Grab their attention.

As we discussed in our last conversation, you only have eight seconds to grab your audience's attention and draw them in. What kind of introduction only takes eight seconds?

Don't.

First, let's start with what not to do. Nobody wants to walk into a presentation and hear the speaker nervously stutter, "Hi, my name is John Jargenson, and today I'll be talking to you about (some subject)" Why? Because the statement is boring and obvious. I know what you're going to talk to me about -- I read the description of your talk before I came here to give you my valuable time.

The audience also doesn't want to hear an overly exciting sales pitch. "Hey! When's the last time YOU wanted to win a fabulous trip to Hawaii?" especially at 7:00AM.

So how should you start your talk? Like anything else in life, it really depends on the audience. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Statistics

"33 percent of all adults sleep with a comfort object at night." The power of this true statistic is derived from the shock factor but also its relevance, especially when told in front of a group of adults. For instance, let's say the line was used to open a presentation in a room of 20 adults -- based on the statistic, one third of that population (~7 adults) sleep with a comfort object at night. This immediately begs the unspoken question, "Which of my colleagues still sleeps with a teddy bear?" (true story: I slept with a Big Bird doll, "B-bird", until the age of 7.) Coupled with a nicely placed pregnant pause, opening with a statistic can be a powerful way to draw in your audience.

Stories

It's human nature for people to tell each other stories. At the water cooler at work, you may hear stories of what people did over the weekend, or even tales of gossip. Conversations are built on stories. It's only natural, then, that beginning your presentation with a short, relevant story can draw in your audience. Comedians use this trick all the time! Consider your reaction if your friend began telling you a story that started out, "I was jogging in the park the other day. The sun was just coming up over the mountains, when I noticed a gentlemen by the bus stop."

Immediately, you probably have a handful of questions. "What is going to happen to the guy at the bus stop?", "Why were you jogging so early in the morning?", or, more relevantly, "What does this have to do with your company presentation?" Again, if we can get the audience to ask themselves questions, we can hold their interest, because they're already looking for answers.

Conversation

Some of my favorite presenters have used the strategy of conversation. Instead of addressing the entire audience at once, the speaker addresses one person in particular (whether or not you let this person know you'll be 'picking on them' ahead of time is up to you!). Although this may not work well with very large audiences (ex. TED Talks), it is a mechanism you can use in a smaller gatherings where the entire audience can hear the exchange between yourself and the audience member.

Why is this intriguing to the audience? There are two reasons:

(1) The audience came to hear a presentation. Instead, they're being treated to a 1-on-1 conversation, and

(2) The audience gets to hear raw, candid answers from the audience member. For instance, if the speaker asks Janie, "Janice, when was the last time you shopped at Widget Co.?"

Suggestion

This tactic may start out as awkward, because you need something to immediately follow up your statement.

Let's say you hand your colleague, Miguel, a wooden duck. You then open your presentation by stating, "Miguel, do NOT let go of that duck. ...or at least I wouldn't, if I were you." If you immediately transition into your speech ("Today I'm going to talk to you about a new chemical Widget Co. has developed"), the situation is awkward because you've never addressed why Miguel is holding a wooden duck and why he shouldn't let go of it.

The same opening, however, becomes less awkward if you instead follow up your statement with, "Do not let go of that duck, because the duck you're holding is coated with the newest, most transparent, child-friendly chemical this company has ever developed." Immediately, the audience understands why Miguel shouldn't let go of the duck (it now has value), and why Miguel is holding a duck (your company wanted to demonstrate how it could coat the most oddly-shaped objects in their new material). Moreover, there's only one wooden duck, and Miguel has it; because Miguel is the only one holding the wooden duck, others in the audience might make a mental note to approach Miguel later, and see if they can also hold wooden duck bearing your company's newest product!

Shock

In one of my favorite TED Talks, the speaker -- without saying a word to the audience -- walks out on stage and begins to light up a cigarette. The audience is stunned at the speaker's actions...but they are also drawn in. Right from the start, the audience is 100% invested in whatever is going to happen next. If the speaker lights the cigarette, they know they are about to witness a dramatic event unfold. If the doesn't light the cigarette, no harm no foul -- but then what point is the speaker trying to make? They are invested.

Conclusion

The type of introduction you use depends on the audience, but one thing is for sure: you have options. You can finally ditch the dreadful, boring, awkward introduction to your presentations, and implement something new, something different, and something to draw in your audience.

In the end, we're all in this together, and Present Proper wants to be your tool for success. If you find my blog articles insightful, subscribe to get all the newest content! Lastly, I would love to hear your opinions on this or any other articles. Leave a note in the comments or drop me a line! Until next time, present clearly, present concisely, Present Proper.