Bold Introduction
Body and Discussion
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.
Always start with a concrete plan to strengthen the body of your presentation. With that, your listeners can’t easily stab your presentation.
If you are discussing in a formal setting, pick a deck with gray colors, choose dominant colors, and then combine.
To balance the whole presentation, put some icebreakers and funny idioms about your topic. Make sure it is sensible.
It helps your audience to get intact through the presentation. Try to use signal transitions, such as words or phrases that would give interconnections.
Of course, images and charts are vital. Make sure to use HD photos and reliable maps from data websites.
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.
Watch this live Speech <p data-sourcepos="3:1-3:271">A form of communication involving spoken language, it is used to express ideas, share information, tell stories, persuade, or entertain. Public speaking is a powerful tool used in diverse contexts, ranging from casual conversations to formal presentations.</p><br /><h2 data-sourcepos="5:1-5:27"><strong>Components of a Speech:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="7:1-10:0"> <li data-sourcepos="7:1-7:73"><strong>Content:</strong> The information, message, or story conveyed through words.</li> <li data-sourcepos="8:1-8:106"><strong>Delivery:</strong> The vocal and physical presentation, including clarity, volume, gestures, and eye contact.</li> <li data-sourcepos="9:1-10:0"><strong>Structure:</strong> The organization of the content, typically following an introduction, body, and conclusion.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="11:1-11:21"><strong>Speech in Action:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="13:1-17:0"> <li data-sourcepos="13:1-13:88"><strong>Informing:</strong> Sharing knowledge and facts, educating an audience on a specific topic.</li> <li data-sourcepos="14:1-14:119"><strong>Persuading:</strong> Advocating for a particular viewpoint, using arguments and evidence to influence thoughts or actions.</li> <li data-sourcepos="15:1-15:93"><strong>Motivating:</strong> Inspiring and energizing an audience, fostering action and positive change.</li> <li data-sourcepos="16:1-17:0"><strong>Entertaining:</strong> Engaging and delighting an audience through humor, storytelling, or creative language.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="18:1-18:32"><strong>Public Speaking and Anxiety:</strong></h2> <p data-sourcepos="20:1-20:227">Many people experience <strong>public speaking anxiety</strong>, a fear of speaking in front of an audience. While it's common, effective preparation, practice, and breathing techniques can significantly reduce anxiety and improve delivery.</p><br /><h2 data-sourcepos="22:1-22:32"><strong>Different Types of Speeches:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="24:1-28:0"> <li data-sourcepos="24:1-24:81"><strong>Informative speech:</strong> Focuses on conveying information clearly and concisely.</li> <li data-sourcepos="25:1-25:102"><strong>Persuasive speech:</strong> Aims to convince the audience to adopt a particular viewpoint or take action.</li> <li data-sourcepos="26:1-26:99"><strong>Motivational speech:</strong> Inspires and energizes the audience, building enthusiasm and commitment.</li> <li data-sourcepos="27:1-28:0"><strong>Entertaining speech:</strong> Aim to amuse and delight the audience, often using humor, storytelling, or anecdotes.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="29:1-29:33"><strong>Crafting a Compelling Speech:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="31:1-35:0"> <li data-sourcepos="31:1-31:106"><strong>Know your audience:</strong> Tailor your content and delivery to their interests, needs, and prior knowledge.</li> <li data-sourcepos="32:1-32:107"><strong>Have a clear message:</strong> Identify the main point you want to convey and structure your speech around it.</li> <li data-sourcepos="33:1-33:111"><strong>Engage your audience:</strong> Use varied vocal techniques, storytelling, and visual aids to keep them interested.</li> <li data-sourcepos="34:1-35:0"><strong>Practice, practice, practice:</strong> Rehearse your speech out loud to refine your delivery and build confidence.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="36:1-36:13"><strong>Remember:</strong></h2> <p data-sourcepos="38:1-38:281">Speech is a powerful tool for communication, connection, and influence. By understanding its elements, addressing potential anxieties, and tailoring your delivery to different contexts, you can harness the power of speech to achieve your intended goals and captivate your audience.</p> " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">speech or business seminar to get different hooks and other strategies to impress your listeners with your business presentation:
As your supervisor and other executives watch you presenting, stand tall and present like a boss through these points.
It organizes the presentation and connects the main points to sub-points. With that, you can have minimal effort but impactful results.
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.
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:
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.
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.
Tell them briefly who you are and why you are there in front of them while showing the right conduct and manners.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 <p data-sourcepos="3:1-3:200">A formal gathering of a company's board of directors, where they discuss strategic matters, review financial performance, make key decisions, and oversee the organization's governance.</p><br /><h2 data-sourcepos="5:1-5:21"><strong>Key Participants:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="7:1-11:0"> <li data-sourcepos="7:1-7:102"><strong>Board members:</strong> Elected or appointed individuals responsible for guiding the company's direction.</li> <li data-sourcepos="8:1-8:94"><strong>Executives:</strong> Company leaders like the CEO, CFO, and COO, who provide updates and reports.</li> <li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:88"><strong>Secretary:</strong> Oversees logistics, records minutes, and ensures compliance with rules.</li> <li data-sourcepos="10:1-11:0"><strong>Legal counsel:</strong> Offers guidance on legal matters and ensures adherence to regulations.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="12:1-12:12"><strong>Purpose:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="14:1-19:0"> <li data-sourcepos="14:1-14:78"><strong>Strategic planning:</strong> Setting the company's long-term direction and goals.</li> <li data-sourcepos="15:1-15:81"><strong>Financial oversight:</strong> Reviewing financial reports, budgets, and investments.</li> <li data-sourcepos="16:1-16:86"><strong>Risk management:</strong> Identifying and mitigating potential risks to the organization.</li> <li data-sourcepos="17:1-17:76"><strong>Executive evaluation:</strong> Assessing the performance of company leadership.</li> <li data-sourcepos="18:1-19:0"><strong>Decision-making:</strong> Approving key initiatives, investments, and policies.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="20:1-20:11"><strong>Format:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="22:1-25:0"> <li data-sourcepos="22:1-22:43">Varies based on company size and culture.</li> <li data-sourcepos="23:1-23:91">Typically includes presentations, discussions, voting on proposals, and Q&A sessions.</li> <li data-sourcepos="24:1-25:0">It may be formal with strict agendas or more informal with brainstorming sessions.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="26:1-26:26"><strong>Public Speaking Roles:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="28:1-30:0"> <li data-sourcepos="28:1-28:125"><strong>CEO and other executives:</strong> Act as a <strong>public speaker</strong>, presenting reports, answering questions, and defending proposals.</li> <li data-sourcepos="29:1-30:0"><strong>Board members:</strong> May participate in discussions, ask questions, and occasionally propose or speak in favor of motions.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="31:1-31:39"><strong>Addressing Public Speaking Anxiety:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="33:1-36:0"> <li data-sourcepos="33:1-33:87">Many executives and board members face <strong>public speaking anxiety</strong> in these meetings.</li> <li data-sourcepos="34:1-34:93">Preparation, practicing presentations, and visualization techniques can help manage nerves.</li> <li data-sourcepos="35:1-36:0">Some companies hire <strong>public speaking coaches</strong> to offer personalized guidance and improve communication skills.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="37:1-37:248"><strong>Remember:</strong></h2> <p data-sourcepos="37:1-37:248">Effective board meetings require clear communication, active participation, and informed decision-making. By understanding the format, roles, and potential challenges, participants can contribute to a productive and impactful session.</p> " href="https://orai.com/glossary/board-meeting/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">board meeting presentation.
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!
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.
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.
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:
Successful presentations like “How Google Works” and “Start with Why” prove the power of Clarity <p data-sourcepos="3:1-3:269">In <strong>public speaking</strong>, <strong>clarity</strong> refers to the quality of your message being readily understood and interpreted by your audience. It encompasses both the content and delivery of your speech, ensuring your message resonates and leaves a lasting impact.</p><br /><h2 data-sourcepos="5:1-5:16"><strong>Key Aspects:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="7:1-13:0"> <li data-sourcepos="7:1-7:133"><strong>Conciseness:</strong> Avoid unnecessary details, digressions, or excessive complexity. Focus on delivering the core message efficiently.</li> <li data-sourcepos="8:1-8:149"><strong>Simple language:</strong> Choose words and phrases your audience understands readily, avoiding jargon or technical terms unless you define them clearly.</li> <li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:145"><strong>Logical structure:</strong> Organize your thoughts and ideas logically, using transitions and signposts to guide your audience through your message.</li> <li data-sourcepos="10:1-10:136"><strong>Effective visuals:</strong> If using visuals, ensure they are clear, contribute to your message, and don't distract from your spoken words.</li> <li data-sourcepos="11:1-11:144"><strong>Confident delivery:</strong> Speak clearly and articulately, avoiding mumbling or rushing your words. Maintain good eye contact with your audience.</li> <li data-sourcepos="12:1-13:0"><strong>Active voice:</strong> Emphasize active voice for better flow and avoid passive constructions that can be less engaging.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="14:1-14:24"><strong>Benefits of Clarity:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="16:1-20:0"> <li data-sourcepos="16:1-16:123"><strong>Enhanced audience engagement:</strong> A clear message keeps your audience interested and helps them grasp your points easily.</li> <li data-sourcepos="17:1-17:123"><strong>Increased credibility:</strong> Clear communication projects professionalism and expertise, building trust with your audience.</li> <li data-sourcepos="18:1-18:111"><strong>Improved persuasiveness:</strong> A well-understood message is more likely to resonate and win over your audience.</li> <li data-sourcepos="19:1-20:0"><strong>Reduced confusion:</strong> Eliminating ambiguity minimizes misinterpretations and ensures your message arrives as intended.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="21:1-21:15"><strong>Challenges:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="23:1-27:0"> <li data-sourcepos="23:1-23:129"><strong>Condensing complex information:</strong> Simplifying complex topics without sacrificing crucial details requires skill and practice.</li> <li data-sourcepos="24:1-24:128"><strong>Understanding your audience:</strong> Tailoring your language and structure to resonate with a diverse audience can be challenging.</li> <li data-sourcepos="25:1-25:85"><strong>Managing nerves:</strong> Nerves can impact your delivery, making it unclear or rushed.</li> <li data-sourcepos="26:1-27:0"><strong>Avoiding jargon:</strong> Breaking technical habits and simplifying language requires constant awareness.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="28:1-28:22"><strong>Improving Clarity:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="30:1-35:0"> <li data-sourcepos="30:1-30:117"><strong>Practice and rehearse:</strong> The more you rehearse your speech, the more natural and clear your delivery will become.</li> <li data-sourcepos="31:1-31:107"><strong>Seek feedback:</strong> Share your draft speech with others and ask for feedback on clarity and comprehension.</li> <li data-sourcepos="32:1-32:161"><strong>Consider a public speaking coach:</strong> A coach can provide personalized guidance on structuring your message, simplifying language, and improving your delivery.</li> <li data-sourcepos="33:1-33:128"><strong>Join a public speaking group:</strong> Practicing in a supportive environment can help you gain confidence and refine your clarity.</li> <li data-sourcepos="34:1-35:0"><strong>Listen to effective speakers:</strong> Analyze how clear and impactful others achieve communication.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="36:1-36:250"><strong>Remember:</strong></h2> <p data-sourcepos="36:1-36:250"><strong>Clarity</strong> is a cornerstone of impactful <strong>public speaking</strong>. By honing your message, focusing on delivery, and actively seeking feedback, you can ensure your audience receives your message clearly and leaves a lasting impression.</p> " href="https://orai.com/glossary/clarity/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">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.
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.
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!
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!
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)!
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.
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!
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.
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!
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!
