How to start a presentation
Follow these steps to start a presentation effectively:
1. Tell your audience who you are
Start your presentation by introducing yourself. Along with sharing your name, give your audience some information about your background. Choose details that are relevant to your presentation and help establish you as an expert in your chosen topic.
Example: ”Good morning. My name is Ramesh Kumar, and I am here today to talk to you about how Target Reach Plus software is changing the way businesses manage data for their customers and products.”
2. Share what you are presenting
Tell your audience what you are going to be talking about in a succinct, organised matter. Think about your content and find several key points you hope to explain fully by the time you are finished.
Example: “I am here today to talk to you about why Target Reach Plus was created, who is benefiting from it already and how you can implement this kind of technology in your stores.”
3. Let them know why it is relevant
Your audience needs to know that what you are presenting is important. Consider pulling in data or statistics to help deliver the importance of your message. You could also share how this presentation might enrich their lives or help them develop a new skill.
Example: “Did you know that 30% of India’s retailers rely on CustomMax Pro for customer management? By 2030, that number is expected to spike by 15%. 45% of those same retailers today using this platform to track sales and marketing efforts still experience slow connection speeds and platform crashes. This is why I urge you to consider adopting Target Reach Plus for your customer management, which already boasts a much lower percentage rates of crashing and sluggishness.”
4. Tell a story
Before you start with the slide presentation you organised, consider telling a short, relevant story, as it can help build rapport with the audience. Your story can be humorous, idealistic or thought-provoking, but make it 30 seconds to a minute of relevant information. A personal touch to your story can help too. For example, you might have experienced something personal regarding the main point of your presentation. Let your audience in on that experience.
Example: “When I went shopping a few weeks ago with a couple of good friends, I immediately noticed how there are now robots roaming the store and taking orders.”
5. Make an interesting statement
If you do not have a personal story to share with the audience, consider sharing a thought-provoking fact about your presentation’s relevance. If you decide to go forward with this approach, make sure to deliver your statement with confident body language and verbal tone.
Stand up straight and keep your hands out of your pockets. It might help to think about delivering this as if you were telling your coworkers or peers about the news you just learned that affects them. You want your audience to know what you are saying is both truthful and interesting.
6. Ask for audience participation
If you do not plan to make a bold statement or tell a story, ask your audience to participate. The best way to do this is by asking an open-ended question that requires them to either raise a hand or stand up to answer. If it is early in the morning, try asking them to stand up when they answer your question. This tactic works best in more intimate to small-scale audiences.
If you are unsure of what attention-grabbing tactic may work best, use a friend, coworker or family member to practise. They can give you feedback on things like your body language, dress attire and, ultimately, what tactic works best with your presentation’s main idea.