Tailored Influential Communication Sessions
1–4 hours

Backpack to Briefcase to Boardroom

Suzanne incorporates over 20 years of sales, influence and training experience with her adventure travel to over 40 countries to bring audiences to the front row.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance.

In tailored keynotes that are short and sharp to long-term solutions, Suzanne F. Stevens will inspire each individual to move to action with winning results.

Ignite A Spark

Connections that Lead to Business

Business Issue: How to turn a cold call or a networking situation into a business opportunity.

Duration: 1-4 hours

Meeting people for the first time is always a challenge. The right impression must be made; but just as important, who ever you interact with needs to have a reason to want to help you or have a conversation with you after your initial call or face-to-face introduction.

Suzanne F. Stevens takes the audience through some surefire tips on how to get the attention of a prospect in a cold calling or networking situation. The audience will leave with immediate how to’s they can use that evening, the next day, or at their next networking event.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• To make an cold call that gets people listening
• How to gain access to the right person in a cold call or networking event
• How to turn networking into business

Recommended Training Program: Connecting with the Call; Networking Excellence

Avoiding the Firewall

Getting Out of Your Way to More Sales Opportunities

Business issue:  Sales people imposing their own blocks in the sales process, limiting their opportunity to sell and cross sell.

Duration: 90 minutes - 4 hours

Avoiding the Firewall - creating increased opportunity for business through a productive relationship between the sales person and the client. Often a senior sales person has allowed his or her experience to be their filter to aiding a client in solving a problem. Although this is a natural process, it can often inhibit the ability to listen and understand the clients’ perspective and experience in similar situations. Without this understanding, a sales person will be very challenged in having the ability to influence the client and create the optimal long-term business relationship.

Suzanne F. Stevens takes the audience through an interactive experience to demonstrate why an individual’s own natural tendencies may prevent them from closing more business. The audience gains a further appreciation of how individuals and organizations make decisions, and how to leverage this knowledge to promote a more connected relationship with the client, while becoming a trusted advisor to the client.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• How people make decisions in order to sell more effectively
• What is stopping you from selling more
• How to communicate key messages to people who are different from yourself
• How to become a trusted advisor

Recommended Training Program: Perception Selling

Ignite Your Competitive Difference

Standing-UP from Your Competitors

Business issue: How to differentiate yourself, product & service, and the company from your competitors.

Duration: 1-4 hours

Every business looks for an edge. Companies will frequently invest significantly to ensure that they are perceived differently from their competitors. This perception of difference can often be influenced through the messages conveyed by sales representatives. All too often, however, they fail. Why?

Everyone knows that there are many factors involved in the success or failure of a business win. The trick is to know them all and recognize the ones that count, while the outcome of the sale can still be influenced.

Many sales professionals rely on established relationships or the discovery of a particular client’s needs to win business. While this helps to get invited to the table, it may not be enough to win the business. With so many competitors to choose from, the client needs to justify their selection of a supplier or service-provider to upper-management. Knowing what and how to differentiate from your competitor is fundamental to achieving the edge you need. Differentiation is often where the business is truly won or lost.

Suzanne F. Stevens takes the audience through an interactive session that focuses on three fundamental principles for differentiating your sales team from those of your competition.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• The importance of how to differentiate yourself, offer and company from competitors
• Why it is necessary to ensure the sales rep differentiates all three throughout the sales process

Recommended Training Program: Perception Selling

Fuse the Flame

Transferring the Spark from the Seller to the Buyer

Business issue: Increasing the dollar value and the closing ratio on a sale.

Duration: 1-4 hours

In a world where every expert has a different philosophy on what makes the best sales approach, it can be challenging to break through the jargon and decide what the best tactics are for your sales team to employ to win more business.

Suzanne F. Stevens engages the audience by demonstrating how to communicate effectively throughout a sales call to ensure that the appropriate next steps are in place when the call is complete. Being influential is at the heart of achieving this goal.

The art of influence combines the ability to consult, facilitate, and sell in order to create enthusiasm in the client. Knowing in which order, and in what amount, to apply each can make the difference between a long-term client relationship and a short-term interaction, or worse, a lost sale.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• The art of influence
• How to uncover all the business opportunities for your organization
• When to consult, facilitate, sell, and why

Recommended Training Program: Perception Selling

Ignite Your Intention

Providing Vital Principles to Presenting Engaging and Influential Presentations

Business issue: How to conduct a presentation to increase business wins.

Duration: 1-4 hours

Some of the top business leaders have said the skill they have found the most useful in growing their business is the ability to present their vision and objectives. Presenting is a skill needed to help win business, build credibility, and make a lasting impression. It can impact your company and your career.

