Most of us have probably been to our fair share of presentations and you may have noticed audience members beginning to slouch in their chairs as the presenter took the stage. The truth is many people attend a presentation with the preconceived notion that is going to be dull and boring. That is the reason you don’t have 20 minutes to grab the audience’s attention, but rather about 30 seconds. If you don’t make the most of those first 30 seconds, audience members will quickly divert their minds and attention to other things such as their cell phones or their happenings for the week. No matter how important or relevant your presentation is it will not be heard if you fail to capture their attention in those first 30 seconds.
Your First Words are Critical
The first 25 words you speak are the most important ones in your message. If these words don’t engage your audience to listen, you won’t have their attention. This is why you should never open with a casual conversation about the weather outside. Instead, move right into your message with a few words that are captivating and interesting. You can do this by asking a question, giving clues and allowing the audience to guess what you are getting at, or by telling a compelling story. Regardless of which tactic you decide to use, choose your words wisely.  Here are a few ways to hook your audience during those first 30 seconds.
Ask Rhetorical Questions
A simple way to engage the audience is to begin by asking a series of rhetorical questions. This will stimulate their mind and encourage them to ponder the answers.
Use a Catchy Phrase or Quote
When you begin with a catchy phrase or interesting quote you will notice the audience begin to perk up. Try to come up with something clever that is both interesting and entertaining.
Give a Startling Statistic
A surefire way to capture people’s attention is to begin by giving them a startling or amazing fact. Take some time to research important statistics that relate to your topic and illustrate the seriousness of what you are about to talk about.
Use the Word Imagine
The word “imagine†invites the audience to create a mental image of something. This is a simple but powerful word that evokes the emotion of your audience. There is power in asking your audience to conjure up ideas in their head and this tactic can be easily applied to just about any topic.
Give a “What If†Scenario
Another compelling way to begin a presentation is by giving your audience a “what if†scenario. It can intensify the audience’s desire for your product or service. For example, a presentation about money management could begin with “What if you were debt-free?â€
Tell a Story
Stories are one of the most powerful ways to begin a presentation. Few things capture the interest of listeners like a well-told story. The story should be brief, but detailed and authentic. It is a great way to evoke emotion from the audience.
Don’t begin your next presentation by wasting those first precious seconds. Instead, surprise listeners with a hook that immediately grabs their attention and leaves them wanting more. Your presentation will be a success if start strong and hit the ground running.
