BSBCMM401

Make a presentation
Learner Guide
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Table of Contents

Unit of Competency .......................................................................................................................... 4

Application ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Performance Criteria............................................................................................................................ 5
Foundation Skills .................................................................................................................................. 6
Assessment Requirements ................................................................................................................... 7
1. Prepare a presentation .................................................................................................................. 8
1.1 – Plan and document presentation approach and intended outcomes ............................................ 9
Why present? ....................................................................................................................................... 9
Key aspects of presenting .................................................................................................................... 9
The six Ps of presenting ..................................................................................................................... 11
Activity 1A .......................................................................................................................................... 13
1.2 – Choose presentation strategies, format and delivery methods that match the characteristics of
the target audience, location, resources and personnel needed .......................................................... 14
Choosing presentation strategies, format and delivery methods ..................................................... 14
Presentation strategies ...................................................................................................................... 15
Considering the audience .................................................................................................................. 15
Understanding participant characteristics or special needs .............................................................. 16
Activity 1B .......................................................................................................................................... 18
1.3 – Select presentation aids, materials and techniques that suit the format and purpose of the
presentation, and will enhance audience understanding of key concepts and central ideas............... 19
Learning principles ............................................................................................................................. 19
Group discussion or brainstorming.................................................................................................... 21
Role plays or case studies .................................................................................................................. 22
Use of extra resources and demonstrations ...................................................................................... 23
A dynamic opener .............................................................................................................................. 24
Activity 1C .......................................................................................................................................... 26
1.4 – Brief others involved in the presentation on their roles/responsibilities within the presentation
............................................................................................................................................................... 27
Briefing others.................................................................................................................................... 27
Activity 1D .......................................................................................................................................... 28
1.5 – Select techniques to evaluate presentation effectiveness ........................................................... 29
Appropriate measures of presentation effectiveness ....................................................................... 29
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Activity 1E........................................................................................................................................... 30
2. Deliver a presentation ................................................................................................................. 31
2.1 – Explain and discuss desired outcomes of the presentation with the target audience ................. 32
Discussing desired outcomes with the audience ............................................................................... 32
Your expectations .............................................................................................................................. 33
Activity 2A .......................................................................................................................................... 34
2.2 – Use presentation aids, materials and examples to support target audience understanding of key
concepts and central ideas .................................................................................................................... 35
Use of presentation aids .................................................................................................................... 35
Setting up presentation aids .............................................................................................................. 36
Activity 2B .......................................................................................................................................... 37
2.3 – Monitor non-verbal and verbal communication of participants to promote attainment of
presentation outcomes .......................................................................................................................... 38
Monitoring communication of participants ....................................................................................... 38
Activity 2C .......................................................................................................................................... 39
2.4 – Use persuasive communication techniques to secure audience interest .................................... 40
Adopting persuasive communication techniques.............................................................................. 40
Body language .................................................................................................................................... 40
Types of communication .................................................................................................................... 42
Good listening skills............................................................................................................................ 43
Activity 2D .......................................................................................................................................... 44
2.5 – Provide opportunities for participants to seek clarification on central ideas and concepts, and
adjust the presentation to meet participant needs and preferences ................................................... 45
Providing opportunities for participants to seek clarification ........................................................... 45
Responding to questions.................................................................................................................... 46
Types of questions ............................................................................................................................. 46
Activity 2E........................................................................................................................................... 48
2.6 – Summarise key concepts and ideas at strategic points to facilitate participant understanding .. 49
Summarising key concepts................................................................................................................. 49
Key aspects of presenting .................................................................................................................. 50
Activity 2F........................................................................................................................................... 51
3. Review the presentation ............................................................................................................. 52
3.1 – Implement techniques to review the effectiveness of the presentation ..................................... 53
Reviewing presentation effectiveness ............................................................................................... 53
Activity 3A .......................................................................................................................................... 56
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3.2 – Seek and discuss reactions to the presentation from participants or from key personnel involved
in the presentation ................................................................................................................................ 57
Seeking reaction from participants .................................................................................................... 57
Participant feedback template........................................................................................................... 58
Presenter reflection template............................................................................................................ 59
Activity 3B .......................................................................................................................................... 60
3.3 – Utilise feedback from the audience or from key personnel involved in the presentation to make
changes to central ideas presented ....................................................................................................... 61
Utilising feedback ............................................................................................................................... 61
Activity 3C .......................................................................................................................................... 62
Summative Assessments........................................................................................................................ 63
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Unit of Competency
Application

This unit covers the skills and knowledge required to prepare, deliver and review a presentation to a
target audience.

This unit applies to individuals who may be expected to make presentations for a range of purposes,
such as marketing, training and promotions. They contribute well developed communication skills in
presenting a range of concepts and ideas.

No licensing, legislative or certification requirements apply to this unit at the time of publication.

Unit Mapping Information

BSBCMM401A: Make a presentation – Equivalent unit

Unit Sector

Communication – Interpersonal Communication

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Performance Criteria
Element Performance Criteria
Elements describe the Performance criteria describe the performance needed to
essential outcomes. demonstrate achievement of the element.

1. Prepare a 1.1 Criteria like this

presentation 1.2 Choose presentation strategies, format and delivery
methods that match the characteristics of the target
audience, location, resources and personnel needed
1.3 Select presentation aids, materials and techniques that suit
the format and purpose of the presentation, and will
enhance audience understanding of key concepts and
central ideas
1.4 Brief others involved in the presentation on their
roles/responsibilities within the presentation
1.5 Select techniques to evaluate presentation effectiveness

2. Deliver a presentation 2.1 Explain and discuss desired outcomes of the presentation
with the target audience
2.2 Use presentation aids, materials and examples to support
target audience understanding of key concepts and central
ideas
2.3 Monitor non-verbal and verbal communication of
participants to promote attainment of presentation
outcomes
2.4 Use persuasive communication techniques to secure
audience interest
2.5 Provide opportunities for participants to seek clarification on
central ideas and concepts, and adjust the presentation to
meet participant needs and preferences
2.6 Summarise key concepts and ideas at strategic points to
facilitate participant understanding

3. Review the 3.1 Implement techniques to review the effectiveness of the

presentation presentation
3.2 Seek and discuss reactions to the presentation from
participants or from key personnel involved in the
presentation
3.3 Utilise feedback from the audience or from key personnel
involved in the presentation to make changes to central
ideas presented.
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Foundation Skills
This section describes language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills incorporated in the
performance criteria that are required for competent performance.

Reading:

 Reviews and analyses documents to identify information relevant to a specific presentation.

Writing:

 Develops material to convey ideas and information to target audience in an engaging way.

