studies appear to confirm these findings.?
Mittendorf and Kalish note that studies on attention span indicate
that, when passively absorbing information, adult learners usually
experience mental lapses after a mere 15-20 minutes.?
), then it's critical that business presenters craft a memorable message to enhance retention. One way to be memorable is to grab your audience's attention when you begin your speech with a attention grabbing opener.

A powerful opening gives your audience a reason for listening. A bonus is that getting them engaged and interested right at the beginning will minimize any nervousness you may be feeling.



Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
I have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!
YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Bad gifts, What is message Gifts, Funny gifts for Christmas

Today a journalist from a large magazine was looking for stories of the worst gift you have ever gotten. As soon as I started thinking about it, I was laughing and transported back to Christmases past like a short blond Ebenezer Scrooge. Bad presents certainly send a nonverbal message. I have received many bad Christmas presents and certainly some, "What was she thinking" gifts. I am an expert in nonverbal communication and absolutely love to buy the perfect present for my friends each Christmas, but I am sure with my wacky sense of style and penchant for garage sales I have as well. In fact I am sure my family goes, "What crazy gift will Patti give us this year!"
Let me start by saying that thank goodness, I have a great fun filled family and good sense of humor. We spend several laughter filled hours opening our presents and making funny comments. We truly love each other and for me bad gifts just means fodder for me for a great story for my next speech. I would say the most embarrassing was given to me at my first Christmas celebrated with my future in-laws. I opened a big pink box containing a gift of a 50-dollar gift certificate to Victoria Secret, from my future in-laws!
Worse yet, my fiancé had fibbed and told them that is what I wanted! The next gift I opened that Christmas was a Victoria Secret flimsy lace nightie from him. We did not get married

Worst gifts, again so many. My 40th Christmas my mother only gift was a set of green feather dusters from Walgreen's because she said, "Your house is dusty." That same Christmas my sister gave me a wonderful set a fiesta dishes. Yes it would seem that that was an awesome presents.But, as I opened them my sister said, “We were saving them to give them to you when you got married, but it doesn’t look like that’s going to happen so we thought we better give them to you now.”
Close third for the list of worst gift ever after giving wonderful though at times eccentric presents to my cherished nieces and nephews for over 30 years my 25-year-old niece sent me a Trader Joe's grocery bag for Christmas last year. She had sent everyone else in the family homemade soaps and bath salts. I guess that meant she thought I was clean but hungry. I hope it did not mean she saw a future for me as a bag lady.

Ohhh I forgot the year my best friend gave me an ironing board and a full-length mirror. I fear that was hint to press my clothes and look in the mirror before I left the house.

I just got off the phone with my sister and we started laughing so hard as we talked about all the funny gifts our charming, but eccentric mother has given us over the years, The picked over “free gift” makeup my mother got from buying something for herself from Estee Lauder. The wine gift basket she gave my sister and brother in law for their anniversary that was dusty and still had the gift tag with her name on it that someone had given her for her birthday the year before. My sister’s biggest laugh came recalling the year she got married and mom sent her first Christmas gift to her new son in law, the two free giant troll dolls she got as a gift from the bank for opening an account. Robin said her new Husband held up to his ears and said, “Was it the close resemblance that inspired this gift?” She said the most painful gift was the skirt my mother gave my sister one Christmas that was a size 20 skirt. My sister who was in her thirties and had recently worked hard to lose baby weight was a size 12. When my sister held up the skirt my Mom said, “It was such a good buy, and you will grow into it!”

I thought of the Christmas my shy sister got a shocker present. This sister is very conservative, she likes to blend in the background so she only wears blue, white, and tan and mostly lives in T-shirts and blue jeans. She hates bright colors and prissy clothes. One year my mother gave her a huge box of Lilly Pulitzer clothes in hot pink, celandine green, purple and turquoise. The clothes were all print dresses, skirts and tops. My sister was mortified even to try them on and my mom insisted that she alter them for her over Christmas so my sister could wear them right away.
Ahh the love of Christmas.
Patti Wood, MA, CSP
The Body Language Expert
Phone-404-315-7397
Web- http://www.PattiWood.netBlog- http://www.http://www.bodylanguagelady.com
POSTED BY BODY LANGUAGE EXPERT PATTI WOOD MA CSP AT 9:51 AM 0 COMMENTS
LABELS: WORST GIFT YOU HAVE EVER RECEIVED IDEA FOR STORIES IN YOUR SPEECHES








Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
I have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!
YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Patti will be on CNN at 12:30 "Obama's Body Language durring speech on Tuesday December 01/ on Affganistan

I will be on CNN at 12:30 this afternoon or slighly later speaking about Obama's direct comments to the American public and to Afganistan's people,

Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
I have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!
YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

Make up Favorites

I have been doing programs with Carrer Coach Gail Geary on How to Always Look Young for Job Interview. Many of the women in the workshops have been asking me for my personal make up regime. Here are my make up recommendations.
Make up for Woman.
Make sure you do wear make-up, but use keep it light. Some people are surprised that by aplying a moisturizer and primer first they need very little base and they end up looking more natural rather than "made up."

