what is presentation method of training

What is Presentation Training?

Posted by Belinda Huckle  |  On November 23, 2020  |  In Presentation Training, Tips & Advice

In this Article...quick links

1. Audience analysis

2. presentation structure, 3. presentation delivery, 4. audience engagement, 5. visual aids, 6. managing nerves, so, what is presentation training , and follow us on social media for some more great presentation tips:.

This might sound like a simple question, with an obvious answer. But is it? What is p resentation training?!

Businesses come to us almost every day and say ‘We would like to book some presentation training for our team. Can you help?’ The obvious answer, being business presentation skills experts, is ‘Yes, we can, and we’d love to help!’. But do businesses really know what they’re asking?

When we drill down and ask them to elaborate they often find it difficult to articulate details around why their people want/need the training. Other than perhaps to say something relatively vague like ‘Our people need to be more confident when they’re presenting’ or ‘Our team need s to deliver better presentations’.

So, we thought it might be useful to share with the broader L&D community, and indeed anyone in business, what presentation training is.

We know from our many years’ of experience coaching exclusively in business presentation skills that both confidence, and delivering better presentations, come by getting all the key elements of what makes a good presenter and presentation sorted. Rather than by confidence being instilled as a thing in itself, or by people being given some ‘acting’ tips for standing up in front of an audience.

So, what are these key elements? We believe there are 6 of them; 6 key pillars of successful presentation training. 

The 6 pillars of presentation training

It doesn’t matter how amazing the content is, or how confident the presenter is, if the information for the presentation isn’t tailored specifically for the audience it will fall flat. 

This first step in presenting is absolutely crucial, regardless of whether you’re a CEO presenting downwards or outwards, or a Graduate presenting upwards or across. The most successful presenters are those that place themselves firmly in the shoes of their audience (i.e. by recognising their audience’s level of knowledge, their feelings about the subject, their concerns about what’s being proposed, the level of detail they prefer, and so on) even before they begin putting together any of their content. They then use these insights to carefully target their message in the most meaningful and relevant way possible to the people they are presenting to.  

Most people know about the importance of presentation structure but many  will admit that whilst they have the basics right, their narrative still doesn’t flow as well as it could, their message isn’t as effectively crystalised as it should be and the key takeaways aren’t as clearly emphasised as they need to be. 

If you like, presentation structure is the engine of a car. In our view most people are using presentation structures from 20 or 30 years ago. That might be fine – but who wants to be driving a car with an engine that’s 25 years old when there is a far smarter, more efficient and effective engine that could be used instead? 

At SecondNature we have developed a Presentation Mapper TM methodology that transforms people’s message clarity, impact and persuasiveness. Even seasoned presenters say our Mapper TM approach has taken their effectiveness as communicators to a whole new level.

Training in how to deliver a presentation is what many people mean when they use the words ‘presentation training’. Many   businesses’ focus is for training to help their people deliver better . They want their people to become confident , open, relaxed, inspiring and authoritative presenters, with gravitas, charisma and presence. 

Developing people’s delivery skills ( face-to-face or online ) is certainly important. But presentation training should not just be about how to deliver a presentation at the expense of learning how to create and structure relevant, impactful persuasive presentations. At the end of the day, effective presenters are those that combine style and substance!

Delivery skills are about the ‘style’ part. And this is where presentation training can use techniques to affect how well a presenter comes across and is received by their audience – like how to use pausing , use their voice and how to communicate using body language, gestures, eye connection, movement and so on. 

At SecondNature we believe in helping people develop their own unique, powerful and authentic delivery style. A style that they are comfortable with, so they can influence, even inspire, an audience. 

Always remember that delivery (style) is only one part of a great presentation!

Very few people enjoy sitting in a presentation and being talked at. Instead they prefer to be communicated with. Fully engaging an audience and making them feel part of the journey or story, even if they aren’t able to actually participate (e.g. when there are hundreds of people in the audience or on a VC call) is a skill every good presenter needs to master. 

The good news is that audience engagement skills are not hard to learn. The bad news is that most people don’t make this a priority. We think that’s a mistake. It’s a mistake because presenters lose out on the opportunity to fully connect with their listeners. And also because the more audience engagement there is the more both the audience and the presenter enjoy the experience. So, learning eff ective audience engagement techniques is a win-win for the presenter and those they are presenting to.

Everyone knows the difference between slides that engage and excite them versus those that send them to sleep. Becoming a skilled slide designer is a craft that can take years to learn. None-the-less all of us should know the essential principles behind effective slide design. If you like, the crucial Dos and the Do Not ’ s. You don’t need to be a Mac whizz to put these simple principles into  practise. And why wouldn’t you? Bad slides can destroy a great presentation and completely undermine a great presenter. So, understanding the principles of good slide deck design should always be a part of any presentation training.

Let’s be clear. Nerves are not a bad thing. In fact, nerves show we care (versus being complacent or arrogant). And nervous energy can have many benefits. They can make us sharper, more focussed, disciplined and on ‘on point’. The issue is when our negative nervous energy overtakes our positive nervous energy . That’s where coaching can help to calm nerves . Unfortunately, there isn’t a silver bullet to managing negative nervous energy. That’s because the causes, and the solutions, vary from person to person. 

Examples of why people are excessively and negatively nervous can include that presenting is a new thing for them; or that they’re under-prepared, or don’t feel their content is going to be relevant. Or that they’ve had a bad experience in the past, or they’re worried about the tech falling over (very common these days with online presenting). Or they’re concerned they’ll be asked a challenging question that they won’t know the answer to. Or that they think they’ll get tongue tied, or will have a brain freeze. Or simply that they’re scared the audience won’t like them. 

All these causes are valid. And all of these causes, with the right coaching, can be overcome. But you can see that a blanket approach won’t work – because everyone is different. Hence why, even in a group presentation skills training workshop, everyone needs to have plenty of individual practise time, as well as detailed and personalised feedback guidance and coaching.

In summary, expert presentation training isn’t just about instilling confidence, or developing narrow skills in one ‘pillar’. Instead presentation training is really an umbrella term that covers a wide range of intermeshing skills. Skills that fall into the above 6 pillars, and skills that with practise can add immeasurably to an individual’s career success and to the achievements of a business or organisation. 

Today, learning all these skills is just as important, if not more so, for all of us presenting online.

Improve your business presentations with our business presentation skills training programmes

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Written By Belinda Huckle

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Belinda is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of SecondNature International. With a determination to drive a paradigm shift in the delivery of presentation skills training both In-Person and Online, she is a strong advocate of a more personal and sustainable presentation skills training methodology.

Belinda believes that people don’t have to change who they are to be the presenter they want to be. So she developed a coaching approach that harnesses people’s unique personality to build their own authentic presentation style and personal brand.

She has helped to transform the presentation skills of people around the world in an A-Z of organisations including Amazon, BBC, Brother, BT, CocaCola, DHL, EE, ESRI, IpsosMORI, Heineken, MARS Inc., Moody’s, Moonpig, Nationwide, Pfizer, Publicis Groupe, Roche, Savills, Triumph and Walmart – to name just a few.

A total commitment to quality, service, your people and you.

10 Tips for creating an effective training presentation

Creating a training presentation is not a simple task. Unlike your usual PowerPoints, a training deck should convey work-related information in a way that keeps your team engaged and creates a positive learning experience. Quite a challenge, if you ask me - especially in online environments.

That’s why today I’ve got a little help from the 24Slides presentation designers . They work on thousands of eLearning slides for companies every month, so they pretty much know what it takes to create an impressive training deck.

By the end of this post, you’ll have learned:

• What exactly a training presentation is
• The benefits of corporate training
• 10 training presentation tips you can execute right now

Let’s begin!

What's a Training Presentation?

A training presentation is a corporate learning material that helps build the right skills employees require to perform their jobs. For optimal results, ideal training presentations showcase the specialized knowledge in well-structured, easy-to-read slides, and encourage active participation during the whole learning experience.

To give you an idea, common training presentation topics include company policies, safety and health at work, cybersecurity, industrial processes , and more.

Why Should Businesses Provide Employee Training?

Employee training is a business investment, and as such, it’s normal for higher-ups to question whether some corporate learning and development activities are needed. However, as Henry Ford said, “ The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay! ”

And if that’s not enough reason, here are some long-term benefits you can list to show the value of employee training in your organization:

• Training sessions leverage new employees’ productivity faster
• Employee training reduces the chances of errors and accidents on the job.
• Well-trained employees need less supervision, which translates into more time for managers to dedicate to their own tasks.
• Learning and development activities help increase employee retention and job satisfaction.
• Constant employee training makes it easier to identify the team’s weaknesses and creates improvement opportunities for the whole organization.

Now that we understand why staff training is important, let’s see how to create a good training presentation.

Top Tips for Creating an Effective Training Presentation

What we commonly call “effective presentation” is the right balance of two elements: the content you provide and how you deliver it. The first part is on your expertise and every piece of information you can share. But the second part is where the real magic happens .

How do you convey your knowledge? How can you make the online learning experience one to remember? Well, a lot relies on the way you present that information. In this section, we’re going to cover both sides through 10 training presentation tips:

#1 Showcase the knowledge of your company’s experts

Internal expertise is a top learning resource many companies fail to see. Just think about how much your sales head or finances specialist can say about the best practices and workflows from their respective areas. Or the industry trends and developments they experience in their day-to-day activities. You don’t need to look outside the office when you already have expert sources that can provide you with valuable know-how for your training slides.

And don’t curb to technical topics. If the training is on leadership or negotiation skills, why don’t you invite a project manager or sales rep to talk about their experiences? This is a fantastic way to recognize employees as experts and promote team engagement at the same time.

#2 Use your visuals wisely

Visual content is ideal to catch your audience’s attention in a matter of seconds. Plus, studies confirm that visuals help process information faster and facilitate learning . However, this doesn’t mean we should plaster graphics and illustrations all over our slides. Instead, use your visuals strategically only for what’s relevant.

It’s like highlighting a textbook. A mark signals the main idea from the hundreds of words in every chapter. But what’s the point if you’re going to highlight the entire page? It would lose its whole purpose!

As Benny Prasetyo, Design manager from 24Slides , says:

So keep that in mind. Your images, icons, and other graphics are not merely decorative devices. They tell people where to look and have the power to amplify your key messages.

#3 Appeal to different learning styles

According to the VARK model , there are four main learning styles: visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic. And people tend to prefer one or two modalities over others. The good thing is that you can appeal to the four of them within your training PowerPoint presentation. Here’s how:

• For visual learners, maps, flow charts, and process diagrams are the way to go. They respond better to all these devices that explain something graphically instead of words.

• Auditory learners make the most out of synchronous training because they learn by hearing and discussing ideas. However, you can also adapt your PowerPoint materials to them. Think about adding audio files or linking to podcasts that further expand the main topic. Another great way to appeal to aural or auditory learners is using a conversational style in your slides, so they can read your PPT as if you were talking directly to them.
• People who process information through reading and writing will appreciate text-based explanations and assignments. Lists, quotations, and case studies are ideal for this type of learner.

• For the kinesthetic modality, you can showcase personal experiences or feature practical exercises that allow students to apply what they’ve learned. We’ll talk more about this kind of content in the following sections. But bear in mind that kinesthetic learners are “tactile” and prefer to assimilate new information by exploring it in the real world.

To sum this point up, add elements in your presentation that respond to the four learning styles, and you’ll get an immersive and more dynamic training session.

#4 Keep it real

Want to make your corporate training relevant to your team?

Include scenarios from real situations - extra points if these examples come from their actual work. Here’s the thing: People are more perceptive to things that make an impact on their lives. So, if you connect your session to what they go through in their daily tasks, you’re adding emotion and making your training 10x more relatable.

Ideally, your presentation gives solutions to an issue the business has identified. In this case, you need to explore a little: What has changed or happened in the company that employees require training? How’s the day-to-day of the areas involved? What’s the ideal scenario the company expects?

Now, use your findings to integrate realistic situations as examples or exercises that show trainees the value of your session. The key to an engaged and motivated audience is to keep things real.

#5 Make use of storytelling

Effective training is more than informative sessions. The real objective is to spur change. You want to take employees from point A to point B in their development, and one of the most powerful tools to inspire action is storytelling.

In a few words, storytelling is the art of using a story to communicate something. It might not sound like a big deal, but stories speak to the emotional side of humans, and that’s how you can start building a connection that makes every session memorable.

Some ways the 24Slides designers help incorporate storytelling into training presentations is through comics, animated slides, and PowerPoint illustrations.

If you’re keen to challenge the status quo in your team, check out these 7 storytelling techniques to create a compelling training deck.

#6 Take every chance to engage with your audience

Getting active participants during online training is like finding the saint grail nowadays. With muted mics and off-cameras, sometimes you don't even know if someone is listening on the other side. But hang in there.

In this section, I will show you some interactive elements you can use to boost your audience engagement.

Usually, the host would end the presentation with an “Any Questions?” slide, but what about you asking the questions? Inquiry your audience’s minds and create open questions for anyone to share their opinions. This is a good old trick with the potential to spark great-in-class discussions. You can even transform it into a gamified experience with slides like the one you see above.

Online audience engagement tools such as Slido , Mentimeter , or Kahoot make it super easy to create interactive quizzes and polls. The cool thing about them is that they give you a presentation code, which allows your audience to send their answers and see the team's results in real-time.

But if you prefer a more traditional approach, there are PowerPoint slides that can do the trick too. Take this multiple-choice quiz template as an example. It comes with a wide array of designs to hold your participants’ attention while assessing their knowledge. You just need to insert questions and alternatives regarding your topic, and voilá!

Self-assessment activities are a great way to engage with your audience - even when you’re not there to guide them! Here’s a creative quiz template in PowerPoint you can use to add fill-in-the-blank exercises, short-answer questions, and multiple-choice tests to your training deck.

#7 Brand your corporate training deck

Considering that training presentations talk to one of the company’s most important stakeholders (the employees), it should be a no-brainer to keep them on-brand.

But it’s more than giving a professional look to your slides. Adding the company’s brand to training materials shows your team that you care. You’re making the same effort to deliver a polished product to them as the company does to the customers. And that speaks volumes!

Plus, keeping visual consistency across all materials helps your team become familiar with the brand and reinforce that they’re part of the company's activities.

We’ve got a whole article on why branding is essential in presentations , but at this point, it’s clear that spending some time on the aspect of your slides provides more benefits to the business than not. So, remember to inject the brand’s identity into your training decks.

#8 Close with summary slides

How often have you seen participants more worried about taking notes from your slides than actually following your speech? This is a common situation in learning scenarios, and it’s not because your participants don’t care about what you’re saying. Quite the contrary, they want to take it all in.

And you can make their learning experience easier by simply adding summary slides . These final slides contain the key points from your lesson and help viewers retain the essentials.

This way, you ship away your participants’ worry of missing something important, and you get another chance to reinforce your main messages. Everybody wins!

#9 Make your presentation accessible

“Accessibility” is a term that has gained popularity in the last few years, and it refers to the practice of ensuring people with disabilities can access the same information fully and independently as people without disabilities. This is extremely important in eLearning because you want everyone in the organization to benefit from your lessons.

For instance, employees with hearing difficulties might have a hard time watching an instructional video with no captions. Likewise, participants with visibility issues might need an easy-to-read font size in the slides or color contrast in your presentation visuals.

If you want to start now, PowerPoint has an accessibility checker that gives you a detailed report on what you can do to improve your slides. To activate it, follow this route: File tab > Information > Check for issues (next to Inspect Document) > Check Accessibility

You might be surprised by all the details we take for granted, but they make a huge difference to people with different abilities.

#10 Don’t Underestimate The Power of Your Presentation Design

All these good practices confirm that a good design can enhance any corporate learning experience. It helps your employees better comprehend information. It signals the importance of each item in your slides and how they should be read. A good design provides structure and visual flow. And the list can go on, but I prefer you see for yourself.

Damilka Rojas, Design manager at 24Slides , gives us expert input on the right design approach for effective training presentations:

Plus, many training slides are stand-alone materials with the task of conveying information without a live instructor. That’s when you can rely on a good design to deliver a coherent interpretation of your lessons.

Upgrade your training presentations today!

Now, it’s time to put these training presentation tips into practice. Whether you apply one or all of them together, I’m sure you’ll see a marked difference in your new slides. But if you have several presentations to upgrade or designing in PowerPoint is not exactly the most productive way to spend your time, let the 24Slides team handle it for you !

Our expert designers can create stunning slides to draw your audience’s attention while keeping the professional look your training decks deserve. They provide presentation design support to some of the biggest companies worldwide , so rest assured your slides will be in good hands. Ready to take your presentations to the next level?

Create professional presentations online

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There are several key differences between delivering a training program, and delivering a lecture or a presentation.

Flow Of Information

A major difference between training and lecture/presenting has to do with how the interactions and information flow. In a lecture or presentation, the major flow goes from the speaker to the audience. Generally, that means that interactions between audience members is low, as is interaction starting from the audience members to the speaker.

Training, however, is far more flexible with information going in all directions -- it's far more interactive.

Different Purposes Or Outcomes Expected

The second major difference has to do with the purpose of the event, or the outcomes expected.

Presentations and lectures are informational in that the attendees are exposed to information, but the emphasis is on exposure rather than learning that can be applied in the real world. It's not that presentation information is irrelevant to real world behavior -- it's that the emphasis is different.

Training, however, is designed to alter the capabilities of attendees (learners), and to build new capabilities that can be used "out there".

One way to make the distinction is to say that presentations involve "learning about", while training involves "learning to do".

Presentations Have Wider Range Of Outcomes

While training should always be about "learning to do", presentations actually have many more possible outcomes, which need to reflected in how the presentation is planned and executed. Presentations can be of various types, depending on whether the presentation is intended to:

Lectures Often Half-Way Between Presentation and Training

It's not quite that simple, because lectures are often part of training, and are intended to result in learning, while that's not the case with all presentations. Still, lectures involve an information flow from teacher to learners that is primarily one way.

That's why, in educational and "learning to" situations, it's important to alter the flow somewhat so that lecture segments are interspersed with thinking exercises, and most important questions to audience members.

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6 Things To Consider Before Choosing A Presentation Method

Your presentation method—that is, how you deliver a presentation—is just as important as organizing your material ahead of your presentation. How you deliver your message is a vital component of the message itself. Your goal is to engage your audience and compel them to listen and act on what you’re saying. For that reason, you do need to invest some time into selecting the best presentation method.

Presentation Methods Matter

We talk a lot about connecting with your listeners. That’s because there’s little value in giving a presentation if no one pays attention to what you’re saying. When you connect with your audience , you command their attention. They can’t help but listen to you, because you’ve sparked something within them that makes them want to hear what you have to say. And sometimes, what grabs their attention is not the words you’re speaking but how you deliver them.

What exactly do we mean by a “presentation method”? Well, consider the presentations you’ve given or the ones you’ve been witness to. And remember a presentation comes in many shapes in sizes: a business pitch; a church sermon; a stand-up comedy act—basically, just about any transfer of information between two or more people can be considered a presentation. And certainly, your pastor’s presentation method differs quite a bit from that of a corporate CEO.

Think Ahead

Assuming you’ve already plotted and organized your presentation, now is the time to consider how to deliver it. You may have aspirations of pumping the air full of rocking tunes before wowing your audience with show-stopping visuals, but wait a minute: Does the venue have the equipment for all that?

And so, as you begin to map out your presentation method, you’ll need to consider these:

• What’s the Occasion? —Every presentation is unique. Even if you’ve given the same talk a dozen times before, remember that while your message may be relevant in more than one situation, the occasion dictates your presentation method. A sales pitch to a familiar group of colleagues will have a different approach than a sales pitch to a board of directors. Match your presentation method accordingly.
• Who’s in The Audience —Again, it doesn’t matter how many times you’ve presented on the same topic, you have to tailor your presentation to the audience of the day. Are you familiar with the people in the group? What’s their knowledge on the subject? While a formal event to an audience with little knowledge of the topic may warrant slides, a small, informal group who has extensive knowledge of the subject may only require an infographic.
• Where Will I Be Presenting? Imagine preparing your presentation with the expectation of giving it in a small 12×12 office, only to show up and find out you’re giving it in a lecture hall. The delivery method you choose is relative to the room in which you will be presenting. Acoustics, range of view, and even the ambiance is different. Know ahead of time where exactly you’ll be presenting and plan accordingly.
• What Sound Equipment is Available? — A good presenter always tests his equipment before launching a presentation. Whether you’re just using a mic or require more sophisticated sound equipment, make sure you know what is available to you before choosing your presentation method and how to operate it.
• Will I Be Set Up for Visual Aids? You would expect most conference rooms in America are now equipped with audio-video equipment, but do a double-check on that before putting together a presentation that relies on Powerpoint slides.
• Is This an Interactive Presentation? — If you expect to involve your audience through audience participation, your presentation method needs to be selected accordingly. If you will be inviting audience members to share their own experiences or participate in role-playing games, you may want to go out into the audience or at least not remain on stage the entire time. Consider how you will be interacting with your audience before choosing an appropriate presentation method.

Leave Nothing to Chance

An effective presentation is carefully prepared based on where it’s happening, who’s in the audience, and your objectives. Your goal is to deliver a speech or presentation that will leave a favorable lasting impression, so be strategic in choosing a presentation method and do some investigation before you make your choice.

There are so many different methods to deliver an amazing presentation, do you have any tips that could help our audience? Comment down below with your favorite method, and if these methods have helped you – Share them with those that could benefit from them too!

I used to only use PowerPoint but now I’m trying other methods in my presentation.  I feel it’s harder to connect with the audience when useing PPT. Thanks!

Thanks for the info there is a lot to think about.

I once spoke to a man who was a key speaker at many events in his life. He was 72 at the time. He said the key to really presenting what you have to offer is being yourself and knowing how to speak to who you are presenting to. You don’t want to show a group of older adults tech heavy presentations that are fast just as you don’t want to use nothing but pictures to a younger audience. 

Would love to hear more on this topic. Not much out there on “presentation methods.” Great blog.

Nice article.

Very helpful. Thanks!

Great article. It is important that all these questions are fully addressed before the presentation to get the best results.

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Powerful and Effective Presentation Skills: More in Demand Now Than Ever

When we talk with our L&D colleagues from around the globe, we often hear that presentation skills training is one of the top opportunities they’re looking to provide their learners. And this holds true whether their learners are individual contributors, people managers, or senior leaders. This is not surprising.

Effective communications skills are a powerful career activator, and most of us are called upon to communicate in some type of formal presentation mode at some point along the way.

For instance, you might be asked to brief management on market research results, walk your team through a new process, lay out the new budget, or explain a new product to a client or prospect. Or you may want to build support for a new idea, bring a new employee into the fold, or even just present your achievements to your manager during your performance review.

And now, with so many employees working from home or in hybrid mode, and business travel in decline, there’s a growing need to find new ways to make effective presentations when the audience may be fully virtual or a combination of in person and remote attendees.

Whether you’re making a standup presentation to a large live audience, or a sit-down one-on-one, whether you’re delivering your presentation face to face or virtually, solid presentation skills matter.

Even the most seasoned and accomplished presenters may need to fine-tune or update their skills. Expectations have changed over the last decade or so. Yesterday’s PowerPoint which primarily relied on bulleted points, broken up by the occasional clip-art image, won’t cut it with today’s audience.

The digital revolution has revolutionized the way people want to receive information. People expect presentations that are more visually interesting. They expect to see data, metrics that support assertions. And now, with so many previously in-person meetings occurring virtually, there’s an entirely new level of technical preparedness required.

The leadership development tools and the individual learning opportunities you’re providing should include presentation skills training that covers both the evergreen fundamentals and the up-to-date capabilities that can make or break a presentation.

So, just what should be included in solid presentation skills training? Here’s what I think.

The fundamentals will always apply When it comes to making a powerful and effective presentation, the fundamentals will always apply. You need to understand your objective. Is it strictly to convey information, so that your audience’s knowledge is increased? Is it to persuade your audience to take some action? Is it to convince people to support your idea? Once you understand what your objective is, you need to define your central message. There may be a lot of things you want to share with your audience during your presentation, but find – and stick with – the core, the most important point you want them to walk away with. And make sure that your message is clear and compelling.

You also need to tailor your presentation to your audience. Who are they and what might they be expecting? Say you’re giving a product pitch to a client. A technical team may be interested in a lot of nitty-gritty product detail. The business side will no doubt be more interested in what returns they can expect on their investment.

Another consideration is the setting: is this a formal presentation to a large audience with questions reserved for the end, or a presentation in a smaller setting where there’s the possibility for conversation throughout? Is your presentation virtual or in-person? To be delivered individually or as a group? What time of the day will you be speaking? Will there be others speaking before you and might that impact how your message will be received?

Once these fundamentals are established, you’re in building mode. What are the specific points you want to share that will help you best meet your objective and get across your core message? Now figure out how to convey those points in the clearest, most straightforward, and succinct way. This doesn’t mean that your presentation has to be a series of clipped bullet points. No one wants to sit through a presentation in which the presenter reads through what’s on the slide. You can get your points across using stories, fact, diagrams, videos, props, and other types of media.

Visual design matters While you don’t want to clutter up your presentation with too many visual elements that don’t serve your objective and can be distracting, using a variety of visual formats to convey your core message will make your presentation more memorable than slides filled with text. A couple of tips: avoid images that are cliched and overdone. Be careful not to mix up too many different types of images. If you’re using photos, stick with photos. If you’re using drawn images, keep the style consistent. When data are presented, stay consistent with colors and fonts from one type of chart to the next. Keep things clear and simple, using data to support key points without overwhelming your audience with too much information. And don’t assume that your audience is composed of statisticians (unless, of course, it is).

When presenting qualitative data, brief videos provide a way to engage your audience and create emotional connection and impact. Word clouds are another way to get qualitative data across.

Practice makes perfect You’ve pulled together a perfect presentation. But it likely won’t be perfect unless it’s well delivered. So don’t forget to practice your presentation ahead of time. Pro tip: record yourself as you practice out loud. This will force you to think through what you’re going to say for each element of your presentation. And watching your recording will help you identify your mistakes—such as fidgeting, using too many fillers (such as “umm,” or “like”), or speaking too fast.

A key element of your preparation should involve anticipating any technical difficulties. If you’ve embedded videos, make sure they work. If you’re presenting virtually, make sure that the lighting is good, and that your speaker and camera are working. Whether presenting in person or virtually, get there early enough to work out any technical glitches before your presentation is scheduled to begin. Few things are a bigger audience turn-off than sitting there watching the presenter struggle with the delivery mechanisms!

Finally, be kind to yourself. Despite thorough preparation and practice, sometimes, things go wrong, and you need to recover in the moment, adapt, and carry on. It’s unlikely that you’ll have caused any lasting damage and the important thing is to learn from your experience, so your next presentation is stronger.

How are you providing presentation skills training for your learners?

Manika Gandhi is Senior Learning Design Manager at Harvard Business Publishing Corporate Learning. Email her at [email protected] .

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Home Blog Education How to Create and Deliver Training Presentations That Make an Impact

How to Create and Deliver Training Presentations That Make an Impact

Blended learning and hybrid workplaces have improved how employees train and optimize their work output. Corporate training is now a rich combination of in-person group sessions, live online lessons, and SCORM courses that employees can follow at their own pace. 

Are your training presentations up to the challenge?

Learning & Development strategists, HR, and performance management managers take note. In this guide, we’ll show you how to create a training deck from start to finish . Plus, some template examples and optimization tips for creating training presentations that make learning more effective.

What is a Training Presentation?

A training presentation is a set of slides created to teach a skill or increase knowledge of a topic. They’re used in training and development strategies in companies worldwide. Across the slides in a training presentation, employees learn essential information and skills to do their jobs better and grow in their careers.

Types of Training Presentations

Training presentations form part of all L&D initiatives in an HR department. They have one of two purposes; to train employees for the job at the present moment and to train them for growth and the future. 

Training for the job instructs employees on how to carry out their assigned tasks and responsibilities . The skills they learn follow guidelines from the company’s brand, processes, and structure.

Examples include:

• On-the-job training
• Practice simulations
• Orientation
• Skillbuilding 

To train for growth , employees are given resources to increase their capabilities, like learning new technology or methodology. They learn skills that will help their career future, preparing them for a promotion within the company or for changing teams laterally in a new role.

Growth training includes topics like:

• Soft skills
• New technology
• New processes or methodologies
• Job rotation
• Personal development
• Career expansion

Why Are Training Presentations Important?

High-quality training and development initiatives in a corporate setting offer many benefits. Three of the most relevant are employee buy-in and retention, company culture, and professional development.

Employee Buy-in and Retention

When training presentations are achieved at a high standard, team members in People Management, Human Resources, Learning & Development, and DEI feel confident and proud of their work in training fellow employees. 

They accompany employees along training paths, so it’s better if they’re invested in what they’re sharing. For a solid brand identity —and clear company culture—thorough training helps with buy-in straight out of the gate with an onboarding strategy. Then continues with regular training initiatives that lead to retention, satisfaction and loyalty.

Company Culture 

The role of company culture in an organization has a lot of weight towards brand equity. But a strong culture doesn’t happen overnight; it’s instilled in the employees’ minds through team-building activities, motivational seminars, and equitable training in all aspects of work.

Company culture flows through the ongoing interaction between trainers and trainees. Group sessions and training days help build relationships between teams and employees. Feeling invested is a trait developed through the right type of training. 

Professional Development

High-quality training for professional development is essential in every organization. On-the-job training for daily tasks is only part of the puzzle; employees also need to train for growth.

In-company training for professional development includes training for higher—or lateral—positions. Offering training for the future not only heightens professional development for individual employees but also carves a strong culture.

How to Create a Training Presentation

Let’s create a training deck together. We’ll use a case study to guide us along.

You and your L&D team at an IT Company are preparing a company-wide training session about the SCRUM framework before implementing it in more aspects of the business. The Training presentation is titled “Understanding the SCRUM Framework. Agilizing our productivity, together.” Sessions will be blended/hybrid to accommodate both in-office and remote employees. There will be a camera recording the instructor, and remote employees will see the presentation and the video of the instructor talking side by side on their screen.

1. Plan and prepare

Planning and strategizing are as important in training as in other business areas. Your training presentation already has a purpose, company-wide training about the SCRUM framework. But if you aren’t sure what employees need to learn to increase productivity and employee satisfaction, you’ll have to do some research. 

Figuring out your people’s learning and development needs takes some work. Are you using a performance management system? What does the reporting reveal? Where are employees failing to set goals? How can training presentations help? 

Analyze the reports, and you’ll see where they’re lacking. Plan upskilling strategies around those topics. With a clear objective, start preparing the training, presentation, and conversation points for group sessions. 