However, presenting in front of an audience is the biggest fear of many people. Feeling nervous, forgetting what to say and worrying that a message will be lost are all negative thoughts that can preoccupy presenters. Unfortunately, these feelings all focus on the presenter and his or her own capability, not on the audience and their reaction.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• How to take the focus off themselves and put it on the audience
• How to get the audience to move to action
• How to engage an audience so they remember you

Recommended Training Program: Presentation Excellence

Ignite Your Inner Flame

Create the Best Impression to Promote Productive Long-Term Business Relationships

Business issue: Create loyalty from clients and/or opportunities for advancement.

Duration: 1-4 hours

We are on a mission to be heard, to gain advancement, and to be invited to the conversation. But our mission is not being realized. We are doing everything right, we are smart; we work hard and yet no accolades. Often the perception we create is less about how hard we are working, but more about what others perception is of our character.

Suzanne F. Stevens holds a mirror up to the audience and forces them to think of how they are perceived by their peers, bosses, and possibly clients. She then offers insights into how to enhance or alter those perceptions to create the most favorable impression the moment you meet someone and throughout the business relationship.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• Eight fundamentals to creating a positive first impression
• How to take a pulse of how people perceive you
• How to change impressions that may be holding you back

Recommended Training Program: Presentation Excellence

Ignite a Win/Not Lose Business Relationship

Negotiating to Inspire Mutually Beneficial Agreements

Business issue: Navigating the obstacles in the sales process while not giving everything away to the client.

Duration: 1-4 hours

Sales people often forget that they too have power in the negotiation process. Far too often sales people feel that in order to keep an account they have to give the client everything they want - often at the expense of their own company’s objectives.

In an interactive talk, Suzanne F. Stevens takes you through some of the fundamentals in the negotiations and discusses the challenges that keep companies negotiating the best deal with the best intention of commitment to that deal from both parties perspective. Sales people often realize that they are not always in the position of strength or vulnerability.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• The fundamentals involved in a well executed negotiation
• How to gain leverage in a negotiation
• How to work toward an agreement with the highest level of commitment

Recommended Training Program: Negotiation Excellence

Ignite a Fire Within Your Team, Not Under It

How to Communicate so your Team Works in Harmony Toward a Common Goal

Business issue: Dealing with colleagues can often be a challenge when people are under stress: timelines are tight or there is an increased demand on performance. Successful execution involves communicating with colleagues. When stress is high, the first thing to go is communications.

Duration: 1-4 hours

The productivity of a team is often based on their ability to communicate most effectively with each other. When the company is performing well and people are being recognized for their contribution and achievements, the lack of communications is not as evident or as impactful. However, when times are tough, stress is high, timelines are not being met, communications begins to lack - if it was ever there in the first place. We realize that now we are misunderstood, misrepresented and mistrusted.

In this session, Suzanne F. Stevens discusses the importance of internal communications. This highly energetic discussion is about creating empathy amongst our colleagues. Colleagues will be faced with the reality of how to communicate when emotions are high, there is an increase in business politics, and experiences and cultures are different. This talk appreciates that treating people differently is not something that should be frowned upon, but encourage in order to get the best out of each person no matter if they are working with a peer, superior or a direct report.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• What motivates their colleagues
• How to become more empathetic
• How to defuse a situation to make a productive work relationship

Recommended Training Program: Influence Without Authority

Keep the Fire Ablaze

Communicating Effectively from the Moment Business is Won Through the Execution

Business issue: Communicate effectively expectations and best practices in order to execute a profitable project.

Duration: 1-4 hours

When an organization has successfully won new business, they may appear to the new client like a well-oiled machine. In reality, however, are they really prepared, from the front-lines back, to deliver the goods? Once the project starts, so should communications. Unfortunately, this can also be when miscommunication begins. The structure, the process, and the people may be in place and ready to go, but when it is time to implement a project, essential communications between colleagues can be lacking. Ineffective communication can delay a project or result in a poorly executed program, jeopardizing the organization’s standing with the hard-won client.

In this session, Suzanne F. Stevens discusses the importance of internal communications. This highly energetic discussion is about empowering individuals who have no authority over the people with whom they must interact daily. She talks of how, in order to influence our colleagues, we need to create the perception of integrity among colleagues. Integrity is necessary in internal communications. Without it, the long-term positive relationships with our colleagues will suffer.

Suzanne F. Stevens walks the audience through the 6 principles of promoting effective communication in colleague-to-colleague interaction to advocate respect, responsiveness, and harmony among colleagues to achieving company and client expectations.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• What the key elements are to gain trust and keep it
• How to communicate a clear message
• Understanding how to influence a colleague to reach a common goal in the required time

Recommended Training Program: Influence Without Authority

Ignite a Blaze

How to Spark Your Expertise so You Get Buy-in

Business issue: Inspiring C level and Executives influencers to buy into your ideas and take action.

