Customized Corporate Seminars

Do you have a team of salespeople representing your organization to the public? Are you concerned about employees who interact with your clients? Would they enjoy the benefits of knowing the importance of image and how to best present themselves? Would this help the overall image of your company? We offer services and seminars covering appearance and protocol issues that can impact the success of your organization. The professional image development modules below are suggestions and will be customized to fit the needs of your organization and the time allotted.

First Impressions: Promoting a Professional Image

The majority of your potential clients decide in less than two minutes whether they can trust you or your employees. Trust is pivotal in establishing relationships that can ultimately lead to business partnerships. This module addresses the impact of first impressions in establishing immediate rapport with potential clients, and the importance of being in sync with your business environment. Catherine uses a non-threatening interactive method that will allow participants to explore the key factors that influence your professional corporate image. Concerns specific to your company will always be addressed in a tactful manner.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• The Power of First Impressions
• Work Environment
• The Two-minute Rule in Sales
• The ASA Factor (Attitude, Skills and Appearance)
• Image Improvement Goal Setting
• Your Front-line Image
• The 3rs of Business Success: Responsibility, Reliability and Respect

Gain a Competitive Edge through Wardrobe Communication

Your appearance is one of your most powerful forms of communication and an effective strategic tool when used properly. Selecting professional attire today is not as simple as the "dress for success" formula of the eighties. This session addresses "The Ladder of Formality," including formal and casual business clothing, as well as image makers that will set you apart from the competition.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• Professional Attire
• Powerful and Moderate Colour Choices
• "The Ladder of Formality"
• Dressing Down without Bottoming Out
• Three levels of Business Casual
• Image Makers/Grooming

Networking

Word of mouth marketing is the most effective form of advertising. Building your business through effective networking can bring you qualified clients, eliminating cold calls. Catherine Graham Bell is a contributing author of the NY Times Best-Seller, Masters of Networking: Building Relationships for Your Pocketbook and Soul.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• Traits of a Masterful Networker
• Effective Word-of-Mouth Marketing
• Six Degrees of Separation
• Relationship Building
• Networking Myths
• Three Essential Elements for Generating Referrals
• The Confidence Curve
• One Question that Works Every Time
• Effective Follow-up
• Developing a 30-second Self Introduction

How to Work a Room With Ease

Business mixers, fund raisers, and cocktail parties all have one thing in common - most of the people there dread going into a room of strangers and striking up a conversation. This module will take the participants through ten practical steps that will help to quell those fears and bring concrete results the next time they attend these important functions.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• Redefining the Stranger
• Networking Goals
• Preparation
• Dressing With Impact
• Entering the Room
• Handling Drinks and Hors d'oeuvre
• Small Talk Made Easy
• Self Introductions
• Playing the Host
• Breaking Away Gracefully
• Effective Follow-up

Mastering Business Protocol

Awkward introductions, weak handshakes, poor communication, ineffective meetings, and lack of consideration can negatively affect your career and business relationships. The knowledge acquired through this module will help you gain a poised and confident manner that will take you into any professional setting. When all else is equal, good manners can be your greatest strength.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• Handshakes
• Introductions
• Respecting Territory
• Telephone Manners
• Cellular Communication
• Netiquette
• Conversational Manners
• Meeting Protocol
• Office Protocol
• Multi-generational Communication

Dining Dynamics

Sixty to eighty percent of restaurant meals are business related. The white tablecloth and its accompanying tableware can be bewildering unless you have a firm grasp of dining etiquette. This module, which is best conducted over a meal, will provide you with the strategies to turn the table in your favour.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• Hosting Business Lunches
• Seating and Posture
• Table Settings
• Napkin Nuances
• Rolls and Soup
• Table Conduct
• British, European and American Dining
• Dinnertime Dilemmas
• Dining Conversation
• Handling the Bill

Presentation Skills

There are many occasions where we are called upon to speak to a group of people: in-house training, board meetings, product launches, client presentations, sales opportunities, business networking meetings, or community events. A vast number of people fear this more than death. Practice makes perfect, but even as a novice, there are many techniques you can utilize that will make you feel more comfortable and confident before an audience.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• Calming the Butterflies
• Directing Your Message to the Needs of Your Audience
• Organizing Your Presentation
• Introductions and Conclusions
• Establishing Audience Rapport and Credibility
• Achieving Eye Contact
• Body Language Distractions
• Visual Aids
• Using Your Voice Effectively
• Professional Attire
• Confidently Handling Questions

Customer Relations

It costs five times more to gain a new client than it does to keep a current one, and more than 80% of satisfied clients would contemplate buying from a competitor. From your "director of first impressions" at your reception desk, to the maintenance staff who may by chance meet a client, everyone is involved in customer relations. This interactive module will help your employees discover how important they are in connecting with clients, and in the ultimate success of your company.

POPULAR TOPICS:

• Impression Management
• Professional Attire
• Wearing Your Uniform with Pride
• Impeccable Grooming
• Image Spoilers
• Magic Words in Hospitality
• Phrases to Avoid
• Impact of Attitude
• Remembering Names
• Voice Modulation
• Body Language
• Voice Mail/Telephone Manners

Client Sectors:

Leading organizations of all sizes have long recognized the value of a comprehensive image management program. Prime Impressions' areas of expertise include the following sectors:

Accounting Associations Automotive Banking Beauty Broadcasting Career Transition Collections Communications Construction Consulting Dental Elder Care

Education Entertainment Film Distribution Financial Services Funeral Services Government Hairstyling Healthcare Hospitality Hotels Insurance Management Manufacturing

Meeting Planners Mental Health Military Moving Not for Profit Personal Services Pharmaceutical Physiotherapy Publishing Retail Small Business Television & Radio Veterinary