powerpoint presentation introduction speech

12+ Opening Speech Examples for Presentations & Quick Tips

Last updated on October 17th, 2023

Opening Speech Samples for Presentations

These days, most of the audience prefers an informal approach in presentations, but at the same time, it must sound professional. When people prepare for any type of presentation, they often face this dilemma: how to start a presentation? What should be the opening speech? How much time should we take for the introduction part?

The first three minutes of your presentations are crucial to get to your audience with an engaging message and make the overall presentation effective. With the proper opening speech for your presentation, you can hook your audience, win the audience’s attention and get them audience interested in what you have to say. Check out some speech introduction examples to get familiar with this topic. Undoubtedly, if the beginning of your presentation is solid and exciting, the chances of success of your presentation increase. Opening your persuasive speech entirely depends upon your style and choice because when you are giving a presentation, you are required to be yourself and avoid putting artistic elements. So, choose something with which you are entirely comfortable.

If you are looking on how to start a speech then this article can help you to get some ideas. Here is a list of opening speech examples that you can use to prepare your presentations with a persuasive speech that convinces the audience. Find useful phrases and strategies to make your presentation a success:

1. Opening Speech with Greetings

This is the very basic, common and important step in which you need to greet your audience by wish them good morning/afternoon or evening (as per the time of session in which you are giving presentation). How to start a speech? Check out some of the examples below including a simple but effective speech introduction greeting example.

Example of Opening Greetings

Hello, everyone. I’d like, first of all, to thank the organizers of this meeting for inviting me here today.

Another example of opening Greeting speech.

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I am honored to have the opportunity to address such a distinguished audience.

2. Open the Speech by Giving Compliment & Show Gratitude towards your Audience

Secondly, just after wishing greeting to your audience give them compliment and choose some words which show that you are delighted to see them there.

Example:

It’s great to see you all, Thank you for coming here today.

3. Give your introduction: Introduce Yourself

How you introduce yourself during a presentation is important. There are many ways to introduce yourself. Here we will see some examples on how to introduce yourself in a presentation. First of all, give your introduction start from telling your name. You can show some casual attitude by telling your short name or nick name, and then tell the audience more about your background and what you do.

For example, a good way to start introducing yourself could be:

My name is Louis Taylor, friends call me Lee sometimes.

Then introduce yourself professionally and give quite information about what you do and why are here today. For Example:

I am a software engineer by profession and working in ABC Corp. Today, I am here to provide you some exciting information about new technology, which is going to be very beneficial for you in future.

Another example of self-introduction speech:

For those of you who don’t know me already, my name is Louis Taylor, and I’m responsible for the software department at ABC Corp.

Using a self-introduction template and slide in your presentation, you can support your speech while presenting the information about you in the projection. You can also visit self introduction speech examples to find out some examples on how to introduce yourself and download self-introduction templates for PowerPoint & Google Slides.

4. Opening with the Topic of the Speech

Next is the part where you introduce the topic of your presentation or speech. Here are some examples of good opening speech for presentations examples on a specific topic.

What I’d like to present to you today is…

Or here is a simplified example of a good introduction for presentation in which we try to get the audience’s attention over the screen where you are presenting the content of your PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation.

As you can see on the screen, our topic today is…

5. Signpost

Put all your information in front of them and then put your proposal and its related information and key point by which you can implement and utilize that idea effectively. Now let collect these points to make a summary and concise illustration. Here is an example of presentation starting speech that you can use:

“Good afternoon every one, it’s great to see you all here, thank you for coming. My name is Louis Taylor, friends call me Lee sometimes. I am a software engineer by profession and working with ABC Ltd. Today we are here to know about new software so that we can take most of it. Firstly, we will look how it work, next we will discuss where can we use it, then we will learn what are its advantages and finally we will discuss what precautions are required to kept in mind while implementing it.”

6. Creating an Emotional Connection in Your Opening Speech

An effective opening speech is not just about presenting information or stating facts; it’s about forging an emotional connection with your audience. Building this connection can make your presentation more engaging, relatable, and memorable. Here are some strategies to achieve this:

Storytelling: One of the most powerful ways to establish an emotional connection is through storytelling. Sharing a personal anecdote or a relevant story can evoke emotions and draw your audience into your presentation. Make sure your story aligns with the overall theme of your presentation and adds value to your message.

Example of speech opening:

“Good morning, everyone. When I was a little boy, I used to watch my grandfather work tirelessly on his old typewriter. The clacking of the keys was a lullaby that lulled me into dreams of creating something impactful. Today, I am here to talk about the evolution of technology and its effect on communication, from typewriters of old to the smartphones of today.”

Relatability: Find common ground with your audience. This could be based on shared experiences, values, or aspirations. Doing so helps to humanize you, making it easier for your audience to relate to your message.

“Like many of you, I too struggle with maintaining a work-life balance in this fast-paced digital world. Today, I’ll share some strategies I’ve discovered that have significantly improved my quality of life.”

Utilizing Emotions: Use emotions like humor, surprise, curiosity, or inspiration to engage your audience. Different emotions can be used depending on the tone and purpose of your presentation.

“Did you know that the average person spends two weeks of their life waiting for traffic lights to change? That certainly puts our daily commute in a new light, doesn’t it?”

Remember, authenticity is crucial in building an emotional connection. Be yourself, share your experiences, and speak from the heart. This helps to gain your audience’s trust and keeps them engaged throughout your presentation.

7. Harnessing the Power of Visual Aids in Your Opening Speech

Visual aids are a potent tool in any presentation, particularly in your opening speech. They can grab your audience’s attention with a visually appealing cover slide, support your message, and make a lasting impression. Here are some ways you can utilize visual aids in your opening speech.

Images: An image is worth a thousand words, they say, and it’s true. An impactful or relevant image can pique the curiosity of your audience and set the tone for your presentation. Ensure the image aligns with your topic and contributes to your overall message.

“As you can see on the screen, this is an image of a barren desert. It may surprise you to learn that this was once a thriving forest. Today, I’ll be talking about climate change and its irreversible effects.”

Short Videos: A short video can be a great way to engage your audience. This could be a brief clip that illustrates your topic, a short animation, or even a quick introductory video about you or your organization.

Example of a presentation opening statement:

“Before we start, let’s watch this brief video about the incredible journey of a raindrop.”

Infographics and Charts: If you are sharing statistical data or complex information, infographic slides or charts can simplify and clarify your message. They are visually engaging and can help your audience understand and remember the information.

“Take a look at this chart. It shows the exponential increase in cybercrime over the last five years, a topic that we will delve into further today.”

Slides: A well-designed slide can provide a visual structure for your opening speech. It should be clean, easy to read, and should not distract from your speech. Avoid cluttering your slides with too much text or complex graphics.

“According to the infographic on the screen, we can see the three core areas we’ll be focusing on in today’s presentation.”

Remember, the goal of using visual slides is to enhance your message, not overshadow it. They should complement your speech and provide visual interest for your audience. Always test your visual aids beforehand to ensure they work properly during your presentation.

8. Engaging Your Audience with Rhetorical Questions

A rhetorical question is a powerful tool you can use in your opening speech to provoke thought and engage your audience. By posing a question that doesn’t require an answer, you can pique your audience’s interest, make them think, and steer their focus towards your presentation’s key points. Here’s how to use rhetorical questions effectively in your opening speech:

Spark Curiosity: Use a rhetorical question to spark curiosity about your topic. This question should be thought-provoking and relevant to your presentation.

“Have you ever stopped to wonder how much of your life is influenced by social media?”

Highlight Key Issues: A rhetorical question can help highlight the key issues or problems that your presentation aims to address. This will help your audience understand the importance of your topic.

“What would happen if our natural resources were to run out tomorrow?”

Encourage Reflection: Encourage your audience to reflect on their personal experiences or beliefs. This will make your presentation more relatable and engaging.

“How many of us truly understand the value of our mental health?”

Set the Tone: You can also use a rhetorical question to set the tone of your presentation, whether it’s serious, humorous, or contemplative.

“Is there anyone here who doesn’t love pizza?”

Remember, rhetorical questions are meant to stimulate thought, not to put anyone on the spot. Make sure your questions are relevant to your topic and are appropriate for your audience. With the right questions, you can grab your audience’s attention, keep them engaged, and guide their thinking throughout your presentation.

9. Leveraging Statistical Data in Your Opening Speech

Using statistical data in your opening speech is a powerful way to capture the audience’s attention and lend credibility to your message. Surprising or impactful statistics related to your presentation’s topic can instantly make your audience sit up and take notice. Here’s how you can incorporate statistical data effectively in your opening speech:

Relevant and Interesting Data: Choose statistics that are directly relevant to your topic and are likely to pique your audience’s interest. This data should enhance your message and provide valuable context for your presentation.

“Do you know that according to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over 264 million people?”

Simplify Complex Data: If you’re presenting complex or dense data, make sure to simplify it for your audience. Use percentages, comparisons, or visual aids like infographics or charts to make the data easily understandable.

“Look at this chart. It represents the staggering 80% increase in cybercrime incidents over the past five years.”

Credible Sources: Always ensure your data comes from credible and reputable sources. This not only adds legitimacy to your presentation, but it also boosts your credibility as a speaker.

“According to a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Science, air pollution contributes to 1 in 8 deaths worldwide.”

Shocking or Surprising Data: If you have statistics that are surprising or counter-intuitive, they can be an excellent way to grab your audience’s attention and spark curiosity about your presentation.

“Can you believe that, according to the United Nations, we waste approximately 1.3 billion tons of food every year, while one in nine people worldwide go hungry?”

Using statistical data in your opening speech can help to highlight the significance of your topic, draw your audience in, and lay a solid foundation for the rest of your presentation. Remember to present your data in a clear, accessible way, and always cite your sources to maintain credibility.

10. Creating a Powerful Hook with Anecdotes and Quotations

Anecdotes and quotations can be a powerful tool in your opening speech, serving as hooks that draw your audience into your presentation. They can provide a human element to your topic, connect with your audience on an emotional level, and add depth to your message. Here’s how you can effectively incorporate anecdotes and quotations in your opening speech:

Relevant Anecdotes: Sharing a relevant anecdote, whether personal or related to your topic, can make your presentation more relatable and engaging. Your anecdote should be brief, interesting, and serve to illustrate a point related to your topic.

“When I was a teenager, my family’s home was destroyed by a fire. That experience ignited in me a passion for safety measures and awareness, which brings us to today’s topic: fire safety in residential areas.”

Inspiring Quotations: A well-chosen quote can add depth and perspective to your topic. It can inspire, provoke thought, or set the tone for your presentation. Presenting it with a visually appealing quote slide increases the chances to make a lasting impression. Make sure the quote is relevant to your topic and from a credible source.

“Albert Einstein once said, ‘The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.’ This leads us into our discussion today on the importance of mindset in personal development.”

Humorous Anecdotes or Quotations: Depending on the formality of the setting and the topic of your presentation, a funny anecdote or quote can help to relax the audience, making them more receptive to your message.

“Mark Twain once said, ‘I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.’ As a fellow writer, I can relate to this sentiment, which brings us to our topic today: the art of concise writing.”

Remember, your anecdote or quote should serve to enhance your message, not distract from it. It should be interesting, relevant, and appropriately timed. With the right anecdote or quote, you can create a powerful hook that engages your audience from the outset.

11. Integrating Storytelling in your Opening Speech

Storytelling is a compelling method to make your opening speech memorable and engaging. A well-told story can create a strong emotional connection with your audience, making your presentation more impactful. Here’s how to effectively weave storytelling into your opening speech:

Choosing the Right Story: The story you tell should be relevant to your topic and capable of illustrating the point you’re trying to make. It could be a personal experience, a case study, or a historical event.

“Years ago, I worked on a project that, at the outset, seemed destined for success. But due to a lack of clear communication within the team, the project failed. Today, we will be discussing the importance of effective communication within teams.”

Creating Suspense: Build suspense in your story to hold your audience’s attention. You can do this by posing a problem or a conflict at the beginning of your story, which gets resolved by the end of your presentation.

“One day, as I was walking through a remote village in Africa, I came across a scene that profoundly changed my perspective. But before I reveal what it was, let’s discuss the issue of clean drinking water in underdeveloped countries.”

Showing, Not Telling: Make your story more vivid and engaging by showing, not telling. Use descriptive language and paint a picture with your words to make your audience feel like they’re part of the story.

“As the sun rose over the bustling city of Tokyo, I found myself in a small sushi shop tucked away in a quiet alley, experiencing what would become a pivotal moment in my culinary journey.”

Relatable Characters: If your story involves characters, make them relatable. Your audience should be able to see themselves in your characters, or at least understand their motivations and challenges.

“Meet Sarah, a single mother of two, working two jobs just to make ends meet. Her struggle is the reason we’re here today, to discuss the issue of minimum wage in our country.”

Storytelling is a powerful tool that can bring your presentation to life. A well-told story can captivate your audience, making your message more memorable and impactful. Be sure to select a story that aligns with your overall message and is appropriate for your audience.

12. Incorporating Interactive Elements in Your Opening Speech

Involving your audience from the get-go can make your presentation more engaging and memorable. By integrating interactive elements into your opening speech, you can foster a sense of participation and connection among your listeners. Here’s how you can do it:

Audience Polling: Modern presentation software often includes real-time polling features. You can ask your audience a question related to your topic and display the results instantly.

“To start, I’d like to ask you all a question. (Show poll on screen) How many of you think that Artificial Intelligence will significantly change our lives in the next ten years?”

Questions for Thought: Pose a thought-provoking question to your audience at the beginning of your speech. It can stimulate curiosity and get your listeners thinking about your topic.

“Before we delve into today’s topic, I want you to ponder this: what would you do if you had only 24 hours left to live? Keep that in mind as we discuss the importance of time management.”

Physical Engagement: Depending on the formality and size of your audience, you can incorporate physical engagement. This can range from a simple show of hands to engaging activities.

“By a show of hands, how many of you have ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of information available on the internet? That’s what we’ll be discussing today: information overload in the digital age.”

Interactive Quizzes: Quizzes can be a fun and interactive way to engage your audience and test their knowledge on your topic. It can also serve as a hook to introduce your topic. You can use a free Quiz PowerPoint template to ease the job of creating a quiz for your presentation.

“I have a quick quiz for you all (show quiz on screen). Let’s see who can guess the most common fear among adults. The answer will lead us into our topic of discussion today: overcoming fear.”

Remember, the goal of incorporating interactive elements is to engage your audience, so it should be relevant and add value to your presentation. Tailor your interactive elements to suit the needs and preferences of your audience, and you’ll have a winning opening speech.

What are the Objectives of Preparing a Good Introduction and Opening Speech?

As we mentioned earlier, the first minutes of your presentation are crucial to hook the audience and let them pay attention to the message you want to convey. This will depend on the type of presentation (if it is persuasive presentation, informative presentation or a presentation for entertaining the audience), but in general terms, when presenting we need to:

Capture the audience’s attention
Present information, opinions, ideas to the audience.
Present important details about a specific topic.
Sell an idea.
Make the information memorable so it can persist over the time.
Get your audience to take action, a Call to Action. E.g. purchase a product, enroll to something, fundraise, etc.

Real-Life Examples of Effective Opening Speeches

Barack Obama started his speech in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner saying: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”

In same cases, humour can be a great companion for your speech. If you can use humour in a positive way, then getting a laugh in the first seconds of a presentation can get your audience hooked. It is a great way to open your speech.

Final Thoughts

Try to make habit of starting your presentation this way, it will sound great. You may come across several more opening speech examples for presentation but, once you implement this you yourself will realize that this is the best one. Alternatively you can learn more on quotes for presentations & speech topics to use during your presentation in PowerPoint, learn how to close your presentation , or find other relevant speech introduction greeting examples.

49 comments on “ 12+ Opening Speech Examples for Presentations & Quick Tips ”

thank you very much

Hi Kavishki, we hope the article was useful for you. Will be great to learn more about how you have used the speech examples. If you need more speech ideas, I’d recommend you free Persuasive Speech topics .

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Hi Kavishki, good morning. Can please provide more information about the Panel Discussion needs and if it involves a PowerPoint presentation? We’d be happy to be of help!

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How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation [with Examples]

In this post, we are going to cover the best way, a very simple three-step process that will help you introduce yourself in a presentation. A summary of the steps is below.

Start with your name and company (or organization or school).
Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them.
Share some type of proof (social proof works best) that you can solve this problem.

I will break down each step into a simple-to-follow process. But first… a little background.

First, Identify What Your Audience Wants from Your Presentation

Create an Introduction for Yourself that Makes the Audience Care About the Topic

So, before you design your introduction, think about what your audience wants from your presentation. Why do they want to spend their valuable time listening to you? Are going to waste their time? Or, are you going to provide them with something valuable?

For instance, I have expertise in a number of different areas. I’m a public speaking coach, a keynote speaker, a best-selling author, a search engine optimization specialist, and a popular podcaster. However, if I delivered that sentence to any audience, the most likely reaction would be, “So what?” That sentence doesn’t answer any of the above questions. The statement is also really “me-focused” not “audience-focused.”

