Case Studies : Presentation/Speaker Skills

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

The Challenge
Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, an enduring CommCore client since 2002, sought our presentation training to prepare its medical specialists to give peer-to-peer talks on cardiovascular disease research and development. One of Novartis’ and key opinion leader speaker bureaus distinctive areas of innovation was hypertension treatment, and its Diovan and Lotrel medications were leaders in this market.

Novartis developed the Patient Integrated Learnings (PILs) case-based program, in which specialists in cardiology, nephrology and endocrinology presented the latest medical data to their healthcare peers in small group or dinner environments. Novartis sought CommCore’s experienced consultants to deliver rigid speaker and facilitation training to coach their physicians for these PILs presentations.  

The Strategy
CommCore’s experience in delivering customized, peer-level communications coaching to leaders in the medical and scientific fields enabled us to develop a unique presentation and facilitation skills program.  While our coaching modules and communication theory are practical and applicable to any situation, we focused on rehearsing the types of presentations that the physicians faced most often: complex scientific talks in interactive, small group environments among medical professionals.

CommCore’s program was designed to enhance each presenter’s ability to educate peer audiences on the latest scientific data on hypertension and its Diovan and Lotrel products.  The workshop included teaching distinct skills of a facilitator.  Our coaching targeted the specific areas of the participants’ presentations that could benefit from additional refinement, such as highlighting key points on a complex slide, presenting scientific information, developing a compelling opener and preparing for difficult questions.

The Results
CommCore successfully conducted over 250 workshops for Novartis.  We trained over 5,000 physicians in 25 cities.

• Key opinion leaders delivered and facilitated more clear and compelling talks and discussions that raised the level of care for hypertensive patients.
• Diovan is currently the #1 prescribed medication in its class by cardiologists and primary care physicians, despite its second place entry into the market.
• Since 2002, Lotrel has been the #1 fixed combination treatment for hypertension in the US.

Testimonials

• ”This was an excellent informative presentation; the moderator was very effective in getting his point across and was very interesting.”
  Sheldon Lebovitz, MD

• “I truly enjoyed the course; [it was] engaging and friendly. Excellent interaction!”
  Gabriel Fernandez, MD

• “Much more interesting and focused than the typical speaker presentation skills seminar.” 
  Edward Julie, MD

Services Provided

Facilitation Skills Training

Presentation Skills Training

Industry:  Pharmaceutical

American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

The Strategy
In 2004, CommCore helped to create the Ambassador Program which has become one of the AICPA’s most successful outreach programs for the organization in the past 10 years.
It is a multi-pronged persuasive communications, reputation management and public relations initiative which “certifies” CPAs to become speakers or Ambassadors for the industry. 

The topics they speak on include recruitment, financial literacy, the importance of aiding small businesses and working in the public interest. The venues in which the Ambassadors “sell” the accounting industry include local/national broadcast and print media, town hall meetings, regulatory panels, and key note speeches.

The Ambassador program is designed to enhance each presenter’s ability to educate peer audiences on the four key message quadrants: student recruitment, financial literacy, working in the public interest, and partnering with small business for success.

The Results
For the past four years, CommCore has delivered over 100 workshops in nearly 50 states with over 1,200 CPA Ambassadors trained. 
We have also provided communication counsel to AICPA Chairmen, special committees and conducted media pitching workshops at their large conference, Interchange.

Services Provided

Media Skills Training

Presentation Skills Training

Media Pitching

Media Relations

Message Development

Leadership Skills

Industry:  Association

Qualcomm

The Challenge
One of the world’s largest wireless communication solution providers found its engineers and scientists running into difficulty during presentation.  Qualcomm sought CommCore’s help in meeting several objectives:

• Train the group on efficiently speaking to the company’s three key messages in a media interactive setting
• Train company engineers to speak with greater ease to a non-technical / non-academic audience
• Educate telecommunications industry analysts 

The Strategy
CommCore met with the Marketing and Public Relations Manager to determine the team’s baseline presentation skill and delivery style.  CommCore then developed specific recommendations and learning objectives based on this analysis.  In addition to the challenge of meeting the learning objectives, the scope of the training presented another challenge.  Several dozen executives needed to complete the training, none of whom had much time to dedicate to it.