Oral communication:

 Presents information using words and non-verbal features appropriate to the audience and
context
 Uses listening and questioning techniques to gather information required to develop or modify
presentations
 Interprets audience reactions and changes words or non-verbal features accordingly.

Interact with others:

 Selects and uses appropriate conventions and protocols to encourage interaction or to present
information
 Demonstrates sophisticated control over oral, visual and written formats, drawing on a range of
communication practices to achieve goals
 Recognises the need to alter personal communication style in response to the needs or
expectations of others.

Get the work done:

 Takes responsibility for planning, sequencing and prioritising tasks and own workload to achieve
outcomes
 Uses feedback from others, analytical and lateral thinking to review current practices and
develop new ideas
 Uses the main features and functions of digital tools to complete work tasks.
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Assessment Requirements
Performance Evidence

Evidence of the ability to:

 Prepare and deliver presentations related to occupation or area of interest which demonstrate
the use of:
o effective presentation strategies and communication principles
o aids and materials to support the presentation
 Select and implement methods to review the effectiveness of own presentation and document
any changes which would improve future presentations.

Knowledge Evidence

To complete the unit requirements safely and effectively, the individual must:

 Identify information collection methods that will support review and feedback of presentations
 Identify regulatory and organisational obligations and requirements relevant to presentations
 Describe the principles of effective communication
 Describe the range of presentation aids and materials available to support presentations.

Assessment Conditions

Assessment must be conducted in a safe environment where evidence gathered demonstrates

consistent performance of typical activities experienced by individuals using interpersonal
communication skills in the workplace and include access to:

 Equipment, materials and business software packages for making a presentation

 Business technology
 Interaction with others.

Assessors must satisfy NVR/AQTF assessor requirements.

Links

Companion volumes available from the IBSA website: http://www.ibsa.org.au/companion_volumes –

http://companion_volumes.vetnet.education.gov.au/Pages/TrainingPackage.aspx?pid=13

Companion Volume implementation guides are found in VETNet -

https://vetnet.education.gov.au/Pages/TrainingDocs.aspx?q=11ef6853-ceed-4ba7-9d87-4da407e23c10
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1. Prepare a presentation
1.1. Plan and document presentation approach and intended outcomes

1.2. Choose presentation strategies, format and delivery methods that match the characteristics of
the target audience, location, resources and personnel needed

1.3. Select presentation aids, materials and techniques that suit the format and purpose of the
presentation, and will enhance audience understanding of key concepts and central ideas

1.4. Brief others involved in the presentation on their roles/responsibilities within the presentation

1.5. Select techniques to evaluate presentation effectiveness

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1.1 – Plan and document presentation approach and intended outcomes

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Create a plan which documents presentation approach and the intended outcomes.

Why present?
Delivering a presentation provides an opportunity for the presenter to share knowledge or impart
information to the people who are being presented to. It can be a daunting experience to some, but
with careful preparation and a few tricks up your sleeve, it should be a fairly painless procedure.

Stephen Covey states that you should “Begin with the end in mind”. This is true for any presentation. By
knowing what you want the participants to get out of the presentation, you can then develop the
presentation around these objectives.

There are a number of different types of client or customer presentations, which can include:
 Presentations to a small group of people

 A presentation to one person (usually the decision

maker)

 A presentation to a large group of people

 Team presentations – where more than one person is

delivering the content.

Key aspects of presenting

Ideally, most presentations should be delivered in an enthusiastic manner. Enthusiasm alone is not
enough, however.

The presenter should also:

 Research the topic and the participants

 Plan an approach for delivery

 Prepare well in advance

 Be an excellent negotiator

 Have a good working knowledge of what they are communicating to the participants,
and

 Inspire the participants to take further action.

Let’s look at the steps outlined above in further detail.

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Research the topic and the participants

A good presenter should always be well versed in the topic they are delivering – that is the basic
prerequisite for a good presentation. It is also a good way to ensure nerves are kept under control, and
it means there is less likely to go wrong.

There may always be a small amount of nervousness when presenting, and it is a good idea to use some
of that adrenaline to your advantage to keep the audience motivated and inspired.

Knowing the topic is usually achieved by determining who the

target group is going to be, then deciding on the intended
outcomes based on the group and their needs.

Prior to preparing a presentation that is to be delivered to a

group of participants; however, you should ask yourself the
following questions to determine who the participants are:
1. Why have I been asked to do the presentation?

2. What do the participants hope to get out of the

presentation?

3. What is their current knowledge on the subject I am presenting?

4. Why are they attending the presentation?

5. How many people are attending?

6. Where is it being held?

7. What equipment and resources will I have access to?

8. What are the backgrounds of the participants?

9. What are their job roles?

10. Would they have already attended something like this in the past? If so, how can I
make my presentation different?

Plan an approach for delivery

When preparing for delivery, some questions that you could ask yourself include:
 How do I plan on delivering the session?

 Do I need DVD’s or audio? If so, have I got a back-up in case the equipment doesn’t
work?

 Will I be using PowerPoint slides?

 What equipment do I need?

 Will I be talking most of the time?

 Do I need to prepare handouts?

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Prepare well in advance

You should always be well prepared and well versed on what you will be saying during the presentation.
This means you as the presenter can appear more confident and professional, and far more organised
(even if sometimes you may not feel so confident). Preparation involves doing your research and
understanding the content of your presentation, understanding the target group and what they hope to
get out of the presentation you are delivering.

Be an excellent negotiator
An effective presenter can negotiate so well that everyone wins from the situation. Develop these skills
and practice them every day so you can be the best negotiator you can be. You may like to consider
doing a negotiation course to improve your skills.

Have a good working knowledge of what they are communicating to the participants
Not only should you know the content that you plan on communicating to your audience, your actual
communication skills should be well developed also.

Communicating with others is based on the following:

 Sharing and communicating our opinions and ideas with others

 Communicating so that our needs can be met

 Communicating so that the needs of others can be met

 Influencing people to take further action.

Inspire the participants to take further action

The participants should walk away from a presentation inspired to take further action. You as the
presenter should be relaying back a story to them about your services, yourself or your company,
depending on what you the objectives of the presentation are. A successful presentation usually means
that when you are finished, the participants have agreed to do something or to take further action.

Dealing with nerves

Being nervous before a presentation can be a normal situation for most people. You can utilise the
nerves and make them work to your advantage by using the adrenalin to make the presentation more
inspiring and energetic. However, when your nerves get in the way of the presentation, you need to find
some strategies to relax and calm down.

The six Ps of presenting

 Prior

 Preparation and

 Planning

 Prevents

 Poor

 Performance.
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If you are prepared and have planned the presentation properly, you will deliver a terrific presentation!