Put together a lesson plan covering the main characteristics of your presentation. Use it as a foundational reference during the production of the training presentation slides .

2. Create a basic structure 

Creating a structure for a training presentation is a critical step before designing slides or even writing the content. Training presentations with a set structure are more impactful than ones without. 

Following a structure makes the transference of knowledge much simpler. Write an outline that follows that structure. Do it on a document or use a visual tool like a storyboard to overview the full presentation deck .

The main structure for any training presentation has three parts; beginning, middle, and end. Yes, it’s that simple.

• Start with an agenda slide that covers the contents of the training presentation and builds a framework of what to expect out of this training program. Follow by listing the syllabus for the course and required learning material that will be accessible, and where students should download/access such content.
• Inform learners that at the end of the presentation, they will have all the basic and practical knowledge to understand and begin working with a SCRUM framework. 
• Explain (if necessary) what they need as a prerequisite to get the most out of the training.
• Any instructions they need to follow during the session, such as how to approach practical exercises or instructions for deliverables expected. 
• Share all supplemental material through links they can download or access from. This should also include any book chapter mentioned, video resources, photos, etc. Cloud-based storage accessible from the Company’s intranet tends to suit all needs.

• Throughout the meatiest slides of the presentation, teach them about the SCRUM framework. Then share how their team will use it to agile production and work in general.
• Use visual training techniques to explain themes and topics clearly.
• Create interactive moments for learners to imprint information. 
• Incorporate a variety of teaching formats to cover all learning styles; video, text, images, infographics, interactive activities, etc.

• Craft a few slides summarizing what they learned using a highlights list.
• Have learners take a quiz to test their knowledge and offer results that include the right answers to the questions they got wrong.
• Share references to supplemental material where learners can get more information on the topic.

The Middle Structure

In the middle is where most of the magic happens. A training presentation is much like a lecture in its purpose. Therefore, using teaching and lecture techniques in your presentations can only be a good idea.

Here are six lecture structures that you can apply to the middle of your presentation. For the SCRUM Framework training, we’ll use the first example .

• Start with what students can be expected to know to what students don’t know.  
• Proceed from reality to abstract ideas, theories, and principles.
• Begin with generalizations and continue with particular examples and applications.
• Open with simple ideas and round them up with complex ones
• Start sharing common misconceptions and then explain the truth.
• Go from a whole view to a detailed view. 

3. Gather resources

Organize all the content you’ll need for the presentation in a folder on the cloud or your team’s content library. Browse the SlideModel template collection, where you’ll find plenty of slides, full decks, and cut & copy elements to include in your training deck. For the slides to describe the SCRUM framework, we used this 3D PPT template of how the parts of the framework are interconnected.

Resource checklist for any training presentation:

• All visuals, videos, and PowerPoint slides add value to the training. 
• Case studies and examples support your points.
• Your company has the appropriate licenses to use the resources that are included in the final design.
• All references, citations and attributions are gathered for inclusion in the training documentation. 
• Your templates are from Slidemodel. 

4. Design the slides

Now, it’s time to put it all together and design the slides. Get all your resources ready, a list of all the templates you’ll use, and start a new project on PowerPoint.

Have your outline and/or storyboard open and start designing slides. Start with the cover and then follow the structure you decided on. Work your way through to the end and add a quiz. Here are some instructional presentation design best practices to help you along.

• Create visual unity and balance by choosing a color theme and font pairing that supports the brand message and purpose of the training.
• Mind the flow between slides from beginning to end. Use subtle transitions that don’t distract from the learning.
• Use a table of contents, section dividers, and interactive slide menus for easier navigation.
• Ensure each slide has a focal point and a visual hierarchy between all other elements.

All training material emulates the company brand, its values and vision. As marketing material follows visual and messaging brand guidelines, so should internal development content. 

Rather than mix & match slide templates, you can try a really fast method to create an entire training presentation by stating its topic, checking the suggested content, and selecting the desired slide design. This is possible thanks to the SlideModel’s AI Presentation Maker .

5 Training Presentation Slide Examples

Are you looking for inspiration to create a training presentation? SlideModel has numerous designs suitable for explaining, visually dissecting, and analyzing the material. Likewise, you’ll find templates that help L&D strategists communicate with instructors during the planning phase and beyond. 

Here are five templates that can help with your training presentation design.

Employee Onboarding

First, this multi-slide ppt template for training is an employee onboarding presentation . Use it to cover all characteristics of a corporate onboarding process. Slides include;

• Pre-boarding
• Training Activities
• Onboarding Roadmap
• Title & closing slides

Managerial Grid

The Blake & Mouton managerial grid is a great way to explain and analyze the different types of management based on production concerns and people concerns. Production concerns are characterized by tasks, and people are concerned with relationships. 

Matrix Grids can be used for other purposes as well. Like stakeholder engagement , talent analysis , and content marketing.

Multichapter Presentation

Does your training content span long chunks of information? Separate it into digestible sections and create a multichapter training presentation. If it still feels very long, separate each chapter into a lesson of a comprehensive digital course. This multichapter presentation template will help you either way. Plus, it will add considerable visual value to the deck as a whole.

SWOT Analysis

Teaching the SWOT Analysis process is best achieved with a “start big and continue into the details” presentation structure. This 5-slide template starts with the main idea and then delves deeper into each section. A visual structure like this also works for any concept that needs explanatory simplification. Simply separate the main concept into four parts and create a further slide for each.

5Cs of Customer Service

Nothing exudes versatility as much as infographics. This template has one function, to describe and analyze the 5Cs of customer service . Nevertheless, you get six visually different infographic compositions for the same topic in one template. How else can your content be separated into five sections with the same first letter? This—all words with the same first letter—is a mnemonic technique that will help your learners absorb and retain information.

How to Deliver Your Training Presentation

How will you deliver the training presentation to your learners? Depending on the company culture and working model, your training presentation will appear in any of the following scenarios.

1. As visual support to your In-person group training session.

The in-person group training session is the most common—until the pandemic changed many things. Your training presentation is the visual support during the event. 

Here are some tips for delivering a presentation during a group training session.

• Practice your ability to talk to a group. Notice your voice inflections or lack thereof. Practice the lesson with the training slides to support your spoken or activity-based teaching material.
• Remember that presenting a business presentation and teaching with a training presentation aren’t the same. If you’re new to in-person group training, research to learn and practice instruction skills.
• While training, maintain constant interaction with the learners. Ask them questions, and let them ask you questions. Invite anyone interested to join the online whiteboard for notetaking and mind-mapping the lesson.

2. As Part of a Live Online Session for Hybrid Teams.

Online, blended learning is quickly becoming popular with L&D teams. But how does it work? And why is it so special?

When you have hybrid teams with some employees in-office, others at home, and even more in other parts of the world, you need training solutions that work for everyone.

For the SCRUM training, we’d do the following:

• Prepare the training presentation slide deck.
• Organize a space for the in-person group and plan the event.
• Set up a camera to record the lesson or training session.
• Invite all employees to the session and offer them options of attendance; in-person, online, and live, watching the event recording.
• Get set up to stream the session live. You can use a webinar tool like Streamyard or the one inside your LMS platform. Someone might need to help so you can concentrate on the training rather than the technical tasks.
• Stream the lesson live and record it. On Chromecast , choose to use the split screen. One side shows the video of you teaching, and the other is the training presentation you prepared.
• Send the recording to the employees that didn’t attend in person or live online.

3. As a lesson in a digital course

Your training presentation can be its own course or part of a bigger one. In a comprehensive multi-lesson course, each section has its training presentation or a combination of presentations and other material. Use e-learning tools like SCORM and xAPI to create courses learners can do at their own pace, which you can keep track of. 

Create your SCORM and xAPI courses with PowerPoint, SlideModel, and the iSpring PPT plugin . Once finished, upload it all to your LMS platform and enroll employees to learn.

What’s the difference between SCORM and xAPI? The visual below has all the answers.

Read our guide on how to create an online course for detailed instructions and tips to make your course stand out.

3. As a PDF document

Delivering a training presentation as a PDF document shouldn’t be your first choice, but consider it for those employees that prefer learning that way. The same training presentation you create for in-person training, online learning or hybrid sessions can be downloaded as a PDF and shared via email or through the learning portal.

Takeaways for how to create successful PowerPoint Training Presentations

Optimize your training presentations to be as efficient as possible using instructional design techniques from the pros. Start with your trusty authoring combination of PowerPoint and SlideModel, and add an iSpring design plugin to complete the toolkit. Follow the steps in the sections above and then some.

Implement Interactivity 

Add interactivity to your training presentations to make them more engaging while touching on more learning styles. Interactivity can be as simple as a navigation menu between slides, dialogue simulations, and quick in-slide quizzes. Use xAPI and an LMS to create interactive training presentations for any topic.

After discussing the importance of interactivity, take a look at our 5-topic training presentation template showcased in the following video. With a tabbed menu, this training PPT template is ideal for presenting the agenda of your training session and delivering it in a streamlined manner. Each tab can represent a unique topic or module, making it easier for your audience to follow along and understand the progression of your training. The slide layout not only enhances visual appeal, making it more engaging than traditional slides, but also promotes organized content delivery.

Animated presentation templates, such as the one shown, are an effective way to captivate your audience and make the learning experience more memorable. This kind of animations add an element of surprise and engagement that static slides might lack. When paired with interactive elements mentioned earlier, such training templates can transform your training presentations into immersive learning experiences.

Add In-Slide Video

Hybrid learning and online learning have a wide berth of possibilities. One is in-slide video recordings of you—the training presenter—talking to the audience on the other side of the screen. 

This is especially practical for digital training presentations that never had an in-person session and instead are all done online. Use tools like Loom and Camtasia to record yourself speaking as you flip through the training slides, then download the Loom video . Then share the final video output on your company’s learning platform.

Offer Supplemental Material

Regardless of how you deliver your training deck, it’s always a good idea to offer supplemental material for the learner. Let’s look at some ideas:

• If you deliver the training presentation as a video with much narration, offer a PDF transcript for download. 
• On an LMS platform, add printable PDF worksheets and further reading material.
• Before or during an in-person session, give handouts and worksheets.
• In a hybrid webinar, share links to online games that help reinforce the topic.
• In any scenario, offer further resources for self-paced learning.

Incorporate Gamification

One of the best teaching techniques for turning training presentations from meh to memorable is gamification. Using games and game-like visual qualities helps learners capture and retain information better. Gamification techniques like badges, challenges, and competition elevate the learner’s feeling of happiness and contentment. They enjoy the process more and therefore learn more effectively.

Cover Multiple Platforms

Reach all employees where they are by creating and delivering versatile training presentations that are viewable on any device, from wall projectors to mobile phones. Create interconnectivity between them with downloads, digital whiteboards for notetaking, online chatrooms, handouts, etc.  

Don’t forget also to follow accessibility standards. For example, closed caption subtitles on videos and e-reader-compatible text. 

Share Questionnaires And Surveys At The End

Do you agree with the business notion that nothing in business is worth it unless you can track it? If so, then your training presentations must have a callback. Shortly after the learner has attended, watched, or listened to your training presentation, send them a short survey to gauge their satisfaction. Combine this with testing and quizzing results, and over a short time; you’ll have a good grasp on the effectiveness of your training.

Give a Certificate of Completion

Offer your learners a certificate of completion. As its name indicates, a certificate is essential for certifying that a person has taken your course. Create a visual certificate that you can send as a pdf in an email. Include all the necessary information for the learner to mention the completed course on their LinkedIn profile.

In less than three thousand words, you learned why training presentations are important for business, how to create and deliver them, plus tips on how to make your training presentations amazing.

Your L&D team and all your trained employees will benefit from optimized training presentations that use SlideModel templates for PowerPoint and Google Slides. Support your learners with visuals and instructional infographics. Start downloading educational templates today.

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Cracking the Code: Proven Strategies for Successful Training Presentations

Jamie Smith

Mastering Training Presentations

When it comes to delivering training presentations, mastering the art is crucial for ensuring effective knowledge transfer and engagement. In this section, we will explore the importance of effective training presentations and discuss key strategies that can help you succeed in your training endeavors.

Importance of Effective Training Presentations

Effective training presentations play a vital role in maximizing the learning experience for your audience. They provide a structured and organized approach to deliver information, making it easier for learners to comprehend and retain the material. Here are some reasons why effective training presentations are important:

Clear Communication : Training presentations allow you to communicate complex concepts and ideas in a clear and concise manner. By using visual aids, examples, and interactive techniques, you can enhance understanding and ensure that your message is effectively conveyed.

Engagement and Motivation : Well-designed training presentations capture the attention of learners and keep them engaged throughout the session. By incorporating interactive activities, real-world examples, and storytelling, you can create a dynamic learning environment that motivates learners to actively participate and apply what they have learned.

Consistency : Training presentations provide a consistent framework for delivering information to different audiences. This consistency ensures that all learners receive the same key messages and have a standardized learning experience , regardless of the trainer or location.

Efficiency : Effective training presentations help optimize the learning process by presenting information in a logical and organized manner. By structuring your content and using visual cues, you can help learners absorb information more efficiently and effectively.

Key Strategies for Successful Training Presentations

To master training presentations, it is essential to employ key strategies that have been proven to yield successful outcomes. By implementing these strategies, you can enhance the effectiveness of your training presentations:

Know Your Audience : Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your presentation to their specific needs and preferences. Identify their learning styles, knowledge levels, and professional backgrounds to ensure that your content resonates with them.

Define Clear Objectives : Clearly define the objectives of your training presentation. What do you want learners to know or be able to do by the end of the session? Setting clear objectives helps you stay focused and ensures that your content aligns with the desired learning outcomes.

Engage and Interact : Incorporate engaging techniques to capture and maintain the attention of your audience. Use captivating openings, storytelling, and interactive activities/exercises to make the learning experience more enjoyable and participatory.

Utilize Visuals and Multimedia : Visual aids and multimedia elements can significantly enhance the effectiveness of your training presentations. Create visually appealing slides, utilize relevant images and videos, and leverage technology to make your content more engaging and memorable.

Deliver with Confidence : Effective delivery is key to engaging your audience. Use vocal variety, body language, and eye contact to convey your message with confidence and enthusiasm. Pay attention to your pace and manage your time effectively to keep learners engaged and on track.

Evaluate and Improve : Continuously evaluate the effectiveness of your training presentations. Assess learner understanding through quizzes or assessments, collect feedback from participants, and analyze the data to identify areas for improvement. Use this feedback to refine your future presentations and enhance the overall learning experience.

By understanding the importance of effective training presentations and implementing these key strategies, you can enhance learner engagement, promote knowledge retention , and achieve successful outcomes in your training initiatives.

Understanding Your Audience

To deliver a successful training presentation, it’s essential to understand your audience and tailor your content to their needs. This section will focus on two important aspects of audience understanding: identifying learning styles and tailoring content to different audiences.

Identifying Learning Styles

Learning styles refer to the different ways individuals prefer to learn and process information. By identifying the predominant learning styles of your audience, you can adapt your training presentation to cater to their preferences and maximize their learning outcomes. Here are the three main learning styles:

By understanding the dominant learning styles within your audience, you can incorporate appropriate techniques and resources into your training presentation to engage and accommodate each learning style. This will ensure that all participants can connect with the material and enhance their learning experience.

Tailoring Content to Different Audiences

Each training session may have a diverse audience with varying backgrounds, knowledge levels, and objectives. To effectively engage all participants, it’s crucial to tailor your content to suit their specific needs. Here are some considerations for tailoring your content:

Knowledge Level : Assess the prior knowledge of your audience and adjust the complexity of your content accordingly. Ensure that you provide sufficient background information for beginners while offering more advanced insights for experienced individuals.

