Present like a Pro with Powerful Introductions
Master the first crucial minutes of your presentation by having a great INTRODUCTION. These techniques will help you grab attention, establish credibility, and set your presentation up for success.
60 seconds...
... the time it takes to destroy 100 acres of rainforest!
... the time it takes to take 20 breaths!
... the time it takes to engage your audience!
That's how long you have to engage people in your audience.
Agenda
So let's look at how to maximise that 60 seconds and ... engage your audience.
- The benefits of delivering a great introduction
- INTRO - How to create a great introduction
- INTRO - A demonstration video on giving a great introduction
- Rehearse
- Next Steps
What are the Benefits
of Delivering a Great Introduction?
Self
A great introduction... helps you stay focused on your first few minutes, allowing you to settle into your presentation.
A well-crafted introduction helps you anchor yourself, giving you a structured path to follow during the high-pressure opening moments when nerves typically peak. Writing and rehearsing an introduction lets you get into the flow.
You set yourself up for success by managing this start, triggering a 'confidence cascade' effect. As you successfully deliver your introduction, your body's stress response diminishes, your vocal quality improves, and your physical presence becomes more commanding, setting the right tone for the entire presentation.
Think about how you felt when you gave a great introduction.
Audience
A great introduction... helps create a clear context so the audience understands why they should listen to you and pay attention.
An effective introduction creates two key things for your audience.
Firstly, it answers the questions, "Why should I care? What's in it for me? Will it be worth it?" Once they agree it is worth it, they are now listening, they are mentally in the room with you.
Secondly, the mind likes structure and does not like loose ends. So, your introduction answers the second question of "Where are we going?" Without a clear structure with signposting, your audience will need to work it out.
When they wonder 'where are we going', they are not listening to you, and you are losing engagement. Instead, when you answer their unsaid questions upfront, you transform passive listeners into engaged participants.
Think about how you felt when you received a great introduction.
Organisation
A great introduction... helps create a focus on understanding the information, increasing commitment to acting on it, and reducing the time needed to do so.
A powerful introduction establishes a clear business context in the listener's mind. By connecting your presentation content to specific business challenges and outcomes, you transform the meeting from a passive exercise to a real catalyst for action.
By highlighting relevant business challenges upfront, you enable more accurate problem-solving, decision-making and resource allocation during the presentation itself. This significantly compresses the timeline between information delivery, action, and value creation for the organisation.
Think about how you felt when you could connect your outcomes with a presentation.
INTRO
A great structure to kick off your presentations is INTRO.
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Interest: Your aim is to create interest and hook the audience's attention, bringing them 'into the room' and with you. Consider an attention grabber such as asking a question, providing a big statistic, statement, or anecdote, or making an appropriate joke. This is helping them connect to you and answer 'why should I listen to you.'
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Need: You need to answer the questions, "Why should I care? What's in it for me? And will it be worth it?" Once they agree it is worth it, they are listening. Their attention is now in the room and on you. Focus on connecting your presentation to them and their organisation. This is helping them connect to the topic and answer, 'why should I listen to it.'
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Time: We all like to spend our time well and know how we will spend it. Signpost how long your presentation will be. This allows participants to manage their engagement and responses. This is signposting 'how long will it be.'
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Responses to Questions: People like structure and know the 'rules' of how they need to be in your presentation. Can they ask questions? If so, when? This is setting 'how we will interact.'
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Objectives: State the presentation's focus or aim and objectives. This answers the question, 'Where are we going?' Make it as clear as a roadmap. When it is clear, participants feel safe. It also lets them know what is in and not in the presentation. This will help you manage a wide range of questions. If it's not on the agenda, you don't need to answer those questions, though you will need to manage them. This is agreeing 'what we will focus on.'
Here is a Short Video Showing INTRO in Action
To help you, take a look at an introduction to a presentation I have done where I show you the elements of INTRO.
Once you are happy with your INTRO, all you have to do is …
… Rehearse
… Rehearse
… Rehearse
Know how it flows, know your stories, and be able to share them quickly.
Make your introduction easy for you to remember, so that if you are side-tracked, you can get straight back into it.
And that's how you engage your audience in just 60 seconds.
"The key to successful leadership today is Influence, not Authority."
Warren Bennis
And Great Presentations are about Influence!
Powerful Introductions is a core element in both our Presentation / Train the Trainer programmes as well as our Institute of Leadership accredited Confident Leader Programme (Module 11, Influencing for Success).
A final note from me
I hope you found this training valuable in settling nerves, clarifying your focus and ensuring your audience is engaged and committed to action.
Remember it's normal to have some nerves, the key is managing yourself. I've worked with countless leaders and supported them to become great presenters, and leaders.
I would love to help you, or your people, to deliver great presentations, influence effectively and deliver great outcomes for your organisation.
Take the first step toward real change and becoming the leader others choose to follow.
We have an excellent track record of actually delivering practical support.
Here is what one of our clients, Racha, had to say...
"This session is fantastic. It has exceeded my expectations and opened my eyes on many tools and even given me a re-boost for my job. Not only it is one of the best training sessions I have had, but it is also fun and you do not get a minute to be bored about the content. It is a must for everyone that has to deal with clients or an audience."
and One year after the programme..."I was given to do a presentation in the morning, for the afternoon and used the writing plan from the confident presenter training, which helped me all along the day ! The team loved the presentation and said it was on point."
Racha Fayek
All our programmes are backed by consistent quality and proven results...
Here are just some of the Clients we have worked with:
