Holiday Events and Hearing Loss: 3 Tips for Coping

Do you dread going to noisy holiday parties because you are having trouble hearing people? Here are some tips to help.

First, if you have a hearing aid, wear it! It has been programmed to your specific hearing pattern, so use it! If you don't use it much, read the manual or online instructions and try it out in a noisy place ahead of time.

At the party, you will hear better with less competing noise. Talk to people in a side room or hall if that's quieter.

If you are really interested in talking to someone, self-advocate! Tell the person you have a hearing loss, and ask if they can repeat a specific word or sentence. If they try to talk louder, ask if they can talk a little slower instead, but not exaggerate their words.

If you are at a Thanksgiving dinner or other event, try to face the person whom you are interested in talking to. This will help with lip-reading as well as watching body language.

The e-book What Did You Say? Coping with Hearing Loss in the Workplace, has practical strategies and is a quick-read concise source of help. Get it before your next event!

Getting Ready for Holiday Events? Don't Forget the Conversational Skills

As the holiday party scene heats up, more people will be making small talk with strangers at social and business events. However, many find it difficult to make conversation with others.

"Small talk is important as a way to find out what you have in common with others,"
reports Katie Schwartz, CCC-SLP. director of Business Speech Improvement. "It increases the comfort level and makes conversation more targeted towards your goal. This may be asking for information, getting to know a neighbor, or making a sale."

Schwartz, author of the e-book, "Small Talk: Connecting with Others" (www.BusinessSpeechImprovement.com) says that with preparation, making small talk can be easier. Here are three tips she recommends:

1. Think about your goal before talking to the other person.
2. Plan 3-5 questions before the event. Try a statement, followed by a question.
For example, "This is a great barbeque! What's been your favorite food here so far?"
3. Ask follow-up questions about the other person's answers.

Giving someone else your full attention and showing you want to listen to him or her is a real compliment, says Schwartz.

"Small Talk: Connecting with Others" is an economical e-book chock-full of practical tips on starting, continuing and graciously ending conversations. Want to know how to get someone talking, join a group that's already established, or politely leave a boring conversation? The answers are in this book...get it now before your next gathering, at http://businessspeechimprovement.com/enabler/scripts/category.pl?EBooks.

Business Speech Improvement (www.businessspeechimprovement.com provides intensive coaching and economical e-books on verbal communication.