Relevance : Make your content relatable and relevant to your audience’s industry, job roles, or specific challenges. Use examples and case studies that resonate with their work environment to enhance understanding and applicability.

Language and Terminology : Adapt your language and terminology to match the familiarity and expertise of your audience. Avoid jargon or acronyms that might be unfamiliar to some participants, or provide clear explanations when using specialized terms.

Cultural Sensitivity : If your audience includes individuals from different cultural backgrounds, be mindful of cultural nuances and avoid any content that may be offensive or inappropriate. Respect and celebrate diversity in your training presentation.

Tailoring your content to different audiences ensures that your training presentation remains engaging, relevant, and impactful. It demonstrates your understanding of their unique needs, which in turn enhances their learning experience and increases the effectiveness of your training.

Planning and Preparation

To deliver a successful training presentation, careful planning and preparation are key. In this section, we will explore two important aspects of planning and preparation: defining clear objectives and structuring the presentation.

Defining Clear Objectives

Before diving into the content of your training presentation, it’s crucial to define clear objectives. Objectives provide a roadmap for your presentation and help you stay focused on the desired outcomes. When setting objectives, consider what you want your audience to learn or achieve by the end of the session.

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To ensure that your objectives are clear, specific, and measurable, you can use the SMART framework:

By following the SMART framework, you can establish well-defined objectives that guide your presentation and help you evaluate its effectiveness.

Structuring the Presentation

Once you have defined your objectives, it’s time to structure your training presentation. A well-structured presentation makes it easier for your audience to follow along and understand the content. Consider the following components when structuring your presentation:

Introduction: Start with a captivating opening that grabs your audience’s attention and introduces the topic. Clearly state the objectives of the presentation and provide an overview of what will be covered.

Main Content: Divide the main content into logical sections or modules. Each section should focus on a specific topic or concept. Use headings and subheadings to provide a clear structure and make it easier for your audience to navigate through the presentation.

Transitions: Ensure smooth transitions between different sections or topics. Use transitional phrases or visuals to signal when you are moving from one point to the next. This helps your audience follow your train of thought and stay engaged.

Visual Aids : Support your presentation with visually appealing and informative slides. Use bullet points, graphics, and charts to convey key information. Keep the slides simple and uncluttered to avoid overwhelming your audience.

Conclusion: Summarize the main points covered in your presentation and reinforce the key takeaways. Provide a clear call-to-action or next steps for your audience to apply what they have learned.

By structuring your presentation in a logical and organized manner, you create a framework that enhances understanding and retention of the material. Remember to adapt the structure to the specific needs and preferences of your audience, keeping their learning styles and preferences in mind.

Planning and preparation lay the foundation for a successful training presentation. By defining clear objectives and structuring your presentation effectively, you can deliver a presentation that is focused, engaging, and impactful.

Engaging Presentation Techniques

To deliver a successful training presentation, it’s crucial to employ engaging techniques that capture the attention and interest of your audience. By incorporating captivating openings, storytelling with real-world examples, and interactive activities and exercises, you can create a dynamic and memorable learning experience.

Captivating Openings

The opening of your training presentation sets the stage for the rest of the session. It’s important to grab your audience’s attention from the start and create a sense of curiosity. Consider using these techniques to make your opening captivating:

• Start with a thought-provoking question or a startling statistic related to the topic.
• Share a relevant and engaging anecdote or personal story that connects with the audience.
• Use a powerful visual or multimedia element to create impact and intrigue.

By grabbing your audience’s attention right from the beginning, you can establish a strong foundation for an engaging training presentation.

Storytelling and Real-World Examples

Storytelling is a powerful tool for engaging your audience and making your training presentation more relatable. Incorporate real-world examples and case studies that illustrate the concepts you are teaching. Use storytelling techniques such as:

• Creating vivid and descriptive narratives that paint a picture in the minds of your audience.
• Sharing success stories and testimonials that demonstrate the practical application of the training content .
• Relating the information to current events or industry trends to show its relevance and importance.

By using storytelling and real-world examples, you can make your training presentation more engaging and memorable, helping your audience connect with the material on a deeper level.

Interactive Activities and Exercises

Incorporating interactive activities and exercises into your training presentation can enhance engagement and reinforce learning. These activities encourage active participation and provide opportunities for hands-on practice. Consider including the following interactive elements in your presentation:

By including interactive activities and exercises, you create a collaborative learning environment that encourages knowledge retention and application.

Remember, engaging presentation techniques are vital for keeping your audience focused and interested throughout your training session. By starting with captivating openings, utilizing storytelling with real-world examples, and incorporating interactive activities and exercises, you can ensure a successful and impactful training presentation.

Visual Design and Multimedia

When delivering a successful training presentation, visual design and the use of multimedia elements are essential aspects to consider. Creating effective slides and incorporating visuals and multimedia can enhance audience engagement and comprehension. In this section, we will explore two important components: effective slide design and the utilization of visuals and multimedia.

Effective Slide Design

Creating visually appealing and well-organized slides is crucial for maintaining audience interest and conveying information effectively. Here are some key principles to keep in mind when designing your training presentation slides:

Simplicity : Keep your slides clean and uncluttered. Use a simple color scheme and avoid excessive text or complex graphics.

Consistency : Maintain a consistent visual style throughout your presentation. Use the same font, font size, and formatting for headings, subheadings, and body text.

Hierarchy : Prioritize the information on your slides using clear headings, bullet points, and subheadings. Use proper formatting to distinguish between main points and supporting details.

Visuals : Incorporate relevant images, charts, and diagrams to support your content. Visuals can aid understanding and make your presentation more engaging.

Whitespace : Utilize whitespace effectively to create a balanced and visually pleasing slide layout. Leave enough space between elements to enhance readability and avoid clutter.

Utilizing Visuals and Multimedia

Visuals and multimedia elements can significantly enhance the impact of your training presentation. Here are some effective strategies to incorporate visuals and multimedia:

Images : Use high-quality images that are relevant to your content. Images can help convey concepts, evoke emotions, and make your presentation more memorable.

Charts and Graphs : Present data and statistics using clear and visually appealing charts and graphs. Choose the appropriate chart type to effectively represent your data.

Videos : Include short video clips to demonstrate processes, showcase examples, or provide real-world scenarios. Videos can add variety and engage different learning styles.

Infographics : Create visually compelling infographics to present complex information in a concise and easy-to-understand format. Infographics can simplify concepts and improve retention.

Animations : Use animations sparingly to emphasize key points or to reveal information gradually. Animations can help maintain audience attention and enhance understanding.

Remember to use visuals and multimedia elements strategically and purposefully. Avoid overloading your slides with excessive visuals or distracting effects. Each visual or multimedia element should serve a specific purpose and enhance the learning experience for your audience.

By following these guidelines for effective slide design and utilizing visuals and multimedia, you can create visually engaging and impactful training presentations that effectively communicate your message and captivate your audience.

Effective Delivery

To deliver a successful training presentation, it is important to focus not only on the content but also on the delivery itself. Engaging delivery techniques, vocal variety and body language, and effective management of time and pace are key factors that contribute to the overall impact of your presentation.

Engaging Delivery Techniques

Engaging your audience is crucial to keep them attentive and interested throughout your training presentation. Here are some effective delivery techniques to consider:

Vocal Variety and Body Language

Your voice and body language play a significant role in delivering an impactful training presentation. Here are some tips to enhance vocal variety and body language:

Managing Time and Pace

Effective time management and pacing are crucial to ensure that your training presentation stays on track and participants are able to absorb the information effectively. Consider the following guidelines:

By employing engaging delivery techniques, leveraging vocal variety and body language, and effectively managing time and pace, you can deliver a training presentation that captivates your audience and maximizes their learning experience. Remember to practice and rehearse your delivery to ensure a confident and polished performance.

Evaluation and Feedback

In order to ensure the effectiveness of your training presentations, it’s crucial to incorporate evaluation and feedback processes. This allows you to assess learner understanding, collect valuable insights, and continuously improve your training approach. Here are three key aspects to consider when it comes to evaluation and feedback: assessing learner understanding, collecting and analyzing feedback, and continuous improvement.

Assessing Learner Understanding

Assessing learner understanding is essential to gauge the effectiveness of your training presentations. By evaluating how well participants grasp the material, you can identify any knowledge gaps and make necessary adjustments. There are various methods you can employ to assess learner understanding, such as:

Quizzes and Assessments : Use quizzes, tests, or short assessments to evaluate participants’ comprehension of the presented content. This allows you to measure their knowledge retention and identify areas that may need further clarification.

Group Discussions : Engage participants in group discussions to encourage active participation and deeper understanding. This provides an opportunity for learners to share their insights, ask questions, and clarify any uncertainties.

Case Studies : Incorporate case studies or real-life scenarios that require participants to apply the knowledge gained from the training. This helps assess their ability to transfer the learned concepts into practical situations.

By regularly assessing learner understanding, you can identify any gaps in knowledge and tailor your future training presentations accordingly.

Collecting and Analyzing Feedback

Collecting feedback from participants is an invaluable source of information for improving your training presentations. It allows you to gain insights into what worked well and what can be enhanced. Here are some ways to collect and analyze feedback:

Once you have collected feedback, analyze the results to identify common themes, areas for improvement, and potential modifications to your training presentations.

Continuous Improvement

Continuous improvement is a vital aspect of successful training presentations. By actively seeking feedback and incorporating suggestions, you can refine your approach and ensure ongoing growth and development. Here are some strategies for continuous improvement:

Reflect and Learn : Reflect on your training presentations and consider what worked well and what could be improved. Learn from each session and apply those learnings to future training opportunities.

Stay Updated : Stay informed about the latest trends, techniques, and best practices in training and instructional design . Continuously expand your knowledge and skills to enhance the quality and effectiveness of your presentations.

Adapt and Customize : Tailor your training presentations based on the feedback and specific needs of your audience. Customize the content, delivery methods, and activities to maximize engagement and learning outcomes.

By embracing a mindset of continuous improvement, you can refine your training presentations and ensure they are consistently effective and impactful.

Evaluation and feedback are essential components of successful training presentations. By assessing learner understanding, collecting and analyzing feedback, and embracing a culture of continuous improvement, you can enhance the quality of your presentations and deliver exceptional learning experiences.

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How to Create a Training PowerPoint Presentation

content creator

Charuan Aguilera See full bio →

A well-designed PowerPoint training presentation can be a powerful tool for conveying information, fostering training skills, engaging learners, and facilitating understanding. This type of presentation can be applied in many industries and can suit different learning styles.

Whether you’re a seasoned trainer looking to enhance your presentation skills or are new to the world of instructional design, this article will guide you through the essential steps to create a training PowerPoint presentation that captivates your audience and delivers meaningful learning outcomes.

What Is a Training Presentation?

A training presentation is a visual tool designed to deliver knowledge in a structured and engaging way in different training contexts.

It is a format that allows instructors to present training materials that keep the audience responsive and motivated, promoting comprehension and retention.

Training presentations are used extensively in educational settings and in staff training. Whether you’re introducing new employees to company policies, teaching students a complex subject, or demonstrating how to use a new software tool, training presentations make learning more effective and engaging.

A good training presentation is a combination of several design and structural elements that ultimately enhance learning effectiveness. Here are some key elements of training presentations:

• Content . The core of a training presentation is the content you deliver to your audience. It’s the information you want your trainees to absorb, memorize, and use effectively in the future.
• Visuals . Visual elements play a crucial role in training presentations. Besides using slides with text, presenters also include graphics, images, and even interactive elements . These visuals help learners better understand and remember the training material.
• Structure . Even with top-notch content and amazing visuals, if the presentation structure is not organized logically, the audience will have a hard time understanding it. That’s why a clear outline is needed so the learners can follow the flow of information and build their knowledge during the training session.
• Practical exercises and assessments . It’s a good idea to include assessments or quizzes in your training presentations to determine participants’ understanding and measure the effectiveness of the training. As an instructor, you can also integrate real-life cases and scenarios to help trainees put the recently acquired knowledge into practice.

The Importance of Effective Training Presentations

In short, an effective training presentation lays the foundation for more profound training experiences. By structuring information logically and using engaging visuals and interactive elements, training presentations improve training and promote efficient retention of knowledge.

An effective training presentation can become a powerful tool for employee training and professional development because it:

• allows the participants to visualize the training content in a logical structure;
• can be adapted to accommodate different learning styles;
• improves the skill development process for both new and seasoned employees;
• provides a tangible resource that trainees can revisit when they want to refresh their knowledge. 

Types of Training Presentations

Training presentations come in many forms, depending on learning goals, target audiences, and training contexts. Understanding the different types of training presentations can help you choose the format that’s most suitable for achieving your training objectives.

Let’s take a closer look at some common types of training presentations:

1. Informative Presentation

Informative presentations are the foundation of knowledge transfer. They are designed to deliver key information, facts, or concepts to the training audience. Informative presentations often rely on an instructor with great presentation skills who leads the session.

Some examples of this type of presentation are:

• Lecture-style presentations
• Product knowledge training
• Safety briefings
• Compliance training

These presentations often include a summary slide that highlights what the trainees should take away from the session.

2. Skill Development Presentation

Skill development presentations are all about hands-on learning. They provide trainees with opportunities to gain practical skills or new professional competencies. These presentations typically include: 

• Demonstrations 
• Guided exercises 
• Interactive simulations and role-plays
• Feedback and evaluations

All these elements help participants put theory into practice right away. Skill development presentations can also come in the form of pre-recorded video presentations that illustrate how the skills work in real life.

You can use the following questions to define your training presentation’s objectives:

• What do you want your audience to learn from the presentation?
• What specific skills or knowledge should they acquire?
• How will this training benefit the organization?
• Is there a behavioral change you want to achieve?
• How can you measure the success of your training presentation?

Step 2. Outline the structure

The next step is to define the structure of your PowerPoint presentation . Break down your content into logical sections or modules . Prioritize key information and decide on the main points you want to cover in each section.

You can divide your presentation into sections based on the main topics, the key skills, or the type of activity you’re going to include in the training. It’s up to you to choose the structure. Just make sure to follow it consistently throughout the presentation.

Step 7. Practice and rehearse the presentation

Once you have all your PowerPoint slides completed, perform a final run-through of your training presentation. This will help you feel confident and well-prepared. Pay attention to timing, pacing, and audience engagement during this rehearsal.

An effective training slide deck is not just a matter of content but delivery as well. So, be sure to take your time and find your pace and tone of voice.

Pro tip : Remember that you can include notes in the comment section at the bottom of each slide to help you remember key information and avoid long pauses in your speech.

Content creator

Charuan Aguilera

A learning and training enthusiast, Charuan seeks to empower his readers with the latest insights and trends in e-learning.

How to Structure a PowerPoint Presentation

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Presentations and lectures

A lecture is delivered to a large number of learners by a teacher (usually in person, but can be by broadcast, video or film). A conventional lecture would be 50–55 minutes of uninterrupted discourse from the teacher with no discussion, the only learner activity being listening and note-taking. Lectures will not necessarily include visual aids. Presentations follow a similar pattern but are more likely to happen outside formal education for example in the workplace. Presentations might be shorter and would definitely include visual aids — possibly of a high-tech nature.

There are many advantages to using presentations and lectures as a delivery method for training. Although the disadvantages are fewer, it is important to acknowledge them and to take measures to minimise them as they are significant and can undermine the learning experience.

There has been a lot of research carried out on learning experiences which sheds light on the appropriateness and value of presentations and lectures as a delivery technique. When preparing your presentation it is good to bear in mind the following:

• The brain has an average attention span of 10 minutes unless the trainer does something to stimulate attention, e.g. ask a question, show a slide, change the pace
• When a message is given once, the brain remembers only 10 per cent a year later — when the message is repeated six times, recall rises to 90 per cent
• The brain is more likely to remember the beginning and end of events
• Recall is high when mnemonics or analogy is used
• Recall falls rapidly after 24 hours without review
• The brain prefers rounded diagrams and figures to square
• The brain prefers colour to black and white
• The brain remembers unusual things very well

Tips for delivering effective presentations and lectures

There are some people who are natural speakers. They can speak without preparation, without notes, without visual aids and put together a presentation on their chosen or accepted subject that will impress, inform and captivate their audience. In so doing they might violate all the tips and guidance offered in this section but they will nevertheless be gifted trainers. Most of us need to develop and practice our speaking and presentation skills and following the guidance below will assist in preparing and delivering an effective and professional presentation or lecture. Some of the tips will also be relevant to other kinds of delivery methods.

Introduction

• Say whether the learners may ask questions
• Tell them whether and when to take notes
• Tell them about the handouts
• Outline your presentation

Find out about your participants’ existing knowledge

This is also a good way to “warm up” the class.

• Ask the class questions
• Give them a (brief) written test or quiz
• Find out what they have done before

Organise your information well

• Make sure you know enough about the subject to be able to respond to searching questions which are not part of your presentation
• Your lecture/presentation should have a beginning, a middle and an end or follow some other logical structure
• Remember you might need to re-orient your learners half way through
• Explain how the presentation fits into the overall training
• Relate your session to previous and subsequent elements of the training

Relate to learners

• Place subject in context
• Identify with something they will find useful
• Use analogies
• Use illustrations and diagrams to help clarity
• Use examples which will make the topic interesting for learners
• Use plain and simple language
• Use words that the learners know
• Write up definitions for complex terms or provide a glossary handout
• Explain abbreviations
• Avoid jargon and unnecessary repetition (but remember to reinforce important points)

Body language

• Be sure to make eye contact with the class without focusing too much on any one individual
• Remember to smile and look confident
• Avoid excessive gesturing which can be distracting
• Find a comfortable posture so that you stand balanced and relaxed
• Use voice tone and pitch to avoid monotony
• Pace yourself slowly enough to be clear — you will need to speak much more slowly than your usual talking speed
• Pause to allow time for words to be digested
• Wear clothes that make you feel confident and comfortable
• Aim to wear clothes that will not alienate your audience — if in doubt it is best to be smarter
• If “lucky” ties and ear-rings help boost your confidence, wear them
• Remember loud or inappropriate clothes can distract your audience

General tips

• Know your subject
• Keep to your time (practice delivering the presentation to be sure that the timing is right)
• Be honest — even if it means admitting you don’t know the answer
• Be enthusiastic
• Be yourself
• Summarise content and/or review main points
• Refer to bibliography and further reading as appropriate
• Allow time for questions

Visual aids

The most common technique for making lectures and presentations more interesting and effective is the use of visual aids . Lecturing can be a boring and therefore ineffectual way of delivering learning. Visual aids are used in presentations and lectures to illustrate the subject, they can help to break up the monotony, providing a visual stimulant to reinforce what the learners are listening to. The most common forms of visual aids are:

• Overheads (also know as OHPs, slides or transparencies)
• Photographic slides
• Powerpoint presentations
• Objects, pictures or documentation which is handed around the class but which do not constitute a handout

More detail on developing effective visual aids is given in the Teaching aids section.

How are presenters and lecturers assessed by the audience?

Making presentations and delivering lectures can be a very daunting experience, particularly as most of us have been on the receiving end of speeches in the past. It can be helpful to remember how we might be judged or received by our audience. There are three main areas on which a speaker’s competence may be judged:

• Knowledge: technical competence and practical experience
• Design and delivery: the “performance”, including: voice control; eye contact; body language; audio-visual use and support; facilitating discussion; making learning fun
• Enthusiasm: interest in the subject; listening skills; ability to answer questions

How to make lectures and presentations more interactive

Lectures can be the best way to get a lot of factual information over to a large group of people. However, they do not have to involve lengthy periods of monologue from the speaker as there are ways of breaking up the delivery to add variety and interest. Here are some suggestions:

• Interrupt the lecture with questions to the class
• String together a set of mini lectures and class activities
• Buzz groups — set a specific question and ask the learners to discuss it in pairs
• Provide partial handouts to be filled in by the class during the lecture
• Give the class a short piece of relevant reading
• Give the class quiet time (time to think: ask learners to read their notes, think about a problem, or summarise an idea in their heads)

Last updated: 20 December 2005

• PRESENTATION SKILLS

What is a Presentation?

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The formal presentation of information is divided into two broad categories: Presentation Skills and Personal Presentation .

These two aspects are interwoven and can be described as the preparation, presentation and practice of verbal and non-verbal communication. 

This article describes what a presentation is and defines some of the key terms associated with presentation skills.

Many people feel terrified when asked to make their first public talk.  Some of these initial fears can be reduced by good preparation that also lays the groundwork for making an effective presentation.

A Presentation Is...

A presentation is a means of communication that can be adapted to various speaking situations, such as talking to a group, addressing a meeting or briefing a team.

A presentation can also be used as a broad term that encompasses other ‘speaking engagements’ such as making a speech at a wedding, or getting a point across in a video conference.

To be effective, step-by-step preparation and the method and means of presenting the information should be carefully considered. 

A presentation requires you to get a message across to the listeners and will often contain a ' persuasive ' element. It may, for example, be a talk about the positive work of your organisation, what you could offer an employer, or why you should receive additional funding for a project.

The Key Elements of a Presentation

Making a presentation is a way of communicating your thoughts and ideas to an audience and many of our articles on communication are also relevant here, see: What is Communication? for more.

Consider the following key components of a presentation:

Ask yourself the following questions to develop a full understanding of the context of the presentation.

When and where will you deliver your presentation?

There is a world of difference between a small room with natural light and an informal setting, and a huge lecture room, lit with stage lights. The two require quite different presentations, and different techniques.

Will it be in a setting you are familiar with, or somewhere new?

If somewhere new, it would be worth trying to visit it in advance, or at least arriving early, to familiarise yourself with the room.

Will the presentation be within a formal or less formal setting?

A work setting will, more or less by definition, be more formal, but there are also various degrees of formality within that.

Will the presentation be to a small group or a large crowd?

Are you already familiar with the audience?

With a new audience, you will have to build rapport quickly and effectively, to get them on your side.

What equipment and technology will be available to you, and what will you be expected to use?

In particular, you will need to ask about microphones and whether you will be expected to stand in one place, or move around.

What is the audience expecting to learn from you and your presentation?

Check how you will be ‘billed’ to give you clues as to what information needs to be included in your presentation.

All these aspects will change the presentation. For more on this, see our page on Deciding the Presentation Method .

The role of the presenter is to communicate with the audience and control the presentation.

Remember, though, that this may also include handing over the control to your audience, especially if you want some kind of interaction.

You may wish to have a look at our page on Facilitation Skills for more.

The audience receives the presenter’s message(s).

However, this reception will be filtered through and affected by such things as the listener’s own experience, knowledge and personal sense of values.

See our page: Barriers to Effective Communication to learn why communication can fail.

The message or messages are delivered by the presenter to the audience.

The message is delivered not just by the spoken word ( verbal communication ) but can be augmented by techniques such as voice projection, body language, gestures, eye contact ( non-verbal communication ), and visual aids.

The message will also be affected by the audience’s expectations. For example, if you have been billed as speaking on one particular topic, and you choose to speak on another, the audience is unlikely to take your message on board even if you present very well . They will judge your presentation a failure, because you have not met their expectations.

The audience’s reaction and therefore the success of the presentation will largely depend upon whether you, as presenter, effectively communicated your message, and whether it met their expectations.

As a presenter, you don’t control the audience’s expectations. What you can do is find out what they have been told about you by the conference organisers, and what they are expecting to hear. Only if you know that can you be confident of delivering something that will meet expectations.

See our page: Effective Speaking for more information.

How will the presentation be delivered?

Presentations are usually delivered direct to an audience.  However, there may be occasions where they are delivered from a distance over the Internet using video conferencing systems, such as Skype.

It is also important to remember that if your talk is recorded and posted on the internet, then people may be able to access it for several years. This will mean that your contemporaneous references should be kept to a minimum.

Impediments

Many factors can influence the effectiveness of how your message is communicated to the audience.

For example background noise or other distractions, an overly warm or cool room, or the time of day and state of audience alertness can all influence your audience’s level of concentration.

As presenter, you have to be prepared to cope with any such problems and try to keep your audience focussed on your message.   

Our page: Barriers to Communication explains these factors in more depth.

Continue to read through our Presentation Skills articles for an overview of how to prepare and structure a presentation, and how to manage notes and/or illustrations at any speaking event.

Continue to: Preparing for a Presentation Deciding the Presentation Method

See also: Writing Your Presentation | Working with Visual Aids Coping with Presentation Nerves | Dealing with Questions Learn Better Presentation Skills with TED Talks

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7 Types of Training Methods (and How to Choose)

By Emily Gore

February 9, 2023

Traditional types of training methods are exactly what they say they are—traditional. Instead of engaging learners by being innovative, creative, fresh, lightweight, and sometimes funny, they often feel like a burden and unwelcome obligation.

Old days’ training methods fall short of everything they can do to maximize learners’ attention and information recall . Additionally, and in corporate settings, they ignore the collateral effects of effective training methods. As a result, companies miss a terrific opportunity to make their employees happier and more productive.

It’s not just the training materials—it’s the training method.

Many organizations focus on creating good-looking training materials. However, design is not all about aesthetics—it’s primarily about function. And if an employee training course doesn’t meet its functional goals, it fails—no matter how pretty the materials are. 

Nowadays, the variety of training methods can seem overwhelming. Therefore, we compiled a list of the best types of training methods for employees. We’ll also give you some advice on how to select the method that best suits your employees.

How Important Is It To Choose the Right Training Method?

Choosing the best option from a long list of training methods for employees can seem daunting. But corporate training is essential for employee onboarding and employee retention. Figuring out what works best for your employees doesn’t have to be difficult. 

Onboarding is a perfect moment to deliver training. A new staff member is bursting with excitement about joining your company. They’re like sponges ready to soak up all the information they possibly can—about the company, the business, or their function.

Existing employees are also eager to extend and develop their skills. In any case, for the sake of learning effectiveness, the training method is as important as the content and activities.

On top of the different levels of employees that need training, we have an indisputable truth: everyone learns differently. Some prefer to learn by watching, others by listening or reading and writing, and others by doing. Some learners change their preference depending on certain conditions. The topic might also influence the appropriateness of one method over the other.

Powered by technology, the types of training methods are numerous. And we didn’t discard any of the traditional training methods yet, because they do have their perks. Let’s explore the features of each training method for employees.

Types of Training Methods

Most training methods target more than one learning style, whereas some focus on one particular style. And that’s okay! Because if you offer training using different types of methods, you’ll satisfy the styles of different employees. And unless the topic calls for a particular training method, you might even offer a variety of methods for a single topic. You can also give your staff options to learn in different ways depending on the circumstances. For instance, they might wish to learn by listening on one day and by watching on another.

Below are seven of the best types of employee training methods:

• Case Studies
• Instructor-Led Training
• Interactive Training
• On-the-Job Training
• Video-Based Training

Check out the details and benefits of each type!

1. Case Studies

This type of training is great for developing critical thinking, problem-solving, and analytical skills. The scenarios can be real or imaginary, but in the context of employee training, they all illustrate situations at work.

Learners read the case studies and then analyze and solve them individually or in a group. Some solutions might be better than others, depend on assumptions, and be either optimal or the best possible given the circumstances.

Although case studies allow your staff to learn at their own pace, they’re most useful for less complex topics.

2. Coaching

Mentorship—another name for coaching—should be an impactful and memorable learning experience. At least, that’s the expectation of mentors and mentorees.

When your experienced staff dedicates time and effort to coaching new employees, those new employees will feel valued and supported. Put some emphasis on the time and effort required by mentors, and remember that it pays off.

Although coaching and on-the-job training might seem similar, coaching:

• Focuses on the mentor-mentoree relationship
• Is more inspiring
• Is most likely to make the employee comfortable asking questions

You can also deliver coaching sessions online—making them even more accessible.

3. eLearning

You might know this one by online training. It’s computer-based training that’s delivered from a distance, online. The advantages?

• Learners can go through the content and activities at their own pace.
• There’s no need to hire an instructor.
• It scales beautifully, so the number of simultaneous learners can increase tremendously.

Oftentimes, this type of training:

• Resembles classroom training
• Uses visuals with a voiceover
• Complements lessons with videos and reading materials

As you don’t have an instructor monitoring engagement levels, you must use other means to do it. Quizzes and other types of interactive activities are wonderful for that purpose. They also allow you to appraise the progress of each employee and the effectiveness of the training.

4. Instructor-Led Training

Whether it’s in-person or online, an instructor-led training session is very much based on the dynamics of a classroom.

• Led by an instructor
• With a presentation—just like a lecture

Although an academic-like classroom experience may not seem thrilling to some learners, the method has some significant pros.

• Learners can ask the instructor questions that the materials don’t cover in real-time.
• Instructors can monitor learners’ progress and engagement.
• Learners and instructors can build a relationship with each other.
• Complex topics are sometimes easier to teach in a classroom.

On the other hand, whether they’re online or physical, classrooms—or instructor-led training sessions—have some cons.

• A high number of learners prevents the instructor from interacting one-on-one with all of them.
• Learners can’t learn at their own pace since there are multiple learners in the (in-person or virtual) room.

5. Interactive Training

Anything interactive has the potential to grab our attention. And training is no different! That’s why interactive training is highly engaging and effective. Learners absorb more information, retain it faster, and recall it for longer periods of time.

The success of interactive training comes from being practical rather than theoretical. So, employees learn by applying knowledge in a realistic setting.

Here are three examples of interactive training:

• Game-based training. Using rewards like points increases motivation levels, and this type of training can make learning fun.
• Roleplaying. A facilitator manages the process of acting out different work scenarios with the learners. It’s especially effective for client or customer interaction training as it explores difficult situations in a controlled environment.
• Simulations. These can be appropriate for learning specialized, complex skills, like for medicine or aviation training. Simulations set up real work scenarios for the learners, so augmented or virtual reality can be great simulation tools.

6. On-the-Job Training

Also known as hands-on training, on-the-job training is all about the practical skills that a job requires. Therefore, the employee learns by going through the experience of executing real activities at work.

On-the-job training reduces the time before the employee starts performing their job function. It can take different forms, such as:

• Internships. Interns obtain guidance, support, and training from the company that hired them. And the more prior knowledge they have of what the job entails, the better for their future success.
• Rotations. Job rotations boost employee motivation, satisfaction, cooperation, and commitment to the company. By exposing the employee to different business areas of your company, they develop skills they might not otherwise have and a deeper understanding of and commitment to the company as a whole. This increases retention levels and your employees’ chances of moving up in their own department or in another.
• Shadowing. New hires observe existing employees while they work, ask questions, and sometimes help with tasks. By doing that, new hires understand how they’ll have to do their work before they actually have to do it.