So, when I start to design my self-introduction, I want to focus just on the area of expertise related to my topic. I’m then going to answer the questions above about that particular topic. Once you have these answers, set them aside for a second. They will be important later.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation in Class.

If Everyone Already Knows You DON'T Introduce Yourself

Instead, you probably want to add in a fun way to start a speech . For example, instead of introducing yourself in your class speech and starting in an awkward way, start with a startling statistic. Or start with a summary of your conclusion. Or, you could start the presentation with an inspirational quote.

Each of these presentation starters will help you lower your nervousness and decrease your awkwardness.

If you are delivering a speech in a speech competition or to an audience who doesn’t know you try this technique. Just introduce yourself by saying your name , the school you represent , and your topic . Make it easy. This way you get to your content more quickly and lower your nervousness.

Typically, after you get the first few sentences out of the way, your nervousness will drop dramatically. Since your name, school, and topic should be very easy to remember, this takes the pressure off you during the most nervous moments.

Obviously, follow the guidelines that your teacher or coach gives you. (The competition may have specific ways they want you to introduce yourself.)

How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Presentation — A Step-by-Step Guide.

In a professional setting, when new people walk into a meeting and don’t know what to expect, they will feel uncomfortable. The easiest way to ease some of that tension is to chat with your audience as they come into the room.

By the way, if you are looking for a template for an Elevator Speech , make sure to click this link.

Step #1: Start with your name and company name (or organization).

This one is easy. Just tell your audience your name and the organization that you are representing. If your organization is not a well-known brand name, you might add a short clarifying description. For instance, most people outside of the training industry have never heard of The Leader’s Institute ®. So, my step #1 might sound something like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company…

Still short and sweet, but a little more clear to someone who has never heard of my company.

Should you give your job title? Well… Maybe and sometimes. Add your title into the introduction only if your title adds to your credibility.

For example, if you are delivering a financial presentation and you are the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of your company, you might mention that. Your title adds to your credibility. However, if the CFO is delivering a presentation about the value of joining a trade association, the CFO title adds little credibility. So, there is very little value in adding the title.

Step #2: Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them.

Identify the Problem You Solve for Your Audience

For instance, if my topic is how to deliver presentations, I have to determine why the audience would care. What problem will they have that I can help them with? For my audiences, the problem that I most often help people with is how to eliminate public speaking fear. Once I have the problem, I add that to my introduction by using the words, “I help people…”

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear.

However, if my topic is How to Close a Higher Percentage of Sales Presentations , I’d likely want to alter my introduction a little. I might say something like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people design more persuasive sales presentations.

I have expertise in both areas. However, I focus my introduction on just the expertise that is applicable to this audience. If I gave the first introduction to the second audience, they will likely respond by thinking, well, I don’t really get nervous speaking, so I guess I can tune out of this speech .

So, create a problem statement starting with, “I help people…” Make the statement apply to what your audience really wants.

Step #3: Share some type of proof (social proof works best) that you can solve this problem.

By the way, if you just do steps #1 and #2, your introduction will be better than most that you will hear. However, if you add Step #3, you will gain more respect (and attention) from your audience. Without adding some type of proof that you can solve this problem, you are just giving your opinion that you are an expert. However, if you can prove it, you are also proving that you are an expert.

This is the tricky part. For some reason, most people who get to this part feel like they haven’t accomplished great things, so they diminish the great accomplishments that they do have.

For instance, an easy way to offer proof is with a personal story of how you have solved that problem in the past.

A Few Examples of How to Introduce Yourself Before a Presentation.

For instance, one of my early clients was a young accountant. When I was working with him, he came up with the following introduction, “I’m Gary Gorman with Gorman and Associates CPA’s, and I help small businesses avoid IRS audits.” It was a great, audience-focused attention-getter. (No one wants to get audited.) However, as an accountant, it wasn’t like his company was getting a lot of five-star reviews on Yelp! So, he was kind of struggling with his social proof. So, I asked him a series of questions.

Me, “How many clients do you have?”

Gary, “Over 300.”

Me, “How many small business tax returns have you processed?”

Gary, “Well, at least a couple hundred a year for 15 years.”

Me, “So, at least 3000?” He nodded. “How many of your 300 clients have been audited since you have been representing them?”

He looked at me and said, “Well, none.”

So, we just added that piece of proof to his talk of introduction.

I’m Gary Gorman with Gorman and Associates CPA’s, and I help small businesses avoid IRS audits. In fact, in my career, I’ve helped clients complete over 3000 tax returns, and not a single one has ever been audited.

Here Is How I Adjust My Introduction Based on What I Want the Audience to Do.

For my proof, I have a number of options. Just like Gary, I have had a lot of clients who have had great successes. In addition, I have published two best-selling books about public speaking. I also have hundreds of thousands of people who listen to my podcast each week. So, I can pick my evidence based on what I want my audience to do.

For instance, if I’m speaking at a convention, and I want the audience to come by my booth to purchase my books, my introduction might sound like this.

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. One of the things that I’m most know for is being the author of two best-selling books, Fearless Presentations and Mastering Presentations.

However, if I’m leading a webinar, I may want the audience to purchase a seat in one of my classes. In that case, my introduction might sound like this.

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. For instance, for the last 20 years, I’ve taught public speaking classes to over 20,000 people, and I haven’t had a single person fail to reduce their nervousness significantly in just two days.

If my goal is to get the audience to subscribe to my podcast, my intro might sound like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. One of the ways that I do this is with my weekly podcast called, Fearless Presentations, which has over one million downloads, so far.

Use the Form Below to Organize How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation.

The point is that you want to design your introduction in a way that makes people pause and think, “Really? That sounds pretty good.” You want to avoid introductions that make your audience think, “So what?”

If you have a speech coming up and need a good introduction, complete the form below. We will send you your answers via email!

Can You Replace Your Introduction with a PowerPoint Slide?

Is it okay to make your first slide (or second slide) in your presentation slides an introduction? Sure. A good public speaker will often add an introduction slide with a biography, portrait, and maybe even contact information. I sometimes do this myself.

However, I NEVER read the slide to my audience. I often just have it showing while I deliver the short introduction using the guide above. This is a great way to share more of your work experience without sounding like you are bragging.

For tips about how many powerpoint slides to use in a presentation , click here.

Remember that There Is a Big Difference Between Your Introduction in a Presentation and Your Presentation Starter.

When you introduce yourself in a presentation, you will often just use a single sentence to tell the audience who you are. You only use this intro if the audience doesn’t know who you are. Your presentation starter, though, is quite different. Your presentation starter should be a brief introduction with relevant details about what you will cover in your presentation.

For details, see Great Ways to Start a Presentation . In that post, we show ways to get the attention of the audience. We also give examples of how to use an interesting hook, personal stories, and how to use humor to start a presentation.

powerpoint presentation introduction speech

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How to Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation [+ FREE Presentation Checklist]

May 1, 2018 | Business Professional English , Free Resource , Public Speaking & Presentations

How to Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation in English - Lesson

This lesson on how to organize your introduction for a presentation in English has been updated since its original posting in 2016 and a video has been added.

Getting ready to present in English? Here’s how to make sure your introduction for a presentation in English is successful.

But first… When you think about a presentation, I know you’re thinking about something like a TED video or a presentation at a conference. You’re thinking about a speech, with PowerPoint slides and a big audience.

But did you know we use the same skills when we share new information or ideas with our work colleagues? Or when we tell stories to our friends and family? The situation or speaking task may be different but we still use the same skills.

When presenting information or telling stories, we need to:

Capture a listener’s attention
Share information, ideas, or opinions
Give the important details
Make your information memorable
Get your audience (family, friends, colleagues or strangers) to agree, to take action, to change their mind, etc.

So today you’re going to learn how to take the first big step in your English presentation: how to start with a great introduction.

The introduction is the most important part of your presentation. It is the first impression you’ll make on your audience. It’s your first opportunity to get their attention. You want them to trust you and listen to you right away.

However, that first moment when you start to speak is often the hardest. Knowing how to best prepare and knowing what to say will help you feel confident and ready to say that first word and start your presentation in English.

Be sure to include these 5 things in your inroduction.

Lesson by Annemarie

How to Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation in English and Key Phrases to Use

Organize Your Introduction Correctly

Okay, first let’s focus on what you need to include in your English introduction. Think of this as your formula for a good introduction. Using this general outline for your introduction will help you prepare. It will also help your audience know who you are, why you’re an expert, and what to expect from your presentation.

Use this general outline for your next presentation:

Welcome your audience and introduce yourself
Capture their attention
Identify your number one goal or topic of presentation
Give a quick outline of your presentation
Provide instructions for how to ask questions (if appropriate for your situation)

Use Common Language to Make Your Introduction Easy to Understand

Great, now you have the general outline of an introduction for a speech or presentation in English. So let’s focus on some of the key expressions you can use for each step. This will help you think about what to say and how to say it so you can sound confident and prepared in your English presentation.

“The introduction is the most important part of your presentation. It is the first impression you’ll make on your audience. It’s your first opportunity to get their attention. You want them to trust you and listen to you right away.”

Welcome Your Audience & Introduction

It is polite to start with a warm welcome and to introduce yourself. Everyone in the audience will want to know who you are. Your introduction should include your name and job position or the reason you are an expert on your topic. The more the audience trusts you, the more they listen.

Welcome to [name of company or event]. My name is [name] and I am the [job title or background information].
Thank you for coming today. I’m [name] and I’m looking forward to talking with you today about [your topic].
Good morning/afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to quickly introduce myself. I am [name] from [company or position]. (formal)
On behalf of [name of company], I’d like to welcome you today. For those of you who don’t already know me, my name is [name] and I am [job title or background]. (formal)
Hi everyone. I’m [name and background]. I’m glad to be here with you today. Now let’s get started. (informal)

Capture Their Attention

For more information about how to best capture your audience’s attention and why, please see the next session below. However, here are a few good phrases to get you started.

Did you know that [insert an interesting fact or shocking statement]?
Have you ever heard that [insert interesting fact or shocking statement]?
Before I start, I’d like to share a quick story about [tell your story]…
I remember [tell your story, experience or memory]…
When I started preparing for this talk, I was reminded of [tell your story, share your quote or experience]…

Identify Your Goal or Topic of Presentation

At this stage, you want to be clear with your audience about your primary topic or goal. Do you want your audience to take action after your talk? Is it a topic everyone is curious about (or should be curious about)? This should be just one or two sentences and it should be very clear.

This morning I’d like to present our new [product or service].
Today I’d like to discuss…
Today I’d like to share with you…
What I want to share with you is…
My goal today is to help you understand…
During my talk this morning/afternoon, I’ll provide you with some background on [main topic] and why it is important to you.
I will present my findings on…
By the end of my presentation, I’d like for you to know…
I aim to prove to you / change your mind about…
I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about…
As you know, this morning/afternoon I’ll be discussing…

Outline Your Presentation

You may have heard this about presentations in English before:

First, tell me what you’re going to tell me. Then tell me. And finally, tell me what you told me.

It sounds crazy and weird, but it’s true. This is how we structure presentations in English. So today we’re focusing on the “First, tell me what you’re going to tell me” for your introduction. This means you should outline the key points or highlights of your topic.

This prepares your listens and helps to get their attention. It will also help them follow your presentation and stay focused. Here are some great phrases to help you do that.

First, I’m going to present… Then I’ll share with you… Finally, I’ll ask you to…
The next thing I’ll share with you is…
In the next section, I’ll show you…
Today I will be covering these 3 (or 5) key points…
In this presentation, we will discuss/evaluate…
By the end of this presentation, you’ll be able to…
My talk this morning is divided into [number] main sections… First, second, third… Finally…

On Asking Questions

You want to be sure to let you audience know when and how it is appropriate for them to ask you questions. For example, is the presentation informal and is it okay for someone to interrupt you with a question? Or do you prefer for everyone to wait until the end of the presentation to ask questions?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to interrupt me. I’m happy to answer any questions as we go along.
Feel free to ask any questions, however, I do ask that you wait until the end of the presentation to ask.
There will be plenty of time for questions at the end.
Are there any questions at this point? If not, we’ll keep going.
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have now.

Capture Your Audience’s Attention

Do you feel unsure about how to capture the attention of your audience? Don’t worry! Here are some common examples used in English-speaking culture for doing it perfectly!

Two of the most famous speakers in the English-speaking world are Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey. While Steve Jobs is no longer living, people still love to watch his speeches and presentations online. Oprah is so famous that no matter what she does, people are excited to see her and listen to her.

BUT, if you listen to a speech by Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey, they still work to get your attention!

The don’t start with a list of numbers or data. They don’t begin with a common fact or with the title of the presentation. No – they do much more.

From the moment they start their speech, they want you to listen. And they find interesting ways to get your attention. In his most famous speeches, Steve Jobs often started with a personal story. And Oprah often starts with an inspiring quote, a motivational part of a poem, or a personal story.

These are all great ways to help your audience to listen to you immediately – whether your presentation is 3 minutes or 20 minutes.

Here’s how you can do it.

Like Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey, start with a:

Personal story or experience
Motivational quote or line from a poem or book
Joke (be careful with this – make sure it translates easily to everyone in the audience!)
Shocking, bold statement (Think of Steve Jobs’ quote: “ Stay hungry. Stay Foolish .”)
Rhetorical question ( =a question that you don’t want an answer to; the focus is to make someone think)

And finally, consider audience participation. Ask a question and get your audience to respond by raising hands.

Get the complete Presentations in English Series:

Part 1: How to Prepare for Your Presentation in English

Part 2: How to Start with a Great Introduction in Your Presentation

Part 3: How to Organize Your Presentation in English

Part 4: How to End Your Presentation Powerfully

As I mentioned in the video, I have two question for you today:

What is the best introduction you’ve ever heard? Have you watched a TED Talk or a presentation on YouTube with a great introduction? Tell me about it. What do you think was great about the introduction?
What frightens you the most about preparing your introduction in a presentation? Share your concerns with me so I can help you overcome any challenges you have.

Be sure to share in the comments below to get feedback from me and to learn from others in the Confident English Community.

Have a great week! ~ Annemarie

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Thank you, Annemarie. thanks for the generosity of sharing useful and systemative information and content.

This is really a very informative message thank you.. And it’s help me a lot

hi thank you for this It was helpful. You used simple english that i understood well.

How to start with a great presentation on composition

Thankyou for the information . It was much helpful . I will definitely use this information in my presentation 🤗

Hi, I am Thang Sok Do you have a Sample presentation?

This was helpful but can you please tell me how to start a presentation in college because this is for work in a company. My presentation is on laboratory skills and all that

Its informative

Thank you for this video! I’ve learned quite a lot and will want to use all these knowledge in presenting my thesis proposal in 2 months. About your question no. 2, I’d just like to share that the mere fact of presenting in front of many respected professionals makes me already nervous and shaky even if i have studied everything about my presentation. What do you think should i do to deal with my concern?

Could you give me advise, how to start learning English for beginner.How to prepare presentation on any topic and how to make interesting..

Thank u so much for valuable advice. Definitely I will used this in my presentation!!

Thank you very much for these kind of useful advice. I hope my first presentation will be exciting for the audience.Your video is helping me again thanks a lot 😊

hi, i’m B.COM student and I have to prepare presentation about identifying business opportunities. How to start and an attractive attention to my audience.. Please Help me…

very nise and educative piece of information thank you nancy nairobi kenya

i am starting a video speech shooting in night about a famouse person how do i start my speech with a good intro.

Hi again how do you do a introduction goodbye

Hi i do not know what you are talking about

Hi Kate, I’m sorry to hear you’re not sure about the content. I recommend reviewing the video carefully if you haven’t already. Is there something specific you have a question about?

thanks a lot for guiding in such an easier way.

Your write-up on introduction helped a lot, thank you Annemarie. I work for cross-geography team and greetings get lengthy as timezones are different e.g. “Good evening to those joining from US office and good morning to colleagues from India office”. I replaced that with “Thank you everyone for joining”. Is it okay?

Hi Amit, I’m so glad it was helpful. As for your greeting, both of your options are perfectly appropriate and friendly.

How to introduce group members in online presentation?

Great question! I’d love to use that for a future Confident English lesson.

its amazing. i can’t explain in wording. this material helping me a lot. i am so happy after use this website . its make easy for me preparing my presentation more interesting. i am thankful too u.

thanks! i use your materials to teach my students(clinets) how to prepare a presentation. is it ok to use them on my materials?

Hi! I am a student from the USP from Tuvaluan and i take CEE45 so our assessment 2 is to prepared a group presentation and we presented in school. so need your help for how to start an attractive introduction to my teacher and my fellow students, they already kwow me.

Thank you.. very helpful

Very useful

It was very use Gul for or presentations

Hi. I am a 1st year BIT student and I have to prepare a presentation on 3D Printing. how to start an attractive introduction to my teachers, when they already know about me? Can you please help me out? Thank you.

I just took 1st place for my paper that I presented at an international students conference. I used a lot of your techniques to improve my speech and I have no words to say how grateful I am to you. Keep up the good work!

😲WOW!! That’s awesome, Andrew. 🙌Congratulations on your presentation. What a wonderful response to your hard work. I’d love to know what you presentation was about. And thank you for sharing your new here. I’m thrilled to know that my techniques were helpful to you.