Get organized, and get remembered! Structure keeps your audience engaged and learning while boosting your Confidence <p data-sourcepos="3:1-3:305">In the context of <strong>public speaking</strong>, <strong>confidence</strong> refers to the belief in one's ability to communicate effectively and deliver one's message with clarity and impact. It encompasses various elements, including self-belief, composure, and the ability to manage one's <strong>fear of public speaking</strong>.</p><br /><h2 data-sourcepos="5:1-5:16"><strong>Key Aspects:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="7:1-12:0"> <li data-sourcepos="7:1-7:108"><strong>Self-belief:</strong> A strong conviction in your knowledge, skills, and ability to connect with your audience.</li> <li data-sourcepos="8:1-8:95"><strong>Composure:</strong> Maintaining calmness and poise under pressure, even in challenging situations.</li> <li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:100"><strong>Assertiveness:</strong> Expressing your ideas clearly and concisely, avoiding hesitation or self-doubt.</li> <li data-sourcepos="10:1-10:104"><strong>Positive self-talk:</strong> Countering negative thoughts with affirmations and focusing on your strengths.</li> <li data-sourcepos="11:1-12:0"><strong>Strong body language:</strong> Using gestures, posture, and eye contact that project confidence and professionalism.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="13:1-13:27"><strong>Benefits of Confidence:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="15:1-19:0"> <li data-sourcepos="15:1-15:99"><strong>Reduced anxiety:</strong> Feeling confident helps manage <strong>fear of public speaking</strong> and stage fright.</li> <li data-sourcepos="16:1-16:133"><strong>Engaging delivery:</strong> Confident speakers project their voices, hold eye contact, and connect with their audience more effectively.</li> <li data-sourcepos="17:1-17:137"><strong>Increased persuasiveness:</strong> A confident presentation inspires belief and motivates your audience to listen and remember your message.</li> <li data-sourcepos="18:1-19:0"><strong>Greater impact:</strong> Confidently delivered speeches leave a lasting impression and achieve desired outcomes.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="20:1-20:15"><strong>Challenges:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="22:1-26:0"> <li data-sourcepos="22:1-22:112">Overcoming <strong>fear of public speaking</strong>: Many people experience some level of anxiety when speaking publicly.</li> <li data-sourcepos="23:1-23:101"><strong>Imposter syndrome:</strong> Doubting your abilities and qualifications, even when objectively qualified.</li> <li data-sourcepos="24:1-24:92"><strong>Negative self-talk:</strong> Internalized criticism and limiting beliefs can hamper confidence.</li> <li data-sourcepos="25:1-26:0"><strong>Past negative experiences:</strong> Unsuccessful presentations or negative feedback can erode confidence.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="27:1-27:24"><strong>Building Confidence:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="29:1-36:0"> <li data-sourcepos="29:1-29:102"><strong>Practice and preparation:</strong> Thoroughly rehearse your speech to feel comfortable with the material.</li> <li data-sourcepos="30:1-30:101"><strong>Visualization:</strong> Imagine yourself delivering a successful presentation with confidence and poise.</li> <li data-sourcepos="31:1-31:100"><strong>Positive self-talk:</strong> Actively replace negative thoughts with affirmations about your abilities.</li> <li data-sourcepos="32:1-32:106"><strong>Seek feedback:</strong> Ask trusted individuals for constructive criticism and use it to improve your skills.</li> <li data-sourcepos="33:1-33:157">Consider a <strong>speaking coach</strong>: Working with a coach can provide personalized guidance and support to address specific challenges and confidence barriers.</li> <li data-sourcepos="34:1-34:114"><strong>Start small:</strong> Gradually increase the size and complexity of your speaking engagements as you gain experience.</li> <li data-sourcepos="35:1-36:0"><strong>Focus on progress:</strong> Celebrate small successes and acknowledge your improvement over time.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="37:1-37:282"><strong>Remember:</strong></h2> <p data-sourcepos="37:1-37:282"><strong>Confidence</strong> in public speaking is a journey, not a destination. By actively practicing, embracing feedback, and focusing on your strengths, you can overcome <strong>fear of public speaking</strong> and develop the <strong>confidence</strong> to deliver impactful and memorable presentations.</p> " href="https://orai.com/glossary/confidence/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">confidence and delivery. It’s a win-win for both the speaker and the listener!
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 <p data-sourcepos="3:1-3:411">A <strong>speech coach</strong> is a trained professional who provides personalized guidance and support to individuals seeking to improve their <strong>public speaking</strong> skills. Whether you aim to <strong>master public speaking</strong> for professional presentations, overcome stage fright, or simply hone your everyday communication, a <strong>speech coach</strong> can tailor their expertise to meet your needs and goals.</p><br /><h2 data-sourcepos="5:1-5:32"><strong>What Does a Speech Coach Do?</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="7:1-13:0"> <li data-sourcepos="7:1-7:124"><strong>Conduct assessments:</strong> Analyze your strengths, weaknesses, and communication style through evaluations and observations.</li> <li data-sourcepos="8:1-8:149"><strong>Develop personalized plans:</strong> Create a customized roadmap with exercises, techniques, and feedback to address your specific areas of improvement.</li> <li data-sourcepos="9:1-9:167"><strong>Offer expert instruction:</strong> We will guide you through various aspects of public speaking, including vocal control, body language, content delivery, and overcoming anxiety.</li> <li data-sourcepos="10:1-10:168"><strong>Provide practice opportunities:</strong> Facilitate mock presentations, simulations, and role-playing scenarios to refine your skills in a safe and supportive environment.</li> <li data-sourcepos="11:1-11:114"><strong>Offer constructive feedback:</strong> Identify areas for improvement and suggest strategies for achieving your goals.</li> <li data-sourcepos="12:1-13:0"><strong>Boost confidence and motivation:</strong> Encourage and support you throughout your journey, empowering you to become a confident and impactful communicator.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="14:1-14:40"><strong>Who Can Benefit from a Speech Coach?</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="16:1-20:0"> <li data-sourcepos="16:1-16:174"><strong>Professionals:</strong> Refining public speaking skills can benefit executives, entrepreneurs, salespeople, leaders, and anyone who presents in professional settings.</li> <li data-sourcepos="17:1-17:160"><strong>Students:</strong> Teachers, public speakers, debaters, and students wanting to excel in presentations or classroom settings can gain valuable skills with a coach.</li> <li data-sourcepos="18:1-18:176"><strong>Individuals who fear public speaking:</strong> Coaching can help those who experience anxiety or nervousness when speaking in public develop strategies and gain confidence.</li> <li data-sourcepos="19:1-20:0"><strong>Anyone seeking to improve communication:</strong> A coach can provide guidance to individuals seeking to enhance their communication skills for personal or professional development.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="21:1-21:28"><strong>Types of Speech Coaches:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="23:1-26:0"> <li data-sourcepos="23:1-23:110"><strong>Private coaches:</strong> Work one-on-one with individuals to provide highly personalized attention and feedback.</li> <li data-sourcepos="24:1-24:130"><strong>Group coaches:</strong> Offer workshops or classes in group settings, often at a lower cost but with less individualized attention.</li> <li data-sourcepos="25:1-26:0"><strong>Specialization coaches:</strong> Some coaches specialize in executive communication, storytelling, or presentation design.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="27:1-27:35"><strong>Finding the Right Speech Coach:</strong></h2> <ul data-sourcepos="29:1-33:0"> <li data-sourcepos="29:1-29:91"><strong>Identify your goals:</strong> What areas do you want to improve? What are your specific needs?</li> <li data-sourcepos="30:1-30:109"><strong>Research credentials and experience:</strong> Look for qualified coaches with relevant experience and expertise.</li> <li data-sourcepos="31:1-31:122"><strong>Consider availability and budget:</strong> Set a budget and explore options that fit your schedule and financial constraints.</li> <li data-sourcepos="32:1-33:0"><strong>Schedule consultations:</strong> Talk to potential coaches to assess their personality, approach, and compatibility with your needs.</li> </ul> <h2 data-sourcepos="34:1-34:418"><strong>Remember:</strong></h2> <p data-sourcepos="34:1-34:418">Investing in a <strong>speech coach</strong> can be a transformative experience, enhancing your communication skills, boosting your confidence, and empowering you to achieve your communication goals. Whether you're a seasoned professional or just starting your journey, consider exploring the potential of working with a <strong>speech coach</strong> to unlock your full potential as a communicator and <strong>master public speaking</strong>.</p> " href="https://orai.com/glossary/speech-coach/" data-gt-translate-attributes="[{"attribute":"data-cmtooltip", "format":"html"}]" tabindex="0" role="link">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!
How many words is a 5-minute speech, good attention getters for speeches with 10+ examples, quick links.
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Your message is concrete. Your argument is watertight. But are you opening your presentation in the most engaging way? Here are 8 tried and tested techniques for opening your presentation with a bang.
Take something minor and demonstrate it's a serious problem. Take something farfetched and make it seem real. Take something alien and make it close to home. The surprise factor will have them hanging on to your every word.
Good for: Grabbing your audience's attention, challenging expectations.
Example: It's widely accepted that girls tend to do better than boys in school. Philip Zimbardo begins his talk with a series of startling facts – 'Boys are 30% more likely than girls to drop out of school [...] Girls outperform boys now at every level, from elementary school to graduate school' – turning this idea into a nationwide issue.
The reverse of this is to take something seemingly scary or complicated and make it very simple.
We know that Malaria kills half a million people each year, and we've had a cure for it since the 1600s. Wait, what? Now speaker Sonia Shah has our full attention.
Stimulate your audience's imagination by describing a scene in vivid detail, or ask them to remember a particular memory and recall what they saw, smelled, heard and felt. You could even make them aware of their physical surroundings in some way.
Tying what you're saying up with physical memories will help your audience retain information for longer.
Good for: Creating a lasting impression, making your ideas come alive.
Example: Amy Cuddy makes her audience 'do a little audit' of their bodies. She asks them 'how many of you are sort of making yourselves smaller? Maybe you're hunching, crossing your legs, maybe wrapping your ankles?' Activating the audience's sensory awareness (before revealing what those body habits mean) gives her talk greater resonance.
Even well-meaning people sometimes won't act until an issue affects them personally. Make the problem relevant to your audience by showing that it's relevant to (or is caused by) them or their community.
An effective twist on this is revealing an unimagined connection between our current actions and things happening in the future or in far-flung places.
Good for: Making your audience care, making complex ideas simple.
Example: Emily Wapnick asks the audience 'Raise your hand if you've ever been asked the question "What do you want to be when you grow up?"', bringing cultural attitudes towards skills and work into the spotlight and revealing how it affects our perceptions of ourselves.
Opening with a puzzle piques your audience's curiosity from the get-go. It could be a problem, a riddle or the conundrum at the heart of your theory. It could be a real-world puzzle or a metaphor for the ideas in your talk.
Leave the puzzle open-ended but direct your audience to some place they can find the answer if you want them to continue engaging with your content after the talk. Or, promise to tell them the answer at the end so they listen throughout.
Good for: Waking up your audience's brains, inspiring curiosity.
Example: If someone gave you a candle, some thumbtacks and some matches, could you attach the candle to the wall so the wax doesn't drip onto the table? Dan Pink's candle puzzle challenges us and provides a springboard for discussion of what motivates us in the workplace.
Your questions could probe the listener's personal memories, sense of identity, or general knowledge – whatever gets the cogs turning. Asking questions can be an effective way of prompting your audience to have an 'aha!' moment.
Opening questions are usually rhetorical as you're asking the listener to self-analyse, but you might like to direct them somewhere that they can share their ideas or experiences with you.
Good for: Helping the audience recognize a problem or come to some conclusion.
Example: Kelly McGonigal asks her audience to raise their hand if they've experienced different levels of stress over the past year. Almost the whole audience responds and demonstrates, very quickly and simply, how endemic a problem stress is.
Quoting a famous person is an easy way to borrow a little of their power, especially if it's someone respected by your audience. If they're a more obscure choice, there's no harm in reminding your audience of that person's credentials.
Your audience may read personal things into your choice, so choose carefully. People are likely to have personal associations with famous quotes or speakers so be mindful of these too.
Good for: Giving your talk respectability, summing up an argument or an idea.
Example: Elizabeth Nyamayaro's chosen quote – 'As Africans, we must uplift all the people of Africa' – serves as the heart and soul of her entire presentation. It expresses the principles at the heart of her work, and tells her audience something of her as a person.
Stories are perhaps the most effective tool for inspiring empathy and understanding in the listener. It's also a vastly underrated skill in the business world, even though it can engage your audience's mind in incredible ways .
Telling a personal story may make us feel vulnerable, but it's an opportunity to show confidence and character. Telling the story of someone you admire demonstrates your values. The story of a customer proves you listen and take pride in providing a good service.
Good for: Explaining ideas in an accessible way, synchronizing the audience's emotions with your own.
Example: Peter Attia begins his story 'I'll never forget that day back in the spring of 2006' – and now nor will we. His story is powerful not just because it's illustrative of the wider problem he's describing – but because he expresses genuine emotion as he tells it.
Making a joke makes your audience feel warmer towards you and more receptive to your ideas. The best presentation jokes involve self-deprecating humor, so being able to laugh at yourself is a must. You could also exaggerate a story for effect.
Your sense of humor tells your audience a lot about your values and can be a shortcut to building trust. It may also help them feel more comfortable about sharing their ideas and joining in if that's a part of your presentation.
Good for: Relaxing your audience, building rapport.
Example: Shawn Anchor's perfect comic timing makes this opening anecdote side-splittingly funny. The humor makes it easier for us to open up to what he's trying to say, making the serious message of his talk all the more impactful.
You can find more about these and other useful techniques at changingminds.org . Which is your favorite?
Always alter your presentation openings, depending on your audience. Remember that what might work for you in a boardroom would likely turn a room of millennials into a bored room . But don’t worry. Our advice isn’t to start telling jokes at any available opportunity. Instead, we’ve collated the many various ways you can start a speech, to inspire you to choose a presentation slide that’s right for you, and your audience.
Use a welcoming presentation slide when people have come specifically to see you present.
Don’t use this if you’re presenting in the middle of other presentations, or when the audience have already seen something to do with your product or service that day.
Bring an object along to your presentation that you think could be useful in your presentation, and start with explaining what it is, and why it is significant.
It could be a red ball, which you promise to toss at people who look like they’re going to fall asleep, or a product which you’re trying to sell. Either way, having an object in your opening is an unusual way of starting a presentation, and can get you some important points when presenting.
Use this if you’re presenting to a lively young audience instead of an opening presentation slide.
A good TED talk tactic. Use an imaginary scenario to get the audience to pay attention, and tickle their own abstract ideas about your subject.