Employee engagement—or interest and involvement—is vital for the success of on-the-job training. Engagement is typically heightened with on-the-job training since it’s individual and the learning activities intimately relate to the employee’s job.

On-the-job training produces results quickly and is also appropriate for teaching and developing leadership skills.

7. Video-Based Training

Speed and efficiency—these are the keywords that propelled video as an employee training vehicle. Additionally, it became popular because it can be way more interesting than traditional training methods. It’s highly engaging and can be entertaining as well!

Animations raise information recall to impressive levels. Live-action videos are great for demonstrations. Webinars and screen recordings of step-by-step procedures can take a simple list and turn it into an entertaining, story-based how-to.

Video-based training is easily accessible and repeatable—the employee can watch the video as many times as they need. Also, it doesn’t require an instructor.

Now that you know each one of the types of training methods for employees, are you ready to choose? Here are some tips on making the right choice for your organization!

How To Choose the Right Employee Training Method

To choose a training method, you should analyze your training needs from two perspectives.

• Coaching is perfect for teaching leadership, emotional intelligence, or change-management skills.
• eLearning is especially useful for teaching company policies.
• Roleplaying works well for teaching how to deal with employees who don’t follow company policies.
• Video-based training is great for teaching new knowledge, such as industry or technological trends.
• Older employees might feel more comfortable with instructor-led training.
• Millennials often prefer training methods compatible with mobile devices, such as games and video.
• Any online training is most effective when employees are remotely located, are senior-level staff with limited availability, or travel a lot.

Training Methods for All Tastes and Needs

Long story short, employee training is continuous, and companies need it to thrive and prosper. Without developing their employees’ skills, companies can’t face the competition.

Choosing the right training method for your employees is integral to effective training. And you might find value from using varied training methods. It all depends on why you’re delivering the training program and to whom.

The suitability of your training methods to your goals and audience is indispensable to the success of your training program. Finding the right training method makes your employees more skilled and aligned with their job and your company.

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Our Top 8 Tips For Creating Effective Training Presentations!

Table of contents.

Staff training for all employees, including managers, supervisors, and executives, is vital to an efficient and safe working space. For optimal results, you not only need active participants and good public speaking skills, but you need effective training materials that are easy to digest.

If you’re hoping to create a staff training PowerPoint presentation, or any other training material, this is the place to be. Here’s our guide to creating effective training presentations that leave lasting impressions on your trainees .

What Is A Training Presentation?

As many individuals in the human resources department know, employee training is mandatory for employees to complete when they start a job.

A training presentation is a learning material that helps build the right skills that employees need in order to perform their jobs accurately. For optimal results, your training presentations should include lessons that showcase the specialized knowledge in well-structured and easy-to-read slides .

An effective presentation will create a great learning experience for your audience and will illustrate the main message throughout the presentation.

Youth Employment Services Training Presentation

Youth Employment Services (YES) was faced with the challenge of developing a training series aimed at you guessed it, increasing youth employment. A typical PowerPoint just wasn’t captivating enough, so we gave them an engaging presentation from start to finish.

Why Are Effective Employee Training Presentations Beneficial To My Company?

Providing relevant training information to your team is extremely important to the overall safety and efficiency of your company. A solid training presentation that can provide knowledge and important information to your participants can benefit your company in a number of ways. Here are just a few that come to mind:

Peace Of Mind

First, a training presentation can provide peace of mind to your organization. When your team members fully understand the importance of safety requirements or the different responsibilities of their job, it means you can rest assured that they are well equipped for daily tasks and emergency situations.

Employee Retention

Another benefit of effective training presentations is employee retention. When your employees fully understand their role in your organization and feel equipped and supported, they are more likely to stay in their role. Also, knowledge is power and development/progression is more than just monetary.

Setting Standards & Expectations

Finally, an effective training course will ensure that your team members have a set of clear expectations and standards to hold to throughout their time at your company. Clear expectations for your employees can not only lead to a more efficient workplace, but can also create a safer and healthier work environment.

5 Tips That Ensure You Have An Effective Training Presentation

Now that we understand what a training presentation is and why a good presentation is so beneficial for your company, we can focus on how to create a professional and effective training presentation.

Here are 5 training presentation tips that you can use to enhance your training Powerpoint slides and keep the materials interesting to your audience:

Tell Your Story And Articulate Your Learning Goals

When you present your training course to your employees, you want to first start with a summary of the organization’s story and what your main goals are. Your brand’s story should be woven throughout the presentation so that everything ties back together. This solid structure will allow you to build off it and further engage your audience.

In order to engage your team you want them to understand why your business exists and what the main mission or key goals are. When you include these things in your Powerpoint presentation, you can further engage your audience.

As seen in this training presentation for Soccer Shots , the organization’s mission and main goals are clearly articulated at the beginning of the training session.

Make Your Presentation Accessible

In order to even fully engage your students at a training session, they need to be able to hear the presenter and see and read the slides.

Creating an accessible presentation will allow every person in the audience to gain knowledge from the Powerpoint slides.

Accessibility can mean different things for different people, so it’s important to know what kind of needs your audience requires. For example, you may need to use a larger text size, a microphone, a clear font, sign language, or narration throughout the presentation.

As a presenter, it’s important to ensure that everyone present at the session is able to reach each slide, complete each task, and can hear the trainer’s speech.

Cater To Different Learning Styles

Another aspect of a good training presentation is understanding that everyone learns differently. Where some employees can gain a lot of knowledge from slides full of bullet points, other employees may need more interactive elements during the training presentation.

To ensure that your professional training presentation appeals and engages all types of learners, you should try to include a variety of elements in your PowerPoint presentation design .

For example, you might include more graphics, images, or videos that can talk for you. Or, you can have specific conversations starters where participants can engage in conversation with the trainer and the other audience members.

Too much text can lead to an information overload that can cause participants to zone out while the trainer is talking. Instead, structure your presentation slides with some white space so your audience isn’t overwhelmed with information.

Use Real World Examples In Your Training Sessions

Another way to boost training skills in a good training presentation is throughout using real life examples. While data charts and abstract ideas can provide extremely helpful information to participants, real world examples can allow that information to stick.

People are more perceptive to ideas that make an impact on their own lives. So, if you include examples from daily life to illustrate and explain your point, you may find that your audience is more engaged in the training presentation.

Now, use your findings to integrate realistic situations as examples or exercises that show trainees the value of your session. The key to an engaged and motivated audience is to keep things real.

Design Is Critical, So Don't Underestimate It

One of the most important tips for creating effective training presentations is that design matters. As much as it may seem that the information is more important than the design for a training course, the design is actually very critical.

Not only can your design reinforce your brand image and brand identity, but it can further engage your participants. Charts that showcase data and information, graphics, high quality images, eye catching colours, and smooth transitions can all help you make a powerpoint presentation that gets your point across effectively.

A great presentation template and slide deck will have a organic design that not only pleases the eye, but will explain important information to your audience.

Consider Additions or Alternatives To Help Support Your Training Efforts

An effective presentation isn’t just about the slides. There are other components that you need to keep in mind before leading your presentation.

Practice Your Presentation Skills

For one, the trainer will need to practice the presentation ahead of the course.

Good public speaking skills and having a strong idea of what you are talking about can all help with creating an effective and engaging presentation.

Use Effective Handouts

You may also want to use handouts to aid your presentation, but make sure it isn’t just information that is already on a slide in your presentation.

Whether it’s an article with more information, notes about the course, a summary of information, or further tips, handouts can be beneficial for your audience.

Hire a Design Agency

Finally, you should consider hiring a presentation design agency to help you create these slides.

While a presentation template can be a good starting point, a great presentation requires a lot more time, effort, and skill. A professional design agency can take this task off your hands so you can focus on the speech aspect.

This was the case for a Lawyer at BelkerPalm Legal who was giving a presentation to a group of law students. Although his experience was vast and his presentation skills were strong, he didn’t have the visuals to back him up. He was relieved to find the Geeks!

Need Help Designing Your Training Materials?

Look no further than the geeks!

We’re a presentation and training manual design company that truly understand how crucial it is building effective training materials for new employees. We’ve done it for clients, and ourselves, but we always put you first.

Author:  Content Team

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• Presenting techniques

Presenting is a craft that requires a thoughtful approach. There’s a lot of stuff to include in the good presentation. From quality visuals to a compelling speech, everything matters. Doing a presentation on your own may be quite a challenge especially if it’s your first time experience with the presentations. What can really help though, are the effective presentation techniques. In essence, they are the blueprint for your presentation, that helps you to hit all the right spots. Let’s look into some of those techniques.

Presentation Methods

Before you start thinking of a technique, let’s first understand the presentation methods and how they relate to the audience and the content of your presentation. Among the different presentation methods, the main ones are formal and formal. Their difference is mainly in the style of your delivery and the data presentation methods. The formal presentation is best suited for the business meetings or college level, scientific presentations. The informal methods of presentation can best be used during the smaller meetings with your team to discuss business subjects or, for example, at a Ted-like speech event.

Method 1: Keeping Everything Simple

This is a rather basic technique. Just strip your presentation of all the unnecessary information, leaving only the core statements that you want to address. Simplicity not only helps your audience to understand your points better but even more, this data presentation method lowers the risk of making a mistake, forgetting — and saves you and your audience quite a lot of time! There are different definitions of simplicity — sometimes just a few words are enough, while in other cases several bullet points on the slide may be sufficient. Choose what suits your topic best.

Method 2: Good Start 

This method of presentation is all about attention-grabbing. Starting your presentation with a powerful statement, unusual fact or an interesting question will make the audience engage in your presentation instantly. Another great way to start is a joke, though humor can be quite a landmine, especially when you’re presenting in front of strangers, and you are not sure whether your joke would be fun or actually offensive.  So, try to think of something neutral, yet funny.

Method 3: Use  Visuals in your Presentation

Visuals are a must for any presentation and are able not only to support your speech but also to tell and contribute to the stuff you’re telling about. The pictures, graphs, infographics, and even short videos especially when done by presentation design services are what truly make the presentation, and help you to connect with your audience. A carefully selected visual connects both with your speech and the slide content, making your presentation methods work in complete harmony. What is more, visuals can serve as a great way to help you recall your speech in case you suddenly forgot some of it during the presentation.

Method 4:   Rehearse

Don’t rush to tell your presentation just once you’ve made it. Instead, try to first rehearse your presentation in front of a mirror. This presentation technique allows you to spot the mistakes and downfalls in your speech and visual part and improve powerpoint presentation . What is more, it can also make you more confident, as with each time you rehearse you’ll memorize your stuff better and better. Bonus points for starting rehearsing from the random spots in your presentation — using this presentation technique will allow you to become completely familiar with your information.

Method 5:   10/20/30 Presentation Rule

While it may not be applied to all of the presentations, the ones that you are usually dealing with can really benefit from it. 10 20 30 rule is about the time and size of your presentation: 

• Your presentation should have no more than 10 slides
• The time needed for the presentation should be no more than 20 minutes
• The font you are using for presentation text (if there is any on slides) is no less than 30 point

Method 6:  Storytelling

Telling a story is a powerful presentation technique for keeping the audience interested. In general, people get bored from being fed just straight-up facts and numbers for a long time. However, an interesting story, connected to the subject of your presentation gives that personal touch to it, engaging the audience into what you are talking about. What is more, a good story in the context of the presentation will actually resonate with the audience, causing more approval to you as an expert.

• Tell a personal  story .
• Create suspense.
• Bring characters to life.
• Build up to S.T.A.R moment.

Method 7:   Presentate with your Voice

Speech is the most common method of presentation . When you are presenting, it’s important not only WHAT you say, but also HOW do you say it. Creating a proper voice for presentations is actually one of the things you need rehearsal for. Your goal is to sound confident and interested in the subject you are telling about. What is more, it is important to not make unnecessary pauses and avoid the “ummm”, “oh” and other similar stuff that slows down your presentation and may put off the audience.

Method 8:   Know your Audience

Make sure that the data presentation methods you are using make your data  relevant to your audience. The research of your audience is needed to craft a relatable story, as well as to understand what approach in presenting you may want to take. After you’ve done the research, you can just tell the audience what it wants and expects to hear. Such an approach would result in the satisfied and interested audience enjoying your presentation. And in this case your presentation would surely and up being a huge success!

Method 9:   Back up plan

Even though you may plan everything in advance, something can always go wrong. The strange ability of the hardware to malfunction right in the middle of your presentation is probably one of the most known presentation-related memes. So, plan at least some of the bad scenarios. For example, have a printed set of slides with you during your presentation. Check everything right before you’ll start presenting. A good idea also is to have your script written out so that in case you have completely forgotten some of its parts, you can easily and quickly look into it and goon with the presentation.

Method 10:   Relax

This one is not only a presentation technique , but a great life technique as well. Actually, the most common reason for the mistakes during presentations are the nerves and fear a lot of people feel while presenting. It’s absolutely normal to be a little worried about the presentation, but you have to instill confidence in your knowledge and expertise with the subject among the audience, and it’s hard to do if you feel fear. Try to reason with yourself — you have rehearsed, prepared great visuals, learned about the audience and even have a plan B in case the situation gets worse. There’s nothing to worry about — you have all the right presentation techniques !

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11 Tips for Improving Your Presentation Skills (& Free Training)

Written by: Heleana Tiburca

Are you looking for ways to completely level up your presentation skills? We’ve rounded up a list of the 10 best tips to help you deliver and create an effective presentation .

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the tips you’ll find inside:

• Create an audience journey roadmap
• Use proper and confident body language
• Meet your audience before presenting to better connect with them
• Focus on your presentation design to engage your audience

... and a whole lot more!

So, if you want to take your presentation skills to the next level, then this list will show you exactly how to do so.

Let’s get into it.

Table of Contents

Tip #1: define the purpose of your presentation., tip #2: create an audience journey map., tip #3: keep your slides short and sweet., tip #4: focus on your presentation design., tip #5: visualize boring numbers and data., tip #6: practice in front of a live audience., tip #7: meet your audience before presenting., tip #8: channel nervous energy into enthusiastic energy., tip #9: use proper and confident body language., tip #10: allow your personality to shine through., tip #11: take courses to improve your presentation skills., free presentation skills training.

Behind every successful presentation, there was carefully crafted planning that went into it beforehand. To ensure that you’ll have a powerful presentation, you need to consider your message.

The very first step to any good presentation is to define its purpose. This goes on in the very beginning during the planning process where you consider your message.

Your presentation’s end goal can be any of the following:

• To entertain
• To persuade

Your presentation’s end goal might even be a combination of the four purposes above. Consider the fact that you may need to inform buyers of your product and what problem it solves for them, but you also need to persuade them into buying it.

This is where engaging storytelling and proper visual aids will come into play to help you achieve your goal, and will either make or break your presentation.

Once you pinpoint the purpose of your presentation, you can then begin to work on the subject matter and your audience journey map.

An audience journey map is a visual representation of all the steps you need to take your audience members through, from first to last and everything in between, to achieve the goal of your presentation.

There are a few steps to creating your audience journey map.

First, you need to start your explanation at a low point — the current state of an issue. Maybe there’s a problem that you are able to solve. Describe the current situation before you lay out the undertaking ahead.

Once you lay out the problem, you can then start showing your audience the process of solving this problem. To not overwhelm your crowd, give them an actionable roadmap to follow.

With great verbal communication skills, you can tell them how you plan to take the first step.

This is many times the hardest part of the presentation, but once you have the foundation for your first step, you can easily lay out the next stepping stones and take them to your end goal with ease.

Creating an audience journey map will be a major success factor in a compelling presentation and needs to be done before writing and creating your slides.