Prepare well in advance, know the subject matter, know the audience, test the equipment, check the
venue, have a contingency plan in place, and you will minimise the chance of anything going wrong, or
at least you will be able to handle it better if it does.

Even if something does go wrong, what is the worst that can happen?
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Activity 1A
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1.2 – Choose presentation strategies, format and delivery methods that match
the characteristics of the target audience, location, resources and personnel
needed

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Identify questions that need to be asked when determining which delivery strategies
are best for a client group

 Recognise the required format and delivery methods to match the characteristics of
the target audience, location, resources and personnel needed.

Choosing presentation strategies, format and delivery methods

We discussed earlier that there are a number of different types of client or customer presentations,
which include:
 Presentations to a small group of people

 A presentation to one person (usually the decision maker)

 A presentation to a large group of people

 Team presentations – where more than one person is delivering the content.

Within those different presentations you may be looking at presentations that aim to:

Inform others of a new product, service or something else that could be relevant to their needs
This type of presentation has a specific aim or intent. The information you want to convey needs to be
accurate, reliable and delivered in a manner that the participants will understand.

Win a sale or gain new business

This type of presentation also has a specific aim or intent. You need to get the trust of the client so that
they know they are willing to do business with you, whether it is to win a new sale or get repeat
business from an existing client or customer.

Provide general account management to a client or customer

Once you have a regular or ongoing client, you may need to
deliver regular presentations to them in an account
management capacity. Therefore there may be less pressure as
they are already an existing client, but the presentation should
be just as professional as if you were delivering it to a potential
client or customer.

Deliver a one to one presentation for a specific client or prospect

Delivering a one to one presentation for a client or prospect will require similar skills to delivering in a
group with a few modifications such as questioning techniques, pace change and delivery methods.
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Presentation strategies
There are a number of different strategies that can be used in the delivery of a presentation.

Some of the strategies include, but are not limited to;

Verbal presentations
These usually refer to direct speaking engagements where a presenter may talk but there may be little
or no interaction from the participants. A verbal presentation may be useful when wanting to showcase
a product as an introductory talk or session.
Case studies
Case studies within a presentation offer the participants an opportunity to work on real-life scenarios
where the participants can relate to the context of a situation.
Role plays
Similar to case studies, role plays or simulations have the ability to get the participants actively involved
in a situation and offers an opportunity for them to see a real-life example of what is expected from
them or is being presented to them. It is also a great way to get the participants to know each other, if
that is the aim of your presentation.
Demonstrations
An actual demonstration can constitute the active component of a presentation. This gives the
presenter the opportunity to actively demonstrate something in action and gives the participants a
chance to be drawn into an actual situation.
Group work or discussions
Group work and discussions can provide an effective strategy to get participants talking, interacting and
sharing ideas and concepts. Participants can get involved and provide their own points of view while
listening to and understanding others.

Considering the audience

When determining which delivery strategy is best for a client group, it is important to undertake
research into why they are attending the presentation, what they hope to get out of it and what their
current level of knowledge already is.

As a presenter, you should also be asking yourself:

 How much time do I have available for my
presentation?

 How can I ensure I make the best use of the time

available to me?

 What do I want the clients or participants to get out of

this presentation?

 What do I need them to know?

 What do I want to inspire them to do once they leave the presentation?

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 How can I best achieve this?

 Will everyone be able to understand the point I am trying to make?

 Have I got a contingency plan in place in case something goes wrong?

 If I am demonstrating something, will everyone be able to see it?

 Have I allowed for questions to be answered?

 What resources do I need?

 Is the location suitable to the presentation and the delivery methods and strategies I
plan on using?

 Who else will be involved? Do I need to allocate another presenter?

 What other stakeholders are involved in the presentation or have a vested interest in
the presentation?

Understanding participant characteristics or special needs

For successful delivery of any presentation, it is important to understand the specific characteristics of
the participants. Finding out about them and their needs will help the presenter to develop a
presentation that involves everyone, meets their needs and meets the objectives of the presentation.

Adults like to play an active role in their personal development, and if the presentation relates to their
personal development, then the more they are involved in the initial phase, the more likely they are to
accept and be positive towards the presentation.

The presenter should try to find answers to the following questions prior to delivering a presentation,
if at all possible:
 What is the current skill level of the participants?

 What industry are they working in?

 Can I use relevant terminology that they will understand?

 What is their likely level of formal education?

 What is their motivation for being at my presentation?

 Do any of them have special needs (e.g. disabilities, are

they from non-English speaking backgrounds, do they
have physical limitations?)

 What are their language, literacy and numeracy levels likely to be at?

 Are they highly specialised (i.e. will they get bored if I don’t use the correct
terminology?).
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The participants can be a mixture of any of the below:

 Existing employees from an organisation

 People from the same industry but that work in different companies

 People from a mixed cultural group

 Participants looking to learn more about a product

 Participants who want to upgrade their skills

 People who are unemployed

 People who want to change jobs

 People who are very busy and have a lot on their mind.
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Activity 1B
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1.3 – Select presentation aids, materials and techniques that suit the format
and purpose of the presentation, and will enhance audience understanding of
key concepts and central ideas

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Identify the three main learning styles and how these enhance audience understanding

 Outline the presentation aids and materials which may be required to enhance
audience understanding of key concepts and central ideas.

Learning principles
There are a number of learning principles that apply to adults.

These include:
 Their need to know what they will gain from attending a presentation and will always
be tuned in to WIIFM – “What’s in it for me?”

 They have experiences that can be shared with the rest of the group

 They are self-directed in their learning

 They will often need to feel included and valued by participating in case studies, role
plays, discussions and other activities where they can refer back to their own previous
experience

 They will feel resistance if they believe they are being imposed or forced to accept
ideas or concepts

 They will almost always be relating past experiences to current experiences.

Therefore you will need to be aware of these when you are putting together a presentation. A
presentation can sometimes provide less opportunity for
interaction from the participants than a training session will, so
these adult learning principles should be taken into consideration
at all times when putting together a presentation.

Another consideration will be adult learning styles. There are

various schools of thought on different learning styles. Three of
the most popular were discussed considerably by Richard Bandler
and John Grinder in their Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP)
theories. The theories focused around how people communicate
both internally and externally and how the senses impact these
communication styles.

As a result, they concluded that adults have three main learning styles and tend to have a preference for
one or more of the senses for learning.
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The three main learning styles as identified by Bandler and Grinder are:
Visual
Visual learners like to see what is going on around them. They use words such as “see, appear, look,
imagine” and talk less than other learners. They don’t like to listen for too long and like to see posters,
graphs, handouts, booklets and a variety of colours, clear layouts and a lot of white space.

Auditory
Auditory learners like to hear what is going on, rather than read. They like to hear lectures, stories,
audio material including music; they like to get involved in discussions and enjoy variety in tone and
pitch of voices.

