There are hundreds of different presentation training courses available, all of which promise to banish your nervousness and turn you into an accomplished speaker. How do you choose the right course for you?
Googling “Presentation Training” at first glance will generate a very long list of different providers offering the same “Presentation Training”. But as you take a closer look, you’ll find that some trainers approach the topic from a theatrical perspective, some from a business perspective, and some from an educational point of view. While most courses cover the core elements of public speaking, they are all biased towards their own area of specialty:
- Theatrical Presentations – Breathing, Vocal Exercises, Postures
- Educational Presentations: How to be a Trainer, Learning Styles, Slide Design
- Business Presentations: Influencing People, Motivating, Instigating Change
First, consider the type of presentation you’re likely to give. Is it for a best man’s speech, is it for business, or is it about presentation technology? If it is for business or sales, you should choose a business presentation training course. There are many aspects of giving a business presentation that may not be covered by a one-size-fits-all public speaking course.
Does the course give you the opportunity to give at least two presentations? You need to practice and get feedback on your presentations, if it’s all talk from the speaker, you won’t learn as much. However, beware of courses that are almost all practical. You need to have some tutoring time to make sure you are practicing the right skills.
How many people are allowed on the course, I recommend a maximum of 6. Any more and you will spend too much time listening to other people giving presentations. The larger the class, the less opportunity there is for the presenter to consider individual concerns she may have or to focus on the particular type of presentation she is most likely to be giving.
How long is the course? Most courses are one or two days. If time and cost are not an issue, then a 2-day course usually gives you more time to practise, but can you afford to take 2 days away from your desk? A competent trainer should be able to cover all the main points on how to structure and deliver a presentation, as well as allow enough time for practice in a one day course.
Do you use video comments? It is really helpful to see and hear you giving a presentation. Only with video feedback can you appreciate how it really looks and sounds. Don’t shy away from courses that use video, they’re usually worth it.
How are practical presentations reviewed? Is it just the speaker’s comments or are other participants encouraged to comment on your presentation? Everyone is different and different people will notice different things, so a larger review panel is often better.
In a business presentation, you are invariably trying to influence your audience in some way. Whether it’s trying to get them to buy a product or service or to think about something in a particular way. This adds an extra dimension to the public speaking skills you need to learn. A good business presentation skills course will address how to influence people and how to get them to think the way you want them to.
The price of presentation skills training courses varies greatly, but in my experience, price does not always represent value. The fact that a course is comparatively cheap does not mean that it can be of lower quality than a much more expensive course. But consider the average number of participants and the length of the course. Often the cheaper courses have a higher number of delegates.
The training companies themselves vary in size and structure. Some are huge organizations, with many employees who are trained in a wide variety of different subjects. The teachers of these companies are usually career trainers. Then there are the other seemingly large training companies that actually outsource all the work to smaller companies. Then there are the specialists and the one-man gangs. Almost all training companies offer some form of public speaking training, on the basis that their trainers are always standing up talking to people, so they should be able to teach other people how to do it. I would suggest that in the case of giving a business presentation this is not always true.
No matter how good the agenda looks, the success of any training course depends on the speaker. Who will lead the course you attend? If the training company cannot or will not commit to who will teach a particular course, be very cautious. Does the company provide customer reviews and testimonials for individual readers? Do not rely on blanket testimonials from across the company, they may not relate to the person who will be teaching the course. Ask for specific testimonials for your specific reader. Ask if you could talk to someone, in a similar position to yours, who has been in the same course with that professor in the past. Good training companies should be able to organize this without any problem.
Look for trainers who have been there and done it, not just the ones talking about it. If you’re looking for a business presentation training course, look for one run by a business person, who has given many business presentations, not an out-of-work actor, who knows about appearing on stage but little or nothing about business.
Finally, check what you will get in terms of course materials. If it’s just a copy of the reader’s sides, then it’s pretty useless as a source of further learning. Look for courses that provide a source of ongoing reference material, checklists, and the support to ensure your future success.
I wish you every success in your choice of presentation trainer and in your future presentations.
