Presentation skills

The perfect presentation! Overview
This highly practical two-day course has been designed to enable participants to successfully prepare and present professional presentations. The emphasis is on the use of structured techniques and the development of self-confidence. Personal critique is given in a supportive manner to enhance and improve delivery style and personal impact.
Training objectives
Having attended this event participants will be better able to:

• Understand what an audience is looking for in a presentation
• Know how to plan and structure a presentation to ensure simplicity of message and consistency of content
• Successfully prepare for both informative and persuasive presentations
• Use PowerPoint at a sensible level for construction of presentation material
• Use support kit and tools to enhance their delivery rather than be a substitute for it
• Confidently deal with situations where the audience strongly interacts with questions and objections, and ensure that the message is maintained and agreement reached

Format
This two-day course is based upon a series of short lecture sessions with extensive personal practice. Group discussions are frequently used to identify personal experiences of good and bad presentations. Tutor feedback enables participants to develop personal action plans for improved confidence and performance.
The expert trainer
Nick is an outstanding trainer with over 15 years' experience in major 'blue chip' organisations. He worked in HR, training and sales management for such organisations as Honda, Raychem, W H Smith and Filofax before starting his own consultancy and training business in 1999. He now works in partnership with organisations of all sizes and runs both in-company courses / workshops and public / open programmes nationwide. His clients include BT, RBS, Taylor Woodrow, Hawksmere, Capita, Teacher Training Agency, The Duchy of Cornwall, Hampshire Police and a host of others. A very popular trainer, continually following and embracing new ideas and best practice, he is particularly adept at sharing his own very effective approach to presentation skills. See what course participants and learning and development managers say about him:
'A big, big thanks for your two sessions today - they went down a storm!'
Oxford Magnet Technology

'Nick was a brilliant trainer and got our most reluctant employees to participate and enjoy the day.'
Orion Cleaning Group

'Of all the training courses I have attended over the years (and there have been a few), this was the most consistently relevant.'
Sennheiser

'Nick was excellent; challenging, risk-taking, thought-provoking!'
Peugeot Motor Company
Course outline
DAY ONE

1. Preparation for effective presentations
   This session will be used to outline guidelines for effective preparation. Using a checklist approach, participants will be given a structured approach to ensure that they are confident about the presentations they have constructed. Practical exercises follow in which participants construct presentations and critique each others' presentation content.
2. Your role in a modern working environment
   Working in pairs, participants will be asked to construct a staff briefing. They will be encouraged to incorporate video material and a range of support tools including OHP and flip-chart. The presentations should last no longer than 7-10 minutes and audience interaction will be kept to a minimum.
   
   Topics covered in this session include:
   
   • Presentation planning: how to keep it simple and understandable
   • Golden rules for conveying information
   • Blending sight and sound: how to simplify the message
   • How to hold interest
   • How to maintain personal impact
3. Introduction to using PowerPoint
   Participants will be shown how to produce simple bullet slides with the use of PowerPoint. They will then be asked to re-present their previous presentation incorporating the use of PowerPoint and demonstrating the improvements in presentation technique recommended to each individual by the course tutor.
   
   Personal feedback will be given by the course tutor.
4. How to persuade an audience
   This session enables participants to consider the various ways in which an audience is persuaded. Participants will then be asked to deliver their own mini-presentation (2/3 minutes) in a persuasive manner with no supporting equipment.
   
   Topics covered include:
   
   • How to show authority and confidence
   • The importance of structure
   • From agenda to content: how to constantly win agreement with the audience
   • Persuasion: how to move from presentation to conversation
   • Relating to the audience whilst presenting
   • The 'me' factor: how to maximise the use of personal style

DAY TWO

1. PowerPoint design
   PowerPoint is a particularly effective tool as long as the personality of the Presenter is allowed to come through in the presentation. This session will be used to review basic presentation design considerations and enable presenters to deliver a clear and precise message based upon their personal credibility and expertise. Participants will have opportunity to present a further mini-presentation.
2. Handling audience interaction
   The practice up to this point in the course has focused on delivery. The next stage is to enable participants to successfully manage the audience to achieve the aims of the presentation.
   
   In this session, participants will be asked to construct a mini presentation and deliver it to a very vocal audience. The tutor will show tips and techniques, and personal feedback will be given.
   
   Topics covered include:
   
   • How to encourage and deal with questions
   • How to keep control
   • Effective use of white board and flip-chart
   • How to postpone detailed answers
   • How to negotiate the agenda
   • How to deal with objections
3. Putting it all together
   Participants will be given an opportunity to re-visit their video presentation from Day One and more advanced PowerPoint facilities. They will then be given the opportunity to practice the delivery of presentations involving the use of PowerPoint slides, OHP, video, flip-chart and white board. They will be asked to handle the audience and deal with changes in agenda as well as to professionally present. Feedback will be given as to their professionalism and persuasiveness.
4. Review and close