If you're new to standing in front of people and sharing information, you might think that the roles of a trainer, presenter, or facilitator are interchangeable. However, these roles are actually very different depending on how you wish to connect with your audience. In this program, we'll talk about the differences between these roles and what's expected of you if you're asked to share to a group.

Have you ever been to a training session that made you want to fall asleep after 5 minutes? Were you forced to go and look at the back of someone's head as they read off the PowerPoint slides? Did you leave there saying you could have done it better yourself? Whether you've been tasked with training your co-workers in-house or total strangers in public venues, there are steps you can take to prevent training session disasters. Let's start with the basics of becoming the subject matter expert (SME).

Great presentations are engaging and interactive. They leave an impression on the audience and help reinforce learning points, so your group leaves with what they need to know. In this program, we'll talk about how to create engaging materials to share with your group to get them excited about the information you are sharing. We'll discuss creating an outline and how the body of the presentation should flow. We'll go over designing slides and creating handouts. We'll also go over how to create and use pre- and post-work for your audience.

You've got the content for your presentation prepped and ready, but before you can share it with a live audience, you need to work through some logistics. You want to think about the room layout. You have to consider people's learning styles and how to meet their needs. You should understand different audience types and how to handle their personalities. You need to come up with various ways to keep your audience engaged throughout your presentation. It's a lot to think about and we'll cover all of this and more in our Managing the Audience program.

Engagement is a critical part of comprehension during a presentation. If you're dosing off, you're not retaining anything. In this course, we'll talk about ways that you can connect with your audience, and we'll go over some ways to get them to connect to each other. We'll discuss ice breakers, breakout sessions, telling stories, and debriefing. Having these tricks in your toolbox will make you a much more effective and impactful speaker.

When you're tasked with delivering a presentation, the first thing you need to understand is your audience. Not every presentation is suitable to every audience. You may in fact have to have different versions of the same presentation, based on the audience you're talking to at a given event. So how do you get to know your audience? And once you do, how does that affect your basic outline for your presentation? In this program, we'll talk about getting to know your audience, so you can craft a presentation specific to them.

Whenever you're putting together a presentation, you want to organize your information carefully, and come up with a structure for your presentation. This is sometimes referred to as the backbone of your presentation. There are all kinds of backbones that we can use, depending on what's most logical and effective for that content. In this program, we'll go over the different types of backbones and discuss some common mistakes people make when structuring presentations.

A well-organized, prepared presentation is the best way to ensure the audience remains engaged and your message gets across. In this program, we'll talk about some key strategies and tips to setting up your successful presentation. We'll go over getting the room ready, including lighting, seating, and temperature. We'll also discuss audio-visual components and talk about getting yourself presentation-ready.

When you're putting together your presentation, there are going to be times when you need to set the stage and prepare your audience for the information they're about to receive. Or, perhaps you'll need to set up a point and drive it home. Whether you're setting the stage for your entire presentation or simply one specific point, there are several tactics you can use to better prepare your audience for what they're about to hear. In this program, we'll go over these strategies, covering various types of openings and different ways to keep your audience engaged.

Unfortunately, not every topic is going to be an exciting one to present. How do you keep people engaged when you're talking about big data, budget forecasting, or employee benefits? That's what this course is all about. We'll go over things you can do to punch up your presentation. We'll discuss breaking up the content to maintain interest. We'll also talk about how to incorporate visuals and humor into your presentation.

Most often, when you're giving a presentation, whether it's in person or in a webinar, it's likely going to include PowerPoint slides. Let's be honest. A bad set of slides can turn the audience off and can distract from your content. A lot can be said about how to create effective slides. In this course, we'll focus on the most important aspects of creating great slides for your presentation.

You just gave an amazing presentation! Everyone was engaged. The content was relevant, succinct, and creative. You captured everyone's attention with your charismatic delivery. By tomorrow, 90% of the information you shared will be forgotten. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's true! Unless you can find a way to reinforce what you covered, or provide a post-learning refresh, the attendees will not remember the content. In this program, we'll talk about what these learning reinforcements should look like, why and how they're helpful, and how much time you need to invest in creating them.

Public speaking is one of people's biggest fears. You may get clammy, dizzy, anxious, or even paralyzed with fear. So when you must give a presentation, how do you power through these emotions? In this program, we'll talk about psyching yourself UP, not out. We'll cover dealing with nerves. We'll go over being over-prepared for your presentation. We'll discuss practicing and building confidence. We'll also go over some breathing techniques to help calm your mind and body. Controlling your emotions and allowing yourself to get into the zone will make for an effective and powerful presentation.

You've completed your presentation, hitting every point, working through any technical snafus, and keeping your audience engaged. Now it's time to bring it all home. You need a great closing to leave your audience with a good lasting impression. You might even consider including a Q&A as part of your closing. In this course, we'll go over how to wrap up your presentation and run a successful question and answer session. We'll discuss the different ways to close, and go over some tips and common missteps when it comes to Q&A.

Distractions happen. Maybe it's someone walking in mid-meeting. Or you experience a technology glitch over the webinar. It happens. And every time there's a distraction, the audience will turn and see what it is. Or sometimes they take that opportunity to check their phone or email, or otherwise check out mentally. That's just the reality of the situation. Let's talk about what we can do to deal with distractions, bringing the audience's attention back to us and what we're speaking on.

The hard part is over. You've finished your presentation. What comes next? In this program, we'll discuss what needs to happen once you're done speaking. We'll go over addressing the audience and answering any questions. We'll also talk about cleaning the space and leaving it the way that you found it. Lastly, we'll talk about notes you should take following your presentation.