CommCore devised a plan, including an on-going training schedule for all participants.

 The Results
The participants reported greater level of ease speaking to non-technical and non-academic audiences.  The organization was grateful for the valuable coaching CommCore provided.
 
Ancillary benefits of the training included:

• More confidence in presenting and communicating with clients and prospects
• More clear, concise and focused communication

Services Provided

Message Development

Presentation Skills Training

Industry: Technology

National Aeronautical and Space Administration

This case study is an example of message development, high-profile media relations and senior level presentation skills.

CommCore consultants have worked with the National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA).  Our challenge was to train senior NASA engineers to testify in Congress, as well as meet the media, to explain in plain English how they planned to fix the Hubble Telescope when it was sending back unclear photos.  Our best work was helping to translate “At 23:50 we’re going to effect an EVA and recalibrate the module.”

The testimony and interviews were sufficiently compelling to sway Congress to authorize additional funds for the repair of the telescope.  The media events surrounding these presentations were favorable in large part due to the persuasive and understandable language we helped craft for the technicians.

Services Provided:
Media Training
Message Development
Presentation Training

Industry:  Aerospace

Consumer Electronics Company (blinded)

The Challenge
In 2005, Company ABC was recognized as a world leader in consumer electronics and appliances.  They needed to ready divisional leaders across the world to speak primarily to the Western media about their technical expertise, business forecasts, and their ability to make returns to investors.  At the time, Company ABC had a 10-year relationship with a Top 5 Public Relations Firm.  This PR firm recommended CommCore based on our capability and experience writing and executing multi-faceted programs for media skills, presentation skills and message development. 

The Strategy
The program required training of several executives in South Korea. The program had to capture company feedback, recommendations, benchmarks, and reporting from CommCore that would then be communicated through the ranks at Company ABC to Senior Management.  We kicked off the engagement with a pilot program for the Global Marketing team, Division Presidents and CEOs that focused on enhancing media skills.  Refresher sessions where scheduled for those executives selected for press activities. These follow-up sessions provided in-depth training and strategy for the specific media outlets and spokespeople involved.

The Results
Company ABC found CommCore’s programming so valuable and robust that they made it part of their annual reviews of company executives.  To date, CommCore has worked with Company ABC’s two Vice Chairmen, all five division CEOs and 70 division managers.  We also prepared a Vice Chairman for a keynote speech at EFA, the European equivalent of the COMDEX meeting.  CommCore’s approach and proven curricula continues to impress Company ABC and their PR agency.  The initial media training assignment in Seoul, South Korea has grown to include media, presentation and message development programs in Korea, India, Singapore, Japan, Canada and across Europe.

Services Provided:

Media Training

Presentation Training

Message Development

Industry:  Electronics

Architect of the Capitol

This case study illustrates senior official presentation evaluation, message development, coaching, and rigorous question and answer training for Congressional testimony.

CommCore Consulting Group was retained to coach the Architect of the Capitol for testimony regarding budgets and specific items for remodeling of the Capitol building. This assignment was particularly complex due to budget constraints in Congress while at the same time a compelling need to overhaul the very building congress worked in every day.

CommCore assisted the official to develop a metaphor to help explain the delicate issues of cost overruns and delays.  The Architect began his five minute statement comparing the Capitol building with a vintage Ford Thunderbird auto that needed to install a catalytic converter.  It’s much easier to buy a new car with all the emissions technology, but it may not look as nice, the official explained.

This opening statement helped set a better tone in what was a difficult hearing.

Services Provided:
Presentation Training
Message Development
Witness Preparation Training

Industry: Government

Global Retail/Commercial Bank (blinded)

The Challenge
One of the world’s largest retail and commercial bank’s Debt Capital Markets division found its teams consistently in the running to acquire new clients and expand existing client relationships.  However, the head of the division felt their “win rate” wasn’t as high as it could be, especially considering that the investment representatives were seasoned, senior executives who had been trained by sales coaches many times in the past.  Indeed, their proposals, recommendations and “flip books” were best-in-industry, but their presentation was identified as a weak area.