The title of the presentation was “Handling burnout: A study regarding the the influence of job stressors over military and civilian personel”. I can sent you my paper through email if you would like to see it.

Hi Andrew, what a fascinating topic. And it’s interesting because I just had a newspaper reporter interview me about burnout as a small business owner. Must be a hot topic. 🙂 And sure, I’d love to see it.

🔥❤ too goodd

Hello Annemarie, Thank you so much for one of the best content on the English presentation, I’ve seen. I have a question: Is it impolite or informal to start the presentation without a greeting? I’m asking this question because I’ve seen a lot of TEDTalks and in only a few of them, they greet the audience and in most of it, they quickly go to the “CAPTURING the ATTENTION” with numbers and pictures. I would be so thankful if you could answer this question as soon as possible, my presentation is so close. Best regards, Helia

Hi Helia, What a great question. It has definitely become more common to skip the greeting and go straight to capturing the attention of the audience and you’re right that we often see this in TED talks. I would say it’s best to know your audience and what might be expected. For example, at more formal, traditional conferences or lecture, it might be more appropriate to start with a welcome. I prefer to welcome/thank my audience quickly at the start when I give presentations. A welcome can be very brief, just one sentence, and then you can quickly go into … Read more »

Hi Annemarie I would like to thank you for giving such types of presentation skills but I have a question can you give me some idea about vote of thinks.

I’m glad the lessons are helpful to you. Could you clarify what you mean by ‘vote of thinks?’ I’m not sure I understand that.

Please can you give me some idea about vote of thanks

Could you clarify what you’re asking for, Bello?

Thanks a lot

Glad it was helpful!

it is agood i learn alot from this english class

Hello.i would like to thank you for giving these beautiful tips to start a presentation.This article helped me a lot.

That’s great, Radha. Glad to hear it.

Thanks for your article. It’s simply for interpersonal skill development.

You’re welcome, Mithun. Glad to know it was helpful.

Hi Annemarie . Thank you so much for giving such helpful guildelines it’s really gonna help me

I’m glad it’s helpful, Swetha! 🙂

thank you for help me

You’re very welcome!

Hi Anne Marie, i ‘m from Catalonia and i came across with your site only by chance and i think it’gonna be so helpful for me to pass the next test for c1 level. Several weeks ago i did some rehersals with my presentation and i was so nervous and terrified about what was expected from me.

Some tips in your youtube channel are so cool !!! Thank you.

Hi Tom, I’m thrilled you’ve found this site in your preparations for your English exam and am glad to know it’s helpful! Best of luck as you continue to prepare.

Hi Annemarie Thanks it’s so useful to develop presentation skill. Fatima

You’re very welcome, Fatima! I’m glad it was helpful.

Awesome, especially this simple and clear motto: “First, tell me what you’re going to tell me. Then tell me. And finally, tell me what you told me.” This three sentences exactly explain the content you need to create a memorable presentation.

Hi Dzmitry,

Yes, I’ve always loved that simple motto on how to do a presentation. 🙂 It’s so easy to remember and tells you exactly what to do.

hello I need to introduce myself to language center. i am going to learn Danish Language and i want to introduce myself to them and i am little bit nervous because my grammar is not good at that level.so will you please guide me how to introduce myself to them with an example. i did go through your examples but that is for professionals and i am just a student (Graduate). I don’t have any experience . Please guide me how to do it.

I was in a confused state about starting a conversation and proceeding in it but when I read the guidelines you mentioned above I became confident. thank you for your innumerable ………….

Thank you so much…… it’s an excellent topic, and it helped me a lot

I’m so glad this was helpful to you! Thank you for sharing.

hi annemarie i have a few questions about a speech i have to make a englishi speech of what i want to become can you help me?

Hi Rebecca,

Thank you for the question. I have several lessons on the topic of presentations in English . However, for personal assistance with English or presentations, I only do that through my one-on-one classes .

thank you so much…… it’s really helpful for me….

You’re very welcome, Shalini.

Thanks its really nice to develop the presentation skills

Awesome. I’m glad it was helpful to you, Mohammed.

I have to give a demo on one of your programs next week. I would like you to check my self introduction – Good afternoon everyone and thank you for all of your presence. Before we get into the session I would like to quickly introduce myself. My name is Dinesh . I am working as a Pharmaceutical sale and promotion of the brands for Arrient Healthcare. I am in this filed for the past ten years. Before becoming trainer I worked as a medical representatives for different pharma company . I am highly interested in learning from people and … Read more »

Please ignore my previous comment. Yea the demo was a success. So hereafter I will say”I have been in this field for the past four years. Actually I worked for different consultancies so I didn’t include an article there.

I have to give a demo on one of your programs next week. I would like you to check my self introduction – Good afternoon everyone and thank you for all of your presence. Before we get into the session I would like to quickly introduce myself. My name is Monica. I am working as a Soft Skill Trainer at Synergy School of Business Skills. I am in this filed for the past four years. Before becoming trainer I worked as a Recruiter for different job consultancy. I am highly interested in learning from people and I think teaching/training is … Read more »

Thank you for sharing your example! One note: “I am in this field for the past four years.” –> Don’t forget, when we’re talking about something that started in the past and continues to now, we use the present perfect. How might you change this sentence to fix the grammar?

Also, we want to add an article to, “… I worked as a recruiter for [a] different job consultancy.”

I wish you much success in your demo this week! Best, Annemarie

Yea the demo was a success! So hereafter I will say”I have been for the past four years. Actually I worked for different consultancies.

I like it but I think capturing their attention is the most difficult part in preparing a presentation. From my little experience, I used to talk about something out of the scope of the presentation in order to grasp their attention. For example, I had a presentation about medical terminology and its parts (suffix, prefix —). So I provided example which is Ultra Violet then I talked about the ultraviolet in the sun and Vitamin D deficiency. They liked the talk because it is very important to them and by this topic I captured their attention more and more.

Hello Fadia, I’m sorry I’m so late in responding to your comment! I agree with you: capturing attention is very challenging to do. It requires understanding your audience, knowing what is important to them, and how to connect with them. In English-speaking culture, we often connect by telling a story or showing we understand a problem the audience has. I think you’re exactly right to talk about something that is maybe “off topic” or out of the scope of the presentation, as you said, to get their attention first. It sounds like you did a great job in your experience!! … Read more »

hi there it was great going through your enlightening presentation skills however i would be even more delighted if you put some quotes for various PPT’s which will give us an instant ideas during the adhoc PPT like myself…just a suggestion.

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SpeakUp resources

Starting a presentation in english: methods and examples.

By Jake Pool

If you’re going to make it in the professional world, most likely you’ll have to give a presentation in English at some point. No reason to get nervous!

Most of the work involved lies in the introduction. You may or may not need an English presentation PPT file, your topic, audience, or time limit may vary, but a strong opening is a must no matter what! Everything that follows can build from the opening outline you present to your audience.

Let’s look at some guidelines for starting a presentation in English. If you can master this part, you’ll never have to worry about the rest!

Opening in a Presentation in English

While it’s important to have your entire presentation organized and outlined, planning and organization are especially important in the introduction. This is what will guide you through a clear and concise beginning. Let’s look at how to start a presentation with well-organized thoughts .

Introduction Outline

Introduce yourself and welcome everyone.
State the purpose of your presentation
Give a short overview of the presentation

As we say, it’s as easy as 1-2-3. (No need for a more detailed English presentation script!) Let’s examine the first step.

1. Introduce Yourself & Welcome Everyone

The self-introduction is your opportunity to make a good first impression. Be sure to open with a warm welcome and use language that is familiar and natural. Based on your audience, there are a few different expressions you can use to start your presentation.

If you’re presenting to coworkers who may already know you:

Hello, [name] here. I would like to thank you all for your time. As you may know, I [describe what you do/your job title] I look forward to discussing [topic] today.
Good morning/afternoon/evening everyone. Thank you for being here. For those who don’t know me, my name is [name], and for those who know me, hello again.

If you’re presenting to people you’ve never met:

Hello everyone, it’s nice to meet you all. My name is [name] and I am the [job/title].
Hello. Welcome to [event]. My name is [name] and I am the [job/title]. I’m glad you’re all here.

There are certainly more ways to make an introduction. However, it’s generally best to follow this format:

Start with a polite welcome and state your name.
Follow with your job title and/or the reason you’re qualified to speak on the topic being discussed.

2. State the Purpose of Your Presentation

Now that your audience knows who you are and your qualifications, you can state the purpose of your presentation. This is where you clarify to your audience what you’ll be talking about.

So, ask yourself, “ What do I want my audience to get from this presentation? ”

Do you want your audience to be informed?
Do you need something from your audience?
Do you want them to purchase a product?
Do you want them to do something for the community or your company?

With your goal in mind, you can create the next couple of lines of your presentation. Below are some examples of how to start.

Let me share with you…
I’d like to introduce you to [product or service]
Today I want to discuss…
I want to breakdown for you [topic]
Let’s discuss…
Today I will present the results of my research on [topic]
By the end of this presentation, you’ll understand [topic]
My goal is to explain…
As you know, we’ll be talking about…

When talking about the purpose of your presentation, stick to your goals. You purpose statement should be only one to three sentences. That way, you can give your audience a clear sense of purpose that sets them up for the rest of the presentation.

3. A Short Overview of the Presentation

The final step in starting your presentation is to give a short outline of what you’ll be presenting. People like a map of what to expect from a presentation.

It helps them organize their thoughts and gives a sense of order. Also, it lets the audience know why they’re listening to you. This is what you’ll use to grab their attention, and help them stay focused throughout the presentation.

Here are some examples of how you can outline your presentation:

Today, I’m going to cover… Then we’ll talk about… Lastly, I’ll close on…
We’re going to be covering some key information you need to know, including…
My aim with this presentation is to get you to… To do that we’ll be talking about…
I’ve divided my presentation into [number] sections… [List the sections]
Over the next [length of your presentation] I’m going to discuss…

That’s it! It’s as simple as 1-2-3. If you have a fear of public speaking or are not confident about presenting to a group of people, follow these three steps. It’s a simple structure that can get you off to a good start. With that in mind, there are other ways to bring your introduction to the next level too! Read on for bonus tips on how to really engage your audience, beyond the basics.

For a Strong Presentation in English, Engage your Audience

Presentations aren’t everyone’s strongest ability, and that’s OK. If you’re newer to presenting in English, the steps above are the basics to getting started. Once you’re more comfortable with presenting, though, you can go a step further with some extra tricks that can really wow your audience.

Mastering the skill of engaging an audience will take experience. Fortunately, there are many famous speakers out there you can model for capturing attention. Also, there are some common techniques that English-speakers use to gain an audience’s attention.

*How and when you use these techniques in your introduction is at your discretion, as long as you cover the 3 steps of the introduction outline that we discussed earlier.*

Do or say something shocking.

The purpose of shocking your audience is to immediately engage them. You can make a loud noise and somehow relate the noise to your presentation. Or, you can say, “ Did you know that… ” and follow with a shocking story or statistic. Either way, the objective is to create surprise to draw their attention.

Tell a story

Telling a story related to your presentation is a great way to get the audience listening to you.

You can start by saying, “ On my way to [location] the other day… ” or “ On my way here, I was reminded of… ” and then follow with a story. A good story can make your presentation memorable.

Ask your audience to take part

Sometimes a good introduction that captures attention will involve asking for help from the audience. You can ask the audience to play a quick game or solve a puzzle that’s related to your presentation. Also, you could engage the audience with a group exercise. This is a great way to get people involved in your presentation.

There are many more ways to engage the audience, so get creative and see what you can think up! Here are some resources that will help you get started.

Also, if you want to get better at public speaking (and help your English speaking too!), a great organization to know about is the Toastmasters . The organization is dedicated to helping you be a better speaker, and there are many local groups in America. They offer free lessons and events to help you master your English speaking, and also offer additional help to paying members.

The Takeaway

A presentation in English? No problem, as long as your introduction sets you up for success . Admittedly, this can be easier said than done. Native speakers and non-native speakers alike sometimes struggle with getting a good start on their English presentation. But the advice above can help you get the confidence you need to lay a good foundation for your next speech !

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How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]

Published: September 13, 2023

The first step in mastering the art of delivering powerful presentations is understanding how to start a presentation properly.

how to start a presentation where a person holds mic

In this post, you'll discover strategies for crafting a solid presentation opening, designing an impactful opening slide, and delivering a memorable presentation.

Table of Contents

Why Your Presentation Opening Matters

How to start a presentation, opening slide examples, best practices for starting a presentation.

The opening of your presentation sets the tone for your entire session.

Within the first few minutes, most of your audience will decide whether they find your expertise, experience, and topic compelling enough to warrant their attention.

Think of it this way: Your opening is a preview of your presentation like a trailer is a preview of a movie. If the five-minute trailer isn’t engaging or impactful, why should the audience bother sitting through the half-hour movie?

Your opening shapes the expectations of your audience and entices them to stay engaged throughout the session.

And although you’ll still need to work to maintain their attention, getting it right from the start will spare you the challenge of re-engaging a disinterested audience right from the beginning of your presentation.

This opening statement is powerful because rather than lead with his “credentials” or “accolades,” as the audience most likely expects, he defies that expectation.

He creates a sense of intrigue that instantly piques the audience's curiosity and compels them to pay closer attention.

Infuse humor.

In Tom Thum's TedTalk titled Beatbox Brilliance , he sets a lighthearted tone by stepping on stage wearing oversized sunglasses and declaring, “My name is Tom, and I've come here today to come clean about what I do for money.”

As you might expect, this humorous approach not only elicits laughter but also surprises the audience, who are intrigued and pleasantly surprised at the tone he sets for the presentation.

Ask a question.

Graham Shaw's presentation titled “ Why people believe they can’t draw - and how to prove they can ” begins with, “Hi, I've got a question for you - how many people here would say they can draw?”

Seeing as this is a relatively lighthearted question that’s simple to answer, the audience responds immediately.

Now, what makes this a powerful opening technique is that Graham then goes on to say:

“When people say they can’t draw, I think it's more to do with beliefs rather than talent and ability. When you say you can’t draw, that’s just an illusion, and today I’d like to prove that to you.”

By immediately challenging a widely held belief among the audience and promising to debunk it during the presentation, he employs a powerful technique that keeps the audience fully engaged.

This approach makes the audience feel “invested” in the outcome of the presentation and curious as to whether he can back up his claim.

2. Tell your audience why they should be listening to you.

Getting your audience’s attention is just one part of the equation. Once you have it, you must also explain why they should “keep” listening to you. Here are some ways to do this:

Highlight relevant personal experience.

In Phil Waknell’s opening section, he talks about how he’s spent the last ten years helping conference speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs prepare and deliver powerful presentations .

This immediately signals to the audience that he’s someone worth listening to and positions him as a credible source of insights based on the wealth of experience he has gathered.

Highlight your expertise.

During the opening section of Dr. Lara Boyd’s presentation titled “ After watching this, your brain will not be the same ,” she says, “I’m Dr. Lara Boyd, and I’m a brain researcher here at the University of British Columbia.”

Sharing her credentials as a brain researcher is crucial to gaining her audience's trust — especially considering the technicality of her topic.

But even while creating presentations outside fields like brain research, sharing qualifications and credentials in your opening section can be a powerful technique.

This helps you position yourself as a credible authority and reinforcing your audience's confidence in your ability to deliver valuable information.

Tell your audience what’s in it for them.

In Mel Robbins’ opening section for her presentation titled “ How to stop screwing yourself over ,” she ends her introduction by saying:

“I’m here for you. I’m going to tell you everything I know in less than 18 minutes about how to get what you want.”

Although she started the section by highlighting her experiences and expertise, she went further by explicitly stating the benefits her audience can expect from her presentation.

Doing this is a great way to create a compelling reason for your audience to invest their time and attention and emphasize the value of the presentation you’re about to deliver.

3. Introduce your topic.

If your topic is relatively simple to grasp or your audience is particularly knowledgeable, introducing your topic can be as easy as “Today, I’m going to be talking to you about how we’ve built a six-figure software company in 6 months.”

However, if your topic is more complex or unfamiliar to the audience, you must do a bit more heavy lifting in your opening section.

For example, Sam Bern’s “ My philosophy for a happy life ” presentation discusses how he lives a happy life despite having Progeria disease.

However, because this condition might be unfamiliar to some audience members, he takes some time in his opening section to talk about the illness before delving into the meat of his presentation.

Similarly, if you’re presenting on a complex topic or to an audience that isn’t knowledgeable, it’s essential to consider this when crafting your opening section.

4. Leverage storytelling.

Stories can create immersive experiences that captivate the audience and convey a core message.

For example, in the opening section of Sam Bern's presentation, he tells a story about his struggles while trying to achieve his goal of becoming a drummer in his school marching band, despite living with Progeria disease.

This sets the tone for his entire presentation by conveying an inspiring message of fighting against and succeeding despite the odds.

Another great example is the opening section of Josh Kaufman’s presentation, titled “ The First 20 Hours — how to learn anything ,” where he tells a story about his experience as a time-strapped first-time parent.

This story enhances the presentation as Josh eventually shares that this experience triggered his interest in studying how to become an efficient learner.

