“The most valuable of all talents is never using two words when one will do.”

—Thomas Jefferson

Training

I. Harness The Power Behind The Podium
Present electrifying speeches and presentations

What makes you a powerful speaker? It’s the message, choosing the right words and making sure you connect in a personal way with the audience.

Learn how to develop stimulating presentations that capture and retain your audience’s attention. Our personal coaching will help you create and deliver a compelling case for your cause. We’ll review the audio/visual tools you can use, effective use (and abuse) of slide shows and determine the key ideas you want to convey. Your skills will be honed by practicing a presentation, which is video taped and then critiqued. As a speaker, you will not only be heard . . . you will be remembered.

II. MediaTalk
Become a media powerhouse

In this time of the 12-second sound bites and virtual news, it’s important to deliver the message you want out, in case it’s replayed over and over on the Internet.

Take a pro-active approach and learn how to craft succinct, memorable messages and leverage the media interview to your advantage. Our trademark “MediaTalk” training method—more than 25 years in the making—teaches you how to generate press when you want it and encounter a crisis without crumbling. You’ll be prepared to say the right thing at the right time to the right people, even when the media shows up unexpectedly.

III. FLIP* It Around
*Financial Language Interpreted for the Public
Turn your negative budget into powerful community support

In these difficult economic times, school districts are slashing operating budgets to the bone. With fewer opportunities, student achievement will, no doubt, be adversely affected. At the same time, the accountability mandates and community expectations remain high.

It’s time to turn your negative financial picture into positive communitywide support. This seminar will focus on survey instruments and social marketing tools to ensure two-way communications and translating the complicated budget into easily understood “stories” and messages. The most effective way to “flip” this financial challenge around to your district’s advantage is to pro-actively inform and engage your community.

IV. NEWS (in a FLASH) . . . become your school’s instant messenger
During a crisis, leverage the power of your communication tools

• A minor classroom confrontation turns into worldwide news in a matter of minutes as students send photos from their cell phones.
• A schoolwide crisis attracts national media attention and suddenly you’re on network news.
• Parents demand instant information directly from the school before, during and after the crisis.

Are you ready? Can you handle it?

With today’s technology at everyone’s fingertips, news can spread instantly during an insignificant situation or a real crisis. And, as the text, video or photos hurl through cyberspace, the incident can be blown completely out of proportion. Learn how to use these same technologies, and traditional media, to your advantage as we practice real-life situations—before, during and after the crisis.

V. What’s Your School’s ID?
Build a powerhouse of community support for your school

Every school is unique, but all too frequently, few in the outside community know it. School choice, charter schools, excessive accountability measures and taxpayers’ demands make it more important than ever to tell the public about your school’s uniqueness in order to garner their support.

This engaging session helps you identify what makes your school special…and how to tell people about it. The strategies discussed are easily applied to district-level departments, too. We help you determine how you want the public to view your school and what you want them to say about it around the water cooler and in the grocery aisles.

VI. CYO* for Family Involvement
* See You Online
Using powerful technologies to strengthen family-school connections

Today’s families are constantly on the Internet researching information and communicating with one another. They are using their thumbs to talk and their eyes to listen.

Families want to stay informed about their children’s education, but they’re too busy to go to meetings at school or fill out the forms sent home.

To stay connected with your families and achieve broad-based community engagement as well, move into the world of digital communications with PANS (Pretty Awesome New Stuff). You’ll explore social media, podcasts, e-News and electronic forums in this hands-on seminar. Your knowledge level will be raised into the comfort zone. And, when you leave the seminar, you’ll be able to LWR (Launch When Ready)!

VII. May The Force of Message Be With You
Turn your messages into powerful forces of action

Have you ever thought you did a good job in communicating a concept, only to have others entirely misinterpret it? Words can be powerful, so it’s important to communicate with your staff, parents and the community in ways that help you achieve the desired results. This fast-paced training focuses on the art of crafting messages that are heard, understood and retained. We’ll share best practices and help you avoid common communication pitfalls. Whether it’s through the phone notification system or emails, written newsletters or the spoken word, you can deliver clear and concise messages that have the effect you intended.

“Advocacy can be scary stuff, but this (Voss) training will give us the confidence to take on that one-eyed monster.”

—ANNE J. THOMPSON, PRESIDENT, FLORIDA CONGRESS OF PARENTS AND TEACHERS