Page 295 - Nutrition Counseling and Education Skills: A Guide for Professionals

Introduction to the Presentation

The introduction serves as a transition to the body of the talk. The introduction content describes to audience
members how the topic relates specifically to their needs. Start with an opening sentence or two that will set
the stage for the general purpose of the presentation and gain listeners’ attention. Follow with additional
information to maintain the audience’s interest, providing data to support the topic, or briefly describing the
scope of the problem. This information heightens listeners’ perception of the value of the presentation to
them personally. Finally, the introduction outlines the specific learning objectives.

The objectives direct the listeners to the body of information that will follow. The speaker should engage
the audience by “promising” a specific outcome (i.e., what listeners will know) at the end of the presentation.
This may include ways to better control their health, provide more nutritious meals to their families, or
become more food secure. Other ideas may convey how to be in a position in which others think better of
them or respect them more, or feel they have the knowledge to develop and apply new skills in their job. The
learning objectives prepare the audience to be attentive to the forthcoming message. Not every human need
can be related to every topic, but as many as possible and as appropriate should be incorporated during the
introduction.

The professional enhances the presentation with visuals.
Source: US Department of Agriculture.

An opening statement to consumers who come for a free presentation on the topic of heart disease might
be: “You are here today to learn more about heart disease and how to make changes in your eating lifestyle to
reduce your risk.” This statement will start the connection. Brief statistics could then follow, showing the
number of heart disease deaths that occurred within the last year that were diet-related. The learning
objectives continue the introduction by previewing the information in the body of the presentation. “Today I
intend to discuss three specific points. First, we will examine the relationship of diet to heart disease. Second,
I will discuss how to read food labels for the fat and cholesterol content of foods, and finally, I will provide
guidelines on how to apply your new nutrition heart-savvy knowledge when eating out.”

Not only does the introduction help the audience to listen to the talk with an expectation of what is to
come, but the organization itself adds to the “halo effect” and increases the audience’s perceptions of the
speaker’s credibility. The speaker should return to the learning objectives within the body of the presentation,

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