You Can’t Wing a Great Presentation

Forget the butterflies, just imagining the audience in their underwear could be enough to turn your stomach!  

Some people fear it and lose sleep over it.  Others love it and volunteer to do it.  Whether you have a love or hate relationship with presenting at a work meeting or community program, remember that Jeffrey Black believes “butterflies are natural.”  Forget trying to get rid of them.  Use that nervous pit in your stomach to your advantage.  After working with individuals in small groups or through one-on-one coaching, Jeffrey will get your butterflies to “fly in formation!”

Presentation Client Excerpts!

What makes a good public speaker?

Knowledge of the subject and preparation of the presentation are probably the most important qualities for a good public speaker.  Mark Twain said it best when he imparted this message:  “It takes three weeks to prepare a good ad-lib speech.”

Other important attributes are self-confidence, enthusiasm, message development, listening skills, integrity and passion, passion, passion. 

A great presentation can bring about positive changes in your organization.

In working with corporations around the country and world to help their leaders be better presenters, Jeffrey is often amazed at the amount of time (usually several months) that executives will spend developing a product or working on a project.

Yet when it comes to “selling” it to the stakeholders – or shareholders – they start working on their presentation the night before.  STOP!  A great presentation can build credibility, gain support, calm upset people, charge up a sales team, motivate employees, clarify issues and generate publicity.  Why do people wait until the night before for something so vitally important to their own success and the success of their organization?!?

Stand by!  The camera is now rolling.  You’re on in 5-4-3-2-1…

Through interactive discussion, brief lectures and videotape role plays, participants will see themselves on “the big screen” as everyone learns to:

•      grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds, before the “Piggly Wiggly Syndrome” takes over

•      make body language work by avoiding distracting gestures

•      physically bring the audience into your messages

•      use appropriate eye contact to win over the audience

•      burn the podium without setting off the fire alarms so you don’t hide behind the messages – or the perceived truth

•      deliver the message with high, emotional impact

•      maximize (and minimize) the use of audio/visuals, i.e. power point, so that the presenter remains the “star of the show”

•      tell the message in visual pictures

•      learn how to handle difficult questions from the audience

•      inject appropriate humor

•      watch for good voice modulation … audio blips on the radar screen

•      check for audio levels without saying those dreaded words: “testing one, two, three”

•      enhance personal appearance (clothing, facial hair, etc.) to present a professional image

You’re “on-air,” so stand out from the herd!

Jeffrey is passionate about this program because he believes the fears many people have about speaking in public can be overcome if they are willing to invest the time and energy it takes for a great presentation.  Even the best speakers will benefit from this program.  You can’t wing a great presentation!