Finally, Amy Morins’s presentation “ The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong ” is another excellent example of leveraging storytelling.

Amy starts her presentation with a thought-provoking story about observing a Facebook friend's seemingly perfect life.

She then highlights how such comparisons can lead to negative thought patterns and emphasizes the importance of cultivating mental resilience.

This relatable story not only resonates with her audience but also sets the stage for her message on building inner strength.

All these presentations are great examples that highlight how incorporating story-telling in your openings can be a powerful tool for creating memorable and impactful presentations.

Your presentation slides play a crucial role in determining the impact and effectiveness of your presentation.

In this section, you’ll find examples of 8 powerful opening slides across various use cases that not just support but enhance the presentation openings:

1. “ Blackboard is Getting an Upgrade ”

Although these are very different methods of injecting humor at the start of a presentation, they show how infusing humor can be a powerful tool for adding a touch of personality and creating a more enjoyable presentation for the audience.

4. Keep it short and sweet.

While it's important not to rush through the start of your presentation, keeping your opening concise is equally important. But remember, concise does not mean sacrificing substance; it simply means delivering information efficiently.

Essentially, you want an opening section that allows you to create a solid initial impression without losing the audience's interest.

So, how long should this opening secretion be?

Most successful presentation openings are under three minutes, and many are shorter, often clocking in at under one minute.

5. Embrace authenticity.

Contrary to popular belief, there isn't a specific personality that makes someone a better presenter. In fact, the most impactful presentations have been delivered by individuals with diverse characters.

Take, for instance, the contrasting styles of Tom Thum’s irreverent humor and animated mannerisms and Sam Bern, who adopts a relaxed and conversational approach. Despite their differences, both speakers have garnered millions of views for their talks.

So, rather than emulating or mimicking their presentations, the key takeaway is to embrace authenticity.

Allow your personality to shine through, lean on your strengths, and be human in your delivery.

Mastering the Art of Captivating Presentations

Starting a presentation is a skill that is as much an art as it is a science. Thankfully, it is also a skill that can be learned and honed.

By implementing the strategies in this guide and refining them through experience, you’ll become a master at delivering impactful presentations that command attention and leave a lasting impression.

All from the moment you step onto the stage.

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A good introduction/opener

February 10, 2011 by Ellen Finkelstein 263 Comments

You should start with an upbeat, positive mood. The first impression you make lasts. You want to quickly gain the attention, interest, and respect of your audience. Your first words should be lively, interesting, clear, and simple.

Start by expressing the fact that you’re glad to be there. A statement like, “I’m glad/excited/pleased/thrilled to be here” is almost obligatory. It invites the audience to be glad that they’re there, too. Your excitement is infectious and infuses the session with your energy.

Claudyne Wilder, in the July, 2007 issue of her newsletter, “Wilder’s Presentation Points,” said the following:

“A presenter who says, ‘I know you are busy people and have many things to do. Thank you for coming.’ only reminds everyone of all the things that they aren’t doing because they are sitting and listening. Distracting the audience before the presentation even begins is hardly a positive way to begin!”

Your introduction should answer the following

Who are you?

What is your topic, why is it important.

If you will be introduced, re-mention your name and re-affirm the most important fact about yourself that the audience will find meaningful, such as your experience with the topic. Otherwise, provide a slightly longer introduction, but just enough to let people know why they should listen to you.

Give a brief explanation of your topic, just a little longer than the title of your talk. Don’t give away the secret of your talk, but whet their appetite.

Finally, tell the audience why the topic is important to them. What will they have gained by the time the talk is finished? Don’t feel shy to promise that they’ll learn something useful; they really want to know that.

The entire opening should only take a minute or two. More than that, and it becomes boring because the audience will be impatient to hear the main content of your presentation.

Lori Giovannoni, in her e-book, So You Want to Be a Speaker , says, “Your intro should be well rehearsed, clear and filled with confidence. This is not the time to stammer and stutter and hope for the best. A poor intro will drop the energy in the room and you will spend the next half hour trying to recapture it.”

Here are some other ideas for openers:

Ask your audience a question and ask them to raise hands in reply. For example, “How many of you regularly give presentations to small audiences of 1 to 10 people?”
Begin with an interesting, relevant quote. Then use that quote to launch your talk. For example, “Author and columnist Earl Wilson said, ‘If you wouldn’t write it and sign it, don’t say it.’ This gives us a clue as to how you can gain believability from your audience.”
Mention something another speaker said, or a current event, that is related to your presentation.
Start with a short, relevant personal story or experience.

When you’ve written your introduction/opening, rewrite it and edit it until you like it. Then practice giving it out loud. Practice again. Time it. Record it and listen to it. Make adjustments and practice the new version. You should be able to speak it out without looking at your notes. When you’re done, you’ll have a great opener to your presentation!

Check out my other post on this topic, “How to start a presentation.”

Did you find this post helpful? Don’t miss out on new tips and get free video training here!

Please use the Share buttons below to share this with friends and colleagues, because they need to know how to start a presentation, too!

Learn easy principles and techniques that designers use. “ Slide Design for Non-Designers ” shows you, step-by-step, how to easily get the results you want. Plus bonus theme, template, sample slides, and 5 short video tutorials to make implementing the principles easy. Updated for PowerPoint 2016/365. Learn more at http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/pptblog/slide-design-for-non-designers/

“101 Tips Every PowerPoint User Should Know” is for everyone who never took a course or read a book about PowerPoint! These tips will fill in the gaps, speed up your work, make presentations easier, and help you get better results. Now updated through PowerPoint 2016 and Office 365. Learn more at http://www.ellenfinkelstein.com/pptblog/101-tips/

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I am 6th grade and I need to do the presentation about Bosnia and Herzegovina… And everyone knows my name because they all are my friends… I think it would be weird for me to introduce myself… What should I do to get people’s attention? Our teacher said that he is fairly disappointed about our introduction and conclusion… I would be thankful if you help me

Esther, You are right that you don’t need to introduce yourself in a classroom of your classmates. One way to get people’s attention would be to find some surprising fact about Bosnia and Herzegovina. Then you could start with, “Do you know that ….?” For example, you could ask your parents and parents of your friends where they are — show them a map. I bet that almost no one will be able to find them on the map. So you could start with, “Do you know that 90% of people don’t know where Bosnia and Herzegovina are?” Or you … Read more »

Hi,i am a 3rd year B.E student.I have to do the presentation about Global Wireless e-Voting.can you please help me, how to start my presentation and how to gain the attention of my audience?

hi i am a sophmore , and me and two other ppl r presenting a powerpoint on pandora (a godess) my teacher explained that “we should do an interesting introduction not just say,” my name is…this is a powerpoint on pandora” im not sure how my intro should be. help?

What is an interesting or surprising fact about Pandora? Start with that. For example, “Did you know that Pandora was the first mortal woman?”

“The first mortal women on earth, the releaser of disease,death and sorrow..pandora” sounds good? (:

and i do have stage fright, teachers have even deducted points off because i start out talking strong but i get real shacky and shy and my voice fades, ive been dealing with this for awhile, any recomdations? (thank you so much for your help)

Practice more. Videotape yourself and watch the videotape. Practice on your friends. Take a deep breath between sections–it’s good to pause! Don’t be too formal, be more conversational.

Yes, good start.

hye..i m a 9th standard student,and i want to give an introduction…on the topic lokpal bill.so would you please tell me..how to began my presentation…

Ishika, I don’t recognize that name, “lokpal bill.” Is it a person? If so, perhaps you can start with a surprising fact. Good luck!

Hi I am a 6th grader and I am doing a presentation on Justin Bieber and I dont know how to start it. Can you please help me?

Find some strange or funny fact about him and start, “Did you know that ….? That will get your audience interested. Maybe find a funny photo, too. Good luck!

Hello. I am an international researcher at a University and I am supposed to present my project in an international competition in from of a panel of internation judges. How do I introduce myself before I go to the main topic of my presentation? like who I am, where I am from, what do i do? Is it possible to provide me with a sentence? Thank you.

There won’t be any introduction for you at all? Not even your name? There won’t be a printed item with the list of presenters? If not, or even if there is, I would work it into the beginning of the presentation rather than a sentence before your topic. Is the competition based on the research — who did the best research? You could simply put your name and university on the title slide under the name of your presentation/research. You don’t need to say anything. Focus on the research. But, if you want to tell a story about how you … Read more »

Thank you. I will be starting with a story. I had an one on one coaching recently regarding this competition and I had my name and university on my slide just below my topic. After the presentation, one of the judge mentioned that I did not properly introduce myself, like my background, where I am from and so on. The reason was because I have a french accent, and the judge was wondering where I was from an so on.

Hi , I am doing a presentation about paper lantern and I don’t know how to start it. Can you please help me?

I’m not sure what you could say about paper lanterns, but perhaps start with a question to the audience, asking them what they use them for. Do something to engage the audience. Good luck!

i have to give a presentation on my internship.. how do i introduce & start my presentation to have a powerful impact on my examiner???

It’s hard to say, since I don’t know what your internship is about. Perhaps find a famous, philosophical quote and relate it to your internship to show you’ve thought deeply about its implications. Perhaps show a diagram placing the company where you worked in the context of the whole world, so they can see that you appreciate the larger impact of what they’re doing. Perhaps use a diagram showing the skills you learned and how they’ll apply to your professional life. Then go on and elaborate. Good luck!

Hi, I am a first year business student and me an my group need to do a presentation about the new venture we created. What would be a good introduction and how can we make our presentation interesting and engaging?

Rose, have you ever watched Shark Tank on TV? I’d recommend it, because the presentations are always engaging. They demo their product, wear costumes, etc. Aside from that, start by talking about the problem that your venture solves and relate it to the audience. “Have you ever experienced that….? Wasn’t it frustrating? How great would it be if….? Good luck!

Hi, i am doing a degree in early years and i have to do a 10 minute power point presentation on language and language theory in the early years. I am a little unsure how to start it because the group i am doing it in front of 5 people who already know my name and my job role?? also the presentation is all about how i promote language theory in my nursery setting so i am a little unsure about how to start it really.

thanks for reading

Tell a short story, ask a question, say a surprising fact, say something that’s different from usual. For example, you could start, “In this program, I’ve learned a lot of theory about language, but when I had an opportunity to use it in a nursery setting, I discovered some valuable approaches.”

hi, i am a student of pharmacy, and i have been given a topic of function of auxin(a phytohormone). can u please help me, that how would i start my topic and introduce myself in front of my classmates, as i’ll be the 3rd member in my group presentation of total 5 members. thanks,

Since I have NO idea what that is, it’s hard to give you an answer. Why is it important or interesting? Any stories about what happens when it doesn’t function properly?

Hi. I have to do a presentation over a lab that I did-oil spill cleanup. I’m not sure how to start. Could you give me some pointers, please? Thanks.

Hi , I am a student in the high school , I am going to give a presentation next week about positive thinking , I wonder how to start my presentation especially that I am with 3 friends in it !

Tell a horror story about an oil spill cleanup or just silently show some photos of birds covered with oil. Something striking.

I have to do a power point presentation in my class. How should I introduce my self – I am also doing business proposal

Unless your teacher expects you to introduce yourself, you don’t need to, since everyone in the class knows you, right? If it’s a huge class, that might be a different story. You could intertwine something about yourself into the business proposal — something about you that led you to decide that this proposal was the right thing.

Hello, Going through your previous replies, i must say you have done a wonderful job sharing your views and responding to each queries. I have one too 🙂 I am close to recruitment in a university as a lecturer, and before the official joining, the faculty head asked me to present a favorite topic of mine in front of the rest of the faculty members. I decided to present my Master’s thesis, but how would I introduce myself in front of my future co-workers? And what other details (apart from education details) would be relevant in the introduction slide?

Samir, Congratulations on your new job! I don’t think you want to put more than your education details on the first slide, but I think you want to say something verbally. You could introduce the topic of your Master’s thesis by saying something about how your background led you to this topic — so I’d add something personal because your future co-workers also want to get to know you as a person — but as a professional person. So don’t make it TOO personal.

i am a first year student and have been asked to make a presentation on myself, introducing myself to my new class mates and i have no clue where and how to start

Think of something unusual or especially interesting about you or your background or your goals and start with that. Then go on to the rest. Good luck!

i’m presenting a powerpoint presentation in front of my classmate together with my groupmates, I just like to have some tips on how to start my topic about recommendation report.?

Hi there, I am a grade 9 student and I have been assigned to do a presentation on the book ‘hatchet, by Gary Paulsen’. I am not too sure about what would be a good introduction to it, keeping everyone interested and involved. your help would be great, Please and Thank you

Since I know nothing about the book, it’s hard to say. Is there a surprising fact that you can find about the author if you do some research? Perhaps you can find a review of the book to find some background information. Did the book have an impact on you that your classmates wouldn’t expect? If the other students haven’t read it, is there a reason you think they should? How might it change their life? Good luck!

Im having a presentation about online shopping and I need help with my intruduction. Would you help me please? Thanks in advance!

Hai,this page is useful to us.I am doing my 3’rd year B.E.(EEE).i am going to present a paper on power electronics and drives.will u pls help me ? in wt way i have to introduce myself and impress my audience to my topic?

Hi Ellen. Judging by the number of comments and hits on this post, it’s a topic on many speakers’ minds! As you say, when speaking, your 1st impression lasts. I agree with many of your points, like the importance of whetting people’s appetites, and saying what they’ll gain. (To me though, saying “I’m glad to be here” seems a bit trite, and the audience doesn’t care (much) how you feel. They’re absorbed by their own needs and reason for attending, especially at the start.) As you say in your post’s last bullet, you can also use a short, relevant story. … Read more »

Hi, I recently join a company, and they told me to do a presentation on SDLC(Software Development Life Cycle. The problem is I don’t know how to introduce myself before the topic begin..

If everyone there knows you, you don’t have to introduce yourself. If they don’t, I suggest that you ask someone else to introduce you and say why you were chosen to do the presentation.

hello thank you for every thing you do. what i need to ask about is i’ll do a presentation of my self as a final test to get a job with the company(oil and gas company) what steps shoud i fallow to present my self as well.

Think about what the employer needs. Rather than talking about yourself, talk about how you can contribute to the success of the company. Do some research on the issues and future direction of the company and address that. Finally, be sure not to use slide after slide of bulleted text. Instead, make the presentation as visual as possible and practice giving it so you know what to say without reading the slides. Good luck!

I am doing a presentation on Emigration to Canada during the Famine. I am giving the talk in front of class mates and don’t want to introduce the presentation by saying ‘Hi my name is’. Can you give me any advice with regards to coming up with an interesting introduction. Much appreciated.

Nichola, I think your instincts are right. I’d just dive right in with a surprising or shocking fact or statistic about the emigration or the famine to bring home the emotional impact the situation had on the people involved. Are ask the audience a question. “What would you do if you had no food and your children were starving?” Good luck with the presentation!

Hi.. Good morning

I am doing a presentation on indian civilisation, can you please help with in how can i start my introduction and how to get the attention of the people listing ?

As I’ve mentioned in other comments, start with a surprising fact. Perhaps something like, “Did you know that Indian civilization ….?”

Hello, I have a presentation on American Conservative Union, and I don’t know how should I introduce the topic? What am I asking you is the introduction of this topic. Thank you

Home Blog Presentation Ideas About Me Slides: How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

About Me Slides: How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

From conference talks to client demos, it’s always essential to include an About Me slide in any presentation you are giving. Introducing yourself early into the presentation helps build a better rapport with the audience.

You can start with several fun facts about me slide to break the ice or go for a more formal professional bio to explain your background and what makes you qualified to talk about the topic at hand. At any rate, your goal is to get the audience on your side by revealing some of your personality.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation: 4 Approaches

It’s a good practice to include self-introduction slides at the beginning of your presentation. If you are looking to answer how to introduce yourself professionally, typically somewhere after the title, opening slide , and the main agenda. However, the presentation structure will be somewhat different depending on whether you are presenting to a new audience or a group of people familiar with (e.g., your team, clients, or business partners).

Here are four about me slide ideas you can try out, plus an About me template you can use to present yourself in a presentation.

1. Mention Your Name and Affiliations

Start with the introduction basics. State your name, company, title/position, and several quick facts about who you are and what you do. Even if you present to a familiar audience, a brief recap is always welcome.

To keep things a bit more engaging, consider adding some lesser-known facts about yourself. For example:

Your interests
Recent accomplishments
Testimonial/quote from a team member
Fun nicknames you got

The above can be nice ice breakers for less formal team presentations, project updates, or catch-ups with clients.

Here are several unique About Me examples you can try out:

For a client case study presentation :

“Hi, I’m Lynda, Chief Customer Success Specialist with Acme Corp. (Also, someone you thought was a chatbot for the first few encounters)

47 NPS | 15% Churn Rate | 40% repeat purchase rate”

For a team after-action review presentation :

Mike, Project Manager at Cool Project

(aka Maximizer)

Personal Project stats:

387 Slack messages answered

56 cups of coffee consumed

Project profit gross margin: $1.2 million

2. Work On Your Elevator Pitch

One of the best ways to introduce yourself in a presentation is to share a punchy elevator pitch. This works extra well if you are presenting to a new audience.

