Presentations can make-or break-both careers and businesses. A good presentation can bring in millions of dollars in new sales or fresh investment capital. A bad presentation might cause any number of troubles, from turning away potential customers to upsetting fellow employees to derailing key projects. To help business professionals plan, create, and deliver more effective presentations, you offer a three-day workshop that covers the essentials of good presentations:

■ Understanding your audience's needs and expectations

■ Formulating your presentation objectives

■ Choosing an organizational approach

■ Writing openings that catch your audience's attention

■ Creating effective graphics and slides

■ Practicing and delivering your presentation

■ Leaving a positive impression on your audience

■ Avoiding common mistakes with electronic slides

■ Making presentations online using webcasting tools

■ Handling questions and arguments from the audience

■ Overcoming the top 10 worries of public speaking (including

How can I overcome stage fright? and I'm not the performing type; can I still give an effective presentation?) Workshop benefits: Students will learn how to prepare better presentations in less time and deliver them more effectively.

Who should attend: Top executives, project managers, employment recruiters, sales professionals, and anyone else who gives important presentations to internal or external audiences.

Your qualifications: 18 years of business experience, including 14 years in sales and 12 years of public speaking. Experience speaking to audiences as large as 5,000 people. More than a dozen speech-related articles published in professional journals. Have conducted successful workshops for nearly 100 companies.

Workshop details: Three-day workshop (9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.) that combines lectures, practice presentations, and both individual and group feedback. Minimum number of students: 6. Maximum number of students per workshop:

Pricing: The cost is $3,500, plus $100 per student; 10 percent discount for additional workshops. Other information: Each attendee will have the opportunity to give three practice presentations that will last from 3 to 5 minutes. Everyone is encouraged to bring PowerPoint files containing slides from actual business presentations. Each attendee will also receive a workbook and a digital video recording of his or her final class presentation on DVD. You'll also be available for phone or email coaching for six months after the workshop.

Your task

Identify a company in your local area that might be a good candidate for your services. Learn more about the company by visiting its website so you can personalize your proposal. Using the information listed above, prepare a sales proposal that explains the benefits of your training and what students can expect during the workshop.