The Best Way to Start a Presentation (With Actual Examples)
The Best Way to Start a Presentation (With Actual Examples)
What’s the Best Way to Start a Presentation Introduction?
(Spoiler: It’s not “Hi, I’m [Name] and I’m excited to be here.”)
You might think you’re golden the second people’s butts hit seats or their names pop up in a Teams window.
You are not.
Showing up doesn’t mean they’re paying attention.
(Especially if their camera’s off — then you’re definitely competing with email, laundry, and at least three open tabs.)
Step one of your presentation is not to introduce yourself.
Step one is to grab their attention like you’re an ocean wave and they’re a clueless tourist standing too close to the water.
In every unforgettable presentation opening, there are four secret-sauce elements:
Step 1: Grab Their Attention
Before you do anything else, you have to earn the right to be listened to.
You do this by leading with something that jolts their brains out of “passive sufferer” mode and into “active participant” mode.
Good ways to grab attention:
A spicy question
A bold statement
A story that makes them sit up straighter
(Notice: None of these are “Hello my name is…” or “Thanks for being here…” because that’s the fastest way to watch your audience mentally exit the building.)
Quick reality check I share in my company training:
If you never said your name or title out loud, do you honestly think your audience couldn’t figure it out?
Your slides have your info. The invite has your name. Your credibility isn’t in your job title, it’s in the value you deliver.
And frankly, it’s way more flattering if people seek you out because you made them care, not because you force-fed them your resume in the first 10 seconds.
Honestly, step 1 is where most people struggle, which is why I’m sharing a bunch of examples in this blog with you (including my own opener), so keep reading.
Step 2: Build Credibility (Without Sounding Like a LinkedIn Bio)
Once you have their eyeballs and eardrums on you, then (and only then) do you quickly introduce who you are and why they should trust you.
But make it relevant to them, not a TED Talk about your resume.
Example: Instead of saying, “I’m a product manager with 12 years of experience…” say, “I help companies turn ‘wouldn’t it be cool if…’ into products people actually buy.”
Now you sound like someone worth listening to.
Step 3: Relate to Your Audience
Tie what you’re about to share directly to what matters to them.
Make it obvious that this isn’t going to be a 45-minute hostage situation about your pet project, it’s about them, their struggles, their goals, their wins.
Example: “Even if this isn’t your department, your job title, or your priority right now, it’s about to be relevant. And I’ll show you how.”
Step 4: Preview Your Main Points
Finally, tell them exactly where you’re taking them, and keep it tight.
If your presentation is under 60 minutes, you get a maximum of three main points. Not “three categories with four sub-points each.” Not “three sections and a bonus round.”
Three. That’s it.
Any more, and you’re basically handing out cognitive migraines with a side of audience apathy.
Example: “We’ll cover three things today: how to grab attention, how to keep it, and how to turn it into action.”
When you preview your points upfront, you tell your audience what’s relevant. You prime their brains to notice and retain the right things — like highlighting keywords before they read a page.
Suddenly, the information has structure. Their brains can relax. They know what to watch for, and they’re far more likely to remember it later.
Now they know what to expect.
Now they’re buckled in for the ride.
Light purple slide outlining the four steps to a presentation opening in a bulleted list with a graphic for each step:
Grab attention
Build Your Credibility
Relate to Your Audience
Preview Your Main Points
Heads up:
Steps 2 and 3 (Credibility + Relate) can swap places depending on your situation.
You’ll get a feel for which order lands better based on your audience.
But grabbing their attention first is non-negotiable. Without it, the rest doesn’t even matter. (No attention = no impact. No impact = no job promotion, no signed deal, no raised hands at the end.)
Think of it like this:
You walk into a room and immediately start giving instructions to someone who’s halfway through reading a long-awaited email.
They nod vaguely, maybe say “uh huh,” but they’re not really hearing you.
Why?
Because their attention is locked on something else. You didn’t earn it, you just started talking. That email? That’s the squirrel in their brain. And you? You’re background noise until you give them a reason to focus.
Grab attention first. Then they’ll care about your credentials, your relevance, and your message.
The Best Ways to Start a Presentation (With Real Examples)
There are technically six classic ways to start a presentation.
(I only teach five. One of them sucks, and I’ll tell you why.)
Here are the ones that actually work:
1. Tell a Personal Story
The number one best way to start a presentation is with a personal story.
Short.
Emotional.
Germane to your content.
And also?
The absolute hardest thing for most people to do well.
Which is why (spoiler alert) most people think they need public speaking help, or confidence coaching, or prettier slides. What they really need? Better storytelling skills.