An elevator pitch is a concise statement (1-2 sentences) that summarizes your unique strengths, skills, and abilities and explains how these can benefit your listener.

It’s nice to have one ready for your presentations and networking in general since it helps you immediately connect with new people and communicate your value.

Writing a solid elevator pitch may require several attempts and iterations. But the sooner you start — the faster you’ll arrive at the best formula!

To get your creative juices flowing, here are several elevator pitch ideas you can incorporate in an introduction slide about yourself.

For professionals:

“Certified Salesforce Administrator, data visualization specialist, and analytics for top SaaS brands. I help businesses make more sense of their data to drive better outcomes”.

For a mentor :

“Adjunct professor of creative writing at Columbia University, published author, former lifestyle editor at Esquire, the New York Times. I can teach you how to find, shape, pitch, and publish stories for web & print.”

For a student:

“Third-year Marine Biology student at Denver State Uni. Volunteer at Lake Life Protection NGO, climate change activist, looking to expand my research about water conservation”.

3. Answer Popular Questions or Assumptions

If you are a frequent presenter , chances are you get asked a lot of the same “About Me questions” after your speeches and during the networking bits. So why not address a roaster of these in your About Me slide? Select 4-5 most common questions and list them as quick FAQs on your slide deck.

4. Focus on Telling a Story

Strong introductions are personable. They are meant to offer a sneak-peak into your personality and the passion behind your work. That’s why for less formal presentations, you can (and should!) start with a short personal story.

Remember: reliability is important to “click” with your audience.

For instance, neuroscience research of political ads recently found that ads featuring real people performed better than those with genetic stock footage. Among viewers, emotional engagement and memory encoding (recall) increased dramatically when political ads showed relatable people.

The same holds true for commerce. In 2015, GE launched a viral “What’s the Matter With Owen?” video ad series to attract more young talent to the company. The clips featured a relatable protagonist, struggling to explain what his work at GE entails e.g. that the company isn’t building railroads, but actually does some very innovative pilots. Many engineers related to the promo and work applications to GE shoot up by 800% !

As the above examples show, a good relatable story can go a long way. So think about how you can make a PowerPoint presentation about yourself more representative of who you really are as a person.

How to Give a Presentation About Yourself: 4 Fool-Proof Tips

On other occasions, you may be asked to give a full-length “about me” presentation. Typically, this is the case during a second interview, onboarding , or if you are in attending a training program or workshop where everyone needs to present themselves and their work.

Obviously, you’ll need more than one good about me slide in this case. So here’s how to prepare a superb presentation about me.

What to Put in a Presentation About Yourself?

The audience will expect to learn a mix of personal and professional facts about you. Thus, it’s a good idea to include the following information:

Your name, contact info, website , social media handles, digital portfolio .
Short bio or some interesting snippets.
Career timeline (if applicable).
Main achievements (preferably quantifiable).
Education, special training.
Digital badging awards , accolades, and other types of recognition.
Something more personal — an interest, hobby, aspiration.

The above mix of items will change a bit, depending on whether you are giving an interview presentation about yourself or introduce yourself post-hiring. For example, in some cases a dedicated bio slide may be useful, but other times focusing on main achievements and goals can be better.

That being said, let’s take a closer look at how to organize the above information in a memorable presentation.

P.S. Grab an about me slide template to make the design process easier!

1. Create a List of “Facts About Me”

The easiest way to answer the “tell me about yourself” question is by having an array of facts you can easily fetch from your brain.

When it comes to a full-length about me presentation , it’s best to have a longer list ready. To keep your brainstorming process productive, organize all your ideas in the following buckets:

Key skills (soft and hard)
Educational accolades, training
Accomplishments and other “bragging rights”
Personal tidbits (a.k.a. fun facts )

Once you have a list, it gets easier to build a series of slides around it.

2. Think Like Your Audience

Most likely you’d be asked to make a presentation about yourself by a recruiter. There’s a good reason why many ask this — they want to determine if you are a good “cultural fit” for their organization.

After all, 33% of people quit within the first 3 months of accepting a new job. Among these:

43% of employees quit because their day-to-day role was different than what they were told it would be during the hiring process.
32% cite company culture as a factor for leaving within the first three months.

About me presentations often serve as an extra “filter” helping both parties ensure that they are on the same page expectations- and work style-wise. Thus, when you prepare your slide deck, do some background company research. Then try to align the presentation with it by matching the company tone, communication style, and cultural values.

3. Include Testimonials and Recommendations

Use the voice of others to back up the claims you are making in your presentation. After all, trumping your own horn is what you are expected to do in such a presentation. But the voices of others can strengthen the claims you are personally making.

Depending on your role and industry, try to sprinkle some of the following testimonials:

LinkedIn recommendations
Quotes from personal or professional references
Social media comments
Data metrics of your performance
Funny assessments from your colleagues/friends

The above not just strengthen your narrative, but also help the audience learn some extras about you and your background. Testimonial slides can be of help for this purpose.

4. Include a Case Study

One of the best ways to illustrate who you are is to show what you are best in. Remember, an about me presentation often needs to “soft sell” your qualifications, experience, and personality.

One of the best ways to do that is to showcase how you can feel in a specific need and solve issues the business is facing.

So if you have the timeframe, use some of the ending slides to deliver a quick case study. You can present:

Short retrospective of a past successful project
Before-after transformations you’ve achieved
Spotlight of the main accomplishments within the previous role
Main customer results obtained
Specific solution delivered by you (or the team you’ve worked with)

Ending your presentation on such a high note will leave the audience positively impressed and wondering what results you could achieve for them.

To Conclude

It’s easy to feel stumped when you are asked to talk about yourself. Because there are so many things you could mention (but not necessarily should). At the same time, you don’t want to make your introduction sound like a bragging context. So always think from the position of your audience. Do the facts you choose to share benefit them in any way? If yes, place them confidently on your About Me slides!

1. Personal Self Introduction PowerPoint Template

Use This Template

2. Self Introduction PowerPoint Template

3. Meet the Team PowerPoint Template Slides

4. Introduce Company Profile PowerPoint Template

5. Modern 1-Page Resume Template for PowerPoint

6. Modern Resume Presentation Template

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Business Presentation Introduction Examples & Templates

Learn how to create a business presentation introduction that gets attention in the first 15 seconds. See real-life business presentation introduction examples & samples.

Dominika Krukowska

9 minute read

Business presentation introduction examples

Short answer

What makes a good presentation introduction.

Data shows that a good presentation introduction is all about grabbing attention in the first 15 seconds.

An effective presentation introduction includes interactive design, a big idea, and a mystery to hook the audience in. A good introduction improves reader engagement and increases reading time.

You have only 15 seconds to earn your audience’s attention

Imagine a sprinter at the Olympics. They've trained for years, but a false start costs them the race. A weak introduction is the false start for your presentation, costing you your audience's attention and engagement.

But there's a way to get back on track and back in the race.

Our analysis of over 100,000 presentation sessions shows that the first 3 slides and the initial 15 seconds determine the success of your entire presentation.

These first slides and first moments decide whether a reader will give you their full attention or bounce never to look back.

In this post, we'll guide you on how to craft an introduction that ensures a strong start, keeps your audience engaged, and sets you up for a winning presentation.

Ready? Let’s dive in.

What is the purpose and goal of a presentation introduction?

The introduction in a business presentation has 4 goals: (1) to provide context by introducing the topic, (2) to build authority and trust by introducing the team (3) to manage expectations by giving a preview of the presentation content, and (4) to ignite interest by introducing a big idea.

What are the main types of presentation introductions?

8 types of presentation introductions:

Personal intro: Unveils the speaker's background and expertise.
Team intro: Showcases the experience and accomplishments of a team.
Company intro: Unfolds the company's vision and values
Topic intro: Sets the stage for the discussion topic.
Product intro: Highlights the product's unique features and benefits.
Project intro: Outlines the project's roadmap and expected milestones.
Business plan intro: Provides a sneak peek into a business's strategic blueprint.
Executive summary (Report intro): Summarizes a report's key insights and takeaways.

How to write presentation introductions that keep people reading

The introduction slide is the gateway to your presentation. Here are some tips to ensure your audience can't resist reading on:

Start with a hook: Start with a captivating bit of information - a surprising statistic, a bold statement, or a thought-provoking question.

Show relevance: Highlight why your presentation is important to your audience.

Keep it simple: Make your introduction clear and concise to avoid overwhelming your audience.

Include visuals: Incorporate relevant visuals to enhance your message.

Use interactive elements: Using running numbers to present stats or giving your audience something to play around with, like sliders or tabs to click through, is another proven way to boost engagement.

Add a personal touch: Make your introduction resonate with your specific audience by personalizing it. This can get 68% more people to read your presentation in full and increase the average reading time by 41%.

Manage expectations: Provide an estimated reading time to set clear expectations and lower your bounce rate by 24% .

How to design a presentation introduction that grabs attention?

Designing an engaging presentation introduction is a crucial step in capturing your audience's attention.

Here are some strategies you can use to create an impactful introduction:

Video introduction

A video introduction adds a personal touch to your presentation. It brings in the human element with voice, gestures, and expressions, establishing a connection with your audience. This non-verbal communication is crucial for building relatability and trust.

According to our research, presentations with a video in their cover slide have 32% more people interacting with them .

And this doesn’t just refer to the top part of your deck. By embedding any video into your presentation, you can get people to read it 37% longer and enjoy a 17% increase in the CTA click-through rate.

This can be a short clip that introduces the topic or a brief message from the presenter. Our interactive editor allows you to easily embed videos in your slides by uploading them to the media library or pasting a URL.

Here’s an example of an introduction slide with a video:

Text and image

Pairing a story with a relevant image can create a memorable connection. Whether it's a personal photo for an individual introduction, a team photo for a group introduction, or a symbolic image for a company introduction, the right image can enhance your narrative.

Our platform offers a variety of design options to help you craft this perfect pairing. You can either choose your own images or let our AI assistant take care of it for you. You can also select the placement and adjust the proportions so that it doesn’t overpower your key message.

Here’s an introduction slide sample using a mix of text and images:

Timeline (History slide)

A timeline slide can take your audience on a journey through your company's or your personal history. It allows your audience to appreciate each significant milestone individually, adding depth to your presentation and making it easier to follow.

And, on top of that, giving your readers slides they have to click through makes them 41% more likely to scroll it all the way down to the bottom and read it 21% longer.

Here's an example of a history slide:

Multiple introductions (Tabs)

Tabs offer a neat way to introduce multiple aspects within the same context. You can dedicate a tab each for the speaker, the team, leadership, partners, and the company.

This feature also allows you to tailor your introduction to different audience personas, ensuring that your content resonates with everyone. An AI text generator can reduce the time spent on these different messages.

Here’s an example of an introduction slide using tabs:

Best examples of how to write and design your presentation introduction

When it comes to creating a compelling presentation introduction, real-life examples can provide invaluable insights. Let's explore how 4 Storydoc clients have leveraged the platform's features to create impactful starts to their presentations.

Yotpo is an e-commerce marketing platform that provides solutions for managing customer reviews and loyalty programs. Their presentation starts with a dynamic variable, allowing them to personalize the experience for each viewer with just a few clicks.

The introduction slide features a video showcasing their product in action, while the third slide uses a timeline to explain how to measure the product’s impact, complete with screenshots for clarity.

This approach not only engages the viewer but also provides a comprehensive overview of the product's capabilities. And, by sharing how to use data-driven insights to make the most of the platform, it helps build trust and credibility with potential customers.

WiseStamp , an email signature manager solution, uses dynamic variables on their first slide to embed the prospect's name and their company's name.

The introduction slide visualizes what the prospect's email signature would look like if they signed up for WiseStamp. All the data, including the name, address, phone number, and website, can be pulled directly from the CRM thanks to robust integration capabilities .

And, once they’ve seen the end result, prospects can also watch a short video showing how the product works.

All this combined makes potential customers feel like the presentation was created specifically for them, when in reality it takes just a few clicks to create unlimited versions of any deck.

The end result? A completion rate of 60% and a CTA conversion rate of 10%!

Octopai , an automated data intelligence platform, also leverages the power of personalization by including a dynamic variable on the cover slide.

The introduction slide grabs the readers’ attention by using a running number to present an agonizing problem statement. The third slide uses shocking statistics to reiterate the main issue plaguing the industry, paired with relevant images.

This approach effectively highlights the problem that Octopai solves. It can easily be personalized to include the prospect’s specific pain points, either found online or mentioned during the discovery call, making them more likely to be interested in the solution.

And, it worked wonders for the Octopai team! Their salespeople could easily create several versions of the same deck using the intuitive editor, leading to more demos booked and improved sales calls.

Orbiit , a virtual networking platform, provides a link to a shorter executive summary on their first slide for prospects who don't have time to read the whole presentation. Using the analytics panel, they can easily see who clicked on it and who didn’t, and follow up accordingly.

The introduction slide uses running numbers to present statistics regarding networking benefits before moving on to the main problem statement.

This engaging approach shows the importance of solving the issue and positions Orbiit as the perfect solution provider right from the start.

If you want to see more presentation introduction samples, check out our examples section .

Business presentation introduction do’s and don’ts

To ensure your introduction hits the right notes, here are some key do's and don'ts:

✅ Ignite interest with a compelling hook, like a surprising fact or a provocative question.

✅ State the purpose of your presentation clearly. Make sure your audience understands why they should care.

✅ Enhance your introduction with strategic visuals. A picture can speak a thousand words.

✅ Tailor your introduction to your specific audience. Make them feel seen and understood.

✅ Include an estimated reading time. It helps set expectations.

❌ Flood your audience with too much information upfront. Keep it simple and intriguing.

❌ Begin with a lengthy personal introduction that doesn't directly relate to your topic.

❌ Include large blocks of text. They can be overwhelming and off-putting.

❌ Send generic introductions. They can make your audience feel disconnected.

❌ Leave your audience in the dark about how long your presentation will take.

How to write your intro based on data from previous interactions with clients

By analyzing how clients interact with your content, you can then tailor the introduction of your following presentation to their preferences and expectations.

Say the first presentation was a sales one pager, you can use the engagement data gained there to tailor the intro for your sales proposal.

You can use engagement data to answer which slides and topics they engaged with and which they skipped, or if they viewed a video, used a calculator, filled out a form, or clicked your CTA.

You can then use this information to deduce what they really care about and use that information in your next intro.

The only problem is that with traditional static presentation makers like PowerPoint or Google Slides the only information you can get is whether the email where you attached them was opened.

You’re completely blind to what happens after you hit ‘Send’, good or bad.

But if you upgrade from static PowerPoints to Storydoc’s AI business presentation maker you get out-of-the-box analytics with multi-layered engagement information down to the slide and button interactions.

You can learn more about presentation analytics here:

Advanced: How to personalize your introduction at scale?

According to our research, personalizing your presentation can greatly improve your presentation performance. For example, including a personal note in your presentation can get 68% more people to read it in full and share it internally 2.3x more often.

But personalization takes time. Time which most of us can’t afford to spend on every reader.

However, this can easily be done at scale by integrating Storydoc with your existing tech stack.

Doing this will enable you to pull customer data directly from your CRM and into your presentations with a single click (and send back engagement data to your CRM!).

All you have to do is use dynamic variables in your presentations the same way you’d use them in your email automation.

Address your readers by name, use their company logo and branding, and include a note or a video that addresses their specific pain points.

This is how it works:

how to make a good personalized presentation slide

Advanced: How to introduce multiple people, companies, or subjects?

When you're tasked with introducing various elements, tabs can be a game-changer. They allow you to neatly organize and present different entities such as the speaker, team, or company, each in their own dedicated space.

This way, you can customize the content to suit different audience personas.

For a more chronological approach, the timeline slide can be a great tool. It enables you to guide your audience through the history of your company or personal journey, highlighting each significant event individually.

It's a simple yet effective way to make your introduction more engaging and informative.

Make a beautiful interactive presentation introduction from a template

Creating a presentation from scratch can feel like climbing a mountain. You need to figure out the layout, the message, the story, and the visuals—it's a lot to handle!

But what if you could skip the uphill struggle and get a head start? That's where interactive introduction slide templates shine.

They offer you a ready-made design and content structure, guiding you on where to place your key points for maximum impact. It's like having a roadmap to a successful presentation.

So, why not take the shortcut? Pick a template and start building your engaging interactive presentation introduction today!

Hi, I'm Dominika, Content Specialist at Storydoc. As a creative professional with experience in fashion, I'm here to show you how to amplify your brand message through the power of storytelling and eye-catching visuals.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information 40% more accurately than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
How knowledgeable the audience already is on the given subject
How much interaction you want from the audience
Any time constraints there are for your talk
What setting you are in
Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

What is your presentation’s aim?
Who are the audience?
What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

Good presentation structure is important for a presentation

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

Introduce your general topic
Explain your topic area
State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

The length of the talk.
Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a sales pitch may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any questions they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Questions being asked after a presentation

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

Explain why the product is valuable.
Describe why the product is necessary.
Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
Demonstrate the product to support what you’ve been saying.
Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

Briefly frame the issue.
Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
Rebut your opponents’ solutions – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done using speech transitions which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
First, let’s begin with…
I will first cover…
My first point covers…
To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

In the same way…
Likewise…
Equally…
This is similar to…
Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
You discuss your second point from the centre again.
You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

An intro slide outlining your ideas
A summary slide with core points to remember
High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

Don’t over fill them – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
A picture says a thousand words – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
Make them readable – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
Don’t rush through slides – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a 10-20-30 rule :

There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
11 design tips for beautiful presentations
10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices. Clean transitioning between speakers is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and practising your talk beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

5 Memorable Ways to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

by Janice Tomich

Presentation Planning & Public Speaking Skills

Table of Contents

What Is The Role of Introducing Yourself In a Presentation?

