Speak for Success Business Presentation Skills Seminars Go Public

SAN DIEGO—Speak for Success recently presented the two-day workshop “High Impact Presentations for Business and Technical Professionals.” Attended by local business leaders and professionals, this was the first program open to the public. The program is designed for professionals who have to deliver critical business presentations on behalf of their organizations and want to feel more confident and get better results.

“Business gets done and decisions get made through clear communication,” said Dana Bristol-Smith, President of Speak for Success and the workshop facilitator. “I feel privileged to be able to help business professionals overcome their fear of public speaking and make a more positive impact through their presentations. Learning the art of public speaking is one of the most important skills to be successful in business today.”

The presentation skills training workshop attracts experienced presenters who want to add professional presence to their presentations. “After completing the program, my confidence level has increased dramatically along with my skills,” said Robert Hacken, Director of Sales for the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. “I found the interactive nature of the workshop challenged my public speaking skills and offered a forum to receive honest and constructive feedback from my peers. I now embrace public speaking engagements, not shying away, and in fact excelling when given these opportunities.”

In order to master the art of public speaking, the presentation training workshop helps participants: take control of a room and command attention; speak effectively to groups of any size; use stories to better engage audiences; answer questions in the moment with confidence; and utilize PowerPoint effectively as a presentation support tool.

The seminar is conducted with a small group and is personalized to meet the needs of each participant and their fears of public speaking. “I really appreciated the one-on-one attention and the great feedback,” said Debi Pizzica, Sales Manager, FedEx. “The videotaping showed me that what I projected was not what I was thinking. My goal was to move to the next level in my company by improving my communication skills. I took away a much greater comfort level and more confidence in crafting my message.”

Among the various processes used in the workshop were: six taped practice presentations, personal coaching, video feedback, Dana Bristol-Smith’s book Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking, team exercises, practice controlling a Q&A session, and presentation training techniques to explain technical information to non-technical audiences.
“I learned techniques to improve both my skill in delivering more powerful presentations and my skill in helping others deliver more powerful presentations,” said Gordon Lutes, Senior Vice President, Project Design Consultants. “I have already started applying some of the techniques and have started a ‘speaking circle’ with my team at work to improve our presentation skills. This seminar was well planned with many opportunities to practice speaking in a supportive environment.” To see this seminar in action, visit the web page and download the PowerPoint presentation http://www.speakforsuccess.net/p-publicshow.htm
Speak for Success plans to hold the next public workshop June 20-21, 2006. The primary purpose of the organization is to help organizations attract and retain customers and increase productivity through enhanced communication. Speak for Success accomplishes this through workshops and coaching that guide managers, sales and technical professionals to be more effective and successful in all their communications. To learn more about upcoming events sign up for the monthly Speak for Success Ezine or see a current listing of events http://www.speakforsuccess.net/events.htm

Dana Bristol-Smith can make an excellent source for stories pertaining to presentation skills training, overcoming fears of public speaking, communication skills, setting up business presentations, San Diego business professionals. To arrange an interview or request more information, contact her at (760) 726-5272 or info@speakforsuccess.net . As a business professional, learn more about the next workshop or arrange for an in-house training program.