5 Speaking Strategies to Start Your Next Presentation on a High Note
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In the fast-paced world of communication and presentations, captivating your audience from the get-go is key. The initial moments can make or break your desired outcome - whether it's to get your team to buy-in to a change vision, build alignment for a purpose-driven project, or deliver a life-changing talk. It's your unique opportunity to make your message land or risk losing your audience.
Drawing from my experience speaking on the TEDx stage and coaching leaders to communicate with confidence, here are 5 powerful strategies on how to start strong and keep your audience engaged in the first 60 seconds.
💡1) Lead with a powerful question.
Ask a thought-provoking question that resonates with your audience's experiences. Being coach-like when you speak is key to getting your audience to buy-in to your idea.
💡2) Start with the bridging experience in your story.
The part of your story you start with makes a difference. Skip the back story. Begin with the transformation or defining moment that took you from point A to B or how you bounced back. I call this the bridge experience. When you begin with the bridge, you build trust and connection with your listeners right away.
💡3) Start with your why statement.
Challenge convention or introduce a surprising statistic that gives your audience a reason to care. Powerful, purpose-first statements can spark curiosity and action.
💡4) Involve the audience without making it about you.
Captivating an audience isn't really about you as the presenter. Make the conversation a multi-way dialogue. Invite the audience to learn from one another to enrich their experience and keep your audience invested in their growth and learning.
💡5) Set the tone with the power of the pause.
Pause for 5 seconds to shift the energy in the room with your leadership presence. Setting the right tone at the start does 80% of the work to make your message matter.
Here's a Pro tip:
PRO TIP
“Setting the right tone at the start does 80% of the work to make your message matter.”
- Precious Ile
Crafting a compelling presentation that lands with your audience requires intentional planning and execution. By implementing these strategies, you can offer a lot of value and enhance your storytelling and communication skills to leave a lasting impact.
What will you do differently in your next presentation to start on a high note?
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