How to Start a Presentation So People Want to Listen

Think about the last presentation you sat through. What happened in the first minute?

Did the speaker give you a reason to listen? Or did you spend that minute looking at a title slide while someone explained how much material they had to cover?

When you stand up to speak, show people why the subject matters to them. They may have come straight from another meeting. They may be thinking about a problem you know nothing about. Your opening should help them focus on what you’re about to say.

You can do that without a dramatic story, a joke, or a startling statistic. Start with something that matters to the people in front of you.

Give them a reason to care

Suppose you’re explaining a change to your company’s scheduling process.

You could begin:

“Today I’m going to go through our updated scheduling procedures.”

That tells people the topic. Now listen to this version:

“If you’ve ever found out about a schedule change after you’d already planned your week, you know how frustrating that can be. Let me show you how the new process will help you see those changes sooner.”

Now people have a reason to listen. You’ve connected the subject to something they recognize.

Before your next presentation, ask yourself: What problem does this help my audience solve? What decision will it help them make? What will they be able to do afterward?

Use the answer in your opening.

Give the opening three jobs

In When You Have the Floor, I call this the Opening Contract: Attention, Relevance, and Direction.

Here’s how to use it.

Attention: Give people something worth listening to. That might be a question, a short example, a demonstration, or a clear statement of the problem.

Relevance: Explain why it matters to them. Connect it to their work, their responsibilities, or a difficulty they face.

Direction: Tell them where you’re going. What will you explain, help them practice, or ask them to decide?

For a short meeting update, you might handle all three in a few sentences:

“We’re answering the same customer questions several times a day. That leaves less time for the problems that need individual attention. I’ll show you the three questions we can answer in the confirmation email, then ask you to help choose the wording.”

People know the problem, why it matters, and what comes next.

Keep your introduction useful

If people need to know who you are, introduce yourself briefly after you’ve earned their attention. Briefly explain what experience you have with the subject.

You don’t have to recite your entire work history. Mention the experience that relates to what you’re about to teach.

If everyone in the meeting already knows you, get into the subject. Keep the introduction as short as the situation allows.

Choose a question you can handle

Questions can make strong openings, but think through what happens after you ask one.

If you ask, “What problems are you having with our current process?” you may get silence. You may also get a detailed answer that takes you somewhere you weren’t prepared to go.

A more specific question can be easier to answer:

“How many of you have had to call someone to confirm which schedule was current?”

Before asking for a show of hands, think about how people are likely to respond and what you’ll say next. You can also ask a question for people to consider silently. Tell them that’s what you’re doing so they aren’t wondering whether you expect an answer.

Practice the first minute aloud

Write your opening, then stand up and say it.

Listen for words you wouldn’t normally use in conversation. Shorten sentences that make you run out of breath. Check that your example leads into the subject.

Record yourself once. Would you want to keep listening? Can you tell who the presentation is for and what they’ll get from it?

Practice until you know how to begin and where you’re taking people. Leave yourself room to sound like a person speaking to other people.

Try this before your next meeting

Take the opening you were planning to use. Underline the first sentence that gives the audience a reason to care.

If that sentence is buried halfway down the page, move it closer to the beginning. Then add a clear sentence about what you’ll cover or what you need from the group.

Say the revised version aloud. Check that the opening leads naturally into your first point.

Use the first few moments to explain why the subject matters and what you’ll help people understand or do.

If you’d like help preparing an opening for an important presentation, explore private public speaking and presentation coaching.

Related article: How to Finish a Presentation So People Know What to Do Next.