Introducing yourself at the beginning of your presentation or keynote speech establishes your authority and credibility.

Introducing yourself effectively can also pique your audience’s interest and get their attention.

Keep your introduction short and sweet. Many presentations sink before they are even really underway by long-winded CVs recitals or too much context of what’s to come.

Your introduction needs only be a teaser of what you’ll be speaking. The goal is simply to help your audience understand the value you’ll bring to them—a short explainer of why it’s worth it for them to stay and listen.

Man getting up on stage about to introduce himself for a presentation—and how you introduce yourself is a key aspect pull in and engage your audience.

PRO SPEAKING TIP: Many hosts scramble at the last minute to cobble together their guest’s introduction. I do presentation coaching , and I advise my clients to help out their hosts by providing an introduction to the host ahead of time. You’ll free them of the burden and they’ll have a professional introduction ready with no effort. Do be clear you want it delivered as written, since you are the best judge of what your audience wants and needs to know about you.

Why Is the Personal Introduction Important?

Once you have been introduced by the host or the master of ceremonies, your first job is to establish trust with your audience members. You need to introduce yourself in a way that lets the audience know you are an experienced subject matter expert and will draw in your audience’s attention.

Your self-introduction is an opportunity to warm the audience and create that initial connection, which helps create an inviting atmosphere where the audience members are more likely to be engaged.

Start Introducing Yourself Even Before the Event Begins

Before the event, use social media to introduce yourself to your audience.

You can start the conversation with your audience even before the event begins. Social media provides an easy way to connect with your audience. You can even ask what questions your audience has on the topic you will be speaking about. Common questions can give your amazing insights of what your audience wants to learn.

Likewise, as people are gathering, you have a second brilliant opportunity to introduce yourself—before you even walk onto the stage. As people are entering the room, reach out and say hello—introduce yourself! Some of my strongest, longest lasting connections have come through doing this. Introducing yourself to members of your audience before the speech is unexpected and usually well received (it also helps to calm down before your presentation, it eases your presentation nerves ). Meeting and greeting is a perfect way to begin to warm the room for you and provides some teasers of what you might be speaking about.

5 Unusual Ways To Introduce Yourself in a Speech or Presentation

Personal self-introductions provide an opportunity to have your name, expertise and story be sticky and memorable . You want your audience to leave your presentation be thinking about what you said and who you are.

Let’s assume you’ve already been introduced by your host.

Here are 5 unusual ways to introduce yourself at the beginning of your speech that no one will forget:

1. Do the Unexpected. Be Bold.

Almost every public speaker starts with the presenter introducing themself, their credentials, and then an overview of what they plan to speak about.

Imagine if you introduced yourself differently. The effect is a far more engaged audience. Consider asking a question and fielding the responses. Or, turn the tables. Ask people to introduce themselves to each other or have a few attendees introduce themselves to you. Ask those attendees what they want to learn from your session, and then respond with how how you plan to speak to their needs within the speech.

Margarita Quihuis ESG Advisor, ED: Peace Innovation Institute, The Hague Peace Innovation Lab Stanford

2. Address the Elephant in the Room

Does your appearance send a signal that you are young and may lack experience? Or perhaps you have lots of age and wisdom on your side and are presenting to a young audience? In this case, self-deprecating humour can quickly dissolve the elephant that is consuming the room. I’ll bet you’ll long be remembered as the cheeky renegade who was able to connect with your audience.

3. Use a Problem, Solution, Benefit Format

Set up your presentation, by concisely speaking to your main point —the problem you will be addressing. Then, allude to the solution(s) you will provide as well as the benefits and outcomes that your audience will receive from implementing your solution(s).

Brevity is your friend when you introduce yourself in this way. It’s a powerful way to pull your audience into your talk.

4. Skip the Introduction

Jumping right into your presentation will catch your audience’s attention—after all, there’s no rule that you must introduce yourself right at the very beginning of your speech. If you take this approach, weave references to your expertise and a personal antidote or two within your presentation itself to establish your credibility and why your audience should continue listening. (Simply leaping in without context will cause confusion if you don’t provide some backfill to help your audience connect the dots as to why you can be trusted to speak on the topic at hand.)

5. Use a Thought-Provoking Image of Yourself

Using a powerpoint slide image is a powerful way to catch your audience's attention while your introduce yourself at the beginning of a presentation.

It’s not easy to find just the ‘right’ image to introduce yourself and begin your presentation, because whatever you choose needs to be striking and impactful. The key is to choose an image which easily aligns with what you will be presenting.

Opening with an image for your first PowerPoint presentation slide gives an opportunity to speak to why the image resonates for you. You should also introduce your experience as you speak to the relevance of the image.

Boring, status quo introductions within presentations are soon forgotten. They’re usually forgotten a few seconds or minutes after they are delivered. Getting your introductions right is a core part of improving your presentation skills.

If you want to stand out from the crowd in professional settings it’s necessary to create unexpected, memorable introductions. This warms every person in the room and engages them—your introduction speech does not need to be boring!

But sometimes the hardest part is getting started, and that’s where I come in.

If you’re feeling stuck on your introduction, I invite you to work with me one-on-one in a 1-hour presentation strategy session . I’ll get you started and focussed on your next steps to creating a brilliant presentation that will have your audience glad they attended and leave inspired.

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46 Powerful Opening Lines for a Class Presentation

Hrideep barot.

Public Speaking

A visual representation of presenting before a class

Class presentations can be extremely stressful. The way you open your presentation will determine the way the rest of your presentation goes and how it is accepted by the audience. To make things easier for you, here is a list of powerful opening lines for a Class Presentation.

Before we get into the opening lines, here are some pointers to ensure your presentation has a good structure that will keep the audience engaged.

How to structure a good presentation

State the relevance and purpose to the audience, identify a core message, divide your presentation into three parts, use a simple and clear structure, use engaging and relevant slides, practice and rehearse your delivery, q & a session.

Determine the purpose of your presentation. What do you want your audience to learn or take away from it? Consider the knowledge level, interests, and expectations of your audience. This will help you tailor your content appropriately. Explain why the information is important or relevant to your audience

Identify a single central message that you would like to communicate to your audience. Then build your presentation around that core message. Select a clear and focused topic that aligns with the objectives of the assignment or class.

A presentation can be divided into three parts: an introduction detailing the purpose and structure of the talk; a body covering the main points; and a conclusion summarizing and highlighting the significance of your talk.

A good presentation structure means analyzing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart to the audience, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

Design engaging and suitable slides that support your message and help your audience understand your presentation. Use rhetorical questions, anecdotes, or interactive elements to keep the audience engaged. Incorporate relevant visuals or multimedia to illustrate critical points. Ensure they are clear and legible, and add value to your presentation.

Practice your presentation beforehand to ensure that you can deliver it confidently and effectively.

Invite questions from the audience. Be prepared to respond thoughtfully.

Cite your sources if applicable. This adds credibility to your presentation. In fact, provide any recommended readings or resources for further exploration.

You can divide your presentation in the following manner-

Introduction:.

Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing statement, question, or anecdote related to your topic.
Presentation Statement : Clearly state the main purpose or argument of your presentation.
Preview : Provide an overview of what you’ll be covering in the presentation.
Each main point should be a separate section or slide.
Present one key idea per slide or section.
Provide evidence, examples, and supporting details for each point.
Use visuals like images, graphs, or charts to enhance understanding.

Conclusion:

Summary : Summarize the main points.
Restate Thesis : Remind the audience of your main argument.
Closing Statement : Provide a clear and impactful closing statement.

Structuring a class presentation effectively involves careful planning and organization. By following these steps, you can create a well-structured class presentation that effectively delivers your message and engages your audience.

Here are some additional tips for structuring your class presentation:

Keep it simple: Don’t try to cram too much information into your presentation. Focus on the most important points you want to communicate.
Use a variety of presentation techniques : This could include storytelling, humor, and interactive activities.
Be clear and concise : Avoid using jargon and technical language that your audience may not understand.
End powerfully: Leave your audience with a memorable thought or call to action.

By following these tips, you can create a class presentation that is informative, engaging, and memorable.

A powerful opening sets the tone for your class presentation and grabs your audience’s attention. Moving ahead to the main part of the article, here is a list of things you can incorporate to make your opening lines for a class presentation rather memorable.

Opening Lines for a class presentation

Ask a rhetorical question, use a startling statistic or fact, quote someone, make a provocative statement, interactive opening, visual description, make historical reference.

This is a great way to grab the audience’s attention and get them thinking about your topic. For example: “Have you ever wondered how the internet works?” or “What are the ethical implications of artificial intelligence?”

1. “Have you ever wondered why [topic] affects each and every one of us?”

2. “What if I told you that [startling fact or statistic]?”

Stories are a great way to connect with your audience and make your presentation more memorable. For example, you could tell a story about a personal experience related to your topic, or a story that illustrates a key point you want to make.

3. “Let me take you back to [a specific moment in time related to your topic].”

4. “I’d like to share a personal story that illustrates the importance of [topic].

This is a great way to grab the audience’s attention and make them want to learn more. For example: “Did you know that 90% of all data has been created in the past two years?” or “One in three people will experience depression at some point in their lives.”

5. “Did you know that [shocking statistic]?”

6. “It might surprise you to learn that [eye-opening fact].”

This is a great way to add credibility to your presentation. For example: “According to Albert Einstein, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.'” or “A recent study by Harvard University found that people who meditate regularly are more likely to be happy and successful.”

7. “As [famous figure] once said, ‘ [relevant quote].'”

8. “As Neil Armstrong once said, “That’s one small step for a man, a giant leap for mankind.” I believe space exploration is essential for the development of mankind.”

This is a great way to get the audience’s attention and make them think about your topic in a new way. For example: “The future of work is remote.” or “Artificial intelligence will revolutionize every industry.”

9. “Today, I’m here to challenge how we think about [topic].”

10. “Let’s consider a perspective on [topic] that might be different from what you’ve heard before.”

Other than these, there are certainly other ways of opening your presentation such as:

This is a great way to engage the audience from the beginning of the presentation. This will help keep the audience hooked and trigger their thought process too.

11. “I’d like to begin with a quick exercise. Raise your hand if [question-related to your topic].”

A visual description will help the audience to draw things from their imagination and will keep them engrossed in what you have to say after.

12. “Close your eyes for a moment and imagine [vivid scene related to your topic].”

Humor can never go wrong if you know the audience you are dealing with. A good laugh will always make your presentation go a lot smoother and easier.

13. “They say that [humorous twist on your topic]. But today, we’ll uncover the real story.”

Pick up a historical fact or reference that is quite common or that you can prove happened. This helps engage your audience and they would want to know how is that reference relevant in the context of your topic.

14. “In [specific time period], [relevant historical event] changed the course of [topic].”

Stating something and immediately countering your own statement will confuse the audience into listening to you more keenly. Which is why it serves the purpose of having your audience’s attention.

15. “While most people think [common misconception], the reality is quite different.”

Remember to choose an opening that aligns with your topic and style, and be sure to transition smoothly from your opening into the main content of your presentation. Additionally, practice your opening to ensure you deliver it confidently and engagingly.

Now, let’s look at some examples of opening lines for specific topics of class presentation

Opening lines for specific topics of a class presentation

Climate change, globalization and its effects, mental health awareness, artificial intelligence, gender equality, entrepreneurship, space exploration, cybersecurity, diversity and inclusion, the benefits of reading, the dangers of smoking.

The challenges of poverty

The importance of recycling

16. “The world is on fire. Or at least it feels that way. The Amazon rainforest is burning, the Arctic is melting, and the Great Barrier Reef is dying. But we can still make a difference.”

17. “Imagine a world where our coastal cities are submerged, and our weather patterns become increasingly erratic.”

18. “In the next few minutes, we’ll confront a reality that demands our immediate attention: the accelerating crisis of climate change.”

19. “Today, our actions in one corner of the globe can have ripple effects thousands of miles away. The world truly is a web of interconnectedness.”

20. “As we discuss globalization, let’s remember that it’s not just about economics. It’s about cultures converging, traditions evolving, and societies adapting.”

21. “We all have mental health. Just like we have physical health. But why is it that we’re so afraid to talk about it? Why is it that we treat mental illness as a taboo topic?”

22. “Close your eyes and think about a time when you or someone you know faced a mental health challenge. It’s more common than you might think.”

23. “Mental health is just as important as physical health, but it is often overlooked.”

24. “One in five adults in the United States experiences mental illness each year.”

25. “Mental health problems can impact anyone, regardless of age, race, or socioeconomic status.”

26. “Imagine a world where machines can think and learn like humans. A world where robots can do our jobs, and self-driving cars can take us anywhere we want to go. This is the world of artificial intelligence.”

27. “From self-driving cars to virtual personal assistants, the rise of artificial intelligence is reshaping the way we live and work.”

28. “Today, we stand on the precipice of an era where machines can not only think but learn and adapt.”

29. “It’s time to talk about gender equality. It’s time to talk about the fact that women still earn less than men, that they are underrepresented in leadership positions, and that they face discrimination and harassment on a daily basis.”

30. “What do Steve Jobs, Mark Zuckerberg, and Elon Musk have in common? They’re all entrepreneurs who started with nothing and built billion-dollar companies. But what does it take to be a successful entrepreneur?”

31. “The cosmos, with its vastness and mysteries, has beckoned explorers and dreamers for centuries. Today, we’re on the cusp of new frontiers.”

32. “As we look up at the night sky, it’s important to remember that each star represents a potential world, waiting to be discovered.”

33. “In an era where our lives are increasingly intertwined with technology, the battleground for our security has shifted to the digital realm.”

34. “Picture this: a breach in cybersecurity can lead to consequences as real and impactful as a physical break-in.”

35. “Diversity isn’t just about ticking boxes on a checklist. It’s about recognizing the richness that comes from embracing different perspectives and experiences.”

36. “In this room, we each bring a unique story and perspective. Together, we have the power to shape a more inclusive world.”

37. “Diversity and inclusion lead to innovation and creativity.”

38. “Reading can improve your vocabulary, grammar, and writing skills.”

39. “Reading can help you to learn about different cultures and perspectives.”

40. “Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States.”

41. “Smoking causes cancer, heart disease, stroke, and other serious health problems.”

42. “Secondhand smoke is just as dangerous as smoking itself.”

The challenges of poverty

43. “Poverty is a complex problem that affects millions of people around the world.”

44. “Poverty can lead to hunger, homelessness, and lack of access to education and healthcare.”

45. “We all have a role to play in fighting poverty.”

46. “Did you know that it takes 700 years for a plastic bag to decompose?”

These opening lines can be used as inspiration to create your own powerful opening line for your class presentation. Make sure it sets the tone for the rest of your presentation.

These opening lines are designed to capture attention and provide a strong foundation for your presentation on these specific topics. Remember to follow through with compelling content and a strong conclusion to leave a lasting impression on your audience.

List of other resources for you

As a college student, presentations carry a lot of weight, so How to Give a Presentation in Class as a College Student

As talked about, organizing your presentation is essential, hence Presentation Structures: Everything You Need To Organize Your Talk

Sometimes, you can have a lot of content and not know what to remove, 14 Techniques To Ensure Audience Engagement Through Long Presentations

Doing things at the last minute is not okay, unless and until you know how to get it done effectively. Help! I Have A Presentation Tomorrow & I Am Not Prepared

Sometimes you would not have someone around to practice your presentation, and for that Have A Presentation Coming Up. Here’s How You Can Practice It By Yourself

I hope this is helpful. When choosing an opening line for your presentation, be sure to consider your audience and what you want to achieve with your presentation. You can always try to get in touch with a professional to get advice on your presentation structure and how you present it. For this, check out our personalized coaching services !

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What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation

Carmine Gallo

Five tips to set yourself apart.

Never underestimate the power of great communication. It can help you land the job of your dreams, attract investors to back your idea, or elevate your stature within your organization. But while there are plenty of good speakers in the world, you can set yourself apart out by being the person who can deliver something great over and over. Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired together are more memorable); don’t underestimate the power of your voice (raise and lower it for emphasis); give your audience something extra (unexpected moments will grab their attention); rehearse (the best speakers are the best because they practice — a lot).

I was sitting across the table from a Silicon Valley CEO who had pioneered a technology that touches many of our lives — the flash memory that stores data on smartphones, digital cameras, and computers. He was a frequent guest on CNBC and had been delivering business presentations for at least 20 years before we met. And yet, the CEO wanted to sharpen his public speaking skills.

Carmine Gallo is a Harvard University instructor, keynote speaker, and author of 10 books translated into 40 languages. Gallo is the author of The Bezos Blueprint: Communication Secrets of the World’s Greatest Salesman (St. Martin’s Press).