Use this presentation slide if you have a hypothetical focus of your presentation, and you’re looking for input from the audience.
Ask the audience their opinion on something.
Often, this can break the ice between you and the audience, and get you feeling a little more comfortable before you start with your first presentation slide.
Use a famous quote as a point of reference.
This can be a good way to start a presentation if you think the audience need some context before your presentation, and can be an easy way in if you’re about to explain something complicated.
Instead of starting off your presentation with an about me or history slide, try and tell the audience who you are, and what you’re about before you make the presentation.
One short story about what makes you a real person, and why they should listen to you speak can make a big difference in your confidence, and in the audiences’ faith in you.
You don’t need to use a presentation slide to kick off your speech.
Instead, start your presentation with 10 seconds of silence, and a blank powerpoint slide to heighten the audience anticipation.
Quote a movie or a song in your first presentation slide to build rapport with your audience.
As long as it’s something that most of the audience will know, you’ll have them listening intently right from the get go!
This is especially important to consider when presenting to millenials.
Open your speech with a statistical presentation slide.
A number can start your presentation right by giving your audience something tangible to understand.
If your presentation includes an interesting statistic, or you have an interesting point inside your presentation, show it off right at the start to keep your audience curious about how you arrived at that fact.
Controversial or elaborate hypotheses are often approached in presentations in an apologetic way, with a build up to the claim.
This is mostly due to nervous presenters to whom the idea of seeming silly at the start of a presentation puts them off using this as a tactic. Don’t be one of them!
Another effective presentation slide opener is to thank the audience for being there.
Make them feel part of the presentation, and appreciated to get the best reaction from them later in your presentation.
Start by asking your audience a difficult question about the topic to get a feel for the room.
Don’t ask them for a show of hands, but instead just ask them to think about it.
If you’re pitching to investors, focus on their problem. Try and relate your product or service to how their lives would be improved on your first presentation slide.
If they’re not the right audience, try and relate it their son, their daughter or their mother. Make it personal.
Do you have a shocking piece of information you’re going to present? Maybe you have an impressive statistic, or fact which you discovered or achieved.
Lead with something bold and colorful to grab their attention from the start.
Be humble and approachable right from your first slide if you want to make a fantastic impression.
By showing the audience that you can make fun of yourself, and that you’re honest, you will knock down a little of the fourth wall between you and the people in front of you.
Using curiosity as a way to grab your audience’s attention is a good way to make you feel some power if you get nervous in presentations. Try something along the lines of: “I have the most exciting job in the world. No really, I do. Everyone I meet says “Wow, how do have the energy to do such a thing every day” , as i shrug, and take the compliment. Can you guess what i do? That’s right. I’m an accountant. ”
Refer to the past in your first presentation slide, and make a comparison of what humans thought the future would look like related to your presentation topic.
This can be a great way of getting the audience to feel like they already knew something about a difficult subject. It can also help to build connection between you and your audience by relating to a common belief.
Open your presentation by referring to the future, and what you hope to achieve with your research, data, or pitch.
This is an impressive first presentation slide if you are trying to convince your audience to believe in something, whether that be a product, or a cause.
Using an english proverb might be a bit old hat in this day and age. Unless of course you’re going with the ‘dad joke’ ideal to millenials, in which case, press on!
Instead, use a proverb from a different language. There are some real gems out there, and can impress your audience that you’ve gone to the research trouble.
If, on the day you’re due to present you read about an interesting current events story, or news article which links to your presentation, use it as your opening!
Discussing a current events article will show the audience your intellect and also get them understanding you from the get go.
If you’re presenting something really fantastic, comparing your presentation to something significant in the past can be a good way of building some hype.
Of course, if you’re building something which isn’t that revolutionary, try adapting this opening into a humorous comparison instead, and build some rapport with your audience.
The best way to start a powerpoint presentation is to start is with a story.
A thoughtful story along with a link to your presentation will get you off on the right foot
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Table of Contents
Knowing how to start a presentation is a crucial skill in today’s professional landscape.
After all, many office workers are called on to prepare a presentation at some point during their careers.
And, of course, many people are looking to share their expertise through workshops and lectures.
With that in mind, we wanted to dedicate an article to learning about the best ways to deliver an impactful presentation opening.
So, whether you’re currently struggling to come up with introductory lines for a presentation, or you have a more passive interest in this subject — you’ve come to the right place.
In this article, we’ll:
But first, let’s talk about why having a good introduction is such a crucial part of any presentation.
If you’ve ever had to prepare an address, you probably understand the importance of having an impactful introduction to a presentation.
If the body of a speech contains most of the information you want to share with the audience and the conclusion allows you to invite the audience to take action — the introduction is how you get them to listen to you in the first place.
In other words, a presentation is a motivated sequence — a method of persuasion with 5 distinct steps:
Even though this framework was developed in the 1930s, it’s still a useful tool for people who want to improve their presenting skills.
For more insight into the importance of starting a presentation with a bang, we turned to professional speakers and communication experts.
We put the question to Mark Beal , Assistant Professor of Professional Practice, Communication, at Rutgers University School of Communication and Information. Here’s what he had to say:
“It is critically important to engage your audience immediately at the start of a presentation in a high-energy manner, or you could lose them to their mobile phone or laptop and you may never get them back.”
Speaker, author, communication skills trainer, and editorial producer at CNN, Nadia Bilchik , added:
“The beginning of your presentation is your prime real estate. It’s when your audience decides if you are worth paying attention to or not.”
So, in addition to capturing the audience’s attention , your introduction also needs to establish your authority .
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Having said that, let’s talk about the specific steps you need to take before you begin presenting to make your presentation opening as memorable as it can be.
Before we tell you how to start a presentation speech, let’s take a moment to consider the best preparation practices .
Naturally, preparing the introductory lines for your presentation should take place well before the speech itself.
Even so, many novice speakers are still unaware of the different factors that should influence and inform their decisions in this regard.
Luckily, we have managed to boil the results of our extensive research down to the following 3 tips:
Having said that, let’s see what each of those tips entails.
As Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich , puts it:
“Experience has taught me that the next best thing to being truly great is to emulate the great, by feeling and action, as nearly as possible.”
With that in mind, the best thing you can do before drafting your speech is observe the way others have made theirs.
In this case, you’ll want to focus on the way professional speakers introduce themselves and the subjects of their presentations .
The goal of this exercise is to determine:
Somewhere in the middle of those categories is where you’ll find the opening lines of your presentation.
For their part, the experts we have contacted seem to agree with this tip.
Nadia Bilchik said:
“I have been speaking and training speaking skills for three decades and I still do a tremendous amount of research and customize each and every presentation. If I am speaking […] about the hybrid workplace, I will Google [the] latest statistics. I will also go onto YouTube to see what other speakers and thought leaders are saying about the subject.”
And Mark Beal mirrored her thoughts:
“I am consistently studying presentations in a quest to be a student who is always learning, evolving, transforming, and innovating my approach to presenting. I closely watch all types of presentations, from TEDx Talks to my former students who return to guest lecture in my university courses.”
According to the other authors of Communicating at Work , an introduction has 5 distinct objectives . It should:
With those goals in mind, Nadia Bilchik would even say that:
“It’s always best to have someone else introduce you and confirm your credibility.”
That puts the onus of explaining why you deserve to be there on the host of the meeting and allows you to skip that part of the introduction.
However, these 5 objectives are not a checklist you have to follow at all costs.
Depending on the circumstances surrounding your presentation, some of them will matter more than others.
Speaking of, there’s one last thing to keep in mind when crafting your presentation opening.
The audience you end up presenting to will affect everything from the way you organize your presentation to your style of delivery — and even the supporting materials you use.
Your presentation’s opening lines are no exception.
In other words, the content and style of your introduction will depend on the size of the group you’re speaking to and its demographic breakdown .
However, perhaps the most important audience attribute you’ll have to keep in mind is its willingness to listen and engage with your message .
In Business Communication: Process & Product , authors Mary Guffey and Dana Loewy have identified 4 types of audiences based on that factor:
Luckily, Guffey and Loewy have also provided some guidance for dealing with each of those kinds of audiences.
AUDIENCE TYPE | ||
---|---|---|
– Be warm and pleasant – Include humor and personal experiences – Involve the audience – Try something new | / | |
– Be confident – Use subtle gestures – Use facts, statistics, and expert opinions – Present both sides of an issue – Save time for audience questions | – Do anything showy – Use humor or rely on personal stories – Show flashy visuals | |
– Be brief — no more than 3 points – Be dynamic and entertaining – Move around and use large gestures – Fall back on humor, cartoons, colorful visuals, and interesting statistics | – Bore the audience – Darken the room – Stand motionless – Pass out handouts – Use boring visuals – Expect audience participation | |
– Be calm and controlled – Speak evenly and slowly – Stick to objective data and expert opinions | – Use personal examples and humor – Allow Q&A segments without a moderator |
It’s the day of your big presentation — time to go big or go home.
Which of the following tips would you incorporate in your presentation opening lines?
If you haven’t thought about which one of these would help you get your point across effectively — don’t worry.
We’re about to explain each of those tips and provide some illuminating examples and specific phrases you can use when starting a presentation.
One thing you need to know about starting a presentation is that your work begins the moment you set foot on that stage .
Alternatively, it begins the moment someone passes you the (literal or figurative) mic — if we’re taking into account the presentations that take place on video conferencing platforms.
In any case, you’ll want the audience to see you as someone who knows what they’re talking about . That includes:
One of the experts we spoke to, Reesa Woolf , PhD, keynote speaker, bestselling author, and executive speaking coach, would even advise you to rehearse your opener and closer to the point of being able to “deliver them with 100% eye contact.”
For what it’s worth, overpreparing also allows you to appear more confident when presenting , as you’ll be less worried about forgetting parts of your speech.
Then again, a moment of forgetfulness can also be turned into a tool for establishing a commanding presence.
Namely, staying still or being quiet for a moment can make the audience pay closer attention to you.
But, if that’s something you’d like to try, make sure the technique doesn’t clash with the type of audience you’re presenting to .
Have you ever heard a professional public speaker use one of these phrases?
The chances of a professional using these phrases are pretty slim — so why would you?
Well, there’s nothing wrong with following a traditional format to introduce yourself .
However, you’ll have to admit that the sentences we have listed above don’t pack the same punch as some of the other presentation opening lines we have included in this article.
Keynote speaker, Forbes contributor, career change consultant, and host of the Career Relaunch® podcast, Joseph Liu , recommends avoiding greetings altogether .
“While I do say hello, rather than starting with drawn-out greetings, I recommend diving right into the presentation with a hook so your audience immediately switches on to the content you’re about to present.”
Speaker, bestselling author, and award-winning accountant, Tatiana Tsoir , notes:
“People’s attention span is 20 minutes max, which is why TEDx is capped at 18 min. Also, people generally remember the beginning and the end, so make sure those are strong [and] get to the point fast.”
So, instead of wasting time on small talk, use an opener that will get your audience’s attention as quickly as possible.
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Even though the examples we have listed would be considered a weak way to start a speech, some of them are ideal for starting a business meeting. If you want to know some other expressions that might come in handy in that kind of setting, check out this article:
As we have established, starting a presentation with a traditional introduction may not be the best way to get the audience’s attention.
Still, you’ll have to establish your credibility at some point — so we might as well illustrate how to do so properly.
Of course, if you’re a teacher or an educator in broader terms, you probably won’t have to prove your expertise to your audience.
However, if you’re tasked with presenting in front of neutral or hostile audiences, you’ll want to establish your qualifications as soon as possible.
If you can’t get someone else to introduce you and establish your credibility before you start your presentation, we suggest hooking the audience first and then introducing yourself right before you head into the main part of the speech.
We have come up with 3 imaginary presentation scenarios to help illustrate our points throughout this guide.
Here’s how our speakers might introduce themselves:
“Hello, everyone. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Nick Mulder, the head of the security department. I’m here to talk to you about phishing.”
“My name is Joan Miller. As someone with over four decades of experience in marketing, I’m uniquely qualified to talk to you about how artificial intelligence is changing the future of the industry.”
“I’m Milo Green — you probably know me as being the founder of Green & Co. As someone who’s had a hand in running a successful business for over two decades, I’m here to explain how my company’s employee retention rate has never fallen below 85% in a single year.”
If these speakers started with a hook rather than an introduction, the sentences introducing the subject of their presentations would be excessive.
So far, there’s been a lot of discussion about “hooks” in this article and not many specific examples of phrases that might hook an audience — let’s change that.
The first type of hook you might want to master, especially for professional presentations, is the “promise.”
One of the experts we have spoken to, Reesa Wolf, uses that very method:
“Begin with a brief statement about the benefits of listening to [your] message. You can give an example of a company or person like them that had the issue they have and how these ideas solved it, but it still must be brief.”
In other words, start by giving them a preview of the knowledge they’ll have by the time you finish your presentation.
This method of starting a presentation is a great way to:
Ultimately, audiences are self-interested — they will listen to you if you explain what’s in it for them.
Usually, that will require you to point out a problem they are having or an opportunity they’re not taking advantage of.
To put this tip in perspective, let’s hear from our imaginary presenters:
“By the end of my talk, you’ll be able to spot phishing emails and understand the steps you need to take when you do.”