I’ll prove it…
When I walk onstage to deliver a workshop, guess what I start with?
A personal story. Always.
A good story immediately makes you human. It makes your audience lean forward instead of mentally opening TikTok. And when you do it right. With emotion, with a clear point, with a real tie-in to your larger message, your story doesn’t just entertain. It frames everything that follows.
A few of my go-to openers:
The Mysterious Job Description Example
I got hired at Enterprise without really knowing what the job was. I was told I’d be around cars, positive people, and a fast-paced environment. (Cue laughter, because that is the vaguest description of any job, ever.)
Turns out, I signed up for hardcore, face-to-face car insurance sales.
I use this story to teach the difference between abstract and concrete language, and why clarity matters from the first word you say.
The Sales Jargon Implosion Example
Early in that same job, I was tanking my sales numbers. Badly.
I used the exact language I was taught in training:
“Would you like to add supplemental liability protection?”
“How about some personal effects coverage?”
My customers’ eyes glazed over.
My assistant manager pulled me aside and taught me how to translate the insurance gobbledygook into language real humans understood.
(Lesson: If your audience doesn’t feel your message, they won’t act on it.)
2. Ask a Thought-Provoking Question
Get your audience’s brains working from the start.
Example: “Have you ever sat through a presentation that felt longer than your last relationship?”
Note: If you ask a non-rhetorical question, be prepared to herd cats. People will answer, and you’ll have to manage that energy fast.
3. Relate Directly to Your Audience
Drop them straight into a shared memory or experience.
Example: “Remember the first time you tried to ride a bike without training wheels? That moment of wobbling terror mixed with freedom? That’s what launching a new product feels like. And today, I’m going to teach you how to ride faster without face-planting.”
When your audience sees themselves in your story, they’re already invested.
4. Startle Your Audience with a Shocking Stat or Fact
Shake them awake. (lovingly of course)
Example: “You have 7 seconds to capture your audience's attention from the moment you open your mouth and make sound or words. 90%+ of presentations don't get their listeners' attention. Let's make your 7 seconds count.”
Bonus points if you connect the stat directly to the stakes of their work.
5. Stir Curiosity (Visually or Verbally)
Tease their brains.
You can:
Use a prop (weird, unexpected, memorable)
Hint at a story you’re about to tell
Tease an answer they’ll want by the end
Example: Walk onstage holding a neon yellow poster hidden in a black trash bag.
No explanation. Just start talking. Guaranteed: eyes will stay glued to you until you explain it.
6. Start with a Quote
Starting your presentation with a quote is like opening your Tinder profile with, “Thank you to the developers of this app for giving me the opportunity to find love.”
Nobody cares.
Nobody’s impressed.
Nobody remembers.
It’s forgettable, predictable, and frankly, lazy.
If you must use a quote, weave it in later. Never lead with it.
If you want your presentation to be unforgettable, you need to connect emotionally first and logically second.
Master the opening, and the rest of your content rides a wave of attention you already earned.
The Best Way to Start a PowerPoint Presentation? Hint: It’s Not Your Slides.
Listen, nobody’s falling in love with your bullet points.
Nobody’s thinking, “Wow, that third sub-bullet about Q2 revenue initiatives? Be still, my heart.”
If you want attention before you even click “next,” you have to earn it (with you, not your slides).
Here’s how to grab eyeballs:
Use a Prop
Props aren’t just for middle school science fairs.
When done right, a prop can turn a “blah” opening into a “wait, what’s happening here?” moment — even in the boardroom.
And no, you don’t need a rubber chicken.
(Though if that’s your vibe, live your best life.)
Executive-friendly prop ideas:
Hold up your water bottle or coffee mug.
Tug on your watch, your blazer sleeve, or your bracelet.
Show a product sample if you have one.
Reference something visible on you — people instantly lock onto what you highlight.
If you’ve ever watched an entrepreneur pitch on Shark Tank, you’ve seen this in action.
They don’t just describe their product, they show it, wear it, hand it to the sharks.
The moment the sharks physically interact with the product, the pitch gets real. Credibility skyrockets. Interest spikes.
When you hold something up (even something as simple as a coffee cup), your audience’s brains stop wandering and start locking onto you.
Use Humor
Humor is magnetic.
(And no, you don’t need a Netflix special to pull it off.)
Some of the best laughs I see in corporate presentations come from people who would never list “standup comic” on their resumes, because they drop these quiet, brilliant, perfectly timed lines without even realizing it.
