With almost 19 years’ experience as a member of a touring theater company, Sara is an accomplished actress, playwright and director as well as a highly-entertaining and effective speaker. She has given numerous presentations throughout the District, for training sessions, membership events, and outside organizations such as the DFW Area Feral Cats Conference.
Her excellent communication skills have also been utilized at her current job, Account Maintenance Specialist and former Senior Customer Service Representative for a local not-for-profit agency that manages federal student loans.
She earned a B.A. in English Literature from Pennsylvania’s Ursinus College in 1986. Her one-act and three-act plays have premiered in Arlington TX and Selinsgrove PA, and a monologue was selected for publication in a national magazine “Nazarene Connections.” She has performed over 10,000 times, in 4 different languages and 10 different countries. She has just finished her first novel, a work of inspirational fiction, and hones her writing skills as a member of the Dallas/Fort Worth area Trinity Writers Workshop.
Topics: Theater/drama techniques, Communication Skills, Customer Service, Humorous, Inspiration (religious message), Relationships, Story Telling, Writing Skills
Speech Offerings
Customer Service that Shines
- Common perception is that customer service is “a lost art,” yet statistics show that customers are willing to spend up to 13% more with companies that provide excellent customer service – so CS is just as important as the sales and marketing departments to generate revenue and ensure future profitability. Therefore it’s imperative that CSRs learn to be like lighthouses, to “shine 24/7” and be consistent – treat every customer as if they are the only customer
- Take risks – see yourself as the face of the company, the representative of the organization’s mission and ethics, not a minion punching a timecard; see things from the customer’s perspective; seek a win-win for both sides
- Empower, provide information, ask for the sale – but don’t take it personally if you don’t get the outcome you desired. Move on and keep “shining,” customer after customer, day in and day out.
Public Speaking 101
- The 5-step speech writing process DOESN’T “start with an outline.”
- Body Language and Vocal Variety communicate as much or more than the words you say
- Sincerity, knowledge, and conviction are the keys to effective, persuasive public speaking
Avoiding the Test Trap (Marriage /Relationship building)
- “Testing” is equivalent to setting emotional landmines for your spouse or others to blunder into, thereby validating a false self-interpretation that you are unloved, insignificant, or unworthy
- Trust Issues lie at the heart of the test-mentality
- Better methods include forgiveness, seeking healing, developing effective communication skills, and offering choices rather than tests