Why should I hire a presentation coach?
Perhaps you know someone who has asked you this question or know of someone who would benefit from professional assistance but hasn’t taken the plunge so far. Here are the typical reasons that my clients give me when I ask them “Why did you come?”
To speed up my learning process.
It’s absolutely true that there are good speakers who have never sought the services of a presentation skills expert. They have learned by the traditional method of trial and error but how long has it taken them? And perhaps more importantly how much faster could their improvement have been had they had a coach or mentor?
To save money!
No I haven’t lost my mind. You may think that the cost of coaching is high but have you ever stopped to consider the true price of ignorance? If you use presentations to sell, how much could one bad presentation cost you or your organisation? If you have ever given a poor presentation as part of an unsuccessful job application how much could that have cost you?
To get a new job.
These days more and more employers are asking candidates at all levels to make a short presentation as part of the selection process. Since presentations are usually in front of a number of people, a good one can really bump up your chances of getting hired but a bad one can do the opposite. Just this afternoon I spent some time with a new graduate helping him prepare for a high profile job interview. He could see clearly see the benefits of investing in professional assistance to prepare for this important day.
To get feedback and improve.
Even a confident presenter could improve and the smart ones know this and seek assistance to keep at the top of their game. In the same way that top sportsmen and women retail a coach, top speakers, presenters, managers and salespeople know that they need someone to keep them sharp. Complacency can cost us a huge amount and a coach helps you guard against it.
To improve my visual aids.
How many times have you sat through a boring presentation, bombarded with bullet points and bamboozled by complicated graphs and charts. Many of my clients want a fresh approach and they don’t have the time to do it all themselves. I love transforming dull PowerPoint “scripts” into engaging and easily understood slides. Yes you could learn to do it yourself but you know that is not the best use of your time don’t you.
Think carefully before you say “I don’t need a coach”
Gavin Meikle
The Presentation Doctor
