Leaders, creators, persuaders, policymakers, educators, movers & shakers...
Are Your Presentations Delivering
the Impact You Need?
From the desk of: Adele Sommers, Ph.D.
Dear Colleague,
 know you've probably experienced at least ONE of these situations...
- Pitching a critical proposal to a prospective client...
- Seeking backing or funding for your new project or business...
- Making a case for, getting buy-in for, and facilitating organizational change...
- Giving engaging and memorable business, technical, or leadership training...
- Persuading people to contribute to your nonprofit organization...
- Presenting an important research paper at a conference...
 Offering a solution to a problem or challenge...
- Influencing people for any number of reasons...
But your slide presentations may not be producing the response you need. Maybe they're too text-heavy, too unimaginative, or just aren't helping you convey an attention-grabbing and persuasive story.
Yet, the stakes have never been higher for today's business, social, technical, scientific, philanthropic, and academic endeavors! We're all looking for better ways to inform our audiences and spur them to act.
Instead, we're witnessing an epidemic — a presentation pandemic, if you will — of meeting attendees who are becoming increasingly glazed over by an antiquated style of presentation. Just about anyone who's ever spent time in corporate, government, or academic environments has surely watched someone give a slide presentation that left the entire audience in a coma.
You, like so many people globally, may have been taught to follow the "traditional" style of presentation design that simply doesn't sustain attention or understanding. Rather than inspiring your audiences to use your products, embrace your proposals, learn your material, or try your techniques, those mind-numbing presentations can turn your attendees off and keep them snoring!
Naturally, you'll want to create compelling presentations that powerfully broadcast your core message. So, how do you turn dull, lifeless, sleep-inducing slide shows into outstanding performances that leave your audiences clamoring for more? What are the secrets for keeping your audiences awake, riveting their attention, and engaging their participation?
(Psssssst....ready for some answers?)
The secrets aren't hard to fathom. As an award-winning information designer, I can help you create highly persuasive, unforgettable presentations that will inspire and wow your audiences. Here are 3 powerful options you can choose right away:
- Schedule a Presentation Design “Quick-Start Clinic” for Your Organization
- Master Presentation Design Techniques with My In-depth, Online Coaching
- Boost Your Results with Our Presentation Consulting and Design Services
1. Schedule a Presentation Design “Quick-Start Clinic” for Your Organization
 Make immediate improvements from just one 3-hour session!
This overview introduces 10 types of design and delivery dilemmas, related mistakes, and corresponding remedies.
These dilemmas and remedies apply to any presentations you create with slide software, such as Microsoft® PowerPoint® or Apple® Keynote®.
Rather than “how-to” training on using these programs, this overview focuses on scientifically supported principles that you can use with any tool or situation. In this comprehensive workshop, you'll learn a wealth of simple, practical skills that you, your staff, colleagues, and clients can begin implementing right away.
A special formula, Art + Science + Story = Impact! — a kind of “secret sauce” for presentation design — will help you stand out magnificently from the masses!
Here's what you will learn:
- How to make your presentation remarkable by starting off your design with a needs assessment.
- How to use the artistic and multimedia principles to polish your slides for any purpose or venue.
- When to incorporate a set of story principles to produce the most powerful impression overall.
- How to apply three additional tips for creating impact during delivery.
Below are sample comments received from prior attendees:
“What an 'Academy Award' presentation you gave!”
“I haven't heard that much conversation before, during, or after ANY of our meetings!”
— Michael Lujan
Principal, On The Same Page Technical Writing Services |
“A+ presentation!”
“Very comprehensive and informative with terrific audience engagement. Excellent handouts!”
— Robin Dudley
Principal, Dudley Communications |
“I wanted to compliment you again
on your
fabulous presentation...”
“You have inspired me to take another look at my habitual way of approaching a project; I am working with my Needs Assessment Worksheet for a promotional PowerPoint I started weeks ago and am finding it to be very helpful. The handouts were 'spot-on' — I will keep them close by for reference. Great info, Adele. Thank you!”
— Elizabeth McGregor
Principal, Fine Lines Communications |
To see additional comments, please follow this link...
Schedule a Presentation Design “Quick-Start Clinic” Today!
Contact me by e-mail or call +1-805-462-2187 (9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific Time) to discuss your organization's needs and venue. I look forward to hearing from you!
2. Master Presentation Design Techniques with My In-Depth, Online Coaching Series
Want detailed presentation design advice from the comfort of your home or office? If so, this Web-based instruction and mastermind support group is for you! The three-hour, twice-monthly Web workshops will guide you through creating your own high-impact presentation from start to finish. You’ll use simple, elegant design techniques and scientifically proven learning principles. This is not a PowerPoint course, but you can be an absolute beginner and still get fantastic results!
Not familiar with Web seminars? Please see the frequently asked questions for more information on how ours work. Then see the course curriculum and additional details below!
These jam-packed, 3-hour Web seminars are recorded and archived for later listening and viewing (in case you aren't able to attend live). Here are some of the exciting, expert-building topics you will master:
Module 1: Conducting Your Needs Assessment
- Pinpointing your subject, purpose, and the stakes involved — how important is your event?
