There is an urban myth that says you only have 30 seconds to make an impression. Whether that is true or not, when you start your presentation you will need to grab the audience’s attention.
You need to start with a big enough bang to say “Listen to me, I have something important to say!”
So, how to do this? There are a number of ways in which you can begin your presentation which will engage your audience’s attention.
Start with a rhetorical question. – “Do you really want to retire at 50?” may be a good question to ask at the beginning of a seminar on Superannuation. Let the audience have time to consider the question before you continue.
Startle them with dramatic statistics – “Over 52% of us here today will not have enough money to retire on!” And don’t fall into the trap of quoting negative statistics as positive, your audience will see through it. Saying (as did a recent TV News announcer) that 1 in 3 people approve of something as being supportive of that, leaves the sceptics in the audience wondering why 2 out of 3 people don’t! Majority is positive and supports your claim, Minority is negative and disproves it.
Use an appropriate Quote – “Albert Einstein knew the importance of Imagination, he said that Imagination was more important than Education” – this would probably incline the audience to believe that being more imaginative in their share portfolio may not be a bad thing.
Don’t use humour unless you are absolutely sure of your ability and your audience. There is nothing worse than trying to regain credibility after your best joke bombs out – I know from experience.
Now you have your audience’s attention, you can begin to tell them why this presentation is relevant to them, why they need the information and how it can benefit them.
Want to know more about beginning your presentation with a Bang? Then book a free conversation with Trish.
Book a free conversation with Trish: www.calendly.com/trischel/conversation
Don’t forget to download you copy of 3 Keys to Successful Public Speaking
Trish Springsteen
Get Known Be Seen Specialist, Personal Branding Strategist
Australia’s Leading Expert in Empowering Introverts
Multi International Award Winning Mentor
Speaker, Coach
International Award Winning Best Selling Author
Host Get Known Be Seen WebTV
I Believe in You until You Believe in Yourself
Clients work with Trish because they know she can help them have the confidence and self-belief to make speaking easy. Trish typically works with small business owners, introverts, authors and advocates helping them to promote their business to be visible. Stand out and make it easy for your clients to find you.
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