Check out this video on the same theme of starting strong!
The best way to lose your audience? Start badly. Want to avoid that? Here’s what you should do:
Preparation
Remember yesterday’s blog and video? If you’ve prepared correctly then you will be familiar with the tech, so you shouldn’t encounter anything too nasty. Preparation is your friend when it comes to starting well; if you’re not making a great first impression*, you probably failed to create and rehearse great material. Get it right, however, and the start will be a thing of effortless beauty which all reinforces the trust you’re working to establish. If the first minute of your presentation looks comfortable, then you’ll gain your audience’s trust. After that, you can afford to make a mistake or two because they already like you.
Hey, Everyone!
Grab their attention by addressing them directly and clearly; introduce yourself and what you’re going to speak about. That way you’ll make a good first impression and gain their trust.
State Your Structure and Theme
What’s the point of the whole thing? What will you cover? How many sections? What’s the idea? What’s the point of the whole thing? Be completely open so that people can either:
- Buy into what you’re talking about (and with a good introduction they should already have bought into you)
or:
- Decide that this isn’t what they’re after (in which case, it’s better that they bail immediately instead of after 10 minutes when they feel you’ve wasted their time). It’s nothing personal.
Activate Their Brains
Ask a question, to get them thinking and challenge their preconceptions, to show that you’re not just broadcasting, but also listening.
So…
Starting well is vital if you’re to communicate effectively. It’s hard work but creates the positive momentum that engages your audience.
Tomorrow: Surprise!
* I recommend the book ‘Blink’ by Malcolm Gladwell on first impressions and how they work.
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