Kinaesthetic
Kinaesthetic learners like to do things. They don’t enjoy reading very much and like games and
practising what they are taught. They enjoy team activities, demonstrations, practical exercises, role
plays and case studies where they can get involved, move around and be active.

Keep in mind both the learning styles and the learning principles we have identified earlier when putting
together a presentation.

Your presentation is important to you. Think of your presentation as your ‘bag of tricks’.

Bring out the ones you need when you need them to counteract objectives, doubt or concerns. Have a
few up your sleeve just in case, and don’t give too many of them
away at once.

To make the presentation more interesting, there are a number of

techniques that can be utilised to enhance the understanding of
key concepts and ideas by the participants.

These include:
 Group discussions or brainstorming

 Role plays or case studies

 Use of extra resources or demonstrations.

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Group discussion or brainstorming

Group work or brainstorming in groups is usually one of the favourites used by presenters if they are
trying to get the participants involved and working together to achieve a common goal.
The presenter should keep in mind that group discussion can work well as it can be modified to get the
participants further involved and working together as a group.
The use of structured exercises can promote discussion and are self-directed therefore creating self-
discovery in the participants. They can provide a powerful method to influence understanding of the
concepts and ideas presented and will work well if used correctly with the participants.

Advantages Disadvantages

The participants can easily express their ideas One or two participants can dominate the
discussion

It promotes a bit more interest Some of the quieter participants may not want
to get involved

Can be contextualised easily Discussion can often move away from the
desired topic

The participants can support each other in their Group discussion and brainstorming can be time-
learning consuming

Provides a change of focus away from the There could be personality clashes in the group
presenter and allows the participants to focus causing some participants to withdraw
on each other and work together

The participants are able to apply previous Some participants may argue which could create
knowledge and experience and understand how a negative environment
it relates directly back to the discussion
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Role plays or case studies

This is a good opportunity for the participants to practice new skills by applying conceptualised ideas
within a role play or case study situation. These activities consist of the participant having to analyse a
situation that describes a problem.

Advantages Disadvantages

Both the participants and the presenter can Some participants can be too quiet to fully
observe skills being utilised participate

Participants are encouraged to think on their As with group discussions and brainstorming,
feet, giving them a good opportunity to provide role plays can be dominated by louder
input and direction into the discussion personalities, causing the quieter ones to be
more withdrawn

Role plays and case studies give a ‘real life’ feel If more than one role play is taking place at once,
to the presentation that extends and tests it can become difficult for the presenter to focus
understanding of the concepts presented on each one individually

It allows the participants to practice in an They can get out of control if not watched
experimental environment without correctly
repercussions and demonstrates how things
happen with consequences

Sessions can become active and meaningful Can be time-consuming to prepare

Participants can feel as though they are working If a case study or role play lacks substance some
on real problems participants will become bored
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Use of extra resources and demonstrations

Extra resources include training aids such as visual aids, handouts, workbooks, equipment and other
methods used to convey a message.
Note: Training ‘aids’ are just that. You are the presentation, not the aids or resources you use.
Participants are more likely to retain information when visual aids or added resources are included in a
presentation. The participants actually expect some reinforcement to the presentation therefore
including resources is almost a given.
The presenter should keep in mind what they are trying to achieve by having these resources on hand.
Some resources can actually reinforce the verbal message and help participants to retain information,
and others are there more for entertainment and to add pace to the session.
The presenter should be mindful of not attempting to clutter too much information into resources such
as handouts or PowerPoint presentations.
Demonstrations can be useful and will resonate best with learners that are kinaesthetic. They will also
provide an opportunity to put into practice what the learners already know and can be useful when the
outcome can be complicated or confusing.

Advantages Disadvantages

Visual aids can be used to demonstrate and Material can be out of date
illustrate material or skills

They can provide accurate information Over-copying can result in poor quality

They often prompt discussion If using a data projector it can be difficult for all
the participants to see

They can be referred to later and used during Can result in passive learning – the participants
the participants own time may not be taking in any information

They can assist with the kinaesthetic and visual A trainer may rely too heavily on the resources
participants and create less interaction with the group

Use of equipment for demonstrations can break The printer may not have the material ready on
up the learning environment time; the equipment may not work correctly.
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A great presenter should try to incorporate the following into their presentation.

A dynamic opener
First impressions are important. You only have a few seconds to make that first impression that will
‘make or break’ you. Make it a good one. The way you start the presentation will determine whether or
not the participants will be receptive to you, or choose to tune out from your presentation. Use a good
opening hook to get the attention of the participants and attempt to identify with them as soon as
possible. Make sure you tell them what you are planning on telling them during the opener, so they
know why they are there.

Some of the best dynamic openers can incorporate any of, or a combination of, the following:
 Skits

 Stories

 Case studies

 Humour

 Games

 A bold statement

 Shocking statistics

 A movie/audio clip

 Brain teasers

 Play an inspiring speech

 Silence (as a demonstration)

 Using a guest speaker

 Tell a relevant news story

 Take bets

 Have a human treasure hunt (find someone in the group who...)

 Have a list of fun questions for the group to answer.

A solid body and content

The body of your presentation should then reinforce what you told the participants during the opener.
You have their attention – now keep it. Tell them that you understand their problem. Explain how your
product can help them to find the solution they have been looking for. Tell them you feel their pain. Tell
them what you came to tell them. Identify with them and their situation and show them not only that
you can help them but how you can help them.
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A closing statement that compels them to act

You wowed the participants during the opener. You kept them enthralled during the body. Now to finish
with a closing statement that achieves what you came here to do – you want them to act.

You can provide a closing statement at the end of your presentation or at the end of each chunk or
segment of learning.

The closing statement requires a call to action.

What do you want the participants to do as a result of your presentation? Challenge them by telling
them what you want them to do. Do you want an attitude change? Do you want them to place an
order? Do you want them to choose you as their new vendor? Do you simply want them to remember
the last piece of information you gave them?

Whatever the reason, compel them to act, or make it memorable so they remember you and your
presentation.

Some suggestions for great closing statements include:

 Provide topics for review

 A quick quiz

 A short film

 Talk about personal experiences

 Draw up a visual chart or mind map

 Case study

 Feedback form

 Stretch or another physical activity

 Action items

 Open-ended questions

 Lucky prize draw

 Tell them a story

 Homework

 What next?

 Statistics.
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Activity 1C
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1.4 – Brief others involved in the presentation on their roles/responsibilities

within the presentation

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Organise with others involved in the presentation regarding roles and responsibilities.

Briefing others
There are often a number of people involved in putting together a presentation. It is not just the
presenter that gets involved, but also many people that are working behind the scenes to ensure it is a
smooth running and successful event.