• Every day when I wake up in the morning let out my dog out and then wash my face and put on "Aveeno Positively Ageless Moisturizer with SPF 30. It is inexpensive and comes in a pump bottel so I can put it on quickly. I love a beauty regime that is quick and possible to do while I am talking on the cell phone or eating breakfast.
Before I put on my make up I rinse my face and but on Aveeno then I put on my fav make up secret. You must have it it is called Smash box Photo Finish Primer. It is amazing. It makes your make up go on smoothly and really helps your skin look fresh and yet it helps the makeup last all day. And I mean 6:00 in the morning till midnight all day.
• For my base make up, I love Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer. That’s what I wear every day unless I am speaking.
• I have tried every under eye concealer on the planet. I have a under eye concealer family in the bottom drawer of my vanity. I have spent a fortune trying to get rid of the dark circles. The only one that works all day I found out about when I was preparring for my first TV show on PBS. It is called Lancôme Effacernes waterproof under eye concealer.
• Three of the top makeup artists that I work with on video and photo shoots use my fav eye shadow. It is Lancôme color design. It last all day. You don't even need to take the time to use eye shadow primer.
• If you wear eye shadow, take your finger and lay it on the outside of eye and sweep any shadow up and out from your eye. Always remember UP!
• If you wear eyeliner make sure it goes UP slightly and the corner of your eye.
• Don’t wear eyeliner on your bottom lid and don’t use mascara there it pulls the eye down and makes it look tired and older.
• I love Lancôme’s mascara. It makes your lashed look huge, but you have to use powder under your eyes, as good mascaras tend to smear throughout the day.
• When you put on blush make sure to use it sparingly and make it go UP around your eyes never down.
• If I use powder blush I use my big brush and use one stroke on each cheek. If it lasts on you, I suggest a cream blush, as the new makeup style is dewy not dry and powdered. Be very careful of lipstick. I draw around the edge with a very soft Estee Lauder lipstick pencil. My favorite is Rose. I draw it on then press my lips together and blend very well so it covers my entire lip and then I put on a light clear pink gloss. If I need all day coverage for my lipstick, I use Max Factor Color Stay in a rose shade and put gloss on throughout the day.


Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
I have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!
YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel

How to Always Look Young With Your Body Language and Voice

How to Always Look Young With Your Body Language and Voice
Patti Wood MA, CSP

The way you hold your body, the way you move your face and hands, the subtle changes in your voice all show your soul age. If you are positive and live up, your smile and posture show energy and vitality so you appear and feel younger and more vital.
The wrinkles do not matter if the face wearing the wrinkles is joyful in the life.

From Patti Wood’s book

Snap Making the Most of First Impressions Body Language and Charisma.

1. Think up and move “Up.”

Practice walking so your whole body lifts up. Look in a mirror and analyze your walk and posture. When you walk into a room hold your shoulders back and your head up. Notice how children seem to lift up as they move. When you do this it should communicate youth. power and confidence. Be careful not to move your chin up as that makes you look stuck up.  

 2. Smile and Shake Hands Make sure you make eye contact right away smile and put out your hand for a handshake make full contact with your palm to their palm, pump with extra energy. (I have done several years of research on handshakes. You can link to my handshake article on my blog and at PattiWood.net)

 3. As you share, your ideas and information in any interpersonal interaction make sure your voice shows your energy and enthusiasm and hold the strength and volume of your voice all the way to the end of a sentence. As we age, our vocal chords show their wear and our voices change and tend to sound rougher and we tend to lose volume at the end or sentences. Research clearly shows that a voice that goes up, or shake can make people feel we are not speaking with conviction. If people every say, “Excuse me I didn’t hear you.” check your vocal pattern. My voice is high and strains easily so I speak with energy to and lots of joy so it always sounds young.
 
4. Get your hearing and eyesight checked professionally. Do it now. If you squint, have trouble reading, and have old fashioned (as in more than a year old) eye wear you look old. If you ask for things to be repeated or seem to be disconnected because you are hard of hearing you look old and out of touch.

 5. Make sure you are fashion current in colors style and jewelry including your watches. If you are still not sure what is current in professional clothing read a style magazine and bring it with you. Go to a high-end store, such as Nordstrom’s and look around. You can always see what you like at high-end store then buy it at TJMAX or Marshalls. By the way, job candidates under thirty rarely wear watches unless they are a high end statement watch like Omega.

 6. Be careful how you sit in a chair. Research says that women perch, sitting on the edge of their seats, arching their backs, while men tend to slouch, relying more on the backrest. Woman don’t perch the entire time you look less powerful. Sit back in the chair, use lots of space, and put you arms on the armrest to look confident. Your mother told you not to slouch. I have to be very careful as I have a curved spine so I compensate with big gestures. If you slouch, you may look old and tired rather than vital and energetic. Sit forward slowly as you share certain information your confident in.

 7. In a job interview or important meeting try not to carry a purse. (Especially if you are a guy. Really I was just being funny.) Your purse, not only sends a strong female signal and it gives you one more thing to worry about and fuss over. When woman sit down they usually have over 16 separate movements. Men have three and look much more together and organized. If you must carry something, carry a folder or hip, in bright colored briefcase. If you MUST carry a purse, buy and very sleek streamlined small one in black, brown or tan that matches your outfit. It should not necessarily matched your shoes as being matchy matchy is old school and can date your look.

8. Woman, wear great color. Whether you wear a blouse with a jacket or a nice jacket I suggest you put nice flattering color around your face hot pink, peach, salmon, cobalt blue. Or find out what this year’s biggest hottest color is by picking up a InStyle  Magazine and looking at their hot color page.. You want to wear hip colors that make your skin glow and make you feel good.

 9. Tighten your glasses. If you need to wear glasses, get your glasses tightened regularly. So they don’t go down on your nose. Glasses that come down on your nose, even a little bit make you look much older. Keep your glasses tightened and high on your face. Again, think up.

 10. Wear the collars on your shirts and jackets pressed to perfection and whenever you can.

Wear then so they go “up” to create lift around your face.

 
Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional
The Body Language Expert
Web- http://www.PattiWood.net
I have a new quiz on my YouTubestation. Check it out!
YouTube- YouTube - bodylanguageexpert's Channel