“My presentation will alleviate any worries you might have about the ways the marketing sector will need to adapt to the AI revolution.”
“During this talk, you’ll learn how your company can improve its relationship with its employees and boost its retention rate.”
One thing you should note as you are writing your presentation opening is that the first words you say will set the tone for the rest of your speech .
If offering a realistic promise to your audience suits your presentation subject — by all means, do so.
However, if you’d like to induce excitement and keep your audience’s mood elevated throughout your presentation, you might want to go for a more dramatic entrance instead.
Namely, you could start with:
Many speakers rely on these kinds of openers to establish the central theme of their presentation naturally .
After all, this method can make the speaker look more approachable and relatable , particularly if their opening line references other people (e.g. “the other day, I met someone/a coworker told me…” ).
One example of this technique comes from author, entrepreneur, and certified fraud examiner, Pamela Meyer, who famously started her TED Talk by pointing to an audience member and saying:
“Okay, now, I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room, but it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar. Also, the person to your left is a liar! Also, the person sitting in your very seat is a liar.”
The combination of starting her speech with such a shocking statement and pointing out a specific audience member makes Meyer’s TED Talk an iconic one in our books!
Now, let’s see how our imaginary speakers would apply this tip:
“1,270,883! What do you think that number signifies? If you guessed ‘the number of phishing attacks recorded in the third quarter of 2022’ — you’d be right! We have the Anti-Phishing Working Group to thank for that disturbing piece of trivia.”
“Artificial intelligence is coming for our jobs! At least, according to Chat GPT and Business Insider , people working in tech, media, law, and many other industries might want to look elsewhere for employment in the coming years.”
“When I first started my company, I did it with about 20 of my most trusted friends and advisers. I’m happy to report that all but two are still working for Green & Co. — and those two are only absent because they’ve started their own successful ventures! In any case, my wish to surround myself with high-quality people has manifested itself in the company’s high employee retention rates. Today, I’m going to tell you about how I created an environment that makes employees want to stick around.”
When in doubt, you could always start the introduction to your presentation with a quote.
As long as you don’t overuse other peoples’ words in your speeches, quotations are a completely legitimate and convenient tool for introducing the topic you’ll be discussing.
Aside from being a tried and true method of getting people’s attention without having to string together a perfect sentence on your own, quoting a particularly impressive individual is a good way to “borrow” their authority .
However, that can also be a double-edged sword , since it can also give you the individual’s notoriety. So, make sure you know whose words you’re echoing.
Of course, some people would advise you to avoid quotes altogether.
Assistant Professor of Rhetorical Communication at the State University of New York, Dr. Lee M. Pierce , cautions against starting your presentation “with quotes or long personal stories.”
Doing so might bore the audience.
Then again, Dr. Pierce also enjoys using pop culture references as openers, saying:
“By choosing a pop culture reference that most of your audience gets, you build instant rapport and have something you can use to ease them into your presentation material.”
So, perhaps there’s still a way to work a quote into your presentation, as long as it fits the mood you’re trying to establish.
If your presentation happens to be about team communication or collaboration, you may find the perfect quote to use in your introduction in one of these articles:
So, how would our three fictional speakers incorporate quotations in their opening lines? Let’s find out.
“According to Harper Reed, entrepreneur and Chief Technology Officer for Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, ‘Very smart people are often tricked by hackers, by phishing.’ So it’s not about being smart. It’s about being smarter than a hacker.’ And I’m here to help you get there.”
“Stephen Hawking once said that ‘Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately,’ he said, ‘it might also be the last, unless we know how to avoid the risks.’ I’m here to alleviate your concerns about those risks.”
“When I was developing my management style, I often referred back to one particular quote by Max DePree, founder of Herman Miller. He said, ‘The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality. The last is to say thank you. In between, the leader is a servant.’ That sentiment clarified my function for me — even though I was the CEO of my company, I was primarily there to help my employees.”
If you want to make sure your audience understands what you’re talking about, you could also show the quote on the first slide of your presentation.
Using relevant, interesting statistics is another great way to introduce the topic of your presentation.
This tip could also be an excellent tool for establishing your qualifications, if you decide to share a statistic that proves the efficacy of the solution you’re presenting.
Just keep in mind that people tend to trust third-party sources more than a potentially unverifiable statistic coming from your organization’s internal research.
Let’s see how our three presenters might incorporate this tip.
“According to APWG, the number of wire transfer Business Email Compromise (BEC) attacks increased by 59% in the third quarter of 2022.”
“Netflix took 3.5 years to reach a million users. Facebook took 10 months. ChatGPT, which has been dubbed the best AI chatbot ever released by New York Times, reached its first million users in only 5 days. By January 2023, over 100 million people had used the service.”
“According to the 2022 Workplace Learning Report from LinkedIn Learning, companies that enable their employees to advance internally retain employees for an average of 5.4 years. That’s nearly twice as long as companies that struggle to provide opportunities for internal mobility, where the average retention span is 2.9 years.”
And, if you wanted to go the extra mile, you could also represent the statistics you’re talking about with a visual element.
Once you start researching public speakers, you’ll find that many of them engage their audience by asking questions .
It goes back to the concept of “hooking” your audience. According to Joseph Liu:
“The best way to start a presentation is with a hook. For example, ask a question. Invite people to do something. Have your audience imagine a situation. Or, surprise them with an interesting fact.”
Indeed, most of the experts we have spoken to would confirm that questions are the best tool for increasing audience participation . As Nadia Bilchik would say:
“ I like to ask my audience a question. […] the key is to invite participation from the start. ”
With that in mind, there are 2 types of questions you can use, depending on the situation:
Either way, the questions should prompt the audience to start thinking about the subject of your lecture.
Our resident phishing expert might ask his audience one of the following questions:
“How do you protect your company from phishing attacks?”
“Let’s see a show of hands — how many of you know what phishing is?”
“Has anyone here fallen prey to a phishing attack?”
Joan Miller, the digital marketer we have envisioned, might ask:
“Who here is already using AI to conduct their business?”
“Will your company survive the AI revolution?”
“Would you rather incorporate AI into your marketing strategy or continue doing business as usual? Think carefully about this question — and use the link I’m about to send you to tell me your answers. By the end of my presentation, I’ll run this question by you again, and we’ll see how the results of the poll have changed.”
Lastly, our imaginary CEO might ask his audience:
“Does your company’s employee retention rate matter?”
“How are you making your company a desirable place to work?”
”Can anyone here tell me their company’s employee retention rate?”
If you sense that your audience isn’t in the mood to take in the kind of presentation you have prepared, you can prime them for it with humor.
Cracking a joke at the top of your presentation sets the scene for a lighthearted conversation and makes you appear confident (even if you’re not). Additionally, a well-placed joke can:
But, humor is an art form — and not everyone has the talent and skill to execute this tip effectively. If it doesn’t come naturally, there’s no need to force it.
When in doubt, take a page out of the comedian’s playbook and run your opening joke by a friend or, better yet, a more neutral acquaintance.
Of course, even if your joke works on them, you can’t always account for cultural or even professional differences that might prevent some people in the audience from getting it.
The 3 speakers we have imagined might use the following jokes to kick off their presentations:
“Can anyone tell me a hacker’s favorite season? Phishing season, of course! Unfortunately, in real life, phishing season is more of a year-round kind of thing.”
“Why are people so nice to AI? Because it’s self-conscious! Just kidding. For now… Actually, I have good news and bad news. The bad news is that AI does seem to be gaining traction, particularly in the marketing industry. But, the good news is that I’m here to tell you how to navigate that situation.”
“Did you know that staff retention is more likely to be improved by offering better working conditions than by chaining employees to their desks? Much to think about!”
Most of these examples would pair wonderfully with a visual element — which brings us to our final tip!
Different speakers have different approaches when it comes to the visual aspects of their presentations.
Some rely on their speech to get most of the information across. Yet, others prefer to make their presentation slides a more integral part of their presentation.
We imagine Joseph Liu would sort himself into the latter group:
“I tend to keep my presentations as visual as possible, relying less on quotes and more on imagery.”
If you decide to let visuals do some of the heavy lifting for your presentation, there are several ways to incorporate them. Namely, you could:
The type of visuals you end up using will depend on the type of presentation you’re giving.
Either way, you’ll want to become familiar with different elements of visual communication (such as colors, shapes, fonts, and layouts) if you want to make your presentation truly memorable.
Visual communication is one of 4 types of communication. If you’re curious about what the other 3 types of communication are and how we use them in our everyday lives, check out the following article:
Going back to our 3 speakers, let’s see how they might incorporate visual elements into their presentation introductions.
“According to APWG, these are the most targeted industries for phishing scams in the third quarter of 2022.”
“The following demonstration of AI’s capabilities might change some of your outlooks on the future of marketing. I have shared my computer screen with you all, so let’s take a moment to see where this tech is at right now through a demonstration of the existing software.”
“Before I start my presentation, let’s look at a video showcasing the importance of having a high employee retention rate.”
You could also combine this tip with the others on our list , by saying something like:
Having concluded our list of tips, we wanted to see how the experts we have spoken to have put them into practice.
So, let’s start with the way they conceptualize and write their presentation starting lines.
Every memorable presentation starts with a written copy of everything you want to say.
According to Tatiana Tsoir:
“Developing a speech is a craft. I generally work first on who the audience is , then my core message I want them to walk away with, then the outline of the speech : how and when I introduce the main idea, and how I make a case for it and reiterate it throughout.”
Ultimately, the best time to write your presentation introduction would be once you have a clear idea of everything you want to say in the body and conclusion of your speech.
Even so, sticking to this advice won’t make you a better speaker immediately.
Instead, our experts have stressed that the only way to get better at presenting is through practice and repetition .
Take it from Tatiana:
“With public impactful speaking you don’t rise to the occasion, you fall back on training and practice.”
As you are drafting your presentation introduction, keep in mind that the audience is already waiting for you to get to the point.
When in doubt, follow Reesa Woolf’s formula for starting a presentation:
“Open with the attention-catching statement/story/quotation. Once they look at you, say your name and the parts of your experience and credentials that THEY would be most impressed by, at most 3 things about you.”
After delivering your opener and introducing yourself, you’ll want to quickly transition into the main part of your presentation.
As we have previously mentioned, many of the experts we have contacted stressed the importance of increasing audience engagement.
Knowing your audience is a big part of that equation, as Dr. Lee M. Pierce would testify:
“Presentations should take advantage of what makes them unique — having an audience. Engage them, [and] introduce yourself. Just don’t start with a question right away — that’s asking too much too soon.”
Then again, many of the experts we have spoken to have said that asking questions is a good way to invite audience participation.
For example, Nadia Bilchik would even engage her audiences on a more physical level:
“I like to ask my audience a thought-provoking question. This gets them from passive to active mode. I also always get my audience to stand up and do a breathing exercise.”
Nadia also provided us with an example of an audience interaction she might use in the introduction of her speaking engagements. For example, she might ask the audience:
“ How do you rate your ability to present information in a concise, clear, and confident manner? High, medium, or low?”
After receiving her answers by a show of hands or even an online poll, she connects the response to the topic of her presentation by stating:
“Wherever you are on the spectrum, in the next X minutes, I will share tips and techniques to ensure you have a greater impact every time you communicate to an audience of one or 100!”
That’s a textbook opener you can use to introduce the topics of your own presentation, too!
Remember, nothing is stopping you from combining the tips we have mentioned throughout this guide to create a presentation introduction that is wholly unique to you.
If you’re unsure how to do that, let’s analyze a professional speaker’s technique.
Mark Beal told us about a presentation opening he’s created for his lectures:
“I start each of my Gen Z keynote presentations by physically walking off the stage and into the audience and asking a series of Gen Z trivia questions.
For those who answer the questions directly, I reward them with a copy of my latest Gen Z book. By taking this proactive approach, I physically engage the audience immediately not from the podium but in their seats.
My presentation instantly transforms from a one-way monologue into a two-way conversation and the audience begins to learn about my topic, Gen Z, in a fun and informative way.”
Can you connect the strategies Mark has used with the tips we have discussed? Let’s list them:
When you start researching famous speakers to prepare for your presentation, try dissecting the strategies they’re using.
As you have seen above, it is crucial to conceptualize and think of your presentation’s starting lines.
To check if everything is fine, you can reach out to your colleagues via direct messages or dedicated channels and ask them for their opinions.
Your colleagues might provide some useful tips that will help you further improve your presentation in threads , just below your message or post.
As Dr Lee M. Pearce pinpoints, having the right audience for the presentation is important. Hence, we recommend scheduling a video call so your closest colleagues and invited guests can see your new presentation and its opening lines, and provide suggestions, if necessary.
Of course, Pumble also comes in handy when it comes to holding presentations — thanks to its screen sharing feature that allows you to present to the entire meeting.
Finally, Pumble has an unlimited message history , so every message or file you have sent will forever stay in your message history. That might come in handy if you ever have to work on a similar presentation in the future.
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Olga Milicevic is a communication researcher and author dedicated to making your professional life a bit easier. She believes that everyone should have the tools necessary to respond to their coworkers’ requests and communicate their own professional needs clearly and kindly.
