Colleen Rickenbacher leads audiences, large and small, all ages, through her exciting and action-oriented presentations. Personalized for every need or request, Colleen delivers custom-made speeches designed for any audience no matter the size or the age.

One-On-One Consultation (Private or Small Groups)

Do you need some personal assistance? If so, let Colleen help you out.

Consulting topics:

• Dining Etiquette
• Worried about a special dinner and which fork to use?
• Dining etiquette made easy and enjoyable
• When do you start to eat?
• How to eat
• Who pays the bill?
• How do you pass food or items during the meal?
• Do you bring a gift if invited to a home for dinner?
• Do you send thank you notes after a dinner?
• How do you handle buffets?
• Learn how to feel comfortable during any meal from start to finish

• Interviewing For That New Job or Your First Job
• Not sure what to wear
• What questions to ask during the interview
• How to follow-up
• Starting your new job


• Presentation Skills
• Presenting for business or personal situations
• Feeling comfortable no matter the size of the group or the purpose of your presentation
• Conquer your fears of presenting
• Being prepared and confident


• First Impressions and How to Improve
• Appearance
• Handshakes
• Introductions
• Business card exchange

• Cell phone etiquette
• E-mail protocol
• Proper responding (RSVPs)
• Telephone etiquette

• Manners and customs dealing globally

Other customized topics available
One session or continuous sessions

Great Consultation Programs for You or to Give as a Gift to a Co-worker, Family or Friend

Communication: Business Etiquette

Are you one of those people that everyone gets upset with when your phone rings in a restaurant, theater or church? Communication technology is becoming more advanced, portable and commonplace, and issues about using it are escalating. Learn proper etiquette for e-mail, phones and all electrical devices. This means no BlackBerry under the table at the next Board meeting.

RSVP

Do you respond? You should. Whether you plan to attend or not, a response is required for invitations. No matter the size or formality of the event, a response is required within the designated time frame. This includes you’re an invitation to a child’s birthday party, the wedding or office event. But remember to pay attention to the invitation. The names that appear on the invitation are all that are invited.

Business Card Exchange

Proper protocol for exchanging business cards can make the difference. Generally the handshake and business card exchange will be your first impression with a client or a new acquaintance. Make it your best. First of all, always have your business cards with you. Never leave home without them. Learn the tips that will separate you from your competition by knowing the proper exchange instead of throwing them across the table to a new client.

Business Dress: Or is it Business Casual?

You don’t have to look like a model to be professionally dressed and make a good impression. Learn to coordinate your apparel and be prepared for whatever setting or encounter – the office, a reception, or a night on the town. Get sensible tips to fit your style, shape, age and budget. Does your office need a dress code or some helpful suggestions? Colleen can suggest or review your existing dress code policy and assist with updating and implementation of a proper office decorum.

How to Get the Best Connection

When you enter a reception or event, do you automatically seek out someone you know, head up to the bar or attack the buffet? Most people find comfort in one of these locations or just talking to a friend or co-worker throughout the entire event. Nice for friendship and a good time, but disastrous for new business. Learn how to mix with the right people, keep a conversation going without doing all the talking, chit-chat skills, and using the business card to your advantage. Make your next encounter a profitable experience instead of a nightmare that you dread or just a fun gathering with friends, free food and drinks.

Dining Etiquette: Steps to Confidence

Which fork do I use? Is that your bread plate or mine? What if I just took their napkin by accident? Learn the basics and be comfortable in the most formal dining settings or entertaining a client/customer over a meal. Table etiquette and hosting skills should be second-nature to anyone who entertains clients. More and more interviews are being conducted over a meal to select the well-rounded candidate to fill positions in companies. Can you handle this test?

Children’s Etiquette

They are never too young to start to learn to sit at a table for a meal. You can’t expect your children to know how to act, eat or even just sit if you haven’t started them with some guidelines at home. I t is difficult for a five-year old to sit for hours in a restaurant. They do need to know how to use their fork and spoon, properly ask to be excused, how to pass foods and not talk after they just put a huge bite in their mouth. Colleen is the Etiquette Consultant with the Mansion on Turtle Creek. Her classes are conducted throughout the year for ages 5-12 and 13-18. To learn more about these classes and the schedule contact Erika Gonzalez at the Mansion on Turtle Creek at 214.520.5846 or by e-mail to Erika.Gonzalez at Erika Gonzalez@rosewoohotels.com. You can also visit the Web site at www.mansiononturtlecreek.com under Culinary Calendar of Events. Special classes may also be scheduled independently for children, high school or college age students. These classes will vary in programs and skills depending on the age and requests of participants. Possible topics include dining etiquette, job interviews, dress and appearance, and communication skills with cell phones, text messaging and all electrical devices.

Presentation Skills

Do you know your audience, how do you look when you speak to an individual or a room full of people, and are you getting your point across in a concise and exact message? Learn tips on how it works, and what doesn’t, to improve your presentation skills. It doesn’t matter if you are speaking to one or 1001, it all matters in how you deliver.

Customer and Clients Service: The Secrets of Taking Care of Business

As we move at a faster pace, we often forget the basics of taking care of clients. Learn how to provide good service from start to finish. Discover little acts of kindness that will make you memorable to your customers, achieve differentiation, and build your business. Great service is the key to retaining your clients and taking you steps above your competition.

The Virtual Office: Working from Home

Learn how to succeed in today’s non-traditional workplace from someone who has done it herself. Discover whether you have the discipline and personality it takes to work from a home office. Learn the costs and the advantages and disadvantages of telecommuting or running a business from a home setting.

Motivation

With the pace of modern technology, business needs continue to change. Through Colleen’s motivational tips, help your staff cope during difficult times of low morale, high employee turnover, or just plain burnout. It is easy to fall into slumps in the workplace. So how do you change the positioning of the company to become an enjoyable atmosphere and a joy to get up in the morning and head out the door? The answer is not always money. Find out what your employees like and want to stay a dedicated employee and give back to the company.

Travel Safety

Do you take all the necessary precautions while you are traveling, shopping at the local mall or walking from your office parking lot? Learn facts and statistics on a multitude of safety issues travelers are potentially exposed to when traveling either domestically or globally. Are you also aware of all the latest airport security requirements from 3-1-1 to which countries you can only carry one bag on board with you. Not only do airport regulations change slightly from city to city, airline to airline but also country to country.

Packing for that Trip

Did you forget something, pack the wrong clothes, bring too many suitcases or arrived totally wrinkled. Provided that your luggage even made it with you, plan and prepare for recreational travel as well as business.

International Protocol

Colleen’s next book Be On Your Best Cultural Behavior will be released in early 2008 will cover 30 countries and the do’s and don’ts about dealing, traveling and handling yourself globally. Each chapter will provide tips on each country including their location, geography, communication, transportation within the country, punctuality, meeting manners, business card exchange, entertaining, forms of address, greetings and introductions, tipping guidelines, appearance/attire for each country, gift giving, their holidays and festivals, ten language tips, gesture awareness and faux pas you don’t want to commit. Each chapter is presented in an easy format to be used as a checklist for the next business trip to just helpful guidelines for an exciting personal get-away.

These tips can be presented to your company as an overview or specific counties can be highlighted. The book will be available on-line, through Amazon.com and bookstores. A pre-order form is available under Order Products.

More topics are available and all programs are custom designed to fit your group, your needs and your etiquette or protocol requests.