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Blog > How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation

08.09.21 • #powerpoint #tips.

When creating presentations, it is particularly important that they are well organized and have a consistent structure.

A logical structure helps the audience to follow you and to remember the core information as best as possible. It is also important for the presenter, as a good presentation structure helps to keep calm, to stay on the topic and to avoid awkward pauses.

But what does such a structure actually look like? Here we show you how to best organize your presentation and what a good structure looks like.

Plan your presentation

Before you start creating your presentation, you should always brainstorm. Think about the topic and write all your ideas down. Then think about the message you want to communicate, what your goal is and what you want your audience to remember at the end.

Think about who your audience is so that you can address them in the best possible way. One possibility is to start your presentation with a few polls to get to know your audience better. Based on the results, you can then adapt your presentation a little. Use the poll function of SlideLizard and have all the answers at a glance. SlideLizard makes it possible to integrate the polls directly into your PowerPoint presentation which helps you to avoid annoying switching between presentation and interaction tool. You can keep an eye on the results while the votes come in and then decide whether you want to share them or not.

Ask your audience questions with SlideLizard

an informative
an entertaining
an inspiring
or a persuasive presentation?

Typical Presentation Structure

The basic structure of a presentation is actually always the same and should consist of:

Introduction

Make sure that the structure of your presentation is not too complicated. The simpler it is, the better the audience can follow.

Personal Introduction

It is best to start your presentation by briefly introducing yourself which helps to build a connection with your audience right away.

Introduce the topic

Then introduce the topic, state the purpose of the presentation and provide a brief outline of the main points you will be addressing.

Mention the length

In the introduction, mention the approximate length of the talk and then also make sure you stick to it.

The introduction should be no longer than two slides and provide a good overview of the topic.

Icebreaker Polls

According to studies, people in the audience only have an average attention span of 10 minutes, which is why it is important to increase their attention right at the beginning and to arouse the audience's interest. You could make a good start with a few icebreaker polls for example. They lighten the mood right at the beginning and you can secure your audience's attention from the start.

For example, you could use SlideLizard to have all the answers at a glance and share them with your audience. In addition, the audience can try out how the polls work and already know how it works if you include more polls in the main part.

Get to know your audience

As mentioned earlier, it is always useful to think about who your audience actually is. Ask them questions at the beginning about how well they already know the topic of your presentation. Use SlideLizard for this so that you have a clear overview about the answers. You can use both single- and multiple-choice questions or also open questions and display their results as a WordCloud in your presentation, for example.

Include a quote

To make the beginning (or the end) of your presentation more exciting, it is always a good idea to include a quote. We have selected some powerful quotes for PowerPoint presentations for you.

Present your topic

The main part of a presentation should explain the topic well, state facts, justify them and give examples. Keep all the promises you made earlier in the introduction.

Length and Structure

The main part should make up about 70% of the presentation and also include a clear structure. Explain your ideas in detail and build them up logically. It should be organized chronologically, by priority or by topic. There should be a smooth transition between the individual issues. However, it is also important to use phrases that make it clear that a new topic is starting. We have listed some useful phrases for presentations here.

Visualize data and statistics and show pictures to underline facts. If you are still looking for good images, we have selected 5 sources of free images for you here.

Focus on the essentials

Focus on what is most important and summarize a bit. You don't have to say everything about a topic because your audience won’t remember everything either. Avoid complicated sentence structure, because if the audience does not understand something, they will not be able to read it again.

Make your presentation interactive

Make your presentation interactive to keep the attention of your audience. Use SlideLizard to include polls in your presentation, where your audience can vote directly from their smartphone and discuss the answers as soon as you received all votes. Here you can also find more tips for increasing audience engagement.

Repeat the main points

The conclusion should contain a summary of the most important key points. Repeat the main points you have made, summarize what the audience should have learned and explain how the new information can help in the future.

Include a Q&A part

Include a Q&A part at the end to make sure you don't leave any questions open. It's a good idea to use tools like SlideLizard for it. Your audience can ask anonymous questions and if there is not enough time, you can give them the answers afterwards. You can read more about the right way to do a question slide in PowerPoint here.

Get Feedback

It is also important to get feedback on your presentation at the end to keep improving. With SlideLizard you can ask your audience for anonymous feedback through star ratings, number ratings or open texts directly after your presentation. You can then export the responses and analyse them later in Excel.

Presentation style

Depending on the type of presentation you give, the structure will always be slightly different. We have selected a few different presentation styles and their structure for you.

Short Presentation

If you are one of many presenters on the day, you will only have a very limited time to present your idea and to convince your audience. It is very important to stand out with your presentation.

So you need to summarize your ideas as briefly as possible and probably should not need more than 3-5 slides.

Problem Solving Presentation

Start your presentation by explaining a problem and giving a short overview of it.

Then go into the problem a little more, providing both intellectual and emotional arguments for the seriousness of the problem. You should spend about the first 25% of your presentation on the problem.

After that, you should spend about 50% of your presentation proposing a solution and explaining it in detail.

In the last 25%, describe what benefits this solution will bring to your audience and ask them to take a simple but relevant action that relates to the problem being discussed.

Tell a Story

A great way to build an emotional connection with the audience is to structure a presentation like a story.

In the introduction, introduce a character who has to deal with a conflict. In the main part, tell how he tries to solve his problem but fails again and again. In the end, he manages to find a solution and wins.

Stories have the power to win customers, align colleagues and motivate employees. They’re the most compelling platform we have for managing imaginations. - Nancy Duarte / HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations

Make a demonstration

Use the demonstration structure to show how a product works. First talk about a need or a problem that has to be solved.

Then explain how the product will help solve the problem and try to convince your audience of the need for your product.

Spend the end clarifying where and when the product can be purchased.

Chronological structure

When you have something historical to tell, it is always good to use a chronological structure. You always have to ask yourself what happens next.

To make it more interesting and exciting, it is a good idea to start by telling the end of something and after that you explain how you got there. This way you make the audience curious and you can gain their attention faster.

Nancy Duarte TED Talk

Nancy Duarte is a speaker and presentation design expert. She gives speeches all over the world, trying to improve the power of public presentations.

In her famous TED Talk "The Secret Structure of Great Talks" she dissects famous speeches such as Steve Jobs' iPhone launch speech and Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. In doing so, she found out that each presentation is made up of 4 parts:

What could be
A moment to remember
Promise of “New Bliss”

About the author.

Helena Reitinger

Helena supports the SlideLizard team in marketing and design. She loves to express her creativity in texts and graphics.

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Do you want to make your presentations more interactive.

With SlideLizard you can engage your audience with live polls, questions and feedback . Directly within your PowerPoint Presentation. Learn more

How to add a Countdown Timer in PowerPoint

Tips for good PowerPoint Presentations

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The big SlideLizard presentation glossary

Hybrid event.

When an event consist of both virtual and in-person parts, this is called a hybrid event. This type of event is popular as it combines the benefits of both online and live events.

Slide transitions

Slide transitions are visual effects which appear in PowerPoint when one slide moves to the next. There are many different transitions, like for example fade and dissolve.

Tutorials are videos with instructions that show how for example a product or a software works.

Microlearning

Microlearning means learning in small quantities. It is especially used in E-Learning.

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7 Creative Ways to Start Any Presentation (With Examples!)

I like building and growing simple yet powerful products for the world and the worldwide web.

Published Date : December 4, 2020

Reading Time :

Creating an effective presentation is challenging and needs a lot of effort to become engaging with your audience. Many questions are indeed rounding up your head.

Like how to start a PowerPoint presentation and a class set-up presentation, it helps people, such as entrepreneurs, organize and disseminate their ideas flawlessly.

It clarifies intentions, concepts, and other feasible topics specifically. They may differ from execution, events, and for whom the presentation.

With that, the bottom line and the question is how to do it. How do you start a board meeting presentation, or how do you start a presentation introduction in class?

Many students are also struggling with how to start a case study presentation, and young entrepreneurs or start-ups are struggling with how to start a business presentation.

To ease the tension and upgrade your confidence , furthermore those people above, I will share some tips, steps, and how to start a presentation example.

Why Presentation is Important in Persuading

Presentations break communication barriers. Across this, it brings mutual understanding to the audience.

In winning your stances and goals, having and knowing how to start a presentation is a must. It helps you more to give an idea of what your topic could be through moving pictures and graphics in reality.

The role of presentation in persuading can be categorized into many factors. First, it helps your audience to feel more comfortable with your spiels.

Second, you have the chance to tell your options, choices, summary, and the result of your case study, etc., within your presentation. Especially can be stoop on how to start a business presentation.

Lastly, knowing how to deliver and how to start a presentation in persuading your listener includes support for your audience’s decision. Through it, the concept of persuasion becomes more reliable with tangible materials.

It is evident in thesis defenses and academic proposals. To start a case study presentation, you must present facts, stats, related studies, and other materials.

And to achieve that in a well-presented way, you need to think and come up with a composition associated with your topic to make it reliable and credible.

Different Ways to Start a Presentation

Difficulties on how to start a case study presentation and the things you need to behold within your PowerPoint presentation would be easy after sharing with you this advice.

As for direction and advice, take a look at this list to start a presentation generally.

1. Start With a Strong Claim

The beginning is always the hard part of a presentation. But like a bottle of water, after it gets opened, the water inside can flow smoothly to your gulp.

Meaning after spitting out your first words, everything should follow accordingly to your presentation. That’s why it is the most crucial when you are learning how to start a presentation.

Try to use the iconic lines of a famous philosopher —striking advice of a hotshot entrepreneur for your business proposal presentation.

Through this, you can have a good impression on your listener. Shook them and contradict their ideas; indeed, you can have an intense or beneficial presentation.

2. Know Your Prospect

Besides technicalities and visuals, knowing first the current state, perspective, wants, and needs of your prospect or audience is vital.

Before the presentation, you can send them a pre-assessment or survey consisting of what they want to see and learn and things to keep them interested, or you need to get their attention and interest.

3. Assist the Flow With Visuals

Showing your audience a good spiel in presenting your developing ideas and concepts through pictures that can’t be put quickly in language can break communication drawbacks.

Apart from describing your idea in a presentation, you are also giving quick ways to dice abstract ideas.

4. Moving Pictures

Pictures and videos are great instruments for nurturing your ideas and your audience counterparts.

The power of moving pictures is evident as the film business and the movie industry is booming and depicting fictional stories into reality.

5. Break People’s Expectation

To break the set expectations of your audience for you, always stick to your premise. Whether on business, academics, proposals, and other topical presentations.

Call an action to smash misconceptions about your particular presentation.

6. Spill Surprising Stories

Bring stories and the characters in life. Create conflict and suspense to highlight your goal’s presentation.

It also helps you to organize your presentation’s information to be catchy and relatable. Touching stories can affect audience decision-making.

7. Know When to Pause

Don’t present vague ideas, premises, and concepts. Stop bombarding your audience.

After a round of applause or before speaking, take a three-second pause. Observe your audience’s facial expressions.

With that, you can focus on your tone. It is also an indication that you want to give your audience a short rest.

Orai helps you perfect your speech with feedback on your tone, tempo, confidence , and conciseness .

Things to Avoid on Presentation

Introducing your name along with your topic is not acceptable and is not a killer intro. To nail a presentation, be careful and prevent unnecessary elements.

Here is the list of recommended things you should avoid on how to start a presentation.

1. Cliché Sentences

Do you believe that the flow and relevancy of your presentation depend on your introduction?

If you do believe, avoid cruddy beginnings, initials, and phrases. Instead of stating, “What will your presentation be about,” give them an idea of why they need it and why it is worth sharing.

2. Plain Visuals

Stop using standard PowerPoint templates, discarded pictures, and non-HD videos. For engaging your audience, mastering your spiels is not enough to convince your listeners.

The balanced presentation consists of a good speech , spiels, and an enticing display. Instead of using plain visuals, use simple but complex graphics.

3. Lame Transitions

It is not all about effects or glitching transition effects but about how you transmit your spiels. Always open your arguments with a bang and end them using striking remarks.

4. Unstable Stats and Facts

Don’t use outdated data, studies, and facts. Don’t go to less up-to-date data websites.

Treat the facts and stats as vitamins for your presentation, as it helps your exhibition look reliable and robust.

5. Colorless Templates

Pick templates that fit your topic and theme—download innovative templates and slides. Analyze your presentation structure.

Make sure to go for a font that suits perfectly to the presentation. Go for roadmaps, unique mats, and decks.

Check out this video for more tips on how to avoid presentation pitfalls:

Steps to Enhance Your Visual Presentation

To sort things specifically on how to start a presentation. Here are the steps and tips on how to start a PowerPoint presentation.

Step 1: Get a Color Palette

“Colors speak louder than texts.”

Aside from shapes, figures, and moving objects, picking the right color palette for your presentation can beautify the board’s ambiance if that’s the case.

Logos and company icons have their color combination to mark and emphasize their brand to all consumers. It may also apply to presentations.

If you want to be considered or remembered, start by choosing the right color palette.

Step 2: Create a Theme

The theme supports the flow of your topic; it is the backbone of your presentation. Not considering this element can’t make your topic vague and not intact.

Step 3: Add Hyperlinks

Going back to how to start a presentation, comparing specific ideas is a waste of time. Using hyperlinks, you can offer your audience a “video game” theme.

Step 4: Play Short Video or Create GIFS

Before or after spiels about a particular slide, play a short video as an icebreaker. It helps you to feed your audience with a large amount of information in a shorter period.

Step 5: Practice the Presentation with Spiels in Every Portion

Practice helps you to attain presentation skills. You can interact with your audience, disseminate the messages clearly, and analyze your listeners’ mindset.

You can also improve the flow of run-throughs. These will support you to polish and enhance persuasive skills.

Practice your perfect speech with Orai

Presentation Checklist

Besides sharing the tips and steps on how to start a presentation, let me give you a sample presentation checklist to support and organize your presentation.

This checklist may vary in every presentation. You can create and set your reminders.

Vital Points of a Presentation

To use your time wisely , try this outline on creating a presentation, such as how to start a board meeting presentation and more.

This table only serves as a sample outline. It may also vary depending on your topic and forte.

How to Start Business Presentation and Other Samples

For all entrepreneurs, this portion is for you. To gratify your needs and to enlighten you on how to start a business presentation. Here are the basics.

Create a Plan

Always start with a concrete plan to strengthen the body of your presentation. With that, your listeners can’t easily stab your presentation.

Pick The Right Deck

If you are discussing in a formal setting, pick a deck with gray colors, choose dominant colors, and then combine.

Tell Stories and Laugh

To balance the whole presentation, put some icebreakers and funny idioms about your topic. Make sure it is sensible.

Add Verbal Cues and Signpost

It helps your audience to get intact through the presentation. Try to use signal transitions, such as words or phrases that would give interconnections.

Collect Images and Charts

Of course, images and charts are vital. Make sure to use HD photos and reliable maps from data websites.

Initiate Audience Interaction

After the presentation, evaluate it by asking your listeners if they have any questions.

Questions like these must be considered and answered in your presentation.

How would you design your material?
How factual is it?
What is the target deadline? Show your timeline.

Watch this live speech or business seminar to get different hooks and other strategies to impress your listeners with your business presentation:

3 Essential Parts on How to Start a Board Meeting Presentation

As your supervisor and other executives watch you presenting, stand tall and present like a boss through these points.

Create the Structure of Your Presentation

It organizes the presentation and connects the main points to sub-points. With that, you can have minimal effort but impactful results.

Build Big Introduction

Try to begin asking the “why’s,” furthermore, enlighten them of “hows.” How to conduct, how to execute, and how to surpass their limits.

Stop introducing your presentation with your name. Always start to implore your audience with no cliché intro.

Develop Your Data and Tell Crucial Parts

You can be ideological, symbolic, and rhetorical, and these things are not yet easy to comprehend without visuals. That’s why it is essential to develop and expand your data to make it understandable.

Suppose you want to have a good impression when presenting a business proposal to your bosses and other hotshots. Watch this video on striking tips and techniques for a presentation:

Vital Aspects of How to Start a Case Study Presentation

Case study presentations are more technical, unlike the other displays. It should be specific, tangible, credible, and substantial.

Also, here are the vital points to follow.

Show the Possible Results. Collect the possible outcomes or predicted results. With that, you can jump to “how” you will carry the topic into different methods and production.
Prepare Back-Up Studies. Always have a backup; there are some unexpected circumstances, emergencies, and other possible matters that may ruin your original presentation. It is wise to prepare around three to six backup studies you can easily refer to.
Connect to Your Prospect’s Situation. Research on their state, status, and other related ideas. It will help your case study to get a thumbs up.
Focus on Deals. Keep in mind that you have a target deal. Always connect your study to the current agreement and profitable offers.

How to Start a Presentation Introduction in Class

Facing new students is challenging, right? If you want to get a good impression from your class in different situations, take a look at these tips.

Present Yourself With Manners

Tell them briefly who you are and why you are there in front of them while showing the right conduct and manners.

Cite Your Objectives and Its Relevance

The material or your material must be the center of any presentation. Discuss its factuality and how tangible it is. Along with these, tell stories that may catch their interest and attention throughout the presentation.