Example:
Instead of kicking off with, “I’m thrilled to be hosting this workshop today,”
try, “When I was told I’d be speaking to 300 of you today, I had two reactions: panic… and an immediate need for more coffee.”
Another favorite from a client in stormwater treatment:
“With a show of hands, how many of you own a shovel? Great. Now how many of you know how to dig a hole in the ground with that shovel? Lovely.
I’ll admit — I saw some hands go down and I’m a little concerned. See me after the presentation for a tutorial.
For those who do know how to dig a hole: congratulations! You’re qualified to build a very bad dry well system.
Lucky for you, I’m here with a better one.”
Humor lowers defenses. It makes you relatable. And it makes people want to listen to what you say next.
Use Silence
The most uncomfortable (and most powerful) tool in your opening arsenal.
When you pause longer than feels normal, something magical happens:
People lean in. Their brains go: Wait… are we supposed to be paying attention? (Yes. Yes, they are.)
Silence is your friend. Use it to punctuate a key line, a surprising statement, or even a prop reveal.
Pro tip: If it feels awkwardly long to you, it’s probably just right for your audience.
Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Presentation
1. Don’t Apologize
Saying “I’m sorry” before you even get rolling doesn’t make you humble. It makes your audience nervous.
Whether you’re apologizing for being nervous, running late, or “not being good at presenting” — don’t. You’re the expert. Own the room. Try pausing instead.
2. Don’t Read From Slides
We can all read.
No one needs a live audiobook version of the text that’s already on screen.
When your audience sees a slide and hears you say the exact same thing, their brains don’t multitask. They pick a lane. And nearly all adults default to the visual one.
Reading wins.
Listening loses.
(And you lose them.)
That means the second your slide goes up, they’re reading ahead while you trail behind, adding zero value.
Your slides should back you up — not be you.
3. Don’t Info-Dump
Dumping stats, jargon, or heavy data right out the gate is like trying to sprint before you’ve stretched.
Start with connection.
Build into information once they want to hear from you.
4. Don’t Ignore the Audience
You’re not a narrator. You’re a human talking to other humans.
Look at them.
React to them.
Ask questions — and not just rhetorical ones. Yes, questions you actually want answers to. (Shocking, I know.)
Most people don’t realize they can invite audience participation at any point in a presentation, not just at the end. Asking for input keeps people alert, involved, and invested. You’re no longer a background monologue. You’re in conversation.
Pull them into your energy, don’t just throw words into the void.
5. Don’t Tell Us Your Title First
This is where things start to get painfully real.
Please raise your hand if you’ve ever heard (or maybe even delivered) an opening like this:
“Hello, my name is [insert your name] and I’m a/the/an [insert your job title] and I’m so excited to be here today to talk to you about what I’m going to talk to you about today.”
(If you’re chuckling right now, it’s because it’s painfully accurate.)
This Frankenstein’s monster of corporate opening lines feels normal because everyone does it.
But it’s actually audience Kryptonite. It immediately signals:
“Nothing interesting is coming. Feel free to check your email.”
Leading with your job title is like pinning your hopes and dreams on the title of a book, instead of what’s inside.
When a friend recommends a great read, they don’t lead with the title on repeat.
They gush about how it made them feel. They tease the juicy parts.
They say “you’re gonna love it,” and then (almost as an afterthought) they go: “Oh yeah, it’s called something like… Somebody Potter and the Stone of Something.”
That’s how you want to show up. Hook them with the good stuff first, then let them know who wrote it.
6. Don’t Say You’re “Excited to Be Here”
You might be excited. You might be absolutely buzzing inside.
But announcing it (especially in a half-hearted monotone) doesn’t show your excitement. It dilutes your credibility.
Start strong instead with your attention-grabber. Let them feel your energy through your story, your hook, your first big moment, not through a corporate cliché.
7. Don’t Thank Bill in Billing and Ann in Accounting
You can thank them privately later. Or after you’ve grabbed the audience’s attention. Or when you send your follow-up email.
But at the top of your talk?
Your audience isn’t here for Bill and Ann. They’re here to hear what you have to say.
8. Don’t Say “Before I Begin…”
Buddy.
The second you opened your mouth, you already began.
Own it.
No need to preface your preface.
[H2] Best Way to Start a Presentation Example (Steal This)
I present to one particular client every year, and every year I open almost exactly the same way.
Here’s what that opening sounds like (and why):
Part 1: Grabbing Their Attention
I sold the sexiest products on the planet when I was 25 years old.
[pause.]
That’s right.
I worked in finance.