Some other people and the roles they can play in putting a presentation together include:
 Guest speakers – a guest speaker may also be speaking or delivering part of a
presentation

 Admin staff – admin staff may be responsible for putting together training material,
handouts, resources, guest list, invites, booking the venue or other information you
need for the presentation

 Venue staff – if the presentation will be delivered off site you will need to liaise with
venue staff on room set up, catering, timing, numbers, parking, etc.

 Management – the presentation may need to be approved by management or other

stakeholders

 Participant representatives – the people who are co-ordinating the participants and
their attendance may also need to be consulted. For example, it could be one
representative from a company that has requested you present to all their sales staff
on a new solution or demonstrate your product to them.

When presenting to a large or a small group of people, if possible, the

presenter should attempt to check the facilities the day before to ensure
everything has been set up correctly.

The equipment should be checked to ensure it is working well. The layout

should be checked, the venue staff should know the catering requirements
and any resources or equipment needed should be taken to the venue
well ahead of time.

The presenter should go over their notes, make sure they know the
material well and go over the actual presentation as often as possible to
make sure they know it inside and out.

Remember – you can never be over-prepared for a presentation.

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Activity 1D
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1.5 – Select techniques to evaluate presentation effectiveness

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Identify methods of evaluating a presentation

 Identify questions that could be asked in self-reflection following a presentation.

Appropriate measures of presentation effectiveness

It is imperative for the presenter to evaluate each presentation they deliver. One obvious way to
evaluate the effectiveness of a presentation is to get direct participant feedback.

If you got the sale, then you clearly will know if the presentation
was a success. However, if you were not actually trying to sell a
product, it may not be so easy to tell how well the presentation
was.

It is not always possible to get that kind of immediate feedback as

often you will be delivering different types of presentations for
different reasons.

Some ways in which you can evaluate a presentation include:

 Feedback sheets from the participants – this includes pre-written comment sheets and
general ad hoc comments from the participants

 Written comments – includes unsolicited comments from participants

 Surveys and questionnaires – this can be done straight after or a short time after the
presentation

 Focus group interviews – these can be conducted in groups of participants with target
questions

 Friends and family feedback – ask a family member or friend to sit in on the
presentation and give you constructive and honest feedback.

Getting feedback on your presentation is very important as you can use the information in a
constructive manner to refine the next one.

The presenter should also utilise the opportunity to self-reflect after a presentation and think about
the following:
 What worked well?

 What didn’t work well?

 Was the timing adequate?

 What areas will I need to improve on for next time?

 What other comments can I think about relating to the presentation?

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Activity 1E
 P a g e | 31

2. Deliver a presentation
2.1. Explain and discuss desired outcomes of the presentation with the target audience

2.2. Use presentation aids, materials and examples to support target audience understanding of key
concepts and central ideas

2.3. Monitor non-verbal and verbal communication of participants to promote attainment of

presentation outcomes

2.4. Use persuasive communication techniques to secure audience interest

2.5. Provide opportunities for participants to seek clarification on central ideas and concepts, and
adjust the presentation to meet participant needs and preferences

2.6. Summarise key concepts and ideas at strategic points to facilitate participant understanding
 P a g e | 32

2.1 – Explain and discuss desired outcomes of the presentation with the target
audience

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Identify pieces of information that ought to be shared with the audience at the start of
a presentation

 Outline the significance of presenters letting participants know about their

expectations.

Discussing desired outcomes with the audience

The desired outcomes of any presentation should be discussed with the participants prior to their
attendance. It is important that they know and understand why they are expected to attend the
presentation so that they can determine what is in it for
them.

You can do this by providing a set of outcomes that they are

expected to achieve from attending the session, or an
outline of what they will walk away with after they attend.

Some ways in which you can do this include:

 Via telephone

 Via email

 Via postal mail.

You will also need to let the participants know the intended outcomes of the session at the beginning of
the presentation.

During this time, you should talk to them about the following:
 Your expectations

 The ground rules

 Their expectations

 Timing – e.g. break times, finish times, etc.

 Rules for questions, etc.

 P a g e | 33

Your expectations
You as a presenter should let them know what you expect from them during the session. This minimises
the chances for anything going wrong as the participants are advised in advance of your expectations.
Expectations can include people returning from breaks on time, phones switched off or on silent,
questions at the end or during the presentation, etc.

The ground rules

Ground rules should be written or discussed together. The presenter can indicate some of their own
ground rules and then determine if there are others that need to be included based on the group’s
ideas. Ground rules and expectations can cross over.

Their expectations
The participants should also have an opportunity to let the presenter know what their expectations are,
if time permits. This gives them an opportunity to provide ownership and support for the presentation
also.

Timing
Let the participants know the timing and then stick to it. Break times, start times, finish times. These are
important to stick to. The participants will lose respect for you if you don’t adhere to these timeframes.

Rules for questions

Some presenters are happy to take questions during the presentation, and others prefer to keep them
all to the end. You need to set the boundaries from the beginning regarding questions.
 P a g e | 34

Activity 2A
 P a g e | 35

2.2 – Use presentation aids, materials and examples to support target audience
understanding of key concepts and central ideas

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Deliver a presentation using aids, materials and examples to support the target
audience understanding of key concepts and central ideas.

Use of presentation aids

Presentation aids and materials should be used to support the understanding of the participants. The
learning styles of the participants can directly relate to the type of material used, and ideally you should
use a combination of materials that can enhance and adapt to each of the learning styles.

Some of the material that you can use includes:

 Visual aids such as posters, graphs, etc.

 PowerPoint slides

 Flip charts

 Handouts

 Workbooks

 Notes

 DVDs

 Audio material

 Actual samples of the material you are presenting.

You will need to consider how available these resources and materials are, how effective they will be
and how relevant they are to the presentation.

Sales resources will be a big help if you are trying to sell the participants something, i.e. the actual
product if possible.

Other aids and resources include:

 Photographs of the product

 Printed material

 Brochures

 Models

 Drawings

 Data projector
 P a g e | 36

 A laptop

 Demonstration models.

Setting up presentation aids

You should ask yourself the following questions:
 Are the resources, aids and materials easy to transport?

 Can they be set up in advance?

 Will I need assistance in setting them up? If so, how available is the assistance?

 Will they create the impact I am trying to create or deter from the presentation?

Note – as mentioned earlier, a resource or material is simply something to help you with the delivery of
the presentation. It should not be solely relied on.

Ensure you have back up at all times too, as often technology can break or something can inevitably go
wrong. Don’t rely on just a PowerPoint presentation for example, in case the laptop or data projector
decide not to work on the day of your presentation.
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Activity 2B
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2.3 – Monitor non-verbal and verbal communication of participants to promote

attainment of presentation outcomes

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Monitor the non-verbal and verbal communication of participants when delivering a
presentation to promote attainment of presentation outcomes.

