PRESENTATION SKILLS MASTERCLASS

Giving a presentation fills most of us with dread. Even the thought of standing up in front of a few colleagues (or, these days, sitting down in front of a webcam) can turn our legs to jelly. So, the prospect of speaking to an audience of hundreds can render normally calm and coherent individuals into gibbering, nervous wrecks. It doesn't need to be this way. Say hello to your nerves. Embrace them and turn the energy they bring into something productive rather than destructive. Let that energy stir your creative juices and make your next presentation – online or offline - extraordinary instead of ordinary. Memorable instead of forgettable. Enjoyable instead of tolerable (for you and the audience). But, most important of all, effective instead of ineffective.

Register your interest in a public group session

We understand individuals and small businesses may not have the resources to book an exclusive group or one-to-one session, so we operate a wait list system. Give us you contact details and when enough people have registered their interest we'll be in touch to organise a date. For most sessions you'll be alongside (virtually that is) no more than five other trainees.

Organise an in-house private course

This is the way most organisations choose to work with us. You get to choose the workshop, nominate who you want to sit the session, fix a time and date that suits everyone and decide whether you want online or in-person delivery. We do the rest – even down to tweaking the training to match your specific needs. All we need is a bit of information about you so click the organise button to get the ball rolling.

Price

From £999 per session

One-to-one training

Just you and the trainer’s undivided attention. Some people prefer to sit our courses on their own. Click the button to tell us a bit about yourself and suggest a date.

Price

From £499 per session

Coaching and mentoring

Maybe you don’t want or need a full training course but would like a little help. Or maybe you’d like a lot of help. Either way coaching and mentoring could be the answer. Tell us more and we’ll be in touch.

Price

£199 for first hour, £149/hr thereafter

COURSE OVERVIEW
This masterclass is broken into three sections over three hours. In section one we show you how to design and build a compelling presentation using a planning matrix to structure your content so you grab the attention of your audience at the outset and keep them hooked until the end. In this opening section we also look at the importance of defining one’s purpose - what you’re "selling" –and the barriers to communication that might get in between you and your audience.

Then we explore the importance of style. Your facilitator shows you how to play your voice like a musical instrument with high and low notes and fast and slow sections. And we look at choreography – the relationship between you and your audience and the physical and/or virtual space you collectively occupy with considerations such as as whether to stand or sit and how much to use your hands and arms to “speak.” We also show you how to rehearse (practice makes perfect) and wean yourself off an over-reliance on notes.

Then there's a fun yet informative pracitcal session which gives delegates the chance to deliver a short presentation. Guided by the trainer, the audience then offers constructive feedback. This section also shows you how to tackle the terrible trio of: nerves; hecklers; and technological breakdowns. Plus, why you should always have a Plan B.

🦉Be a wise owl and follow our blog for the latest news, gossip and updates on all things presentation and public speaking.

TOPICS COVERED

Purpose – Defining what you want your presentation to achieve is a crucial first step. In short, you need to be clear what you’re selling (and this is equally true in the not-for-profit sector where it’s more about social rather than financial capital).
Audience – Who are you selling to? Why the audience is the most important component of any presentation. If it doesn’t work for them it won’t work for you.
Context – Where are you doing the selling? Online or in an auditorium, the physical space in which you give a presentation can have an impact on the outcome. But so can the rational and emotional space occupied by you and your audience. These contextual issues can derail a presentation so you need to know how to stop that happening.
Content – This is the step most people start with. But creating content too soon is a big no, no. We’ll show you how to decide what to put in and, almost as important, what to leave out. Choosing the best medium for your messages. How to strike the right balance between audio (the spoken word), visual (slides, video etc) and kinaesthetic (hands-on) elements in a presentation.
Structure – There’s no beating the Three Act Play! But what you put at the beginning (Act 1), in the middle (Act 2) and at the end (Act 3) can make a huge difference. We’ll show you how your presentations can be structured like great books or movies that grab an audience’s attention at the outset and keep it to the very last page or scene.
Style – We’ve all got friends who are effortlessly stylish. Who look good in jeans and a tee shirt. And others who manage to look scruffy in a suit. But what is it to be a stylish presenter? We look at dress and demeanour and voice and tone. We suggest ways of orchestrating your presentation like a piece of classical music. And choreographing your actions like a brilliant ballet.

WHAT YOU GET
As well as the masterclass, delegates recieve a free copy of Speak Easier the facilitator's book on presenting (usual price £9.99) and a complimentary 30' one-to-one online consultation with the trainer after the event to, for example, provide detailed feedback on a previous presentation or to plan and rehearse a forthcoming one.

AIMED AT
Anyone who wants to become a better presenter whether to a handful of clients or colleagues via a webcam or to thousands of delegates in a conference hall.

LEVEL
Beginner, improver, intermediate.

FACILITATOR
Our presentation skills workshops are led by Richard Uridge who, as a BBC broadcaster, was used to presenting to audiences of more than a million. Over the years he’s helped thousands of individuals and hundreds of organisations communicate more effectively. He firmly believes anybody can be a good public speaker and his infectious enthusiasm for the business of communicating will rub off on you.

RESOURCES
We have a growing archive of resources designed to help you with your presentations. Much of it is available free of charge whether you book on our workshops or not. You can read the written articles here or browse our Five Minute Masterclasses many of which cover the topic of presentation and public speaking.

FEEDBACK
To find out what other people think about this workshop click here to read their comments..

IN HOUSE

This workshop is available for in-house delivery which is cost effective if you've got more than a few people who need training with the added advantage that course content can be tailored to your specific organisational needs. Contact the trainer to discuss your requirements.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN

Social media strategy - online

Broadcast media training - online

Dealing with difficult people - online