The other 99% of the time, we have to find a way to persuade our audience that it is, in fact, a great idea. That’s what we’ll be working on.
How do we get what we want?
What is it that we want?
A lot of the time, the audience has no idea.
So how do we help them understand us?
How do we organize a presentation for maximum effectiveness?
There is no one right way to do this.
Be who you are.
Quiet and thoughtful.
Loud and rambunctious.
I don’t care. Just find your style and make it work for you.
Should I use PowerPoint, and if so, how?
It is critically important that we know our audience. But it’s just as important that we know ourselves.
We’ll learn a lot about who we are over two days of presenting. Because confidence is critical to being an effective presenter. And a critical step to confidence is presenting. So we’ll be doing a lot of that.
Have fun. It’s just advertising.
Presentation Skills Workshop
Recently, the Chairman of the one of America’s most successful agencies told me, “of all the skills critical for the people who work here, none is more important than the ability to present.”
We couldn’t agree more. Which is why we created our Presentation Skills Workshop. We’ve been running workshops for seven years at agencies (and other kinds of organizations) all across America.
It’s our belief that there is no one “right way” to present, but rather, that each of us is a unique being with our own style that can be developed and exploited effectively.
Over an intense two day period participants will learn:
That virtually every meeting with clients or management is a “presentation.”
Strengths of each person’s own natural presentation style, and how to use it.
Differences among types of agency presentations and their implications.
The ACTION format for organizing presentations. (We will insure compatibility with your agency’s method of organization.)
Room setup, seating and other issues in influencing the presentation environment.
Appropriate use of pre-presentation contact.
The importance of rehearsal.
How to rehearse and still keep the content fresh.
Pre-presentation checklist.
What to do in the critical “first five minutes”.
Additionally, the participants will develop the following skills:
Effective personal presentation style which is individual, yet meshes well with other staff member styles.
Active listening. (This skill is absolutely critical.)
Analyzing the audience and fitting the presentation to their needs and expectations.
Use of voice for attention and emphasis, and breathing techniques.
Using posture, stance, eye contact, gestures and other physical expressions to reinforce the message and/or increase credibility.
Use of “business storytelling” to heighten interest, retention and increase persuasion.
Handling notes, boards and other reference materials.
Appropriate use of AV formats.
Presenting smoothly with other team members: group “theming”; integrating content and style; planning transitions; dealing with hierarchical issues.
Presenting creative work effectively.
Presenting data-rich information, e.g., media or research.
Monitoring audience reaction and making presentation adjustments in mid-stream.
Handling questions, objections or negative responses.
How to close a presentation.
Participants will realize these outcomes:
Crisp, interesting presentations which persuade without obvious selling.
More effective use of time in planning and delivering presentations.
More self-confidence in making presentations.
Better-integrated group and team presentations.
Advertising is about persuasion. And that’s what our Presentation Skills Workshop is all about.
