Impact Presenting's Public Speaking Course Amsterdam Is Back!
Presentation Skills Course Amsterdam
Amsterdam is one of our strongest markets. With its concentration of international companies and English-speaking professionals, it is an ideal location for our open-enrollment Impact Presenting courses. We run classes in the BeNeLux region 2-3 times per year.
Here are snapshots from two of our Amsterdam courses.
2019: A class of two (lucky them)
Our 2019 course at the Canal House Hotel had just two participants instead of the usual three to six. For A. and I., that meant 4-5 practice rounds each instead of the standard one. The improvements were far beyond what anyone expected.
A. is a training manager for an energy regulation group in Brussels. I. is a salesperson at a SaaS company. Despite very different roles, both benefited from the same technique: the audience poll.
The “Dare to Engage” technique
In our book Impact Presenting, Step 3 (“Dare to Engage”) teaches you to open with a question that exposes a knowledge gap or challenges a common misconception. This pulls your audience in before you show a single slide.
A. asked her audience: “How many of you know what percentage of your electric bill goes to taxes?” Most people had no idea, which led naturally into what her organization does and who they serve.
I. asked: “How much time do you think the average person spends looking at their phone per day?” Most guessed 4-5 hours. The answer is over 7. That shock factor led directly into why content matters, and what his company offers.
Opening with a relevant, surprising question makes you less anxious and more persuasive than starting with bullet-point slides.
Client review by Ian Subber
“I took Eric’s one day IMPACT Presenting workshop this month and it was very helpful! He took the time to make it personalized for the people participating and made it very interactive. We weren’t there just sitting and listening to him speak, so we were engaged the whole time. His 4-step model and tips and tricks on how to look at and prepare for presenting are nice actionable items you can take with you. I’d recommend his workshop if you’d like to improve your presenting skills.”
2022: Five nationalities, one shared challenge
Our post-pandemic class brought together five professionals from five countries: a Canadian business development representative based in Switzerland, a Russian IT project manager relocated to Amsterdam, a Norwegian HR vice president, a social media manager based in Munich, and a Kenyan scientific pre-sales consultant working for a US satellite photography company.
Despite their varying backgrounds, they shared the same challenges. Nearly everyone experiences some level of anxiety when speaking to groups. And everyone had important messages that needed to land with their audiences.
The Impact Presenting approach addresses both sides. The theoretical component covers managing speaking anxiety using the 4 R’s (Recognise, Remember, Reframe, Refocus), crafting a compelling Take-Home Message and Call to Action, and engaging your audience using the AUDIENCEE model. Then each participant gets on stage to practise in front of the class. This ensures you learn what works and what does not.
This class also covered virtual presentation basics, which remain essential in the age of remote work. Small practical hacks to improve on-camera presence and maintain audience engagement.
FAQ
Q: Who attends the Amsterdam courses? A: International professionals based in the Netherlands and across Europe. Past participants have included salespeople, HR leaders, IT managers, pre-sales consultants, and training managers from companies across multiple industries.
Q: What is covered in a one-day presentation skills course? A: The course follows a 50/50 theory-practice split. Theory covers audience analysis, message structuring, the Persuasion Pyramid (Logos, Pathos, Ethos), and anxiety management. Practice involves delivering a full presentation with live feedback from the trainer and the group.
Q: Can you run this course in-house for our team? A: Yes. We offer exclusive in-house programs on-site at your company or as an off-site retreat. Universities, governmental organizations, NGOs, and non-profits may also be eligible for a discount. Visit our in-house training page for details.
Q: How do I sign up for the next Amsterdam course? A: Check our open-enrollment calendar for upcoming dates and registration.
