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Three Critical Times to Pause in Business Communication

Speak for Success!Sometimes the key to clear articulate speech isn’t what you’re saying, it’s what you’re not saying. Learning how to insert a well-timed pause into your speech is one of the simplest, and most effective tools for improving the quality of your speech. A pause is an essential part of clear, articulate speech, but not all pauses are created equal. Take a look at these three ways that you can use pauses to take your business communication skills to the next level.

  1. Pause for Clarity: One of the most common communication mistakes people make is rushing through their speech, especially when they are excited or anxious. This can result in the listener missing critical information. Be sure to pause in between words when giving your listener critical information. This includes: pausing between your first and last names when introducing yourself, pausing between each word in the name of your company, and pausing between “chunks” in your phone number when providing your contact information.
  2. Pause for Emphasis: Pausing can also be used to add variety and impact to your speech. If you want to drive a point home or draw attention to a certain fact, pausing before and after can help highlight the information. This tactic is often used in presentations, when speaking to a group, but it can also be useful in one-to-one interactions. This is particularly true in situations in which you are trying to convince your listener, like negotiations or a sales pitch.
  3. Pause to Clarify Your Message: It’s very easy for an audience to get “lost” when listening to someone speak for a prolonged amount of time. Pausing at regular, strategic points in a presentation allows your audience to follow along more effectively, and makes it more likely that they’ll remember your message afterward. Use Corporate Speech Solutions’ Strategic Marking System™ to decide where to pause and for how long, to make your presentations as effective as possible.

Want to learn more? Click on the video below to hear Corporate Speech Solutions President, Jayne Latz, talk about the power of the pause:

For information on the New York Based Speech and Accent Reduction services offered by Corporate Speech Solutions please give us a call at 212-308-7725 or visit us on the web at www.corporatespeechsolutions.com. Not in NYC? No problem! We also provide Skype and video conferencing services.

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