Monitoring communication of participants

While delivering a presentation it is a good idea to monitor the participants and their reactions to what
you are saying, demonstrating or delivering at any given time.

Just remember that you can only do so much in the delivery phase. A participant that does not want to
attend your presentation, or that has been forced to attend will not be a willing participant and you
should not take their reaction personally.

There are a number of ways in which you can monitor their reaction and whether or not they have
achieved the desired outcomes.

Evaluation is one way which was already discussed. Another method is

to check for body language.

You could check the following to give you a gauge on what the
participants may be feeling or experiencing:
 Do the participants seem happy to be there?

 Do they seem or look interested?

 Are they genuinely looking positive?

 Are they demonstrating positive body language?

 Are they responding to questions?

 Are they talking productively amongst themselves, when asked to do so?

Someone who is new to presenting will find it difficult to see all of the cues initially. As you become a
better and more experienced presenter, you will spot the clues straight away.

Initially, you may be able to ask a trusted friend or colleague to sit in on the presentation to look for the
clues mentioned above.
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Activity 2C
 P a g e | 40

2.4 – Use persuasive communication techniques to secure audience interest

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Identify the main characteristics of body language

 Outline persuasive communication techniques to secure audience interest.

Adopting persuasive communication techniques

You are a presenter. You are acting out a character. Whether that is a sales person, a technical expert, a
teacher, a trainer or any combination of the above, you are now officially on stage.

You need to be an excellent and persuasive communicator to be able to get the point across to the
participants, clients or prospects.

Communication techniques are made up of:

How you and others perceive a situation

How you perceive a situation is the way you organise and interpret the world and messages going on
around you. The way we perceive things relates directly back to our values, past experiences and our
confidence levels.

Participants will not be perceiving information you provide them in the same way. As presenters we
should never assume that they are getting the information or feeling or experiencing what we think
they should be.

Non-verbal communication
This is made up of how we portray ourselves to others, the posture we use when walking or talking, the
gestures we use, our tone of voice and our facial expressions. The combination of these is what gives
others an overall sense of who we are as presenters and whether or not they can feel we can be
trusted.

Body language
The term body language is a very broad term to describe the way in which
our physical actions reflect our mood and feelings. Much of the time we
produce these signals unconsciously, which is a positive when you are trying
to gauge someone’s true reaction, but can be a negative when you are
trying to hide your own.

Below are a few gestures which you will come across on a regular basis in
your professional and personal life. More importantly, be aware of your own
use of them.

Boredom
The hand supports the head; the degree to which the hand supports the head reflects the level of
boredom in picture 1. The head is heavily supported (facial features look crumpled) indicating extreme
boredom. If one or more of your participants look like this, it may time for a break or an energiser.
 P a g e | 41

Evaluation
Evaluation gestures include a closed hand resting on the cheek, this shows
the person is interested in what is being discussed. Often the index finger will
be pointing vertically upwards on the side of the head. The participant is
simply thinking about what is being said and attempting to start to make a
decision or understand a concept.

Chin stroking
Often following on from evaluation gestures, chin stroking signifies decision-making, we should take a
back seat here and let the person come to their conclusions uninterrupted. What happens directly after
chin stroking (decision making) will give the greatest clues to the nature of that decision.

Ready for action

Standing hands on hips indicates that the person wants to take positive action in response to what
they’re discussing (not to be confused with the aggressive hands on hips in order to appear imposing –
obviously an angry person is ready to take action of a different sort).

Arm barriers
Arms crossed (unless the person is very cold or lounging in a chair), indicates a
blocking action – resistance to what is being said, if accompanied by a blank
expression they’re simply not listening. Note that with all body language
gestures you need to look for them in ‘clusters’ so if someone just has their
arms crossed, it could be comfortable or they are cold.

Clenched fist
This usually involves:
 Arms being crossed

 The unclenched hand being placed over the other holding it down, symbolically
restraining the aggressive gesture.

This indicates that the true feelings a person holds – they really don’t like what’s being
said. They are not happy and can’t necessarily tell you.

Clasped hands
Clasped hands in front of the body as a protective barrier are a sign of nervousness or
insecurity.

Holding hands with one’s self in front of the body is comforting in unfamiliar or
stressful circumstances.

One arm placed across the front of the body clasping the other, is also a sign that a
person is uncomfortable or lacking in confidence in a particular situation (such as
standing before a crowd or a group of unknown people).
 P a g e | 42

Conversely hands clasped behind one’s back (often with head up and chin out) signify confidence or
superiority – people in authority often use this gesture.

Fingers in the mouth

Fingers, and objects such as pens, and cigarettes placed in the mouth are a sign of
anxiety. Babies are comforted and soothed by sucking on thumbs and dummies
etc. and this gesture is a mimic of that need for comfort.

Both hands behind the head

Both hands behind the head is a gesture of superiority, it demonstrates a degree of
‘smugness’, which tends to annoy the person or people it is aimed at. This gesture can also intimate that
the person is laying claim to territory.

Openness
Exposed palms signify openness and honesty; it is a submissive gesture
indicating that the person has nothing to hide. This common gesture is used
extensively by dodgy sales people, Watch out...

Concealed palms suggest that the person is hiding something or concealing the
truth.

Types of communication
People will always believe what they see rather than what they hear:
 55% of our message is delivered via body language

 38% is in the tone of voice we use

 7% is in the actual words.

Non-verbal communication includes:

 Eye contact – maintain good eye contact with the participants at all times. Ensure you
look at each of them equally and don’t stare too much at one person. Sweep the room
with your gaze

 Posture and the way you hold yourself – even if you don’t feel it, act confidently, walk
confidently, and stand confidently. Your posture will say a lot about you. Don’t pace or
sway, stand tall and be proud

 Facial expressions – some people cannot hide their feelings in their facial expressions.
Facial expressions should always be positive. You should have a warm and sincere smile
to draw the participants in and show them you are genuine

 Dress – always dress like a professional. Your clothing should be clean, comfortable and
business-like. Ladies should avoid heavy make-up or too much jewellery and be
conservative in their dress. Men should be clean-shaven/have trimmed beards and
dress in business attire.
 P a g e | 43

Persuasive communication techniques include:

 Using a dynamic opening

 Speaking with confidence

 Use of hand gestures

 Having a positive body language

 Asking inclusive questions

 Use of visual aid.

Good listening skills

Listening is the key to being able to present someone with a solution to their problem. When you really
listen to what the issue is, you will understand how to present them with a solution based on the sales
techniques you will learn.

