Sample of Bill Cole's
Pre-Program Survey to Participants

May 5, 2004

Dear Meeting Attendee,

I am looking forward to your participation in my May 15th presentation, The Mental Game Of Speaking--Peak Performance For Presenters. This program will focus on how to achieve peak performance. We will not directly address platform mechanics, staging, topic development or speech construction. What we will learn, however, is how to be more polished, more at ease and more connected to our audience and to bring forth our best performances more often, when we need them most.

Here are some questions for you to review and bring with you (in your head or on paper) to the presentation. Your answers can remain private if you wish, but please read these questions now, so the presentation has more meaning for you. If you wish, you may send these to me in advance.

1. How do you define peak performance on the platform?

2. How would you rate yourself in your ability to handle speaker's nerves?

3. What approaches have you used in your attempts to handle speaker's nerves?

4. Which ones have worked?

5. Which ones have not worked?

6. What system do you use now to achieve inspired, top-level performance when you speak?

7. Describe your best performance when speaking. What was that experience like?

8. Describe your worst performance when speaking. What was that experience like?

Please answer the following questions and return to Bill Cole by fax, e-mail or snail mail prior to the program.

1. What do you hope to learn about the art of performing?

2. What performance tools and skills do you want to leave with?

3. What is your background in attending presentation skills trainings?

4. What is your experience level as a speaker? (starting, 5 years, 10 years, veteran, etc.)

5. What is your background in any type of peak performance, sport psychology, stress management or self-improvement training?

Wear comfortable clothing on April 15th. We will be active with indoor games and group experiences. The room is large, so bring extra layers just in case. Food and drink will be provided, so if you will be unable to attend, please let us know as far in advance as possible to make the head count accurate and to help reduce costs.

There will be plenty of break time for networking so bring your elevator speech and lots of business cards! To share with the group, please bring at least one humorous platform performance experience that either happened to you, or that you observed as an audience member.

Please let me know how I can make your participation more valuable and rewarding.

I am looking forward to seeing you!!

Best Regards,
Bill

Return this questionnaire via email to Bill@MentalGameCoach.com or fax it to 408-298-9525 or mail it to: Bill Cole, Procoach Systems, 19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358.