And I sold health insurance.
Because nothing screams sexy like health insurance.
To be more specific?
I sold health savings accounts.
I repeat, there is nothing sexier in the world than health insurance. But I made it so appealing I had a room of 200 people line up in front of me to sign up for HSAs. I had 200 new accounts in 2 hours.
Don’t worry, I’ll wow you with more details on this story throughout today’s workshop and tell you how I was able to convert 100% of my audience into sexy health insurance account holders and why that matters for you and your work.
What just happened here?
First: I grabbed attention with an unexpected story.
I made it emotional (humor, surprise) and tied it directly to the larger presentation.
I bought myself credibility before I even told them my name.
Now that I have their full attention, then I introduce myself and: …
Part 2: Build Credibility
For those of you that don’t know me, I’m Hannah Michelotti.
I’m a public speaking and presentation coach in Portland Oregon. I spent 10 years working in corporate America doing everything from sales to product line management in industries from finance to footwear.
Now, I work with corporate and creative professionals like all of you to help you put more personality in your presentations so you can be engaging and impactful to gain visibility and advance in your careers.
Notice:
I’m not dumping my resume.
I’m framing my experience so it’s immediately relevant to them.
Then, after establishing credibility, I shift into…
Part 3: Relating to My Audience
A little about me: I like Type 2 Fun as they call it - type one is carnivals and eating popcorn.
Type 2 is climbing mountains, trail running around mountains, and skiing down mountains.
With a quick show of hands, who here has ever been to a carnival?
Great.
Now, can I get a show of hands if you’ve ever climbed a mountain?
Ah-hah, just as I suspected.
Why add this?
Because people trust and engage with humans, not just experts.
Sharing something relatable and personal creates an emotional bridge between me and the audience.
Finally, there’s a Part 4, but that part is always tailored to the specific audience in front of me. (Previewing the main points based on what they need most.)
The Best Way to Start a Presentation Is to Sound Like YOU
Grab attention first.
Introduce yourself second.
Sound like a real human, not a corporate robot.
That’s it.
That’s the game.
If you’re not sure where to start?
That’s where I come in.
Still Stuck? I’ll Write The First 10 Lines For You.
If your first line still sounds like a Microsoft Teams notification, it’s not your fault.
Most people were taught to start boring (aka corporate).
But you’re not most people.
(You wouldn’t still be reading if you were.)
In a Buy My Brain session, we’ll sit down for 60 minutes and:
✅ Torch your boring opening lines (don’t worry, you won’t miss them)
✅ Build a custom first line that actually grabs attention
✅ Map out the next 9 lines so you don’t fumble the bag after the hook
✅ Give you something that feels like you — not a cardboard cutout of you.
You’ll leave with an opening that’s sharp, memorable, and 100% human.
No more starting with “Hi, my name is…” and silently watching your audience’s souls leave their bodies.
FAQs on how to start a presentation
How can I overcome nervousness at the beginning of a presentation?
The fastest way to calm your nerves is to grab your audience’s attention early with a story, question, or bold statement.
When they react (even just with eye contact or a chuckle), your brain shifts from “performer” to “conversation leader.”
Breathe, land your first line, and let the adrenaline work for you — not against you.
How long should the opening of a presentation be?
Your opening should take no more than 10% of your total presentation time. That includes your attention-grabber, your quick intro, audience connection, and preview of main points. If you’re presenting for 30 minutes, keep your full opening under 3 minutes.
Should I memorize my presentation’s opening lines?
Focus on remembering the idea and natural phrasing, not scripting every word like you’re performing Shakespeare in business casual. Memorized content sounds as bad as overcooked chicken tastes: rubbery, dry, and you want to spit it out immediately.
You want to sound prepared, not robotic. Know what you’re going to say, but say it like a human.
Should I use slides during the opening of my presentation?
Your opening slide should be minimal:
One image.
One word.
No charts. No data. No bullet-stuffed monstrosities.
Think of it like the opening of a movie. You’re here to hook them, not hit them with the assistant-to-the-assistant-producer list of credits.
How do I transition smoothly from the opening to the main content of my presentation?
The simplest transition is also the best one:
“Let’s start with [insert main point one].”
That’s it.
If you’ve done a strong job previewing your main points, this first one should ping your audience’s brain like:
“Oh right, she said this was coming. She’s talking about it now. It must be important. I’ll listen.”
That’s priming in action. You laid the tracks earlier, now their attention is following the route you set.
Clear previews = smooth transitions. And smooth transitions = engaged listeners who actually stay with you.