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Hrideep barot.
Powerful speech opening lines set the tone and mood of your speech. It’s what grips the audience to want to know more about the rest of your talk.
The first few seconds are critical. It’s when you have maximum attention of the audience. And you must capitalize on that!
Instead of starting off with something plain and obvious such as a ‘Thank you’ or ‘Good Morning’, there’s so much more you can do for a powerful speech opening (here’s a great article we wrote a while ago on how you should NOT start your speech ).
To help you with this, I’ve compiled some of my favourite openings from various speakers. These speakers have gone on to deliver TED talks , win international Toastmaster competitions or are just noteworthy people who have mastered the art of communication.
After each speaker’s opening line, I have added how you can include their style of opening into your own speech. Understanding how these great speakers do it will certainly give you an idea to create your own speech opening line which will grip the audience from the outset!
Alright! Let’s dive into the 15 powerful speech openings…
Note: Want to take your communications skills to the next level? Book a complimentary consultation with one of our expert communication coaches. We’ll look under the hood of your hurdles and pick two to three growth opportunities so you can speak with impact!
Opening: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”
Putting your audience in a state of imagination can work extremely well to captivate them for the remainder of your talk.
It really helps to bring your audience in a certain mood that preps them for what’s about to come next. Speakers have used this with high effectiveness by transporting their audience into an imaginary land to help prove their point.
When Ric Elias opened his speech, the detail he used (3000 ft, sound of the engine going clack-clack-clack) made me feel that I too was in the plane. He was trying to make the audience experience what he was feeling – and, at least in my opinion, he did.
When using the imagination opening for speeches, the key is – detail. While we want the audience to wander into imagination, we want them to wander off to the image that we want to create for them. So, detail out your scenario if you’re going to use this technique.
Make your audience feel like they too are in the same circumstance as you were when you were in that particular situation.
Opening: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”
Opening: “There’s nowhere I would rather be on a day like this than around all this electoral equipment.” (It was raining)
When you use humour in a manner that suits your personality, it can set you up for a great speech. Why? Because getting a laugh in the first 30 seconds or so is a great way to quickly get the audience to like you.
And when they like you, they are much more likely to listen to and believe in your ideas.
Obama effortlessly uses his opening line to entice laughter among the audience. He brilliantly used the setting (the context of Trump becoming President) and said a line that completely matched his style of speaking.
Saying a joke without really saying a joke and getting people to laugh requires you to be completely comfortable in your own skin. And that’s not easy for many people (me being one of them).
If the joke doesn’t land as expected, it could lead to a rocky start.
Keep in mind the following when attempting to deliver a funny introduction:
Opening: Puts a cigarette on his lips, lights a lighter, stops just before lighting the cigarette. Looks at audience, “What?”
Opening: Puts a white pair of briefs over his pants.
The reason props work so well in a talk is because in most cases the audience is not expecting anything more than just talking. So when a speaker pulls out an object that is unusual, everyone’s attention goes right to it.
It makes you wonder why that prop is being used in this particular speech.
The key word here is unusual . To grip the audience’s attention at the beginning of the speech, the prop being used should be something that the audience would never expect. Otherwise, it just becomes something that is common. And common = boring!
What Mohammed Qahtani and Darren Tay did superbly well in their talks was that they used props that nobody expected them to.
By pulling out a cigarette and lighter or a white pair of underwear, the audience can’t help but be gripped by what the speaker is about to do next. And that makes for a powerful speech opening.
Opening: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”
Opening: “The human voice. It’s the instrument we all play. It’s the most powerful sound in the world. Probably the only one that can start a war or say “I love you.” And yet many people have the experience that when they speak people don’t listen to them. Why is that? How can we speak powerfully to make change in the world?”
I use this method often. Starting off with a question is the simplest way to start your speech in a manner that immediately engages the audience.
But we should keep our questions compelling as opposed to something that is fairly obvious.
I’ve heard many speakers start their speeches with questions like “How many of us want to be successful?”
No one is going to say ‘no’ to that and frankly, I just feel silly raising my hand at such questions.
Simon Sinek and Jullian Treasure used questions in a manner that really made the audience think and make them curious to find out what the answer to that question is.
What Jullian Treasure did even better was the use of a few statements which built up to his question. This made the question even more compelling and set the theme for what the rest of his talk would be about.
So think of what question you can ask in your speech that will:
Opening: Long pause (after an absurdly long introduction of a 57-word speech title). “Be honest. You enjoyed that, didn’t you?”
The reason this speech opening stands out is because of the fact that the title itself is 57 words long. The audience was already hilariously intrigued by what was going to come next.
But what’s so gripping here is the way Aaron holds the crowd’s suspense by…doing nothing. For about 10 to 12 seconds he did nothing but stand and look at the audience. Everyone quietened down. He then broke this silence by a humorous remark that brought the audience laughing down again.
When going on to open your speech, besides focusing on building a killer opening sentence, how about just being silent?
It’s important to keep in mind that the point of having a strong opening is so that the audience’s attention is all on you and are intrigued enough to want to listen to the rest of your speech.
Silence is a great way to do that. When you get on the stage, just pause for a few seconds (about 3 to 5 seconds) and just look at the crowd. Let the audience and yourself settle in to the fact that the spotlight is now on you.
I can’t put my finger on it, but there is something about starting the speech off with a pure pause that just makes the beginning so much more powerful. It adds credibility to you as a speaker as well, making you look more comfortable and confident on stage.
If you want to know more about the power of pausing in public speaking , check out this post we wrote. It will give you a deeper insight into the importance of pausing and how you can harness it for your own speeches. You can also check out this video to know more about Pausing for Public Speaking:
Opening: “I need to make a confession at the outset here. Little over 20 years ago, I did something that I regret. Something that I’m not particularly proud of. Something that in many ways I wish no one would ever know but that here I feel kind of obliged to reveal.”
Opening: “I have a confession to make. But first I want you to make a little confession to me.”
When there are so many amazing ways to start a speech and grip an audience from the outset, why would you ever choose to begin your speech with a ‘Good morning?’.
That’s what I love about build-ups. They set the mood for something awesome that’s about to come in that the audience will feel like they just have to know about.
Instead of starting a speech as it is, see if you can add some build-up to your beginning itself. For instance, in Kelly McGonigal’s speech, she could have started off with the question of stress itself (which she eventually moves on to in her speech). It’s not a bad way to start the speech.
But by adding the statement of “I have a confession to make” and then not revealing the confession for a little bit, the audience is gripped to know what she’s about to do next and find out what indeed is her confession.
Opening: “So in college, I was a government major. Which means that I had to write a lot of papers. Now when a normal student writes a paper, they might spread the work out a little like this.”
Opening: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”
“The most powerful person in the world is the storyteller.” Steve Jobs
Storytelling is the foundation of good speeches. Starting your speech with a story is a great way to grip the audience’s attention. It makes them yearn to want to know how the rest of the story is going to pan out.
Tim Urban starts off his speech with a story dating back to his college days. His use of slides is masterful and something we all can learn from. But while his story sounds simple, it does the job of intriguing the audience to want to know more.
As soon as I heard the opening lines, I thought to myself “If normal students write their paper in a certain manner, how does Tim write his papers?”
Combine such a simple yet intriguing opening with comedic slides, and you’ve got yourself a pretty gripping speech.
Scott Dismore’s statement has a similar impact. However, just a side note, Scott Dismore actually started his speech with “Wow, what an honour.”
I would advise to not start your talk with something such as that. It’s way too common and does not do the job an opening must, which is to grip your audience and set the tone for what’s coming.
Opening: “I want to discuss with you this afternoon why you’re going to fail to have a great career.”
Opening: “You will live 7.5 minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”
Making a provocative statement creates a keen desire among the audience to want to know more about what you have to say. It immediately brings everyone into attention.
Larry Smith did just that by making his opening statement surprising, lightly humorous, and above all – fearful. These elements lead to an opening statement which creates so much curiosity among the audience that they need to know how your speech pans out.
This one time, I remember seeing a speaker start a speech with, “Last week, my best friend committed suicide.” The entire crowd was gripped. Everyone could feel the tension in the room.
They were just waiting for the speaker to continue to know where this speech will go.
That’s what a hard-hitting statement does, it intrigues your audience so much that they can’t wait to hear more! Just a tip, if you do start off with a provocative, hard-hitting statement, make sure you pause for a moment after saying it.
Silence after an impactful statement will allow your message to really sink in with the audience.
Related article: 5 Ways to Grab Your Audience’s Attention When You’re Losing it!
Opening: In a boxing stance, “Life would sometimes feel like a fight. The punches, jabs and hooks will come in the form of challenges, obstacles and failures. Yet if you stay in the ring and learn from those past fights, at the end of each round, you’ll be still standing.”
In a talk, the audience is expecting you to do just that – talk. But when you enter the stage and start putting your full body into use in a way that the audience does not expect, it grabs their attention.
Body language is critical when it comes to public speaking. Hand gestures, stage movement, facial expressions are all things that need to be paid attention to while you’re speaking on stage. But that’s not I’m talking about here.
Here, I’m referring to a unique use of the body that grips the audience, like how Ramona did. By using her body to get into a boxing stance, imitating punches, jabs and hooks with her arms while talking – that’s what got the audience’s attention.
The reason I say this is so powerful is because if you take Ramona’s speech and remove the body usage from her opening, the entire magic of the opening falls flat.
While the content is definitely strong, without those movements, she would not have captured the audience’s attention as beautifully as she did with the use of her body.
So if you have a speech opening that seems slightly dull, see if you can add some body movement to it.
If your speech starts with a story of someone running, actually act out the running. If your speech starts with a story of someone reading, actually act out the reading.
It will make your speech opening that much more impactful.
Related article: 5 Body Language Tips to Command the Stage
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So there it is! 15 speech openings from some of my favourite speeches. Hopefully, these will act as a guide for you to create your own opening which is super impactful and sets you off on the path to becoming a powerful public speaker!
But remember, while a speech opening is super important, it’s just part of an overall structure.
If you’re serious about not just creating a great speech opening but to improve your public speaking at an overall level, I would highly recommend you to check out this course: Acumen Presents: Chris Anderson on Public Speaking on Udemy. Not only does it have specific lectures on starting and ending a speech, but it also offers an in-depth guide into all the nuances of public speaking.
Being the founder of TED Talks, Chris Anderson provides numerous examples of the best TED speakers to give us a very practical way of overcoming stage fear and delivering a speech that people will remember. His course has helped me personally and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn public speaking.
No one is ever “done” learning public speaking. It’s a continuous process and you can always get better. Keep learning, keep conquering and keep being awesome!
Lastly, if you want to know how you should NOT open your speech, we’ve got a video for you:
Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you
Copyright © 2023 Frantically Speaking All rights reserved
Chetan saiya.
In this article, we will lay down presentation tips and tricks. Learning how to start a presentation is just as important as knowing how to finish it. It is the beginning of the conversation that can make or break it in capturing your audience’s attention. We forget that there are many ways to start a presentation that will engage the hearts and minds of the people you want to convey your message to.
Getting your audience’s attention from the beginning is the most important thing one can do in starting a dynamic presentation . Yes, you want to introduce yourself and complete the formalities as quickly as possible, but without grabbing their attention, you’ve already lost them. Remembering the importance of design and capturing the attention of who you’re speaking to will set you up for the many other strategies we convey.
Another important formality is welcoming your audience with a thank you. It shows both sincerity and appreciation and additionally establishes a sense of community with your audience. A great example of this is welcoming them coupled with a thank you for the opportunity to speak, pitch, or share.
In general, it is not a good idea to memorize your entire speech. It is however a good idea to memorize the beginning 4 – 10 sentences. This is critical because it allows you to feel confident and ride the wave of confidence as you continue your presentation or team presentation . Even marketers and salespeople can benefit from this approach with slides they use to further buttress their messaging. Most people think the best presenters wing it. While this is true, they typically practice and memorize the beginning and ending of their talks. This is a professional practice you should always leverage to your advantage.
State the purpose of your presentation.
Generally, your audience will know your purpose or why you’re there but you want to be sure to make it clear to them. For example, as an investment advisor, you may be pitching to help your client succeed in an online stock trading opportunity. As you begin to pitch to your client, they’ll know you’re there to talk about how you can help improve and diversify their investment portfolio. But another approach can be changing the purpose to “I’m here to discuss my team’s capabilities but more importantly discuss opportunities you can pursue and why they would be effective.” Thinking about the purpose gives you that northern star to point throughout your presentation and they’ll constantly revert to it.
Always remember to let the audience know how you will handle questions. If you are in a marketing or sales presentation, I would not bring this up. Simply give them the free will to ask questions when they best see fit.
We are all uncomfortable when there is silence. Yet incorporating silence into your creative presentation can be a valuable tool causing the audience to be attentive to what you are going to say next.
As a follow-up to silence or as a standalone, tell a joke to elicit laughter from the audience. Even for marketing and sales representatives, this can be a way to lighten the room and become more connected with the audience. Don’t overdo this as it can steer people away from your purpose, but proper usage of this technique can be effective in starting any presentation.
