In-House Counsel

Ready, Set, Speak: 5 Strong Ways To Start Your Next Presentation

No matter which of these five ways you decide to launch your presentation, ensure that you make it count, and make it memorable.

By  
on

When giving a public speech, you only have about 60 seconds to capture the attention of the audience and establish your credibility. How do you spend those 60 seconds? Opening a presentation with jokes, thank you notes, and rambling points, peppered with “uhs” and “ums,” will only lose the attention of the audience. Recapturing this attention back throughout the rest of the speech is never a walk in the park. Therefore, opening a speech requires a well-crafted, attention-getting opener. These are a few ways to launch a strong presentation to your audience.

  1. Tell a captivating story

Telling a captivating story to the audience is one of the most consistently successful and powerful ways of starting a presentation. Stories tend to captivate the audience, as humans are wired to enjoy and learn from stories. These stories can be personal or about someone else. They can be historic or even an old folktale or common wisdom. Ensure that the story encapsulates the key message of your speech. The most common mistake that beginner speakers make is that they save their catchphrase and elevator pitches for the last part of the speech. This is not advisable because, at the end of the speech, most of the audience are usually not paying attention. Make sure your audience gets your key message from the very beginning.

  1. Ask thought-provoking questions to the audience

Asking a rhetorical question to the audience always makes the audience try to find the answer intuitively. This makes the speech more engaging for the audience members, which makes them more attentive. Rhetorical questions also make the audience curious and motivated to think about the answers to the questions. Opening with a question is a great way to get your audience invested in your speech early on and hold their attention throughout your presentation.

  1. State a shocking headline or statistic

Starting your speech with a shocking headline or statistic that is directly related to the main message of your speech will impact and persuade the audience. The audience will not only listen but respond positively to your speech. Make sure the headline or statistic matches the tone of your speech, however. For example, do not start with a highly pessimistic, depressing statistic unless you are presenting hopeful solutions and action items!

Sponsored

  1. Use a powerful quote

By using a powerful quote from a well-known person to open your presentation, you get to tap into that person’s likeability and credibility. This thus captures the attention of the audience and sets the tone for the rest of the speech. However, this quote should always be relevant and be meaningful for the audience. Do not open with an impressive-sounding quote that has only a slight relation to your speech. Another important point is to always “background check” the person you are quoting. Many historical figures may have problematic pasts, and it can undermine your message if you quote from the wrong person. This is, of course, up to your discretion and judgment — just make sure you take your audience into consideration.

  1. Use silence

When delivering a speech, a pause of about three or even as many as 10 seconds will allow your audience to sit and quiet down. Because most people always expect the speaker to start immediately, this silence will thus catch the attention of the audience. They will be instinctively more interested in what you had to say, and why you took your time to say it. This time will also help you gather your nerves and prepare to speak.

No matter which of these five ways you decide to launch your presentation, ensure that you make it count, and make it memorable. This will ensure that you capture the attention of your audience and get them keen on what you have to say. In all cases, consider your audience, your message, and what opening would work best with the two. With these tips in mind, your next speech will be memorable and engaging.

Sponsored

Olga V. Mack is a blockchain strategist, public speaker, and adjunct professor at Berkeley Law. She is Vice President of Strategy at Quantstamp, the first decentralized security auditing blockchain platform. Most recently, she served as General Counsel at ClearSlide and she has held legal and operational roles at Visa, Zoosk, Pacific Art League, Wilson Sonsini, and Yahoo. Olga founded the Women Serve on Boards movement that advocates for women to serve on the corporate boards of Fortune 500 companies. You can email Olga at olga@olgamack.com or follow her on Twitter @olgavmack.

Topics

, , , , ,