PRESENTATION
 

WORKSHOPS

WORD-OF-MOUTH™ WORKSHOPS AND TRAINING
Half-day, full-day, two-day, and weekend workshops
Word-of-Mouth™ and
Word-of-Mouth™: Technical Edition
Adaptation of Word-of-Mouth™ and Technical Edition to address specific organization or industry needs
Advanced workshops in:
  Organizing and Structuring a Presentation
  Writing for the Business Presentation
  Brainstorm and Creative Thinking: A Tool Kit
  Graphic Tips and Tools
  Storyboard Techniques for PowerPoint and Keynote

Workshops on specific topics can be provided upon request.


PRESENTATION EVALUATION AND CRITIQUE

An advanced Coaching and Critique workshop offers small group coaching follow-up to Word-of-Mouth™, where participants learn--- by doing---in a risk-free but realistic environment. Participants:

Develop and deliver a presentation
Objectively self-evaluate the presentation based on specific criteria
Listen to reviews by peers and by a professional coach
Evaluate the presentation of others in the workshop, dissecting the talks, and providing astute reviews.

Participants are videotaped as they deliver a 4-5 minute presentation.

Presenters are encouraged to take risk, to try new approaches. This is the venue to explore.

Effective behaviors are modeled and reinforced.

Undesirable ones are identified and corrected.

Participants learn a great deal by seeing themselves objectively and hearing the review of both peers and a professional coach.

Although an objective critique of their own presentation is a powerful learning tool for individuals, the most useful learning actually takes place as participants critically view and assess the presentations of others.

While observing and critiquing others, participants are more likely to observe behaviors and deficiencies that they might not notice in themselves.

Individuals will be less likely to repeat bad behaviors, and after seeing a model of good practices, will be able to incorporate these in their presentations in the future.

Those taking any of these workshops become a valuable resource within their organizations, able to review presentations of colleagues and provide professional feedback.


CONTENT REVIEW, EDITING, AND VISUAL REVIEW

When the stakes are high, we can help you move yourself in the general direction of flawlessness by reviewing your upcoming presentations, making recommendations, and helping you polish content and delivery.

We can:
Review content to assure it is clear and concise
Edit text, recommend additions, enhancements, and changes
Review visuals for clarity, simplicity, and an assurance that they convey the meaning and mood of the presentation

REHEARSAL AND COACHING

We are delighted to schedule on-site rehearsals, run-through, and individual or group presentation coaching sessions.

In this low-pressure environment, you'll be encouraged to experiment and to practice in order to get missteps out of the way.

You'll walk into the session confident and in control, knowing exactly how long and how well received the presentation should be.

Sessions can be videotaped for participant review.

FACILITATION/GROUP BRAINSTORMING/CONTENT CONSULTING

It's possible to know too much or be so close to a topic. It's also hard to know where to begin. These are the times that call for a little outside nudging.

We are a catalyst for ideas.

We jumpstart the content development/creative process and give a project momentum, by facilitating a group think tank or individual strategy session.

As experienced content and concept developers, we know what to ask to draw out ideas and new insights. .

We help presenters reach into the very guts of their content and structure it according to audience needs.


We create an environment for subject matter experts to look objectively at their content and think about it through the eyes of those they need to reach.

We create an environment for ideas to emerge, sometimes through thunderous brainstorms and sometimes a gentle braindrizzle.

In brainstorming sessions designed for groups, participants will often experience moments of collective insight, but more important, will emerge with a consistent, unified vision of the presentation, its goals, and the results it needs to trigger



We will:
Help identify goals through a thorough audience review
Bring content to the surface through brainstorm/brain download processes
Help clients see new relationships and gain new insights
See the presentation from the perspective of the audience
Develop a program concept
Prepare a content outline
Create a development time line, flowchart, and milestones


SOUP TO NUTS CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION SERVICE

For those occasions when the stakes are high or time is limited...

We can design, write, and produce a high-end, professional presentations for you, providing all the services necessary to design and produce a presentation from scratch.


We'll develop a presentation that responds to the goals you identify, structures your subject matter so it is clear and easy to communicate, and reflects the individuality of your voice and personal style. We'll:
Confirm your goals
Review content and resources
Develop concept and presentation structure
Outline the presentation
Storyboard for visuals
Produce support materials using PowerPoint or Keynote
Develop delivery notes
Develop handout materials
Review and rehearsal

To assure that the presentation never strays from your objectives and expectations, we submit materials for your review, evaluation, and approval at a number of critical points along the process. No surprises.

You'll stay apprised. Your schedule and central nervous system will remain unburdened.


A LA CARTE CREATIVE AND PRODUCTION SERVICES

You may want to create the majority of the presentation yourself, but might benefit from outside professional support in key areas where it will add value.

We can fill in the gaps or provide additional professional support on an a la carte basis.


Call on us for:
Presentation strategy
Concept design/treatment
Writing
Edit and rewrite
Visual design and production
Production of PowerPoint or Keynote slides
Review and revision of your graphics
Production of handouts and other ancillary materials
Rehearsal
Evaluation

For more info or a freebee telephone consult, contact us by mail or at 617.738.8889.

THE COST OF A POOR PRESENTATION

Forget for a moment about all the good that a good presentation can bring.

For glass-half-empty people, remind yourself of the consequences of a poor presentation, on the bottom-line, on the time wasted, and on your image.

Longer decision cycles of your audience
Likelihood of not being fully understood
Lost sales and revenue
A "no" when you were hoping for a "yes"
Misunderstandings that lead to problems
Additional time needed by you to prepare clarifying materials
Additional meeting time or follow-up time with audience
A general air of unpreparedness or out-and-out incompetence
A rapid decline of credibility
Lost opportunities you will never, ever, ever know about