Many directors use this approach in their storytelling. They will start a scene in the far past or in the future and then always connect it back to the main story. This is a powerful tool to arouse the attention of the viewer, or in the presentation’s case, your audience. There are many great examples of this. One approach that marketers can use is displaying market activity from the past yet showing how your strategies can impact that performance.
Quoting someone is a great way to start any presentation. Just be sure to make it relevant to the purpose of your speech and presentation. If you are using slides, add a picture of the person you are quoting to add the best fonts and breadth to your presentation. With CustomShow, you can let the slide do the talking by leveraging audio and text for a unique quote experience .
We know that great speakers can be tough as nails, but those who upon up about their lives or their stories build a deeper relationship with their audience. When you start your presentation showcasing your ability to be vulnerable, you are giving yourself more chances to maintain the attention and interest of your audience.
This is as basic as it gets, but storytelling is the best way to connect with an audience. You can start at the beginning of your presentation and then connect it to the purpose of why you’re there. Many great presenters use this technique and it remains one of the most critical pieces to becoming an effective presenter. Nick Morgan wrote an interesting post on this in Forbes.
If you are pitching for business, this is a great strategy. You don’t want to come across as negative but thinking about problems that the company may not have thought of can be even more effective than simply stating what they already know. Some of the best marketers and salespeople (including Steve Jobs) employ this philosophy regularly.
Read more on: What is the Best Way to Deliver Presentations with Authenticity ?
The flipside is showcasing what opportunities they face. Show them the many benefits they could achieve by following your lead or the action you want them to take. This sense of optimism can perk up the audience and get them engaged pretty quickly.
To start a presentation you can begin with direct questions to the audience. It’s a great way to wake up their senses, get them engaged and get you more connected with them.
Read more on How to Prepare a Sales-Focused Research Presentation
Video remains a powerful mechanism to begin a presentation. In an industry roundup we did at CustomShow, we asked presentation experts for their thoughts on the video. They all agreed that it is an important prop but should be used sparingly. Therefore, create a video that is short and crisp and helps create a visual representation of your ideas. Keep in mind you want to use video to further your message, not overtake your message.
There can be a plethora of ways to shock the audience. You can show a funny video that showcases or furthers your purpose, state something contradictory to most people, or make fun of something….the sky is the limit. Remember to be smart about how you choose to shock your audience as it could backfire if what you do is offensive to the majority.
Showcasing data and statistics to prove a point remains a critical strategy not just at the beginning but also throughout. Use research and data only to further your points. Statistics can be boring but if there is some compelling information that can help further the conversation, statistics and data can be powerful tools, whether used at the very beginning or end of any presentation. With CustomShow, you can animate your data visualizations to show growth and make your insights more compelling.
Another powerful mechanism used by many speakers is getting the audience to imagine or think of something. This technique can be useful in starting a presentation.
What if you knew how to start a virtual presentation and capture your audience? What if your audience could be connected to your message and the words you say? The power of “what if” gives people a sense of how things can be if they follow your lead or your message. Again, that is why understanding your purpose and stating it gives people something to point to.
Just as if we’re asking the audience a question, we also want to get them engaged with a “show of hands” question. This is another technique many presenters use to create context and commonality.
Now we’re back to formalities that can help maintain and capture the audience. If the audience cannot hear you, you will lose them. Speaking from the gut (not in a low-pitched voice/from your throat) will add more volume and breadth to your speaking from the very beginning. While this is oftentimes overlooked, it’s one of the most important techniques speakers can use.
For those who tend to get nervous in larger audiences, picking different people in the audience to speak to can ease those nerves. Start this at the beginning of your presentation speaking to them directly. Pick different people to speak to in the room and everyone will think you are talking directly to them.
We would love to hear from you – what other techniques have you employed over the years? There are many tips and tricks presenters can use , but these are some of the most powerful ones that the very best presenters have used over the years.
If you’re looking for more design tips and tricks check out our partner SalesGraphics .
Read more on: When Creating a Presentation Based on Lots of Data, What Principle Should You Bear in Mind?
Our sales team can work with you to understand and tailor customshow to work for your business needs..
Capturing your audience’s attention right at the beginning is vitally important any successful presentation. According to new research , a powerful opening helps listeners stay engaged with the presentation throughout.
However, delivery and slide management is as important as the content you wish to share. In this post, we will be looking at some interesting, proven ways to engage your audience right from the get-go.
Many presenters often focus on the “what” and straight away jump to the “how” of their topic. However, it is important to focus on the “why” as well. Emphasize why there is a need to address the topic you are about to discuss.
Imagine you are giving a presentation on “The Benefits of Remote Work” and how to incorporate it using technology. Instead of just focusing on how you will go about working remotely, add some slides explaining why there is a need for remote work. This can add more context to your topic and help listeners understand the solution you offer more clearly.
You can start your talk by asking your audience to imagine a scenario related to the core idea of your presentation. Viewing the topic from their perspective can help the audience relate a lot better to your narrative.
For instance, you can ask the audience to imagine eating their favorite continental food. This can be followed up with introducing a new app to deliver different international cuisine items at affordable prices. The imagination helps your listeners visualize the benefit they could enjoy by using the app.
Using an engaging visual at the start can be a compelling way to start your slides. This can be a video, an intuitive chart, or even an infographic. It takes less time and cognitive effort for an average viewer to comprehend something visual than just plain text.
For instance, if you are going to present about climate change and its effects, a video about the impact it has on wildlife would strike a chord better than information given through text.
Building intrigue at the start can be a powerful way to incorporate your ideas and get your participants thinking. With this approach, you can place a single word, number, or a statistic in the first slide of your presentation. This helps build curiosity among participants and stimulate a discussion too.
While words might not always have the impact visual content does, there are some tried and tested lines that will probably work. For instance, adding a great quote relevant to the presentation topic can add credibility and context to the message you are trying to deliver.
For instance, the slide shown above can be used as an opening slide for an ad agency’s pitch. It is punchy, direct, and relates to the company being presented to.
Human beings, in general, are wired to pay attention to stories. Use a story that is related to your presentation and why you’re presenting that topic. If applicable, you can tell short, memorable anecdotes from your life experiences to capture the attention of the audience.
Questions can get the speaker and audience better acquainted with each other before the presentation. They are one of the most interactive ways to start a presentation.
Rhetorical questions are usually used to draw the attention of the audience and get them to form an opinion. Just be sure that the question sets them on course to agreeing with the core message of your presentation.
You can get your audience involved by posing a question and asking for a show of hands. For instance, you can ask a question like “how many of you had breakfast this morning?” You can then bring up a statistical insight that “1 in 5 working professionals skip breakfast and start the day with an unhealthy habit. Our team is striving towards finding ways to bring this number down. This would be welcome news for those that did not put your hand up.”
Use a surprising statistic or a shocking claim to capture the attention of your audience. This is similar to starting with a question—just ensure it directly relates to the topic discussed in the presentation and supports the message you will be delivering.
If you are planning to include statistics, make sure to include the source of the information. Citing a reputable source of information will help increase the credibility of your presentation. In this example above, the statistic about increasing electronic waste will make the audience take note and act on the message you are about to deliver about recycling e-waste.
Humor is always an effective way to break the ice with your participants. A joke can be used to introduce the topic of your presentation. Adding humor generates positive feelings among your audience and helps hold their attention for the duration of your presentation.
Some great presenters, like Steve Jobs, did not start their presentations with a generic introduction slide or a list of numbers. These presenters do a lot more and get the attention of the audience using innovative methods, like some of them listed above. Try these different techniques to find out the one that works best for you and incorporate it in your next presentation.
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Written by: Chloe West
When you're creating a presentation for a live audience or embedding it on a webpage for visitors to access on their own time, you want it to be engaging. And unfortunately, too many presentation slides are boring and forgettable.
But with Visme, we've put together 51 of our top presentation slides to help you find the perfect template for your next presentation.
To make navigation easier, we've broken them down into six categories. Browse through each below to find your next presentation slides.
Here's a short selection of 8 easy-to-edit presentation templates you can edit, share and download with Visme. View more below:
51 Best Presentation Slides for Engaging Presentations
Finance presentation slides.
Pitch deck presentation slides, nonprofit presentation slides, presentation slide faqs.
There are so many reasons you might need to give a presentation in your business or career. And we’ve got just the right templates to get you started.
After all, you’re probably spending enough time creating the content and rehearsing your presentation deck. You don’t need to worry about your presentation slide design at the same time.
Here are a few of the best presentation slide ideas based on topic material, like the ones you’re regularly using. And if you're racing against the clock, tap into Visme's AI presentation maker to create eye-catching presentations in seconds. Just input your prompt, provide more context, select your preferred style and watch the tool generate your slides. Customize every part of your presentation with our intuitive editor.
Customize this presentation template to make it your own! Edit and Download
Sick of seeing team members nod off or lose focus during your team meetings?
Put together your meeting agenda ahead of time using these presentation slides to help keep your team engaged and informed throughout.
This template comes with 15 premade presentation slides that cover everything from project management to charts showing performance and overall meeting objectives. Whatever you need to share in your meeting, you can find in this theme.
Plus, you can completely customize these business slides to match your company colors directly in Visme!
It’s important to ensure everyone on your team knows and understands the company’s goals. After all, everyone’s work should be geared towards achieving those goals.
You can use these nice business slides to put together a background of your company and how far it’s come, as well as detail your upcoming goals, launches and more.
If you’re speaking to a networking group about your company or pitching to investors, you likely need to give an overview of your company, its leadership team and its offerings.
These are the perfect presentation slides to help you put together a minimalistic design that draws focus towards your company and its mission.
Plus, all of these good-looking slides are perfectly set up to highlight your company’s most important assets.
And best of all, they’re completely customizable. Add in your own brand fonts and colors to create the perfect presentation for your business.
Make the goal-setting or design process a collaborative activity with the help of Visme’s collaborative feature . Team members can edit your presentation, leave feedback and draw annotations in real-time or at their own pace.
When it comes to project management, you could always just send over a boring email or report update, but a better way would be to put together a presentation updating your team and/or your supervisors on the status of the project and the remaining timeline.
This presentation theme comes with 14 different slides to help you put together a status report that covers all aspects of your project: the various phases and how far along each one is, the timeline for your project, a project health card and more.
You can also gain even more inspiration for your project timeline slides from these timeline infographic ideas .
Want to show your boss how the company is doing? Or share how your team’s efforts have affected the bottom line? Put together a presentation that shows your business’s results over the year.
While this presentation template comes with a fun geometric accent pattern, you’re able to swap out any of these shapes for ones that more accurately represent your business or your message right in Visme’s design dashboard.
Working on this design with your team? Effectively manage the process with Visme’s workflow management tool . You can assign different sections of the slide to your team members to work on set deadlines, manage progress, track corrections and more.
Are you starting a new business? You might be looking for investors, or perhaps you want to pitch the idea to a potential cofounder. You need to deploy the best presentation slides possible.
You can use this theme to put together a polished business plan presentation that showcases your business idea, the market summary, the industry opportunities and more.
You can also use Visme’s color themes to find the perfect color scheme for your presentation and your upcoming business. After all, your brand colors can say a lot about your business.
Put together a presentation that introduces a new product idea to your boss, your board of directors or your investors. Take advantage of the charts and graphs in Visme’s design dashboard to showcase various studies and statistics that prove why your idea will be profitable.
Or you can utilize this presentation theme to introduce a product to the public. If your company is in the process of developing a new product to release, a presentation introduction can be a great and engaging way to share it with your audience.
Whether you’re launching a new product or sharing the features of an already existing one, you can show off your product through a presentation with nice slides.
You can share your presentation on social media, on your website or at a large company event to announce it to your audience. Include bright, high-quality photos of your product and a list of its best features to really highlight your new release.
There are many different ways to create a brand style guide for your business. One great way is with a presentation.
These presentation example slides allow you to seamlessly input your fonts, colors and other visual guidelines into a single presentation so that you can easily share your brand with the designers, marketers and other members of your team.
These presentation slides can help you easily put together a business introduction template for a conference or networking event.
Just click above to edit in Visme, switch out your background with one of the thousands of options in our photo library, add in your own key facts, vision and values and download!
If you’re running out of ideas for your presentation , you can use Visme’s Writer AI to produce high-quality drafts, proofread your content or adjust its tone.
Put together a presentation to showcase upcoming trends in your industry. You can leave the patterns and colors the way they are in these existing presentation slides, or you can add in your own brand colors or product colors.
Understanding developing trends in your industry each year is important so that you know where your business should focus its efforts.
Sharing a presentation with your team is a great way to stay ahead of the curve.
Use these slide presentation examples to showcase your services and what you can offer your clients/customers. If you have a visual business, a presentation is an excellent way to highlight your work and show it off to prospective leads.
Swap out each photo in the example slides with photos of your work, update the fonts to match your brand voice (or upload your brand fonts) and add in the services you offer.
A slideshow presentation is a great way for you to showcase photos of your work alongside your service offerings. This template even includes social media icons on the last page so that viewers know how to find the business online.
Again, you’ll want to swap out all of the photos with your own work, but this presentation theme is a great way to get started.
Are you presenting a tutorial or step-by-step guide on how to do something? Using example slides to put together your content is a great idea.