When you actively listen, you are building a genuine interest in the other person. You pay attention and
use appropriate body language to show you are listening. People feel valued and understood.

You should then check for your own understanding by reflecting back on what the person has said to
you. Ensure you summarise what they are saying to give them a sense that you hear them and
understand them.

Building rapport with the participants

When you build rapport with the participants, you
are effectively showing them trust and respect. If you
divulge something about yourself to them, they will
then engage and provide you with some information
about themselves. This helps participants or
prospects to openly communicate with you. When
you show a genuine interest in them, they will see
your intent to build rapport with them.

Knowing which questions to ask

A great sales person will always know the right questions to ask someone. They will be conversant in
using open questioning techniques and also know when it is valid to use closed questioning.

Examples of good questions:

 “What are your thoughts on…?”

 “What has to happen for you to achieve…?”

 “What goals do you have relating to…?”

 “How will you feel when you know you get there?”
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Activity 2D
 P a g e | 45

2.5 – Provide opportunities for participants to seek clarification on central ideas

and concepts, and adjust the presentation to meet participant needs and
preferences

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different opportunities for participants to
seek clarification on central ideas and concepts

 Identify needs and preferences that they need to be aware of when adjusting a
presentation to suit the audience.

Providing opportunities for participants to seek clarification

A good presentation will always provide an opportunity for the participants or prospects to ask
questions, provide feedback and make suggestions for improvement.

You can decide if you want to answer questions as the presentation progresses or at the end of the
presentation.

Generally, the more formal a presentation is, the more likely the questions will be at the end of the
session. A less formal or less structured presentation will allow for questioning during the content
delivery.

We will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both options below;

Questions during delivery of the presentation:

 Advantages – the clarification can be immediate therefore easier for participants to
understand concepts. Material can be contextualised immediately

 Disadvantages – can steer the presentation off

course a little if not managed correctly. The logical
progression of the presentation can be interrupted.

Questions at the end of the presentation:

 Advantages – the presentation can flow in a logical
order and be timed accordingly

 Disadvantages – the presenter may not be able to

put the answer into a context as well as if the
question had been asked at the time.

It is not always easy to pre-empt which questions you will be asked. A good idea may be to anticipate
some of the most obvious questions, and have some answers prepared for those.

Try to think of as many questions that you could be asked as possible. Run through the presentation
with a friend or colleague and see what questions they come up with.
 P a g e | 46

You should ensure that the participants are able to ask for clarification on areas where they are not
necessarily clear in relation to the presentation. If time does not allow for specific question and answer
sessions, then it will be necessary to provide an opportunity after the session. The presenter can email
the presentation to the participants or collate a list of questions from the participants at the end and
advise them that they will email them a list of answers to these questions.

There will be differing needs and preferences for participants, and sometimes the presenter may be
able to make the changes required in advance, or sometimes they will need to make the changes as the
presentation progresses.

The participants will have different characteristics and needs based on the following:
 Backgrounds

 Education

 Reason for being at the presentation

 Disabilities or other special needs which include hearing or visual impairments

 Cultural beliefs

 Age.

Responding to questions
When a participant or prospect presents you with a question, follow the steps below to ensure you look
and act professional and address the question with the regard it needs.

Listen to the question

Listen carefully to what is being asked. Rephrase, mirror or reflect back to the participant asking the
question.

This ensures:
 You have completely understood the question they are
asking

 The participants have heard and understood the question

 You have a bit of time to think of an answer.

Think before you answer

It may feel like you are taking a long time to answer it, but what feels like a
long time to you may not feel that long to the audience. Give yourself a few
moments to think of an answer before you reply.

Types of questions
As a presenter, you will be asked many types of questions.

Some of the ways you can best deal with these are listed below.
 P a g e | 47

Difficult questions
If you are asked a difficult question that you cannot answer, be honest and upfront and advise the
participant that you are not sure of the answer, but you will find out and get back to them as soon as
you can. Ensure you follow through on that – an entire room of people just witnessed you telling
someone you will get back to them. Keep your word.

Hostile or impolite questions

You may often be caught in a position where you are asked a hostile or impolite question and it can
appear as though the intention was to throw you off guard. Don’t always assume that to be the case.
Maybe someone really did need clarification on an issue and did not know the best way to ask for it. The
participant asking the question may genuinely not have very good communication skills. If the situation
becomes delicate, acknowledge that you understand the sensitivity of the situation while
acknowledging you understand their point of view. Keep it objective at all times. If the question is
clearly impolite or inappropriate, advise the participant in a polite manner that the question is not
relevant and move on.

Participants that ask too many questions or try to steal the limelight
These participants are often difficult to manage but can best be handled by the presenter by any of
the following methods:
 Acknowledging the question and condensing it

 Validating the participant asking the question and summing up the points they are
trying to make

 Advising the participant politely that the time is limited to answer that many questions
but you would be more than happy to answer any other questions at a later time

 Offering to ‘park the question’ and if there is time to go back to it.

Remember the following points:

 Questions provide an avenue for participants to ensure they understand what they
have been told

 Be prepared to answer as many questions as you can think of

 You should be worried if no one asks a question – this doesn’t mean they all
understand everything.
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Activity 2E
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2.6 – Summarise key concepts and ideas at strategic points to facilitate

participant understanding

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Recognising stages in a presentation where checks could be made to ensure
participants have understood content

 Outline actions that could be taken to ensure participants understand the concepts in a
presentation.

Summarising key concepts

During your opener, you would have told the participants ‘what you
are going to tell them’.

During the body and context of the presentation, ‘you told them’.

Now it’s time to tell them ‘what you have told them’.

Some ways in which you can do this include:

 Summarise as you finish each chunk or segment of
the presentation

 Recap or revise halfway through the presentation

 When the presentation is finished

 During the review or question/answer session.

Look for and identify areas within your presentation where you can re-cap or do some revision with the
participants or prospects.

You want them to walk away feeling as though they got something out of your presentation. If you rush
through it, or they don’t understand what you have presented, then you have wasted both your time
and theirs.

Make the presentation memorable, interesting and informative. Check for their understanding by
stopping every now and then and testing their knowledge with short questions to ensure they are
keeping up with your pace.

