After attending Michelle’s Masterclass in December 2020, here’s what Monica had to say:
“Michelle is an amazing trainer – energetic, committed, and a true expert in presentation skills. The program was excellent. I loved the practical tips and frameworks to help me present with influence. Highly recommended.”
Monica Rosenfeld, Managing Director, WordStorm PR
What kind of presenting do you do at work?
I do a range of presenting at work:
– I present proposals and solutions to clients.
– I present ideas to my team.
– The largest part of my work that involves presenting is the professional speaking and workshop facilitating side of my business. I am known in the corporate and small business market as the Personal Brandifier. I help business people create and embed their personal brand in the minds of their stakeholders so that they advance their careers and/or businesses in an exciting way. I run a 5 STEPS TO MEDIA MAGNET keynote/workshop that teaches people in business how to become the go-to media spokesperson for your industry.
– I’m also a comic and do stand-up, which I completely love, at a variety of venues around Sydney and Melbourne.
What prompted you to study with Michelle?
I decided to work with Michelle as I had heard so many great things about her workshop. Even though I am already an accomplished communicator (pitching angles to the media is one of my strengths) I do believe in constant learning and improvement. I want to be the best speaker I can possibly be. I also wanted to learn more about the mechanics of conducting an engaging workshop including all the behind the scenes aspects as well as the presenting side of things.
How did Michelle's teaching change your attitude to presenting in business?
It’s really wonderful to have a framework to work to when putting a presentation, workshop or pitch together. Michelle gives lots of assets to take away so that you don’t forget what you’ve learnt and can consistently apply the techniques to whatever communication scenario you find yourself in. The good news is, I have always loved presenting and doing Michelle’s masterclass has made me love it even more.
How have improved presentation skills have impacted on your job and your career in general?
As the professional speaking industry is all about presenting, improving my skills in this area has been incredibly helpful.
I feel confident that I have learnt the secrets behind what great speakers do.
I know that when I’m speaking or pitching I’m applying formulas and approaches that will work for me, and importantly work for my audience.
In what specific ways have your presentation skills improved since learning with Michelle?
As a media and personal branding expert, I believe that in a world where we are bombarded with marketing messages, it’s vital to stand out from your competitors. The best way to do that is by creating a personal brand that differentiates you from your competitors and helps you stand out from the pack. Since learning with Michelle, I use her framework when it comes to writing presentations and creating workshops to help my clients stand out. This has been very helpful.
What were your top three takeaways from Michelle's teachings?
My top three takeaways were:
1. The benefit of using The Persuasion Blueprint to structure a compelling message.
2. Learning how to create an engaging workshop that incorporates all sorts of different visuals aids, activities and engagement moments. I learnt everything from how to set up the room to how to ensure people participate in activities.
3. There’s a great technique Michelle shared for how to memorise presentations. It involves rehearsing your keynote or workshop content while the radio is playing loudly in the background.
© Michelle Bowden 2021. Michelle Bowden is an authority on presentation & persuasion in business. Michelle is a CSP (the highest designation for speakers in the world), co-Creator of the Persuasion Smart Profile (a world-first psychometric indicator that tests your persuasiveness at work), best-selling internationally published author (Wiley), and a regular commentator in print, radio and online media. www.michellebowden.com.au