It’s a disservice to your company and your customer to assume that everyone automatically knows how to use your product or service. Showing your audience exactly what to do is essential to your customer service strategy.
Spice up your presentation by adding stunning, high-resolution images and stock photos , videos , icons , widgets and other design elements.
Didn’t find any photos that caught your eye? We’ve got you. Use Visme’s AI image generator to whip up captivating images that match your presentation theme and design.
Even if you have photos that need editing, use Visme's AI Edit tools to touch up, unblur, upscale, erase and replace images with one click.
Putting together a customer survey is a great idea to understand how your audience feels about your industry or even your company. Grab those results and insert them into these presentation slides to share with your team.
You can also put together a blog post or webpage with survey results and embed this presentation directly into it so your audience can understand the state of the industry as well.
Visme’s design dashboard allows you to add in various charts and graphs that adjust automatically based on the numbers you input. After all, ain’t nobody got time for manually adjusting the sizes of bar graphs and pie charts.
Utilize these beautifully designed presentation slides to create a brief overview of your company and its offerings.
Having a readily available presentation overview of your company is a great idea for when you’re pitching investors, journalists for coverage and more. You don’t need to recreate a presentation each time. Instead, put together a visually appealing and informative one-size-fits-all overview.
You can add in your own photos or choose from Visme’s photo library to keep the same beautifully minimalistic appeal.
When sharing financial information, it’s always helpful to put together some kind of visual aid. This can be used to further emphasize your content, whether it’s about going over budget, showing off exciting revenue increases and more.
Check out these finance slide presentation examples to find the perfect template for your goals.
Use this template to put together a presentation that goes over your company’s expenses, sales, profits and more.
The built-in data visualization options allow you to showcase your point with more than just numbers. Add in a table of contents to keep your report organized and cohesive, letting your team know exactly what information they’ll find inside.
Need to report some financial statistics and data? These presentation slides are perfect for helping you insert cold, hard facts into your presentation.
Each slide includes a different type of chart or graph for you to choose from to fully represent your data and statistics. You can easily switch your color scheme by inputting your own brand colors or by choosing a preset color theme from Visme’s dashboard.
It’s important to know where it makes the most sense to market your product geographically. Showcase sales and overall company growth and profitability by location.
Knowing your revenue based on geographic location is essential for a global company, and this presentation template is perfect for the job.
Sign up. It’s free.
When it comes to sales and marketing for your company, there is a lot of data and information that can be represented visually. Creating sales and marketing presentations helps with keeping your team on the right track, but can also be a great way to make a pitch.
Learn more about creating essential sales and marketing presentations with these templates.
When you’re putting together a sales and marketing plan, you have to present it to your boss for approval, then to your team for implementation.
Use these presentation slides to help visualize your sales and marketing plan , including each of the upcoming tactics and strategies and the steps for putting them in place.
Having a presentation to refer back to allows your team to ensure they’re implementing the strategies properly.
Whether you’re introducing new marketing ideas to your team, pitching a new marketing strategy to your boss or to a new client, a presentation with nice slides is the perfect format.
Grab this presentation template that helps you to define your new ideas and share specific tactics for how they should be implemented for the business. Then get ready to rock your pitch and share your awesome new ideas.
Review market trends with your team so you know where to take your company’s marketing messaging. You can send out a customer survey or take a look at a few studies that have been done surrounding your industry to put together your market analysis report.
Input all of your findings into this presentation template so you can easily present it to your team or grab the link and send it in an email. Even if you’re not standing up to give a presentation, these presentation slides are still an engaging way to share necessary information.
Building a new marketing plan for your business? Put together great presentations for your marketing plan to share with your team.
Presenting your new marketing plan to the company is a great way to get everyone motivated and on board with new strategies and ideas.
You can add in your goals, objectives and even user personas with this ready-made marketing plan template.
Your sales team should be regularly providing insight on how much revenue the company is generating. And a great way to do that is through a sales report presentation or slideshow.
It’s important to stay informed of sales growth throughout the year. Share graphs of sales quarter-over-quarter or year-over-year to see where the company/sales team needs to improve.
Don’t just write a boring old press release to send out to journalists and media publications. Instead, create an interactive press release showcasing your launch.
A presentation press release will help your business stand out from the dry press releases most publications receive, offering even more incentive for them to highlight your business and its products/services.
Edit this business slide to add in your own brand touches, voice and launch information before grabbing the link and sending it off.
Sharing results of any marketing strategy is always essential. This is how you keep your team updated of any strategies that are working, and any strategies that need some adapting.
This presentation theme is a great way to share your current strategy and results. Input your platforms, your strategies and your metrics before presenting it to your team. Customize the presentation slides so that they cater perfectly to your company’s strategy.
Pitching a social media strategy to your boss can also be done well with a presentation. Showcase why social media is important to invest in, what your plan is and how it will affect the bottom line.
This presentation template already gets you started in perfectly pitching your own strategy. Simply adjust it to your brand colors and fonts and update the information with your own.
Presentations are huge in educational settings.
Whether you’re a teacher looking for an interactive way to share your lesson plan or a student trying to finish up a school project, we’ve got the presentation templates for you.
Take a look at our education presentation slide options to find one that works for you.
When working one-on-one with a student or mentee, it can be a good idea to put a training or education plan into place. These presentation slides are the perfect start to your lesson and can help to visualize the content and learn in a different way.
Putting together educational content in a presentation helps offer different formats for learning. Students are often not provided with all of the tools they need to learn the material, and an interactive presentation is a great place to start.
Putting together a book report to present for your class? Get started with a presentation theme that you can fully customize for your specific book.
These presentation slides allow you to seamlessly enter in the information about your main characters, the theme of the book, its timeline and any other pertinent information you need to share with the class.
Don’t worry about presentation design in your next project. We’ve already got it all put together for you! Simply click edit, insert your book content and download your presentation.
Help your class remember fast facts before a text with this trivia template. It’s a great way to host a study session in your classroom, and the content is easily interchangeable.
Or if you’re a student, put together a presentation study guide to help you memorize the most important key facts and information from class. A trivia presentation format can make for a fun study sesh before the test.
Don’t waste time putting together a dry Microsoft Word or PowerPoint lesson plan. Instead, create an interactive lesson plan that helps you stay on message during your class, and helps your students to know exactly what’s going to come next.
Group presentations just got a little more exciting. Blow the rest of your class’s projects away by using these presentation slides to compile your overall project objectives and results.
You can easily adjust colors and fonts, add in your team members and insert copy relevant to your class and your group project.
Don’t forget to thank your classmates and your teacher for listening in the end.
A pitch deck is an essential presentation for all businesses and entrepreneurs to have. There are many times you might need to pitch your business, whether it’s to investors for funding, journalists for media coverage and more.
Using a presentation template to put together your pitch deck is a great idea so that you can focus on pitching your business without having to worry about the design.
Browse through the pitch deck presentation slides below to find one that works for your business and its goals.
Give this Airbnb-inspired pitch deck presentation theme a go when putting together a slideshow for your business. In your company slide, include the solution that your business provides its customers, product/service information, and excerpts from press acknowledgements.
Showcase your business with this geometric pitch deck template inspired by Front. Add in the planned acquisition channels for your business, your leadership team and more.
Your pitch deck is meant to showcase your business to people who may want to work with you, so it’s important to share the most imperative information.
Showcase the state of the industry and your business’s role in it with this pitch presentation slides idea inspired by Buffer. The information these presentation slides include helps you to share the impact your company has had on your industry.
Since industries are ever-changing, you can easily update the information within your pitch deck in Visme and it will automatically sync to the webpage where you embed this presentation.
Use these presentation slides inspired by Intercom to give your audience an idea of what your product is going to look like and how it will work.
This is the perfect pitch deck template to take advantage of when launching a new SaaS product or app so that you can share what the technology will look like and how it will work.
Showcasing specific features and tutorials is a great way to get people talking about your product.
Is your company helping to fuel a movement? Share how your company is changing the industry with this pitch deck template inspired by WeWork.
It’s exciting when your business is doing more for your industry than simply adding another product or service. Focusing on a movement that really switches up the way your industry does things is an incredible feat.
Utilize a pitch deck template like the one above to showcase how your company is involved.
Does your business focus on content? Or perhaps you’re creating a new kind of media outlet?
Show off your content and analytics with this Buzzfeed-inspired pitch deck presentation template. Getting advertisers on board and other media outlets to talk about you is important for success.
This is why you need to be putting together a pitch deck that shares that kind of information. No one will want to work with you if you keep your analytics in the dark.
Use dynamic fields to ensure your brand information and other key details stays consistent across slides and other projects. These fields are customizable and change automatically based on input or predefined conditions.
Starting a new venture that you need funding for? Use these presentation slides to put together a pitch for investors in your business.
From showcasing the problem in the industry to your business’s solution, along with your business plan and pricing table is a great way to get potential investors interested in what you’re selling.
Compare and contrast what processes look like with and without your business with this pitch deck template inspired by LinkedIn.
It’s a great idea to take care of this in your pitch deck so that you make the job of any media outlet or writer covering your business even easier. After all, you’ve done the hard work for them.
They were going to share how your business helps. You’ve already visualized this in your pitch deck. This increases the chances that people will cover your business.
Use this pitch deck presentation theme inspired by Mattermark to put together key questions about the industry that showcase why your business is so essential.
Launching a startup is hard work, and that’s why a pitch deck is an essential marketing tool to have. Creating a pitch deck that already answers the why and how questions of your business is a great way to introduce who you are and what you’re doing to investors and reporters.
Put together an overview of how your product works with this pitch deck presentation template inspired by Foursquare.
With presentation slides already in place to showcase a step-by-step tutorial, all you have to do is input your content and publish your presentation.
If your company has been doing some awesome stuff lately, you want your potential investors and those looking to work with your business to know about it.
Show off your company achievements with this pitch deck presentation template inspired by the famous Fyre Festival pitch deck.
Use these presentation slides inspired by Biogrify to excite people about how they can use your product. If you have a unique product or service, you just need to drum up a little excitement and attention!
A pitch deck is the perfect way to do that. Add in your company’s logo, mission and unique selling proposition to get people looking forward to becoming customers/users.
Influencer marketing is a huge marketing strategy that can generate some serious results. What better way to pitch influencers about your business than with this pitch deck inspired by Launchrock?
Don’t email off some boring PDF or Google Doc. Create enticing pitches to influencers with this pitch deck theme, and start watching the replies from influencers pour in.
Working with influencers to promote your product is a great way to increase your audience base and word of mouth about your company.
When you’re running a nonprofit, there is a lot of pitching your organization, talking to donors and working on events to increase donations. This is why you need great slide presentations.
Putting together a presentation for your nonprofit is a great way to showcase what your organization does and why people should donate to it.
Here are a few nonprofit presentation slides to choose from, where all you have to do is insert your information, change colors and fonts and present.
Put together a report that covers what your nonprofit is working against as well as your nonprofit’s achievements each year.
Use this presentation slides idea to provide an overview of your nonprofit and its main projects. To generate even more support and donations, it’s important to provide clear insight into your key products and objectives.
This presentation theme is perfect for showcasing the key issues your nonprofit fights for and its process for doing so.
Being transparent about what your nonprofit works on is important so that your donors know exactly where their money is going. Being secretive can generate some bad press, so it’s better to be open with your supporters.
These presentation slides use earthy colors to convey their nonprofit’s connection to animal rights. Use this to showcase your nonprofit. You can use the current colors or update it to match your nonprofit’s brand/industry.
Use these presentation slide examples to cover why your nonprofit matters and why donors should consider contributing.
A nonprofit only exists when people donate, so putting together a compelling pitch deck showcasing why your nonprofit is so important to your main issue is important. These slides are perfect for sharing your goals and mission.
If you're looking for stunning presentation slide ideas , we've got more than enough. This pitch deck presentation template is perfect for SPCAs and other animal societies working on finding forever homes for their animals.
However, it can also be adapted to any other nonprofit or business need. The great thing about these presentation slides is how versatile they are. Each one is completely customizable to fit your specific needs. For example, you can turn it into a video presentation .
A PowerPoint slide deck is a collection of slides that are created using an online presentation maker. These slides are used to create presentations for various purposes, like sales , marketing , research , case studies , webinars , onboarding and business in general.
PPT presentation slides typically consist of a series of slides that contain text, images, charts, graphs, and other multimedia elements that are used to communicate information to the audience in an engaging and visually appealing manner.
So why is it called a slide deck? In the early days, presenters would create slides by photographing images or text onto transparent film. These slides would then be loaded into a slide projector and displayed on a screen. The collection of slides was referred to as a "deck," and the presenter would advance through them one by one. Today, the term "slide deck" is still used to refer to a collection of slides or presentation materials, even though most presentations are now created and displayed digitally.
A good presentation slide is one that engages your audience and effectively communicates your message.
Here are some key characteristics of a good presentation slide:
1. Keep your slides simple and uncluttered: Avoid excessive text and use bullet points or concise phrases to convey your main points. Use clear and legible fonts, and maintain a consistent design throughout the presentation.
2. Visual appeal: Incorporate visually appealing elements such as relevant images, charts, graphs, or diagrams. Use high-quality visuals that enhance understanding and make the content more engaging
3. Make it readable: Use a readable font size. Stick to a maximum of two or three font styles and sizes. Blend bright and dark colors for the text and background to ensure visual contrast and good visibility.
