Ives Development, Inc.
When Ives Development, a Massachusetts software tools company, wanted to boost the presentation skills of its sales and marketing team, it turned to Cheever Communications. "It is critical that our marketers communicate successfully in a variety of situations," said Bruce Allen, Ives' vice president for the Americas. "This includes presentations to prospects and customers, on-site or at trade shows and user group meetings. And, since our primary sales medium is telephone-based, I wanted to improve the telesales skills of our account managers."
"The bottom line is that Cheever's presentation training greatly improved our organization's effectiveness and confidence in communicating persuasively in many different situations.
Together, Bruce Allen and the Cheever Communications consultant developed a "game plan" for an intensive, one-and-a-half day training program tailored specifically for Ives Development.
"Among the content messages the Cheever instructor taught was the importance of WIIFA, or What's In It for the Audience," Allen observed. "She also showed us how to develop a rapport with the audience and use attention-getters to connect with the audience." In addition, Cheever worked with the Ives staff on constructively channeling pre-presentation anxiety as well as on the non-verbal aspects of effective presentations such as posture, eye contact, and facial expression.
According to Allen, one of the most valuable parts of the program was the multiple videotaping of individual presentations. "Early in the program, the Cheever consultant videotaped each person giving a two-minute presentation on a subject of his or her choice," said Allen. "Then, following the training sessions and exercises, she videotaped each person giving a five-minute presentation on our products.
Allen particularly appreciated the fact that Cheever Communications focused not just on the one-time training session but on ways in which the Ives staff could maintain their presentation skills over the long term. "As a result, I now give my staff presentation assignments for our weekly sales meetings," he noted. "The bottom line is that Cheever's presentation training greatly improved our organization's effectiveness and confidence in communicating persuasively in many different situations."
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