Preparing and Delivering Client Focused Recommendations For Professional Services
Most Professional Services (PS) interactions with clients are general meetings or facilitations. Yet top-performing consultants consistently look to create presentation opportunities, often with higher levels. These, while less common, can have a tremendous impact on how the consultant is perceived and the amount of future work that is enjoyed by PS.
Typical PS presentation opportunities include:
- An introduction presentation at the beginning of the engagement cycle or a new project with an existing account
- Milestone presentations covering PS progress and updates on meeting agreed upon goals
- Summary presentations detailing accomplishments and recommended next steps
This two day workshop will provide participants with the practical skills needed to present powerfully and persuasively in these and other presentation opportunities.
The program includes the recording of each participant for immediate and impactful feedback.
Highlights
Participants will learn all the essential platform skills required to succeed in a group setting including:
- Eye contact
- Vocal tones
- Gestures
- Posture/movement
In addition to the above, Technically Speaking addresses the following topics, important to PS when attempting to persuade or move the client to a specific course of action:
- Informal presenting
Many, if not most presentations are given to smaller groups, maybe even only one or two people. These presentations require different techniques, addressed in the conference table presentations module.
- Technology “dos and don’ts”
How use white boards, laptops and projection devices to support, not overwhelm your message. This section includes a review of the “Top 10 Computer-Based Presentation Mistakes.”
- Virtual presenting
Because this session will be delivered in person, most of the time is allocated for face to face presentation skills. However, with the growing importance of virtual options, such as WebEx, this module will include significant and robust discussions on the use of virtual options and how to apply general presentation techniques to those mediums.
- Building audience support
Because the consultant will often have existing relationships with attendees, it is important to conduct pre-presentation interviews to ensure that expectations are met. How to ask engaging and empathetic questions before presenting will be covered in this module.
- Adjusting to levels
“What should I do if the CIO walks into the room?”
“There are going to be business and technical people in attendance. Where do I start?”
These are just two of the questions that need to be addressed when a variety of levels and technical expertise are in attendance. Participants will learn how to adjust content and delivery based on audience make-up.
- Dealing with challenging audience members
The most common objections will be analyzed and techniques for addressing each in a presentation setting will be explored and practiced.
- Planting questions to increase interactivity
Techniques are taught for ensuring that presentations are interactive and engaging through the planning and use of thought provoking questions.
- Planning using the “Quick-Prep” planning form
Easily completed, this form focuses on
a) enhancing the presenter’s image as a business consultant who understands the client’s situation and;
b) building credibility so that recommendations are more readily supported.
- Calls to action
As a confident presenter and consultant, the PS resource is well positioned to conclude presentations with specific calls to action. The timing and structure for this proactive approach is reviewed and practiced.
Other points of consideration
- Presentation practice length
Because most PS presentations have some length to them, each participant will given the opportunity to deliver one, 15-20 minute presentation.
- DVD recording
The best feedback tool for presenting is still to view a recording of one’s performance. Each participant will be recorded twice and then privately view their DVD. They will take their DVDs home with them as well for later observation.
- Fully Tailored
As with all Technically Speaking classes, all content decisions, binders, planning forms and facilitation notes will be based on pre-program research. This is Technically Speaking’s way of ensuring that training dollars receive maximum ROI.
Summary
PS consultants who can proactively create and deliver outstanding presentations will enjoy expanded account success. In Preparing and Delivering Client Focused Recommendations for Professional Services participants will learn how to create such opportunities and deliver their messages in powerful and motivating ways.