The Strategy
CommCore met with the division leader, one of the team leaders and a representative from marketing and probed with specific questions about the team’s baseline presentation skill and delivery style.  CommCore then developed specific recommendations and learning objectives based on these objectives, the scope of the training presented another challenge.  Several dozen executives needed to complete the training, none of whom had much time to dedicate to it.

CommCore devised a plan, including a training schedule for all participants. We then customized a training format, which rolled out as the “CommCore Clinic”.  In this format, five to six spent 90 minutes with the lead consultant working through all of the modules, techniques, communication theory and message development exercises.

Participants then returned for a 90-minute to two-hour, one-on-one session to practice the techniques learned in the group session, applying them to their individual roles and specific areas of expertise. The one-on-one sessions concluded with role-play, rehearsals and critique of prospect pitches and client presentation scenarios.

The Results
The executives reported higher success rates and more business wins. Executives felt the CommCore Clinic provided valuable coaching, and they thanked their division head and marketing support for securing it.
Ancillary benefits of the training included:

• More confidence in presenting and communicating with clients and prospects
• More clear, concise and focused communication
• More executives leading prospect pitches, rather than relying on a few divisional “stars”.

Services Provided:

Message Development

Presentation Skills Training

Industry:  Finance

Parke-Davis

The Challenge
Launching a new drug into a crowded market is always a challenge.  In 1999, Parke-Davis (Warner Lambert) were ready to launch what we now refer to as the largest selling medicine for treating high cholesterol.

Yet, when approved by the FDA, it was not the first drug in the “statin” category. Therefore, the public relations and communications efforts had to include an extensive and creative outreach and education campaign to reach both lay and scientific audiences across the globe.   

The Strategy
With messages to develop and refine, and hundreds of spokespeople to train, CommCore worked with the clients to provide a deep bench of experienced consultants to deliver consistent advice and coaching in scores of locations throughout the U.S. and abroad.

CommCore was tasked with collaborating with the public relations agencies, product managers, in-house corporate communication specialists, management, as well as logistics companies and investor relations firms to implement this large-scale training initiative.  We were able to coach internal and external spokespeople, clinical trial investigators, key opinion leaders and even celebrities and athletes.

The Results
CommCore was part of the launch and ongoing communications team, successfully conducting workshops over several years.   

• Key opinion leaders spoke in consistent and understandable terms to reach the millions of potential patients who suffer from high cholesterol and related heart ailments
• Lipitor remains the most successful selling pharmaceutical in history
• Since its launch, CommCore has continued to coach counsel and advise spokespeople and scientists to speak to issues, advancements and patent status
• CommCore has coached spokespeople throughout the U.S. and in most countries where the drug is marketed
• By 2008, revenues were more than $13 billion with 26 million Americans prescribed to the drug.

Services Provided:

Media Training

Presentation Skills Training

Message Development

Industry: Healthcare / Pharmaceutical

General Motors

CommCore’s experience at General Motors is as diverse as the automaker’s product line.  For 20 years, we have worked with divisions from every continent (except Antarctica) for:

• Message Development
• Media Training
• Crisis Simulations and Response
• Senior Executive Communications Coaching
• Auto Show Preparation

We have worked with Cadillac, Saab, Pontiac, Buick, Saturn, Opel, Hummer, Holden brands, and just about every type of vehicle including the electric powered Volt, sports cars, sedans, SUVs and crossovers. 

GM asked CommCore to assist on Crisis Response during the CK-Pickup Truck controversy.  We have conducted crisis simulations for “Ride and Drive” events. CommCore provided counsel related to labor/management negotiations. 

Our favorite GM assignment: Driving a Corvette on a race track in Germany.

Service Provided:
Media Traning
Messaging
Presentation
Crisis

Industry Related:  Automotive