- Framing your audience's perspective to grab attention and create an unforgettable rapport
- Identifying the actions you want your audience to take, and follow-up steps you can perform
- Selecting a physical or online presentation venue; researching its capabilities and limitations
- Planning ahead to reuse your presentation material — saving future time, money, and effort
- Assessing your time, resources, and level of effort you’ll need to achieve your desired impact
Module 2: Building Your Story Structure
- Brainstorming and selecting the topics that matter most to your audience
- Structuring your story using a powerful, 3-part process:
- Part I: Developing your audience orientation
- Part II: Organizing your topics, subtopics, and details
- Part III: Recapping your story, solution, and call to action
- Framing your handouts so that they’ll work seamlessly with your talk, and serve to market your message
- Crafting your presentation components to be quickly reusable elsewhere
Module 3: Designing & Illustrating Your Slides
- Using printed or electronic storyboards to rapidly sketch your concepts
- Mapping and color-coding your slides from your 3-part story structure
- Designing your “visual vocabulary” by choosing metaphors, themes, symbols, and fonts to memorably connect your ideas
- Preparing literal or factual images, such as graphs, diagrams, charts, tables, and maps
- Locating or producing other relevant graphics to add drama and pizzazz to your presentation
Module 4: Creating Impact During Delivery
- Rehearsing, timing, and polishing your talk so that your presentation is smooth and effortless
- Finalizing and integrating your handouts to synchronize perfectly with your message
- Creating promotions for your event — where exactly do you need to advertise?
- Proceeding to deliver a stellar performance!
Additional practice, critiquing sessions, and advanced topics are available on request.
Here are some comments received from workshop participants:
“Thank you again for a superb course.”
“I learned a great deal and enjoyed very much the collaboration and online interaction with everyone!”
— Leticia Pérez Miller
Principal, Tilde Translations |
“I'm just so impressed, Adele, with your ability
to lay this whole thing out.”
“. . . Going through this process with you having laid this out — it's AMAZING, like the presentation is writing itself. . . . ” [see more...]
— Lori Steed
Consultant, Coach, Facilitator, Trainer
LoriSteed.com |
“My presentation design style has totally changed as a result of this program...”
“. . . After my second presentation, I felt elated and somehow affluent. The response was again overwhelmingly positive, and is likely to lead to a 1–2 hour presentation some time in the future. . . . Several people were interested in my giving Webinars. I also have been requested . . . to give a presentation at a statewide workshop next spring. A dozen attendees signed up for my newsletter, and I also have a possible authoring collaboration. . . . [see more...]
— Steve Burgess
Principal, Burgess Forensics |
“This workshop series far exceeded
my expectations.”
“. . . The information-rich content, completeness of the course materials that we could download, and online tools were stellar — as were your excellent phone conference, presentation and leadership skills. . . . My presentation style has changed completely, now that I know how much better it can be with a little more planning and using the techniques and story-telling principles I learned. . . . [see more...]
— Robin Dudley
Principal, Dudley Communications |
To see additional comments, please follow this link...
Questions? Please view the FAQs
Click here to view the frequently asked questions in a new window.
Download the coaching program outline
Download the 1-page, printer-friendly program outline (102K, PDF).
 PDF files open with the free Adobe Reader. Click the link to download and install your copy.
Online coaching series schedule
The 9-month online coaching series generally begins in October and ends the following June. Web seminars typically occur twice a month on Saturdays, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time (for a total of three hours per session). If you can't attend live, you can always play the video recordings of any sessions you miss whenever it's convenient (more about this in the frequently asked questions).
To find out about the next program schedule as soon as it's announced, please add your name to the waiting list by registering for the next coaching series, below.
Online coaching series pricing
Please note that the introductory pricing is no longer available. To receive information on the regular pricing as soon as it's announced, please join the waiting list by registering for the next program, below.
Register now for the next available coaching series!
To join the waiting list for upcoming coaching programs, please enter your name and primary e-mail address below, and then take the short survey that opens next. When I receive your responses, I'll be in touch with you to explain the next step. I look forward to your participation!
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3. Boost Your Results with Our Presentation Consulting and Design Services
If you have a critical need that involves a must-have, must-do, or must-win situation, let our office work with you to help ensure the results you need! From presentation advice and consulting, to design services using either PowerPoint or Keynote, we can help take the burden off of your shoulders.
We also can provide production advice or assistance with converting presentations into self-paced tutorials, classroom training, product packages, or Web videos.
Please don't let this essential planning and design work wait until the last minute, or simply leave it up to chance.
Contact me by e-mail or call +1-805-462-2187 (9:00 AM to 6:00 PM Pacific Time) to review your presentation project. I look forward to assisting you!
Please Don't Wait Any Longer to
Improve Your Presentation Results!
As you sit there, pondering your past experiences with presentations — some of which I'm sure you'd rather forget — I can't predict exactly what will gratify you the most about finally being able to give extraordinary, compelling performances that truly motivate your audiences and spur them to action.
But I do believe you'll feel a huge sense of relief and excitement as you take action today to vastly boost the power and effectiveness of your presentations!
 Here's to your business prosperity,
Adele Sommers, Ph.D.
Business performance consultant, speaker, author, instructor,
and award-winning information designer
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Legal Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to accurately represent our offerings and their potential. Any claims made or examples of actual results can be verified upon request. The testimonials and examples used are exceptional results, don't apply to the average purchaser and are not intended to represent or guarantee that anyone will achieve the same or similar results. Each individual's or organization's success depends on individual backgrounds, dedication, desire, and motivation. As with any business endeavor, there is an inherent risk of loss of capital and there is no guarantee that you will earn money, increase profits, or achieve specific results. |