Having a clear audience journey map will also help ensure you take your audience on a smooth journey with all your main points in line and achieve your end goal with no bumps in the road.

When giving a presentation, make sure that you keep it short, sweet and as informationally-condensed as possible. All of your slides should be easy to digest and understandable at a glance.

Let's take a look at an example. The slide below is part of Visme's simple presentation theme , which is designed to have maximum impact with minimal text.

You can customize this slide and others like it in Visme's presentation software . Or, you can apply the same concept of minimalism to any other presentation tool, such as PowerPoint.

To make sure that you stay on topic and won’t overwhelm your crowd with too much information, you need to have a plan. When you have a solid plan to go by, you won’t go off track and begin rambling about things unrelated to your presentation.

Another practical way you can stay on topic and not overwhelm your audience with too much information is to have your main points written in bold somewhere on your slides.

Here's another example of a Visme slide template that does that well:

As you can see above, you don’t need to write out all the information surrounding the main points, as this will cause your audience too much confusion.

An experienced presenter will be able to quickly glance over at their own presentation slides, see the main points and continue on with their presentation, engaging their audience without going off course.

This, of course, comes with a lot of rehearsing out loud, which we will cover more in tip number six .

Another great way to keep your presentation short is to set a specific time for asking questions.

By reserving a few minutes during your presentation for your audience to ask questions, you can present your main points and achieve your goals, without going into too much detail.

Your audience can then ask for clarity on anything that interests them and you can answer their questions in however much detail you need.

Picture this: you’re gathered around the conference table with all your colleagues early Monday morning and your manager pulls up a lifeless, colorless, text-filled Microsoft PowerPoint presentation.

You’re trying your best to pay attention and understand what he’s trying to convey, but staring deep into your coffee cup seems much more interesting at this point.

Sound familiar?

This is why it’s so crucial to understand how your presentation design will affect the outcome.

By having a messy and overloaded presentation, you’ll lose your audience almost immediately. On the flip side, if it’s so mundane and boring, you will also lose their attention.

One design presentation tip that we suggest you implement is to make sure you don’t overcrowd your slides with too much text.

This is a risky thing to do because the moment you flip to the next slide, your audience’s attention goes from what you’re saying, to your slide.

They’ll begin to read everything presented on the slide and completely tune you out. This is why a minimal text approach with a maximum of 2-3 different yet complementary fonts on your slides will be ideal, like in the example below.

You can use visual aids like images, animated graphic design elements, videos and more to convey the same message that boring text would.

It’s not everyone’s cup of tea to design a presentation from scratch, and that’s why it can be incredibly helpful to use a tool that offers presentation templates to help you get started.

Visme has hundreds of handcrafted presentation templates for public speakers to use for any occasion. Each presentation template is fully customizable and you’ll be able to add your branded content to your slides to make it your own.

Presenting your data can be an incredibly tricky and difficult task.

Instead of adding a bunch of tables and numbers to your slides, try switching things up by using charts, graphs and other data visualization types .

When creating a chart for your presentation, you need to be mindful of several things.

First, you need to choose the right chart to begin with. Not every type of graph is suitable for all data sets. The chart you choose will depend on the nature of your data and your unique purpose of using that chart.

Here's an infographic to help you understand what type of chart to use depending on your unique needs and nature of data.

Image Source

For example, if you're drawing a comparison between two or more items, a bar graph might be suitable. But if you're breaking down composition, a pie chart might be a better idea.

Also, make sure that you can fit all of your information into a chart without overcrowding the visual and also have your audience understand that information at a glance, like in the example below.

Other data visualization tips to keep in mind include choosing a pleasant, cohesive color scheme, sticking to max 2-3 fonts, incorporating a legend, and keeping your data as simple as possible.

Learn more about data visualization best practices to help you create engaging charts for your presentations and reports.

If you're using Visme, you can also import your data directly from Google Sheets, Microsoft Excel, Survey Monkey, Google Analytics and more.

Practice, practice and practice again.

Some would argue that writing up and designing a presentation from scratch is the easiest part. Delivering the presentation in a way that it engages your audience — that's the tricky part.

When it comes to public speaking, it’s only natural that one would get a little nervous and stumble upon their words.

That’s why practicing your public speaking skills in front of others will be vital to how well you present and connect with your crowd during your actual presentation.

It’s one thing to practice in front of the mirror, but it’s something completely different when people are waiting for you to deliver information that will improve their business or life.

So gather up some friends, family members or even your pets, and present your presentation from start to finish as many times as you need.

By presenting your slides out loud, you might even catch some mistakes in your presentation or find you need to add in some missing information.

By shaking your attendee’s hand before a meeting, you’ll begin to make connections and become more approachable and likable by your audience.

Meeting your audience will help break the ice and make them more likely to listen to what you have to say. They will also feel more comfortable asking you questions later, which will increase the value they get out of your presentation.

Plus, you’ll also feel more relaxed speaking to your audience if you've met them already. When you can put a name to a face, you’ll automatically feel a sense of comfort when you make eye contact with them while presenting.

Even the most famous movie stars and popular public speakers will still get nervous before a public presentation.

It’s human nature to get butterflies and perspire a bit before having tons of eyes on you, critiquing every word you have to say.

So, if you’re feeling nervous before a presentation, instead of emotionally shutting down, take that nervous energy and transform it into enthusiastic energy.

Before getting up on stage, listen to your favorite hype music, maybe have a coffee (if it won’t make you jittery) or get a pep talk from a friend.

By being confident and using your enthusiasm to your advantage, you’ll have your crowd on the edge of their seats, completely engaged, following every word you say.

Enthusiastic presentations will much better received by listeners, rather than monotone informational presentations. So, as important as your presentation design is, the way you present it will determine a big part of the outcome.

According to Allan Pease , an Honorary Professor of Psychology at ULIM International University, you can convince almost anyone to do anything for you if you use proper body language.

He has an entire Ted Talk dedicated to the subject, which you can watch below.

The proper use of hand gestures, a power stance, a confident smile and an authoritative yet kind voice are all techniques that you can leverage to get your crowd listening to and agreeing with what you’re saying.

According to Allan Pease, when using hand gestures, you’ll want to make sure that you’re using open palm gestures. This makes you look like a great leader that is right there with the team, ready to lead and take charge.

By using open palm gestures, people will automatically be inclined to listen to you.

The moment you turn your hand over and start using your pointer finger, you will lose your audience. They won’t accept any information from you and they will believe you have an authoritative and hostile attitude.

Body language is everything, so make sure to use open hand gestures, smile, take a deep breath and believe that you’re not nervous, even if you are.

As soon as you believe that you’re not nervous, your brain and body will follow suit and you’ll feel more confident on stage with your presentation, which will make your audience trust you more.

We’re convinced that with the right tone of voice and allowing your personality to shine through, you can take any boring presentation, and turn it into an entertaining and engaging one for your audience.

While it is good to meet your audience where they are, it’s never good to fake your personality for the sake of a presentation.

Everyone can tell when someone isn’t genuine, and if you’re trying to suppress your personality, you’re only hurting yourself and your presentation by doing so, as what you’re saying can then begin to sound disingenuous.

So, don’t be afraid to use your personality to your advantage. Let a joke out and entertain your audience. By making your audience laugh, you’ll have them more in tune with what you’re saying.

Chances are if you’re giving a business presentation, many of your peers will be there and they'd want you to let your personality show. So, be yourself and use that to your advantage!

Finally, our best tip that we can offer you in all areas of life is to never stop learning.

The only way to improve is to continue learning and practicing. That’s why we recommend you take presentation courses that will help improve your communication skills and presentation skills.

You can brush up on your presentation, communication and public speaking tips by taking online courses on Udemy or Coursera . Look for specific courses on storytelling, body language and more to focus on your problem areas.

Or, if you're looking for a free course that packs all the good stuff at zero cost, our team at Visme has put together an incredible presentation course that will help you smash your next presentation!

When it comes to creating and giving presentations, many times it seems like it’s just something that’s expected of us to do, without receiving any type of proper training or qualifications.

Here at Visme, we want to see everyone succeed.

That’s why we combined our years of knowledge and experience to create a free course to give everyone the tools and confidence they need in order to create effective and successful presentations.

There are dozens of benefits and skills you’ll gain in these training sessions. You'll learn how to:

• Effectively brainstorm and create audience personas and audience journey maps
• Use visual communication to inform, engage, inspire and persuade your audience
• Design your presentation as a professional designer would in minutes
• Use colors, fonts, pictures and videos to increase the impact of your speech
• Present your data through compelling charts and graphs that tell a story

You’ll also receive a Visme Versity certificate of completion once you complete the online course — you can add this to your LinkedIn profile to set yourself up for success.

If any of these benefits sound like something you want to add to your tool belt, then you can take our free presentation skills course for professional development right now.

This course is broken down into easily digestible sections, yet it’s jam-packed full of readily applicable information. The best part is you can take the course and complete it at your own pace.

There are engaging educational videos for you to watch and learn from, informational content for you to read and at the end of each session, there is a quiz for you to take to assess your progress.

By the end of this course, you’ll have an abundance of skills that will help you succeed in all types of presentations.

Sign up today and learn how to become a great presenter in no time!

Level Up Your Presentation Skills

You’ve now learned 11 amazing tips on how to improve your presentation skills, but there’s still so much more to uncover and learn in the realm of presentations skills.

If you want to overcome your fear of public speaking, improve on your business presentations, become a better communicator and transform good presentations into great presentations, then this free presentation course by Visme is for you.

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Blog Beginner Guides How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

How To Make a Good Presentation [A Complete Guide]

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 20, 2023

A top-notch presentation possesses the power to drive action. From winning stakeholders over and conveying a powerful message to securing funding — your secret weapon lies within the realm of creating an effective presentation .  

Being an excellent presenter isn’t confined to the boardroom. Whether you’re delivering a presentation at work, pursuing an academic career, involved in a non-profit organization or even a student, nailing the presentation game is a game-changer.

In this article, I’ll cover the top qualities of compelling presentations and walk you through a step-by-step guide on how to give a good presentation. Here’s a little tip to kick things off: for a headstart, check out Venngage’s collection of free presentation templates . They are fully customizable, and the best part is you don’t need professional design skills to make them shine!

These valuable presentation tips cater to individuals from diverse professional backgrounds, encompassing business professionals, sales and marketing teams, educators, trainers, students, researchers, non-profit organizations, public speakers and presenters. 

No matter your field or role, these tips for presenting will equip you with the skills to deliver effective presentations that leave a lasting impression on any audience.

Click to jump ahead:

What are the 10 qualities of a good presentation?

Step-by-step guide on how to prepare an effective presentation, 9 effective techniques to deliver a memorable presentation, faqs on making a good presentation, how to create a presentation with venngage in 5 steps.

When it comes to giving an engaging presentation that leaves a lasting impression, it’s not just about the content — it’s also about how you deliver it. Wondering what makes a good presentation? Well, the best presentations I’ve seen consistently exhibit these 10 qualities:

1. Clear structure

No one likes to get lost in a maze of information. Organize your thoughts into a logical flow, complete with an introduction, main points and a solid conclusion. A structured presentation helps your audience follow along effortlessly, leaving them with a sense of satisfaction at the end.

Regardless of your presentation style , a quality presentation starts with a clear roadmap. Browse through Venngage’s template library and select a presentation template that aligns with your content and presentation goals. Here’s a good presentation example template with a logical layout that includes sections for the introduction, main points, supporting information and a conclusion: 

2. Engaging opening

Hook your audience right from the start with an attention-grabbing statement, a fascinating question or maybe even a captivating anecdote. Set the stage for a killer presentation!

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – check out these 15 ways to start a presentation to set the stage and captivate your audience.

3. Relevant content

Make sure your content aligns with their interests and needs. Your audience is there for a reason, and that’s to get valuable insights. Avoid fluff and get straight to the point, your audience will be genuinely excited.

4. Effective visual aids

Picture this: a slide with walls of text and tiny charts, yawn! Visual aids should be just that—aiding your presentation. Opt for clear and visually appealing slides, engaging images and informative charts that add value and help reinforce your message.

With Venngage, visualizing data takes no effort at all. You can import data from CSV or Google Sheets seamlessly and create stunning charts, graphs and icon stories effortlessly to showcase your data in a captivating and impactful way.

5. Clear and concise communication

Keep your language simple, and avoid jargon or complicated terms. Communicate your ideas clearly, so your audience can easily grasp and retain the information being conveyed. This can prevent confusion and enhance the overall effectiveness of the message. 

6. Engaging delivery

Spice up your presentation with a sprinkle of enthusiasm! Maintain eye contact, use expressive gestures and vary your tone of voice to keep your audience glued to the edge of their seats. A touch of charisma goes a long way!

7. Interaction and audience engagement

Turn your presentation into an interactive experience — encourage questions, foster discussions and maybe even throw in a fun activity. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember and embrace your message.

Transform your slides into an interactive presentation with Venngage’s dynamic features like pop-ups, clickable icons and animated elements. Engage your audience with interactive content that lets them explore and interact with your presentation for a truly immersive experience.

8. Effective storytelling

Who doesn’t love a good story? Weaving relevant anecdotes, case studies or even a personal story into your presentation can captivate your audience and create a lasting impact. Stories build connections and make your message memorable.

A great presentation background is also essential as it sets the tone, creates visual interest and reinforces your message. Enhance the overall aesthetics of your presentation with these 15 presentation background examples and captivate your audience’s attention.

9. Well-timed pacing

Pace your presentation thoughtfully with well-designed presentation slides, neither rushing through nor dragging it out. Respect your audience’s time and ensure you cover all the essential points without losing their interest.

10. Strong conclusion

Last impressions linger! Summarize your main points and leave your audience with a clear takeaway. End your presentation with a bang , a call to action or an inspiring thought that resonates long after the conclusion.

In-person presentations aside, acing a virtual presentation is of paramount importance in today’s digital world. Check out this guide to learn how you can adapt your in-person presentations into virtual presentations . 

Preparing an effective presentation starts with laying a strong foundation that goes beyond just creating slides and notes. One of the quickest and best ways to make a presentation would be with the help of a good presentation software . 

Otherwise, let me walk you to how to prepare for a presentation step by step and unlock the secrets of crafting a professional presentation that sets you apart.

1. Understand the audience and their needs

Before you dive into preparing your masterpiece, take a moment to get to know your target audience. Tailor your presentation to meet their needs and expectations , and you’ll have them hooked from the start!

2. Conduct thorough research on the topic

Time to hit the books (or the internet)! Don’t skimp on the research with your presentation materials — dive deep into the subject matter and gather valuable insights . The more you know, the more confident you’ll feel in delivering your presentation.

3. Organize the content with a clear structure

No one wants to stumble through a chaotic mess of information. Outline your presentation with a clear and logical flow. Start with a captivating introduction, follow up with main points that build on each other and wrap it up with a powerful conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.

Delivering an effective business presentation hinges on captivating your audience, and Venngage’s professionally designed business presentation templates are tailor-made for this purpose. With thoughtfully structured layouts, these templates enhance your message’s clarity and coherence, ensuring a memorable and engaging experience for your audience members.

Don’t want to build your presentation layout from scratch? pick from these 5 foolproof presentation layout ideas that won’t go wrong. 

4. Develop visually appealing and supportive visual aids

Spice up your presentation with eye-catching visuals! Create slides that complement your message, not overshadow it. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words, but that doesn’t mean you need to overload your slides with text.