Finish strong – show the participants that you had something valuable to say and what they will achieve
or how they will benefit now that they have attended your session.
 P a g e | 50

Key aspects of presenting

Some of the DOs and DON’Ts of presenting include:

Do Don’t

Use resources effectively Bore the participants with details or resources

they don’t need or understand

Get the participants involved Be late or disorganised

Provide relevant content and information Be patronising

Speak clearly, be confident, use correct Mumble or be difficult to understand

posture and body language

Make eye contact with everyone and sweep Lecture or sound like a broken record without
the room with your gaze varying the pitch and tone of your voice

Build rapport Read from notes or handouts for a long time

Break the session into manageable chunks or Let the session go over the time allocated to it
segments

Use terminology the participants will Discourage the participants from asking
understand questions

Answer questions or get back to them if you Act defensive is a participant is speaking badly
don’t know the answer about your product

Use real life stories or case studies to make a Assume everyone knows what you are talking
point about at all times
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Activity 2F
 P a g e | 52

3. Review the presentation

3.1. Implement techniques to review the effectiveness of the presentation

3.2. Seek and discuss reactions to the presentation from participants or from key personnel involved
in the presentation

3.3. Utilise feedback from the audience or from key personnel involved in the presentation to make
changes to central ideas presented
 P a g e | 53

3.1 – Implement techniques to review the effectiveness of the presentation

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Outline techniques that could be implemented to receive presentation feedback

 Identify assessment criteria which could be used to measure the standard of a

presentation.

Reviewing presentation effectiveness

Once your presentation has been delivered, then it is time to review how effective it was.

Some of the ways in which you will know whether you achieved your objectives include:
 Some or all of the participants or prospects will make a purchase – if not immediately
then sometime in the future

 Feedback from the participants will be positive

 The participants will take the action you wanted

them to take

 You will be asked to conduct more presentations

to the same group

 You will get referrals from the presentation

 The objectives you set out to achieve will be achieved.

The standards at which you present will have a direct impact on whether or not the objectives were
met. You might decide to develop assessment criteria which can be judged by colleagues or
participants.

Assessment criteria to measure presentation standard:

 Audibility – can you hear clearly throughout?

 Pace – is the pace of the presentation, or flow of ideas, too fast or too slow?

 Fluency – is the speech pattern fluent, indicating fluency with the material?

 Tone and energy – is there sufficient variation in tone? Does the presenter show
enthusiasm?

 Body language – do their movement and gestures enhance what they are saying? Is the
presenter avoiding being note-bound?

 Structure and cohesion – was the structure clearly outlined? In the order logical and
easy to follow? Is timing accurate?

 Use of visual aid – is there a suitable amount? Are they easy to read? Do they support
the oral delivery effectively?
 P a g e | 54

 Response to questions – did they listen to, and answer questions successfully?

Creating a set of standards will give you a professional edge and help you to contribute to improving
subsequent presentations.

A further way to do this is to put together a matrix to keep track of each presentation you deliver. An
example of a matrix you could use is below.

Item Positive/Negative Future suggestions

Presenter
Was the presenter on time?
Did the presenter know the material?
Did the presenter build rapport?
Did the presenter convey the message appropriately?
Were questions asked efficiently?
Did the presenter demonstrate appropriate body language?

Venue/Facilities
Was the venue suitable?
Was the setup of the room suitable?
Was the equipment effective?
Were the resources suitable?
 P a g e | 55

Item Positive/Negative Future suggestions

Participants
Were the participants able to understand the
presentation?
Did they have a chance to ask questions?
Was the information given to them in a logical format?
Were issues dealt with appropriately?
Was there a focus on their needs?
Were they thanked for attending?
Did they have a chance to provide honest feedback?
Were there any sales made as a direct result of the
presentation?

Follow Up
Have the participants been followed up after the
presentation?
Was there a focus on the participants and their needs?
What are the next steps planned for the participants that
attended?
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Activity 3A
 P a g e | 57

3.2 – Seek and discuss reactions to the presentation from participants or from
key personnel involved in the presentation

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Seek and discuss reactions to the presentation from participants or from key personnel
involved in the presentation.

Seeking reaction from participants

Apart from reviewing how effective the presentation was, you should get an idea from the participants
or other stakeholders involved in your presentation on how successful it was.

As mentioned in section 1.5, there are various methods that can be used to seek the reactions to the
presentation.

Some ways in which you can evaluate a presentation include:

 Feedback sheets from the participants – this includes pre-written comment sheets and
general ad hoc comments from the participants

 Written comments – includes unsolicited comments from participants

 Surveys and questionnaires – this can be done straight after or a short time after the
presentation

 Focus group interviews – these can be conducted in groups of participants with target
questions

 Friends and family feedback – ask a family member or friend to sit in on the
presentation and give you constructive and honest feedback.

One of the key methods is to get the participants to fill in a feedback form. The presenter should also
complete a reflection form to determine what areas they feel they went well in and what areas may
need improvement for future presentations.

All stakeholders or key personnel should be consulted to provide feedback and further comment on
suggestions for improvement.
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Participant feedback template

An example of a participant feedback form is below:
Participant name: Date of presentation:

Presenter name: Venue:

Was the presenter well prepared for the session? Yes/No

Was the venue suitable for the presentation? Yes/No

Was the presentation clear and easy to understand? Yes/No

Was the information relevant to you? Yes/No

Did the presenter encourage feedback and participation? Yes/No

Were the resources appropriate and adequate to the presentation? Yes/No

Do you have any further comments?

Would you like someone to contact you in relation to your feedback? Yes/No
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Presenter reflection template

An example of a presenter reflection form is below:
Presenter name: Date of presentation:

Venue:

What do I think went well in the presentation?

What areas do I think need improvement?

What was the most difficult part of the presentation?

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Activity 3B
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3.3 – Utilise feedback from the audience or from key personnel involved in the
presentation to make changes to central ideas presented

By the end of this chapter, the learner should be able to:

 Provide reasons for altering the style or content of a presentation following the
collection of feedback

 Utilise feedback to make changes to the central ideas presented in a presentation.

Utilising feedback
Often, a presenter will make an effort to get the participants to fill out feedback forms or even complete
a self-reflection exercise, but will not follow through and take advantage of the information given to
them.

It is important that you collate the feedback received, along with any suggestions, and make the
necessary changes to each and every presentation you deliver. You may need to tweak or amend small
things that didn’t work, or change big things as well.

Reasons for altering presentation style or content based on feedback:

 It allows the presentation delivery to be continually improved

 The presentation will become suited to the needs of clients rather than what you think
they need

 It will make participants and other key personnel feel that their opinions are valued

 If you deliver presentations on a regular basis, improving style and content may lead to
more people seeking to take part.

Strive to constantly improve your skills as a presenter and become the best presenter you can be, by
using this information to your advantage.

Never deliver a presentation you would not be willing to sit through yourself.
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Activity 3C
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Summative Assessments
At the end of your Learner Workbook, you will find the Summative Assessments.

This includes:

 Skills assessment

 Knowledge assessment

 Performance assessment.

This holistically assesses your understanding and application of the skills, knowledge and performance
requirements for this unit. Once this is completed, you will have finished this unit and be ready to move
onto the next one – well done!