Business Presentation Skills

INTRODUCTION

Many sales and support people are confident when talking on a one-to-one basis. When they have to trade up to an audience and give a presentation to a group of people they are uncomfortable. Yet in today's world, large amounts of business can be at stake. Presenting a persuasive business case, effectively and professionally, is now a key requisite for any sales, support person or manager.

In theory, it's very simple, you may well have a product, a service, or a business idea of faultless and foolproof brilliance and an audience of reasonably well disposed potential customers to sell to. You tell them the facts and they will be as enthusiastic as you are. After all you're convinced of its value - so naturally they will be to. If only it were that easy. As most people will tell you, making an effective business presentation is an activity fraught with so many pitfalls and unseen black holes that it can ruin all the hard work put into the project.

BUSINESS PRESENTATION SKILLS MATTER

You may be a good salesman, a first class pre-sales support person or an excellent manager, but if you lack conviction when faced with an audience, you will flop. It's an expensive flop - if you are addressing your own staff, your internal credibility hangs in the balance; if it's a client pitch, business prospects are at stake! Everyone should be a master of the fundamentals of presentation since delivering a message to a group of people is something they must be able to do in a range of circumstances and for a variety of reasons. In the late 1990's, new technology made the preparation of a presentation easier, but the skills needed to deliver effectively still need to be taught and practiced.

THIS SPECIAL COURSE IS DESIGNED TO RAPIDLY IMPROVE THE ABILITY OF PARTICIPANTS TO PRESENT WELL.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

To enable participants to:

• Give a lucid, persuasive business presentation with confidence.
• Choose the most appropriate words for the presentation from
  their vocabulary.
• Structure a presentation logically, so as to maximise impact,
  understanding and retention.
• Prepare notes for a presentation.
• Use the most appropriate visual aids, including LCD Projection.
• Control a group of people.
• Manage team presentations.
• Present a persuasive business case.

METHODS

Instructor sessions are supported by individual participant presentations. All presentations are related to the business environment in which the participants are involved. This is to ensure relevance to real world situations. Where possible, participants attend the course with a pre-prepared presentation of approx 15 minutes duration produced from a topic list agreed between the client and the tutor.

Each participant makes at least one full presentation during a course. (two on a two day course). Extensive use is made of CCTV to provide immediate feedback and evaluation. Full use is made of all popular visual aids i.e. OHP, Slides, Flip-chart, Computer generated graphics via PowerPoint etc, so that participants can have the opportunity to learn how to use them effectively. Individual video tapes are given to participants so that they can also view their performance after the course has finished.

COURSE PROGRAMME

Day 1 - Commence 9.00 a.m.

• Introduction and objectives of workshop.
• Verbal skills and techniques.
• Presentation 1: pre-prepared(CCTV).
• Review and evaluation of each presentation.
• Planning a business presentation. How to get the mechanics right.
• Structuring the presentation to aid understanding and retention.
• Preparing and using notes. The methods available.
• Attention spans.
• Use and abuse of visual aids. Why we use visuals. do's and don'ts. PowerPoint and LCD projection.
• Controlling a group and handling objections.
• Group presentations.
• Open forum and participant action plans.

NOTE: THIS WORKSHOP HAS A MAXIMUM OF SIX PARTICIPANTS

OPTIONS - TWO DAY WORKSHOP

The duration of the workshop can be extended to two days and include participants working in groups to produce a full presentation to a case study company. This involves evening
work on day 1 and it is advisable for the workshop to be residential. A two day workshop is also best when participants have very little previous presentation experience.

Day 2 - Commence 9.00 a.m.

• Rehearsal of presentation 2.
• Presentation 2 (CCTV).
• Review and evaluation of presentation 2.
• Individual coaching and video feedback.
• Controlling a group.
• Internal and external presentations.
• End course discussion.
• Action plans.