Duration: 1-4 hours

Making others understand a point-of-view or embrace an idea is a core skill for any communicator who wants to get buy-in for a communications strategy. It can often be a difficult task, without the authority, to make yourself heard. Influence is about making your point-of-view heard through the clutter and personal biases we all encounter in the workplace. This skill will help you effectively generate support for your ideas and sell them within the organization. Core elements of influential communication will be discussed. Ideas and approaches on how to "be heard" at the boardroom table, with your colleagues and clients.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• Why people may not act on or accept our ideas
• How people at all levels in an organization make decisions
• Gain insight to how you can communicate ideas and be heard

Recommended Training Program: Influence Without Authority

Ignite the Generations

Inspiring the Four Generations in the Workforce

Business issue: Creating an environment for all the generations to excel while appreciated the independent needs of all employees.

Duration: 1-4 hours

As people stay in the workforce longer, and fewer people are replacing the workforce that has left; holding on to the top talent becomes more and more of a challenge. Each generation: traditionalists, Boomers, X and Y have a different set of values, expectations, and skill level. How do you make sure that you can create an environment that you can appeal to many of their requirements so you can hold on to your top talent?

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn to:

• Motivate the four generations to commit and excel
• Tailor a message to each generation
• Appeal to individual values while aligning with team values

Recommended Training Program: Communication Through Change

Fuel for the Fire

How to Effectively Communicate Through Change

Business issue: Change is constant, but buy-in to change is sporadic. How people need to communicate to increase the buy-in to the change initiatives.

Duration: 1-4 hours

With the constant change in the market, mergers, acquisitions and growth, the only time changes stop is when something ceases to exist. Corporate culture is often questioned, the future of employees uncertain, and the opportunity for aspiring employees vague. In an ever-changing world, it is challenging to keep the people who are making the decision to change and the people that need to implement the change in alignment.

In an interactive talk, Suzanne F. Stevens will discuss what people’s natural reactions are to change and provide strategies on how to communicate that change in order to get the fastest traction to a new initiative, cultural modification, or a growth strategy.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• Understand the multitude of reactions to change
• How to communicate change from the top
• How to continue to reinforce the change

Recommended Training Program: Communication Through Change

Back To Top

Carrier of the Flame

Inspiring your Team to Align with the Company Vision

Business issue: Aligning all members of the team to a common goal.

Duration: 1-4 hours

It has been said, “a company is only as good as its weakest link”. This statement holds true as companies continue to grow and change. And as the evolution of the company is inevitable it is up to the management to communicate the vision to their teams as a whole and then to gain buy-in from each member of the team. In order to align a team with the corporate vision and culture, managers must be perceived with credibility, integrity, and commitment. Achieving this is often a daunting task and is impossible if the manager themselves is not an ambassador of the company’s initiatives and vision. Therefore, it is essential that all leaders attempt to gain buy-in to the vision so it is realized.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• How each member of your team makes decisions
• Taking the corporate message to tailoring to each member of the team
• How to reinforce the message in a multitude of platforms

Recommended Training Program: Leadership Excellence

Rekindle the Flame Within

How to Regain the Momentum of a Motivated Employee 

Business issue: One of your top employees is losing momentum and needs to be reengaged to renew commitment and productivity

Duration: 1-4 hours

You have invested a lot of time and money in your best employees in the hope that they are content. They are usually motivated and go after what they want, but for some reason, they have lost their steam. They need support, or do they? Something is stopping them from getting to the next level and you need to identify it, in order to keep an invested employee motivated.

Suzanne F. Stevens will take your team on a journey where she was climbing not the biggest mountain, but a mountain that is achievable to most people with the right training - Kilimanjaro. She will share with you the communication challenges that occurred and why her summit was never realized. This is a story that most people can relate to, as it was achievable. It is a story of mind over matter. What mattered is that no one minded. A physical journey, but also a journey of communications.

As a speaker, trainer, and coach, Suzanne's mantra is: "We perform at our best at the edge or our comfort zone". In Suzanne's high-energy, interactive presentation her goal is to take people to the edge. She achieves that by bringing her backpack, briefcase, and boardroom experiences to inspire individuals to elevate their sales performance. Ignite Excellence's researched influence philosophies (socioValue Influencers™) and consultative sales practices are used to challenge each individual in their perception and ability to communicate with influence, while being able to differentiate themselves, their offer, and their company, in order to engage more people and win more business.

Attendees will learn:

• How to pay attention to your surroundings
• What people need when they very rarely ask for help
• How to keep the overall vision as the focal point

Recommended Training Program: Leadership Excellence