Tips for Presenters

Selling Your Workshop with the Description
If you write descriptions for your master classes or workshops, remember that you're selling the event, just like an ad sells a service or product. Which of the following two workshops would you be most compelled to spend your money on?

#1: Join Charlie Brown for his famous FAB ABS workshop. He'll make you sweat as he takes you on a journey beyond any other core workout you've experienced. You'll leave this session with new ideas and moves that'll knock your participants' socks off.

OR

#2: In this back-by-popular-demand workshop, Charlie Brown explains the concept of core training, including why it's important for your participants to learn. Discover simple strategies for how to clearly instruct the recruitment of core muscles in a group exercise setting. You'll leave this workshop with a host of new ab-training ideas and a tried-and-true framework for designing your own core conditioning class.

Hopefully you chose description #2. Why? Because it provides specific information about what to expect. The language in description #1 is vague, which makes it difficult to picture exactly what you might get out of the session.

People want to be clear about what they're spending their time and money on, or which workshops to choose at a big conference with lots of competing sessions. Remember this the next time you compose your workshop descriptions.

>From Newsletter 11, May 2002

As a Professional Writer, I Offer This Advice for Writing Bios
Next time you write your bio for a brochure or upcoming workshop, don't make this common mistake: “As an experienced personal trainer, clients are drawn to Charlie Brown's extensive knowledge of fitness.”

This is grammatically incorrect because the subject in the first part of the sentence (the trainer) does not agree with the subject in the second part (the clients). Charlie Brown is the experienced personal trainer, not the clients.

Right way: “As an experienced personal trainer, Charlie Brown draws clients with his extensive knowledge of fitness.”

>From Newsletter 9, March 2002

4 Simple Steps to Seeing Your Name in Print*
Authoring articles is one way to see your name in print and market your fitness product, service or facility, but so is getting your name and company/product mentioned in articles written by other people.

Almost every article I write includes quotations from health/fitness experts. That means I'm constantly on the lookout for reliable and articulate sources—and so are the other fitness writers and editors I know. How do we select the experts we interview?

Although high-profile fitness professionals are often the obvious choice, they are by no means the only choice. In fact, I know firsthand that some magazines are purposely looking for fresh names. Here are just some of the criteria I use when selecting experts.

1. Trade Magazines. I often look to fitness trade magazines like IDEA Health & Fitness Source for interviewees. If, for example, I'm writing an article on exercising in the pool, I may comb the trade mags for experts who have written on this topic. But I'm looking for more than just a byline (i.e., author credit). See below for more on this.

2. Bios with Email Addresses. In addition to the byline, I look for the writer's published bio. If there's an email address or website, I am much more likely to consider that person for a source in my own article. Why? Checking out a website is a quick and easy way to do research on the potential source; also, the readily available contact information saves me time.

3. Fitness Conventions. I get a lot of story ideas from fitness conventions. I also like to seek out presenters who may be good expert sources. I often float from one workshop to another collecting handouts. My hope is that these handouts will contain the presenters' contact info, including email addresses.

4. Just Tell Me. Sometimes I quote fitness professionals in my articles simply because they let me know they are available, either through a press release, an email or in person.

Would you like to be included in my database of expert sources? Simply email me your bio, contact info and a few sentences about your areas of health/fitness expertise and experience. If I'm able to use you as a source in future articles, I'll contact you. Of course, there's no obligation on your part. If you're too busy, just let me know as soon as possible that you're not available.

*Read about the Secrets to Scoring Publicity in Top Women’s Fitness Magazines CD or Be a Quotable Fitness Pro workshop.

>From Newsletter 23, June 2003

Identify Effective Verbs for Writing Learning Objectives

Many fitness professionals make the same mistake when writing learning objectives for workshop handouts, clients programs and certification courses. It's a problem that can be easily corrected in a matter of seconds.

When writing learning objectives, you must clearly define what you expect the student or client to ultimately accomplish. A properly written learning objective uses verbs that describe measurable behavior and performance. For example:

Instead of: *Understand* basic exercises for working the core.
Try: *Identify* basic exercises for working the core.

Instead of: *Learn* the main elements of a safe and effective step class.
Try: *Explain* the main elements of a safe and effective step class.

Instead of: *Recognize* the major muscles in the body.
Try: *Name* the major muscles in the body.

Other good verbs for writing learning objectives: analyze, demonstrate, define, outline, discuss, list.

>From Newsletter 55, March 2006