Well-chosen designs create a cohesive and professional look, capturing your audience’s attention and enhancing the overall effectiveness of your message. Here’s a list of carefully curated PowerPoint presentation templates and great background graphics that will significantly influence the visual appeal and engagement of your presentation.

5. Practice, practice and practice

Practice makes perfect — rehearse your presentation and arrive early to your presentation to help overcome stage fright. Familiarity with your material will boost your presentation skills and help you handle curveballs with ease.

6. Seek feedback and make necessary adjustments

Don’t be afraid to ask for help and seek feedback from friends and colleagues. Constructive criticism can help you identify blind spots and fine-tune your presentation to perfection.

With Venngage’s real-time collaboration feature , receiving feedback and editing your presentation is a seamless process. Group members can access and work on the presentation simultaneously and edit content side by side in real-time. Changes will be reflected immediately to the entire team, promoting seamless teamwork.

7. Prepare for potential technical or logistical issues

Prepare for the unexpected by checking your equipment, internet connection and any other potential hiccups. If you’re worried that you’ll miss out on any important points, you could always have note cards prepared. Remember to remain focused and rehearse potential answers to anticipated questions.

8. Fine-tune and polish your presentation

As the big day approaches, give your presentation one last shine. Review your talking points, practice how to present a presentation and make any final tweaks. Deep breaths — you’re on the brink of delivering a successful presentation!

In competitive environments, persuasive presentations set individuals and organizations apart. To brush up on your presentation skills, read these guides on how to make a persuasive presentation and tips to presenting effectively . 

Whether you’re an experienced presenter or a novice, the right techniques will let your presentation skills soar to new heights!

From public speaking hacks to interactive elements and storytelling prowess, these 9 effective presentation techniques will empower you to leave a lasting impression on your audience and make your presentations unforgettable.

1. Confidence and positive body language

Positive body language instantly captivates your audience, making them believe in your message as much as you do. Strengthen your stage presence and own that stage like it’s your second home! Stand tall, shoulders back and exude confidence. 

2. Eye contact with the audience

Break down that invisible barrier and connect with your audience through their eyes. Maintaining eye contact when giving a presentation builds trust and shows that you’re present and engaged with them.

3. Effective use of hand gestures and movement

A little movement goes a long way! Emphasize key points with purposeful gestures and don’t be afraid to walk around the stage. Your energy will be contagious!

4. Utilize storytelling techniques

Weave the magic of storytelling into your presentation. Share relatable anecdotes, inspiring success stories or even personal experiences that tug at the heartstrings of your audience. Adjust your pitch, pace and volume to match the emotions and intensity of the story. Varying your speaking voice adds depth and enhances your stage presence.

5. Incorporate multimedia elements

Spice up your presentation with a dash of visual pizzazz! Use slides, images and video clips to add depth and clarity to your message. Just remember, less is more—don’t overwhelm them with information overload. 

Turn your presentations into an interactive party! Involve your audience with questions, polls or group activities. When they actively participate, they become invested in your presentation’s success. Bring your design to life with animated elements. Venngage allows you to apply animations to icons, images and text to create dynamic and engaging visual content.

6. Utilize humor strategically

Laughter is the best medicine—and a fantastic presentation enhancer! A well-placed joke or lighthearted moment can break the ice and create a warm atmosphere , making your audience more receptive to your message.

7. Practice active listening and respond to feedback

Be attentive to your audience’s reactions and feedback. If they have questions or concerns, address them with genuine interest and respect. Your responsiveness builds rapport and shows that you genuinely care about their experience.

8. Apply the 10-20-30 rule

Apply the 10-20-30 presentation rule and keep it short, sweet and impactful! Stick to ten slides, deliver your presentation within 20 minutes and use a 30-point font to ensure clarity and focus. Less is more, and your audience will thank you for it!

9. Implement the 5-5-5 rule

Simplicity is key. Limit each slide to five bullet points, with only five words per bullet point and allow each slide to remain visible for about five seconds. This rule keeps your presentation concise and prevents information overload.

Simple presentations are more engaging because they are easier to follow. Summarize your presentations and keep them simple with Venngage’s gallery of simple presentation templates and ensure that your message is delivered effectively across your audience.

1. How to start a presentation?

To kick off your presentation effectively, begin with an attention-grabbing statement or a powerful quote. Introduce yourself, establish credibility and clearly state the purpose and relevance of your presentation.

2. How to end a presentation?

For a strong conclusion, summarize your talking points and key takeaways. End with a compelling call to action or a thought-provoking question and remember to thank your audience and invite any final questions or interactions.

3. How to make a presentation interactive?

To make your presentation interactive, encourage questions and discussion throughout your talk. Utilize multimedia elements like videos or images and consider including polls, quizzes or group activities to actively involve your audience.

In need of inspiration for your next presentation? I’ve got your back! Pick from these 120+ presentation ideas, topics and examples to get started. 

Creating a stunning presentation with Venngage is a breeze with our user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and professionally designed templates for all your communication needs. 

Here’s how to make a presentation in just 5 simple steps with the help of Venngage:

Step 1: Sign up for Venngage for free using your email, Gmail or Facebook account or simply log in to access your account. 

Step 2: Pick a design from our selection of free presentation templates (they’re all created by our expert in-house designers).

Step 3: Make the template your own by customizing it to fit your content and branding. With Venngage’s intuitive drag-and-drop editor, you can easily modify text, change colors and adjust the layout to create a unique and eye-catching design.

Step 4: Elevate your presentation by incorporating captivating visuals. You can upload your images or choose from Venngage’s vast library of high-quality photos, icons and illustrations. 

Step 5: Upgrade to a premium or business account to export your presentation in PDF and print it for in-person presentations or share it digitally for free!

By following these five simple steps, you’ll have a professionally designed and visually engaging presentation ready in no time. With Venngage’s user-friendly platform, your presentation is sure to make a lasting impression. So, let your creativity flow and get ready to shine in your next presentation!

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10 Benefits of Presentation Training for Your Employees

Are your staff members, business teams, and salespeople solid presenters? Here are 10 benefits of presentation training for your employees. 

Are your employees well trained to deliver your company's key presentations? Whether you're pitching new business, delivering your value proposition, or speaking to investors at your annual meeting, your business success depends upon high-caliber presentations.

So why do so many organizations fail at speaking with power and persuasiveness? A lack of attention to high-caliber presentation training may be the cause. Or if training is provided, it may be based only on information delivery, rather than laser-focused on effective  performance.

Learn the key ingredients of successful pitches, speeches, and presentations! Download my free presenters guide,  "7 Key Components of Successful Presentations."

The Value of Theater-Based Techniques. It's not surprising that theater-based techniques are the best ones for showing your staff how to reach and move audiences. Your customers, clients, and prospects respond best to speakers who use all of their communication tools to gain influence. One of those tools, of course, is the information you convey. But the power of performance is at least as important in gaining the impact you're looking for. 

Still, there are many reasons for employee training in public speaking and presentations that go beyond sheer performance. Below are 10 such reasons. Together, they will go a long way toward making your company a more cohesive and effective unit where your all-important business presentations are concerned.

Speaking with clarity, for instance, is vital for every client-facing employee! Find out more in my Free resource , "How to Be a Clear, Concise, and Compelling Speaker."

10 Reasons to Provide Training for Your Employees

• Build Morale. Just as the famous saying tells us that most men live lives of quiet desperation, many employees are dissatisfied with their speaking prowess. Most of us get ahead professionally by learning our business, working hard, and making helpful connections. Typically, however, presentation skills training isn't part of the mix. Yet forward-thinking companies know to seek performance-based training by professionals. "I'm no longer avoiding presentations on my job . . . I'm seeking out opportunities!" is often the comment from someone who has received such training.
• Increase Retention . Professional development is no longer a nice perk for key employees to learn and grow; it is expected. Sales people, members of leadership teams, marketing professionals, financial and healthcare executives, human resources professionals, government staff, and all other managerial-and-above levels want and need their organizations to invest in their development. These key employees need to learn the rules of effective presentations ! If the desire of these key personnel for communication skill improvement is not met, they will look elsewhere. A client pointed this out to me concerning my pitch, and mentioned that I should include this in my discussion of ROI. I took the suggestion!
• Shared Skill Set . Even in work environments where collaboration is strong, employees often must think and work on their own. Communicating with others on one's team also doesn't mean that individuals learn and progress at the same level and are focused on the same material. In group training in company presentation skills, however, they do. On-site corporate workshops are usually carefully planned with the company's goals and objectives in mind, along with pertinent issues and personalities. There is simply no substitute for all key employees being in the same room, learning the same skill set at the same time. The result is truly greater than the sum of the parts involved.
• Professionalism. When it comes to reaching a higher level of communication effectiveness and influence, the right type of training is essential. Workshops open to the public must aim for a low denominator given the wide range of knowledge and experience represented. Corporate workshops in presentation skills don't have that limitation. Whatever level the organization wants to reach in terms of speaking success is where such a training starts. Add on-your-feet presentation practice and videotaping, and the results can really allow a company's impact and influence to soar. 
• Team Impact. Presentations by a team may be a group activity, but more often they involve individual team members presenting one by one, as though they were accidentally thrown together on stage. A common scenario, for instance, is for individuals to present in a string of meetings with a prospect or client when that team member's particular expertise is needed. A team weak in its presentation abilities will announce itself with either a collective failure or a drip-drip-drip of ineffective appearances. In both cases, that team needs to be trained to present as a team , with a clear purpose coupled with memorable skills. Your team absolutely needs to know how to speak with presence and charisma ! Recently, I trained the global marketing team of a pharmaceutical company for an important marketing effort. The polyglot nature of the team showed. It was only in the two-day training that The Genard Method provided for them, that the members not only burnished their own skills, but started to genuinely work together in a collective effort. 
• Ability to Sell. Another interesting effect can sometimes announce itself when a team hasn't been receiving timely sales presentation training. When a "capabilities" presentation in PowerPoint  is used by the entire sales staff, for instance, the fact that the deck is dated or no longer accurate may not be perceived. (Knowing how to use PowerPoint effectively in every presentation is also a key skill set.) A "we've always done it this way" mentality may be harming the company. Sales presentation training workshops--often done at annual sales meeting--can bring this problem to awareness. Partly it's due simply to a fresh set of eyes from outside seeing the problem. But a skilled trainer will also be able to connect the company's stated goals for influencing an audience, with what that audience is actually seeing and hearing. That's part of his or her job, and it's actually not rare that we see this need among the sales staff emerging in a workshop.
• Internal Speakers Bureau . Does your company maintain an internal speakers bureau? It's a terrific way to keep the learning going for your employees who speak frequently after the on-site workshop is over. And it's custom-made to increase your employees' comfort level and eagerness to speak on behalf of your organization.
• Create Your Own Coaching Staff. This is one of those under-the-radar benefits of presentation skills training for your employees. Often a human resources executive or Chief Learning Officer will bring this up in their initial discussion with us concerning a training. That executive is interested in learning how it's done, i.e., how she or he can coach key executives on an ongoing basis once our workshop has concluded. Usually this person will ask if they can attend the seminar themselves so they can learn. We are very happy to say yes.
• Build Stronger Customer Relationships. As I say to clients and trainees, your competitor's product or service is probably very close to yours, and the price is also usually in the same ballpark. So what makes that customer or client decide to do business with you? The answer is that they want to! That usually means they enjoy communicating with you and conducting business together. Are your employees skilled, for instance, in knowing how to captivate a business audience ? How about how to overcome audience resistance ? One of the ways customers decide that you will probably be a good fit for them is that they see who you really are through your presentations. Trustworthiness and honesty are the bedrock of successful talks with stakeholders. Of course, these qualities only emerge when presenters' confidence and comfort level are high. That's a key reason to give your employees presentation skills training that meets that need.
• Be Recognized as an Industry Leader. Isn't it time your organization left Presentations 101 behind? The competition is stiff; and in the 21st century, it's truly global. When your employees present, they represent everything you offer and everything you are. Audiences always equate the messenger with the message! If you want to be recognized as an industry leader, your business presentations must go beyond good, and beyond effective. They need to be memorable, perhaps even extraordinary. Give your employees the right level of presentation training to aspire to that goal.

Interested in  live virtual presentation training  for your team? Click on the image below for my Speaking Virtually online workshops!

You should follow me on Twitter   here .

Gary Genard  is an actor, author, and expert in public speaking training and overcoming speaking fear. His company, Boston-based The Genard Method offers  live 1:1 Zoom executive coaching   and  corporate group training  worldwide. In 2022 for the ninth consecutive year, Gary has been ranked by Global Gurus as  One of the World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals .  He is the author of the Amazon Best-Seller  How to Give a Speech . His second book,  Fearless Speaking ,  was named in 2019 as "One of the 100 Best Confidence Books of All Time." His handbook for presenting in videoconferences,  Speaking Virtually   offers strategies and tools for developing virtual presence in online meetings.   Contact Gary here.  

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You can discover the top 20 presentation tips with this online course. Aim to become a better and more effective presenter TODAY.

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Your choice of presentation methods says something about you. And if that sounds just a little bit scary, then it's not intended to be! Because everything you do as a presenter says something to the audience. That's really what a presentation is all about. It's a means for communication between you and your audience. Your job is to make sure that you convey the right set of messages….the messages you really want to transfer.

Your Presentation Methods Are Really Important

Thus your choice of presentation method might suggest the following:

• How well-practised are you?
• Do you know your material?
• What do you know about your audience?

Your audience will notice and will respond accordingly. But, that's not a problem, because your choice of presentation method is influenced by all three.

Presentation Methods: It's Your Choice

Do you know your audience really well? So take inspiration. Try to break the bounds of PowerPoint or Keynote. It might possibly encourage you to try out newer presentation manager alternatives such as  Prezi presentation software . There are some good  alternatives to PowerPoint  out there. So this  list  shows off the presentation features of more than 20 of them.

Therefore, your choice of presentation methods reflects your earlier preparation and your research.

Because when you know your material and your audience, you will have more options for an effective presentation.

As a result, and more importantly, you will have more control over the  presentation methods you use.

A Less-Practised Presenter

A less-practised presenter might use presentation software as a crutch. That’s because they don’t have a good knowledge of their material. So, they use the software to help them get by with their presentation. They might not know their material too well. Or, possibly they haven’t had much time to prepare, practise and rehearse. PowerPoint might help to give them security as it hides the gaps in their work. That’s the theory. However, most audiences can see through this.

A Well-Practised Presenter

A well-practised presenter might choose to use  PowerPoint  or  Keynote for their presentation. So they emphasise key points with some multimedia in their presentation’s slides. Their PowerPoint presentation is visually emphatic. And their slides are clear and consistent. Additionally, their organisation is ordered. And, because of this, their presentation is more effective.

What Presentation Methods Can You Use?

You have a range of presentation methods to choose from. You might use some as a crutch, but others will definitely boost your presentation performance.

• Use  PowerPoint .
• Take advantage of Keynote or PowerPoint For Mac.
• Try one of the many PowerPoint alternatives. We've listed some alternatives to PowerPoint  in this article.
• Use props , a flip-chart or whiteboard. Here are some tips for using a prop when giving a presentation .

You can learn more presentation skills and techniques on a public  presentation training course . Because we organise our courses to a regular schedule, there’s something for everyone. Or, when you want a more intensive approach, then you can always try individual presentation coaching . Whatever your approach, please don’t hesitate to get in touch when the time is right.

“PowerPoint is popular only because it helps disorganized presenters feel more organized.”

Edward Tufte

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• Give your presentation confidence a real boost
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