Leave Interesting Statement

End it with a bang! Make them think and stare at you. You can also give them riddles and some metaphorical set of words as an ending remark .

Indeed, you will gain their participation, plus you are helping your listeners to think critically.

Become a pro presenter. Download Orai and start practicing

How to Make an Unforgettable Start-Up Presentation

To give more emphasis on how to start a business presentation and to help young entrepreneurs. I’ll share with you this detailed outline. I hope you tuck this with you.

1. Set Goals For Your Business Presentation

Always set the stage with objectives. Since you are presenting to get clients and investment, it would help if you cleared how long it takes your business proposal.

2. Start With Provoking Questions or Stories

Never underestimate the power of storytelling. Initiate your presentation with real-life stories.

Stating provoking questions can grab attention, positive or negative, is a good result. It helps you to get your listener’s ears and eyes.

3. Show Alarming Statistics, Graphics as a Clue

This recommendation is similar to a word game, the “4-pics, One Word,” demonstrating the idea or topic with photos will be more immersing.

Visuals are one of the key points to expand a presentation. They are depicting patterns, diagrams, and trends. Lend quick analysis and predictions.

By using graphics, you can easily sustain the interest of your listeners and attract more viewers.

4. Know Your Material

Master your presentation and fill loops. And on your topic. Study the weak points and establish more of the strengths of the presentation.

With that, you can derive the information smoothly. Take note of this. It is also vital on how to start a board meeting presentation.

5. Add Business-Related Stories and Humor

Put the top 10 successful corporations, traders, companies, and other information that may help you present your goal. Flash the motto of some famous entrepreneurs. Analyze or contradict it to gain more attention.

Try to spiel some business jokes as an icebreaker. Any possible facts about business that you can use — catch it!

6. Hold Your Audience With Visuals

Play videos like a Public Service Announcement (PSA), but make sure it is connected to your topic.

Learn how to start a business presentation that has movement and action for society. With that, your listeners may think your presentation is worth investing in.

7. Relax and Have an Early Set-Up

Stay calm and don’t even think about drawbacks or shortcomings, especially the night before the presentation.

Make sure to pamper your body. Create also a plan B for unexpected circumstances.

8. Calculate Your Time and Sort it Into Parts

In your run-through, always set a timer. It gives you a heads up if you may look rushing or too slow in explaining each slide.

Being not responsible for other people’s time is a turn-off, especially in business, where time is essential in the industry.

To present other samples wisely. Let me share some videos to rock and how to start a presentation:

What are some examples of great presentation structures and delivery techniques?

Successful presentations like “How Google Works” and “Start with Why” prove the power of clarity and simplicity. Both Schmidt and Sinek captivate audiences with straightforward messages enhanced by visuals (slides or whiteboard) that support, not overpower, their narratives. The lesson: ditch complexity, focus on your core message, and deliver it with a conviction for maximum impact.

How can group presentations be structured effectively?

Effective group presentations require thorough rehearsal, clean transitions, and speaker handovers. Recap your section, introduce the next speaker, and gesture towards them to link sections and keep the audience engaged.

How can physical movement enhance the delivery of my presentation?

Ditch the podium! Move around the stage to grab attention, connect with listeners, and emphasize key points. Strategic shifts in location signal transitions, while your energy and passion come alive through purposeful movement. Make your presentation dynamic and memorable – get moving!

How can I structure a presentation using the remaining method approach?

To master the “remaining method,” Briefly introduce the controversy, dive deep with your side (logos & pathos!), acknowledge and dissect opposing solutions, and then unveil your “remaining solution” as the superior answer. Wrap up with a strong summary and a call to action. Guide your audience, earn trust, and win them over!

What are the key elements involved in storytelling for presentations?

Ditch the dry facts! Captivate your audience with stories. Use classic structures like the hero’s journey or jump into the action with “in media res.” Craft your narrative with a clear plot, relatable characters, and a consistent tone. Tie it all back to your key points for maximum impact. Storytelling makes presentations memorable, engaging, and impactful – go forth and win hearts (and minds)!

How can I structure my presentation using the problem-solution method?

Hook them, hit them, fix them! Problem-solution presentations start with a clear pain point, delve deep with causes and impacts (think logic and emotions!), and then unveil your solution as the hero and its amazing benefits. Finish with a call to action – tell them what to do next! Simple, powerful, persuasive.

What are some common presentation structures beyond the typical format described in the passage?

Forget the slides; show and tell! Demo presentations explain the “what” and “why” of your product, then dazzle with a live showcase. Highlight problem-solving and potential uses to keep them hooked. Leave them curious and wanting more with a glimpse of what your product can truly do. It’s all about interactive understanding and engagement!

What is the purpose of the Q&A session at the end of a presentation?

Q&A isn’t just an add-on! It’s a chance to clear confusion, recap key points, and answer burning questions. Wrapping up the discussion, offering deeper dives, and inviting audience participation – it’s the perfect way to seal the deal and connect with your listeners.

What should be included in the main body of a presentation?

Ditch the tangents and deliver on your promises! The main body is where you unpack your points. Organize it clearly, hit each topic with evidence and examples, summarize as you go, and link your ideas. Keep it focused, relevant, and audience-friendly – take notes, stay on track, and make your impact!

How should the introduction of a presentation be structured?

Hook, roadmap, and expectations – that’s your intro! Briefly introduce the topic, explain why it matters and what you’ll cover, and tell the audience how long they’re in for and if they can participate. Set the stage, guide them through, and make them feel comfortable – then dive in!

Why is structuring a presentation important?

Get organized, and get remembered! Structure keeps your audience engaged and learning while boosting your confidence and delivery. It’s a win-win for both the speaker and the listener!

Conclusion:

To be an effective speaker or presenter, you must master how to start a presentation. Learn the basics and dynamics.

Earn persuasive skills and grasp how to start a PowerPoint presentation with the steps and tips above to disseminate the information in a free-lingual way effectively.

I hope you find this helpful; you are free to use these tips for any goals.

You can try Orai , an AI-powered speech coach that perfectly suits your budget! They provide instant feedback on you to help with your public speaking needs. Start your free trial with Orai today!

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Introduction Speech

Jan 05, 2020

90 likes | 128 Views

Introduction Speech. "Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101 , Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Three Goals for Introduction Speech. Goal One

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Introduction Speech "Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Three Goals for Introduction Speech Goal One Provide a first, graded speech opportunity. The Ice Breaker speech was a technology check and a quick taste of following directions when asked to write and to upload a draft. It doesn’t make sense for us to talk about speeches for several weeks and never get around to creating and sharing one. This speech gets us started. “Three Goals for Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Three Goals for Introduction Speech Goal Two Give experience organizing information for maximum impact. You will introduce yourself to the class in a planned, prepared, and practiced presentation. You are the topic of the Introduction Speech. Similar to all speech topics, it is not possible to say everything there is to know about you in 2-3 minutes. It forces decisions to be made about what to include and what to leave out. It requires organization. It is not a random list of “fun” facts about you or a chronological speech where you start from the day you were born and bring us up to speed on you today. No time for that! Additional information is available to READ to understand what is meant by focus and how to organize information to share about yourself. “Three Goals for Introduction Spoeech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Three Goals for Introduction Speech Goal Three Provide audience analysis for future reference. This is our first real opportunity to meet one another in the class. From the Ice Breaker Module, we know who you admire as a speaker and if you consider yourself more of a writer or communicator starting the class, but we really don’t know the majors, interests, and unique aspects of our class audience. Public speakers are better able to TAILOR speeches for effectiveness when more is known about the target audience. The introduction speech provides much needed information to assist you in writing future speeches in this class because you will have a better feel for the background of members of your classroom audience. This is also why you are restricted to having a recorded audience be adults/college age. We can’t effectively write a speech for a college audience and deliver the same speech using appropriate language and visual aids for a group of children. Speakers make choices based on audience analysis when writing a speech. “Three Goals for Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Guidelines for Introduction Speech Time: 2-3 minutes. Note: A typed, double-spaced, manuscript draft of a 2-3 minute speech would be 1-2 pages. Organization (Opening, Body, and Conclusion) • Information about you will link to a clear focus/anchor point. READ about it in this module. • You control what information to disclose. • Speech is written and delivered in first person voice. Requirements: Remember: Introduction Draft and Introduction Speech are QUEUE ITEMS. Not completing them will result in failing COM101. Both must be submitted by end of the Module 1. See Course Schedule for date. May Use: Notes and Visual Aids when presenting. “Guidelines for Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Introduction Guidelines Continued…. This is not an impromptu speech. See how “Delivery Style” notes from Overview come in handy? The Introduction Speech is meant to be prepared and practiced before presenting it in front of your audience. You may decide to speak extemporaneously with an outline as recommended in your required reading or you may choose to present as a manuscript speaker with the entire speech available to you on cards or on an electronic devise. Create a safety net of speaking notes that gives you the most confidence. READ details on “Tips for Using Speaking Cards” in this module. Sorry! No extra points for memorizing it! I’m not impressed. Memorizing just means you had time on your hands. Besides, I prefer to listen to a well written and practiced speech rather than to a speech that is not effective but the speaker didn’t use notes. Use a safety net! May not need it like a tight rope performer..but sure feels good when you stumble or lose your footing to know that you are safe. “Guidelines for Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Introduction Guidelines Continued…. Recording and Presenting We practiced this with the Ice Breaker speech, and I believe we have worked out the initial glitches. If you are still experiencing problems, contact the student help desk or review You Tube Recording Instructions/Tips on how to record, to compress, and to upload your videos. Time to arrange for FIVE audience members to gather with you next week to serve as your LIVE audience for the Introduction Speech. They do not need to be the same people each time. They do need to be of college age and visible at the start and end of your speech. During the speech the focus of the camera should be on you as the speaker. Remove all potential distractions from presentation space… kids, dogs, TV playing in the background. Check for effective lighting and sound. “Guidelines for Introduction Speech/Recording and Presenting" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

Introduction Guidelines Continued… Feedback and Grading • Select a focus. If you are struggling to select a focus to organize your speech, ask for help in Talk with the Professor. • Follow the guidelines in writing your draft as detailed in READ document in this module. Drafts must be submitted by Sunday deadline. I provide feedback no later than the Tuesday following giving you time to revise and to practice before recording deadline. • Speech Grade. If you submit incorrectly or upload the wrong version of your speech, know that I grade the last recording submitted by the deadline. • Peer Review/Discussion. After the submission deadline for Introduction Speech recordings, you will be able to view classmate presentations and to offer observations for discussion points. “Guidelines for Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0

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IMAGES

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FREE 36+ Introduction Speech Samples in PDF
How to Start a Presentation: 12 Tips for Presentation Openings
Start presentation speech sample. 7+ Opening Speech Samples for
FREE 7+ Sample Presentation Speech Example Templates in PDF
FREE 7+ Sample Presentation Speech Example Templates in PDF

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COMMENTS

12+ Opening Speech Examples for Presentations & Quick Tips
2. Open the Speech by Giving Compliment & Show Gratitude towards your Audience. Secondly, just after wishing greeting to your audience give them compliment and choose some words which show that you are delighted to see them there. Example: It's great to see you all, Thank you for coming here today.
How to Start a Presentation: 5 Strong Opening Slides and ...
Financial PowerPoint Template with Calculator by SlideModel. 5. Use the Word "Imagine". "Imagine," "Picture This," and "Think of" are better word choices for when you plan to begin your presentation with a quick story. Our brain loves interacting with stories. In fact, a captivating story makes us more collaborative.
How To Create a Presentation Introduction (With Examples)
How to create an engaging introduction. Consider using the tips below to engage your audience before your next presentation: 1. Tell your audience who you are. Introduce yourself, and then once your audience knows your name, tell them why they should listen to you. Example: "Good morning. My name is Miranda Booker, and I'm here today to ...
How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation [with Examples]
Step #2: Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them. This is where all of the pre-work comes into play. In this step, you will use the answers to one of those questions that you answered earlier. For instance, if my topic is how to deliver presentations, I have to determine why the audience would care.
Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation [+ FREE Presentation
Part 1: How to Prepare for Your Presentation in English. Part 2: How to Start with a Great Introduction in Your Presentation. Part 3: How to Organize Your Presentation in English. Part 4: How to End Your Presentation Powerfully. As I mentioned in the video, I have two question for you today:
Starting a Presentation in English: Methods and Examples
Start with a polite welcome and state your name. Follow with your job title and/or the reason you're qualified to speak on the topic being discussed. 2. State the Purpose of Your Presentation. Now that your audience knows who you are and your qualifications, you can state the purpose of your presentation.
How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]
Best for: Presentations that require "selling" your product or company to the audience. Some examples include sales meetings and investor pitches. 7. "Future of Trade 2021" Image Source. This is the opening slide for a presentation on the fourth edition of the Dubai Multi Commodity Centre's flagship report, "The Future of Trade."
How to Start a Presentation Strong and End Powerfully (2021
Replacing content in the Soaring template on Envato Elements is straightforward and simplifies creating a presentation introduction. Next, add the content of your presentation onto the slide. Simply, double-click the text on the slide you're currently working on, press CTRL+A to select it all, and delete it.
A good introduction/opener
A good introduction to the delivery of your presentation is extremely important. The first minute or so sets the stage for the rest of your talk. You should start with an upbeat, positive mood. The first impression you make lasts. You want to quickly gain the attention, interest, and respect of your audience. Your first words should be lively ...
9 Introduction Speech Ideas for a Successful Presentation
5. Keep it brief and simple. It's usually a good idea to keep your introductory speech brief and simple so listeners can remember what you say more easily and stay focused on your presentation. Try to use language familiar to your audience, and offer brief explanations of jargon that may be unfamiliar to them.
10 Strong Opening Slides to Start A Presentation (With Examples!)
Idea 1: Introduction. There is no better way to get the audience to remember you than putting a giant photo of yourself on the screen and going, this is me, - an extremely edited version of me, but still, me. Buddy. No. That was an attempt at being the funny - clever person. Clearly it didn't work.
About Me Slides: How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation
Self Introduction PowerPoint Template by SlideModel. 1. Create a List of "Facts About Me". The easiest way to answer the "tell me about yourself" question is by having an array of facts you can easily fetch from your brain. When it comes to a full-length about me presentation, it's best to have a longer list ready.
Business Presentation Introduction Examples & Templates
What are the main types of presentation introductions? 8 types of presentation introductions: Personal intro: Unveils the speaker's background and expertise. Team intro: Showcases the experience and accomplishments of a team. Company intro: Unfolds the company's vision and values Topic intro: Sets the stage for the discussion topic. Product intro: Highlights the product's unique features and ...
How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples
This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there. Follow these steps: Signal that it's nearly the end of your presentation, for example, "As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…". Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation - "In this speech I wanted to compare…". 5.
5 Memorable Ways to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation
3. Use a Problem, Solution, Benefit Format. Set up your presentation, by concisely speaking to your main point —the problem you will be addressing. Then, allude to the solution (s) you will provide as well as the benefits and outcomes that your audience will receive from implementing your solution (s). Brevity is your friend when you ...
46 Powerful Opening Lines for a Class Presentation
This is a great way to get the audience's attention and make them think about your topic in a new way. For example: "The future of work is remote." or "Artificial intelligence will revolutionize every industry.". 9. "Today, I'm here to challenge how we think about [topic].". 10.
How To Start a Presentation (With Tips and Examples)
Related: Five Steps To Prepare a Farewell Speech (With Tips and Examples) Good presentation introduction examples Here are several examples of quality presentation introductions you can use as inspiration for your own: Example 1: Business conference presentation Here is how you might begin a presentation for a business conference: "Hello ...
9 Good Attention Getters for Speech Introductions
9 Good Attention Getters for Speech Introductions. If you followed the steps above, that means you've worked hard on your presentation. You've spent time and energy gathering information, structuring precisely, and creating engrossing slides. Keep your audience's attention away from their phones.
How to Start a Presentation: 3 Hooks to Catch Their Attention
Let's take a closer look at the most popular presentation hooks. 1. Tell a story. Telling a compelling story is a good way to start a presentation. Research shows that brain is hardwired for storytelling. Have you ever noticed how kids begin attentively listening to their parents after the words: "Once upon a time.".
What It Takes to Give a Great Presentation
Here are a few tips for business professionals who want to move from being good speakers to great ones: be concise (the fewer words, the better); never use bullet points (photos and images paired ...
How to structure a good PowerPoint Presentation
Length and Structure. The main part should make up about 70% of the presentation and also include a clear structure. Explain your ideas in detail and build them up logically. It should be organized chronologically, by priority or by topic. There should be a smooth transition between the individual issues.
7 Creative Ways to Start Any Presentation (With Examples!)
Difficulties on how to start a case study presentation and the things you need to behold within your PowerPoint presentation would be easy after sharing with you this advice. As for direction and advice, take a look at this list to start a presentation generally. 1. Start With a Strong Claim. The beginning is always the hard part of a presentation.
PPT
This speech gets us started. "Three Goals for Introduction Speech" by Lee Ann, COM101, Clinton Community College is licensed under CC BY 4.0. Three Goals for Introduction Speech Goal Two Give experience organizing information for maximum impact. You will introduce yourself to the class in a planned, prepared, and practiced presentation.