4. Consistent structure: Use consistent formatting, such as font styles, colors, and alignment, throughout the presentation.
5. Make it interactive: Include animation and interactivity to add flair to your presentation. It can make your presentation powerful and memorable.
There are lots of presentation software available for creating presentations. But Visme offers users a wide range of features to create visually stunning and engaging presentations.
All you need to do is choose a template from our extensive library of over 500 presentation templates and customize it with your text. You can edit content, change image(s), apply custom colors, input your own fonts and logo, and more. You can visualize data using our wide range of customizable charts and widgets.
Spruce up your presentation by adding audio, video, animations and other interactive elements. Download it as a PDF, PPTX, MP4, and HTML5 to share with your recipient , or generate a shareable link for online sharing.
Here's a step-by-step guide to help you design some of the best business presentations:
1. Define Your Objective: Determine the purpose of your presentation and identify the main message or key points you want to convey
2. Plan Your Content: Outline the structure and flow of your presentation. Divide it into sections or key topics to ensure a logical progression. Read this article to learn more about creating an effective presentation outline .
3. Create a Storyline: Craft a compelling narrative that ties your key points together. Storytelling can help engage your audience and make your presentation more memorable.
4. Choose a Design Theme: Select a visually appealing design theme or template that aligns with your topic and audience. You can use the ones we've shared above as your presentation inspiration.
Visme’s branding kit streamlines on-brand content creation and ensures you stay consistent across all channels. With our AI-powered brand wizard , you can automatically generate branded templates fitted with your brand elements.
5. Use Visual Elements: Incorporate relevant visuals such as images, charts, graphs, icons, or diagrams to enhance understanding and engagement.
6. Maintain Visual Hierarchy: Organize your content with a clear visual hierarchy. Use headings, subheadings, and bullet points to guide the audience's attention and emphasize key points.
7. Use Transitions and Animations: Apply transitions and animations to enhance the flow and engagement of your presentation.
8. Practice and Test: Review and rehearse your presentation to ensure a smooth delivery. Test your presentation on the actual equipment or platform you'll be using to ensure compatibility and optimal display.
9. Seek Feedback: Before delivering your presentation, consider sharing it with a trusted colleague or friend for feedback. Ask for their input on the content, design, and overall effectiveness. Incorporate their suggestions to improve your presentation.
The best slide for a presentation highly depends on the topic and the target audience. For example, if it's a pitch deck presentation, the financial projections or business model slide would be the best.
However, here are some of the most common slides you should know about:
1. Title Slide: It announces the presentation's topic and introduces the speaker. It grabs the audience's initial attention.
2. Agenda Slide : This gives the audience an idea of what to expect throughout the presentation.
3. Content Slide : These are dense with information. They're best when broken down into bullet points for readability.
4. Visual Slide: Slides with infographics, charts, or other visuals can improve understanding and retention of complex data.
5. Interactive Slide: Encourages audience participation and engagement, especially in virtual presentations.
6. Conclusion/Summary Slide: Reinforces your presentation's key points or takeaways.
7. Question & Answer Slide: Allows interaction and clarification, ensuring the audience fully grasps the presented materials.
8. Contact Information Slide: Provides follow-up information for further questions or networking.
While there's no one-size-fits-all rule for making presentation slides, you can group them into three main categories:
These slides bookend your presentation. The introduction slide typically includes the title of your presentation, your name and any relevant introductory information. The closing slide summarizes key points, provides a conclusion and often includes contact information or a call to action.
Content slides make up the core of your presentation and contain the primary information you want to convey to your audience. They can include text, images, charts, graphs and other visual or textual elements supporting your presentation's message.
Transition slides signal a change in topic or create a smooth flow between different sections of your presentation. They often feature a brief title or heading that previews the upcoming content. Transition slides help guide your audience through the presentation and make it easy to follow.
The four types of presentations are informative, instructional, persuasive and arousing.
1. Informative Presentations: These are used to educate the audience on a particular topic. They present facts, data and information to increase the audience's knowledge and understanding.
2. Instructional Presentations: These presentations provide step-by-step guidance or training on a specific task, process or concept. You can use this type of presentation for teaching or coaching purposes, emphasizing learning and development.
3. Persuasive Presentations: The primary goal of these presentations is to influence the listeners' attitudes, beliefs or behaviors. Use this presentation type when you want your audience to accept certain arguments or propositions.
4. Arousing Presentations: These presentations aim to evoke interest and awaken curiosity about the topic among the audience. They often aim to inspire, motivate or raise awareness about an issue.
Creating an intriguing 5-minute presentation may be challenging due to the time constraint. Yet, you can deliver an impactful and engaging presentation with a focused approach and attention to detail.
Here are some of the ways to do it:
1. Focus on a single core message : Since you have limited time, choose a specific topic and stick to it. Present only the crucial information that will help the audience understand your point.
2. Engage from the start: Start your presentation with a compelling story, anecdote or a surprising fact. This will grab the audience's attention and spark curiosity.
3. Keep slides simple and visual: Avoid cluttered slides with too much text. Use visuals such as images, graphs or infographics to illustrate your points clearly and concisely.
4. Tell a story: A narrative structure engages the audience and helps them follow your message. Consider using metaphors or anecdotes to explain complex ideas.
5. Encourage questions or interaction: Since time is limited, you might opt for a brief Q&A session, ask a rhetorical question or request audience feedback for further discussion later.
6. Finish strong: Conclude with a powerful statement, call-to-action or takeaway summarizing your main point. Leave your audience with a lasting impression of your message.
The number of slides you should have for a 20-minute presentation can vary depending on several factors, such as the complexity of the topic and the pace of your speech.
However, the general rule of thumb is to allocate at least 1-2 minutes per slide, which suggests 10-20 slides for a 20-minute presentation.
The 5 5 5 rule is a framework that ensures your presentation is clear and remains engaging. A presentation should have no more than five words per line of text, five lines of text per slide and five slides that apply the first two rules in a row.
With Visme’s presentation software, creating a presentation slide is a breeze. Follow these steps to create a presentation slide with Visme.
Step 1: Log in to Visme and choose from hundreds of beautifully designed presentation templates . Each template is equipped with various intuitive layouts, typography, color themes, data widgets and graphics. Or Use Visme’s AI presentation maker to swiftly create a presentation based on your specific needs.
Step 2: Customize your presentation with your company’s logo, colors and other brand items. Upload your own creative collateral or use our assets library to add photos, images, graphics, icons and animations to your content.
Step 3: Once you have finished editing and are ready to share, download your presentation as a live webpage, video, PDF, or HTML file, a customizable PPTX, or embed it on your website.
The 10 rule for slides is part of Guy Kawasaki’s 10/20/30 rule which emphasizes that no presentation should have more than 10 slides, last longer than 20 minutes, and contain fonts smaller than thirty points.
When it comes to PowerPoint vs Google Slides , both have they're pro's and con's. You'll need to decide what's worth the trade if you should pick one over the other, or simply choose Visme.
Ready to get started with creating your presentation? Choose from any of these 51 slides for presentation, or browse Visme’s complete template library to find the perfect match for creating your own presentation.
Each one of these presentation themes can be adapted to match your business, school, nonprofit and other needs so that you can create something perfect for your goals and objectives. Create your free account to start customizing with our drag-and-drop presentation maker.
And once you’ve finished creating your presentation, check out our video to help you present like a pro and wow your audience.
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Chloe West is the content marketing manager at Visme. Her experience in digital marketing includes everything from social media, blogging, email marketing to graphic design, strategy creation and implementation, and more. During her spare time, she enjoys exploring her home city of Charleston with her son.
Whether you’re presenting a slideshow to your executives, clients, or peers, you want to convey your message clearly and successfully, and at the very least prove that you know how to use PowerPoint . Unfortunately, many mistakes can be made when creating PowerPoint presentations.
Select pleasing colors.
From hard-to-read fonts to colors that hurt the eyes of your audience, here are some best practices to keep in mind for your next PowerPoint slideshow.
Using a fancy, dramatic, or even whimsical font can be tempting. But you must consider the readability of the font. You want your audience to easily see your headings and bullet points. Consider the two basic font styles: serif and sans serif.
Serif fonts are more decorative, have a classic appearance, and are frequently used in print publications. Each letter has a stroke that extends from a point in the letter. Popular serif styles include Times New Roman, Garamond, Georgia, and Baskerville.
Sans serif fonts are more precise, have a clean appearance, and are frequently used in digital publications. Each letter is clear-cut without wings or curves at its points. Popular sans serif styles include Arial, Verdana, Tahoma, and Calibri.
Because of the extended strokes, serif fonts can appear a bit blurry on a screen. This makes a sans serif font the favored choice. The bottom line is that you should remain consistent and use the same type, serif or sans serif, for all fonts in the slideshow.
The colors you use in your PowerPoint presentation can be just as important as the content. You want to use those that enhance the appearance of the slideshow, not distract or give your audience a headache.
As Microsoft’s Robert Lane explains in his article about combining colors in PowerPoint, mixing red and blue or red and green can cause eye strain. Plus, red and green mixtures are difficult to see for those with color blindness.
The article mentions that warm colors like reds, oranges, and yellows are eye-catching, whereas cool colors like blues, greens, and purples draw less attention. Additionally, lighter colors are more noticeable than dark.
One of the easiest ways to choose the colors for your presentation is to use a built-in theme. Select the Design tab and you’ll see a collection of Themes in the ribbon.
Once you select a theme, you can then use the Variants section to choose a different color scheme. Each scheme includes eight complementing colors. You can also pick the font style you want to use in the Variants drop-down menu.
Tip : You can also check out the Design Ideas if you need help with the layouts for your slides.
Animations can be attention-grabbing additions to a slideshow. But if you overuse or misuse them, they can be detrimental to your presentation and actually turn off viewers. The best thing to do is consider your audience and slideshow’s purpose.
For instance, if you are presenting the slideshow to a classroom of 8-year-old students, animations can grab and hold their attention more than simple images or words. However, if you’re presenting to your company’s executive team or board of directors, animations can come across as unprofessional. Also, be wary of embedding videos in PowerPoint — only do so when relevant.
If you really want to include animations, make them subtle or purposeful. As an example, you may want to expand on each bullet point in your list. You can create an animation to display the bullet points one by one and only when you click.
To do this, select the first bullet point, go to the Animations tab, and choose the Appear effect. Then, in the Timing section of the ribbon, choose On click in the Start drop-down list. Do the same for each bullet point in your list.
This creates a simple animation that benefits your presentation. It doesn’t distract but instead keeps your audience focused on your current talking point.
What is the 10/20/30 rule of PowerPoint? What is the five-by-five rule? What about the 5/5/5 and seven-by-seven rules? Rules, rules, rules. These are different standards that many recommend using when it comes to creating PowerPoint presentations.
What each of these rules basically means is: Keep it simple.
The first rule, 10/20/30, is a good rule to follow for your overall presentation. While it may not always be possible, the more succinct a presentation, the more successful it will be.
The last three rules are helpful ones to follow when you’re adding text to your slides. As you know, presentations are visual. Using too much text means your audience is reading more than watching.
Hopefully, these best practices will help you create a memorable and effective slideshow. For other ways to enhance your presentation, look at how to add audio to the slides or how to include music in PowerPoint .
If you're using Microsoft Office on your Windows PC, then you might want to keep your eye out for potential new security issues.
Microsoft has just backtracked on a decision it made earlier in 2022, and will no longer be blocking Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) macros in Office files by default across Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Access, and Visio.
Microsoft needs your help to shape the future of its Office suite of products. Five new default fonts are in the works for Microsoft 365 -- which covers Word, Excel, and PowerPoint -- and Microsoft is seeking out feedback for which one is best.
The five new potential default font families are now available as a download for testing and have various themes. The list includes fonts with the unique names of Tenorite, Bierstadt, Skeena, Seaford, and Grandview. There's a separate artist behind each one, and the designs span different geometric, human, and industrial shapes, according to Microsoft.
Many of the apps from the Microsoft 365 suite now run natively on Apple's new M1-powered MacBooks. Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote are now all able to take full advantage of Apple's custom ARM-based silicon.
These new Microsoft 365 apps for Apple M1 Macs are all universal apps, which means that they will also run on traditional Macs with Intel processors. This also means that the Office apps on Apple's M1 Macs -- like the new MacBook Air, 13-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini -- should all feel snappier and faster than when they were previously running under emulation with Rosetta 2.
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Learn how to capture your audience's attention with a strong opening slide in PowerPoint. Discover 5 effective techniques, such as self-introduction, hook, visual, question, and curiosity gap, and see examples and templates.
How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]
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Part 1: Premise, Objective, and Goal Part 2: Argument and Background InformationPart 3: Expected Result and Resolution (others.) In summary of the whole presentation, the topic leaves a remarkable ending. How to Start Business Presentation and Other Samples. For all entrepreneurs, this portion is for you.
Sparkol offers VideoScribe, a whiteboard animation software, and Sparkol Studio, a video production agency. Learn how to create engaging videos and animations with Sparkol Academy workshops and webinars.
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