That’s a question I hear frequently from my clients—and it’s the first one I’m tackling in a new series on my blog called “How Do I…?”
In these posts, I’ll answer some of the practical questions clients ask me about presenting, communicating, leadership presence, and showing up at your best when the moment matters.
So, let’s start at the beginning.
Literally.
“How do I start a presentation?”
People fret about this because they inherently know that how they kick off a presentation can mean the difference between immediately engaging their audience—or sending them straight to their phones.
And they’re right to fret about it.
Those first few moments matter.
Not just for engaging their audience.
But for their own ease and presence as a speaker.
After all, the first few moments of a presentation are often when a speaker’s anxiety is at its peak. They’re stepping into a spotlight moment, adjusting to the energy and feel of the audience spread before them. They’re feeling the impact of many pairs of eyeballs directed their way from what I call “The Beast With Many Heads.”
That’s why a strong opening can do double duty: It gives the audience a compelling tease that lifts their eyebrows and scootches them forward in their seats, while giving the speaker the steadying foundation of something well-rehearsed.
So how do you create an opening that does both?
First, choose a strong hook.
Start with a story, a startling statement, or a thought-provoking question—something that grabs your audience’s attention and makes them think, Hmm, that’s interesting!
The intention is to start with a bang—not necessarily a loud one, but one that immediately sparks interest. Which means that “Hi, I’m ______ and I’m here to speak about ______” just won’t cut it.
Your hook should be relevant to what you’re there to talk about—a path into your subject. Which means that unrelated joke won’t cut it either.
Then, know that opening cold.
Rehearse those first few moments out loud and on your feet until you know them like the back of your hand. You don’t need to memorize your whole presentation—just your opening, so its words and ideas feel familiar to you.
Because when those eyes turn to you and the adrenaline kicks in, you do not want to be fishing around for words.
You want to know exactly what to say.
A well-rehearsed opening will be like a launchpad and a security blanket all in one.
So don’t shirk the work it takes to make your hook second nature to you. When you do, you’ll have something solid and familiar to lean on, which will help settle your nerves and bring you into the moment with greater ease.
You’ve hooked them.
You’ve steadied yourself.
And now you can take off.
Want to Strengthen Your Leadership Presence?
For more about cultivating the inner presence that helps you show up at your best when the moment matters most, I invite you to read my cornerstone article, Leadership Presence Comes From Within, part of my blog series, The Charismatic Leader.
You can also explore the concept of Charismatic Presence more deeply in my third book, Charismatic Presence: 5 Principles For Magnetic Presentations.
To learn more about my books, presence and presentation coaching programs, training programs, and keynote offerings, visit my website.
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