Better Beginnings: Presentations

Would you like to be known as a powerful presenter?

Never start your presentation at the beginning.

Instead, skip ahead to the most interesting part, and start there.   If you start dull, you will rarely be able to recover.  (This, from someone who spent years starting dull.) 

 

For example, begin with your most startling point, your most unexpected revelation. The stuff no one in your audience knows or suspects. Never mind the background or context just yet. You can always fill it in later, if anyone asks.

Or, lead with your conclusion, your recommendation.  Your proposed solution.

Or, start with suspense. Ask the provocative question your are about to answer. Hint that the answer is surprising, counter-intuitive, upsets the status quo, or breaks new ground.

Or, start with a story. A quick, 15-second story that neatly illustrates your big idea. Be careful here. This is hard to do well. It must have a good payoff line, lesson, or reversal in it. And if takes longer than 15 seconds (a long time for an audience) shorten it. If it doubt, skip the story.

Never, ever start with your agenda. Never start with your name, title, CV and qualifications. That's the least interesting part. If your pedigree does matter — to your audience — someone will ask.

Never start with 'history' or. . . 'context setting' . . . or background. Don't start with anything like "Just to re-cap. . . or "As most of you already know. . . ", "In today's business environment. . . "

Get to the stuff they don't know yet.