“Should I start my presentation with an attention grabber or self introduction?”
This is a question I received recently. My answer: “It depends on your audience.”
Look online for advice on the best way to start a presentation, and you’ll find numerous types of “hook” that you can use to “engage the hearts and minds” of the audience. Many great ideas. I especially love the advice from Garr Reynolds to start your presentation with a “PUNCH.”
In Japan, however, status and credibility are tremendously important. So, in business presentations with influential Japanese audience members, I often introduce myself first. I tell people how long I’ve been in Japan, where I’ve worked, and what I did. Just briefly.
As humans, we’re quick to judge based on appearance. A Japanese executive audience could easily see me as a young, foreign woman who probably knows little about Japan and isn’t going to be able to offer much of value (these days my increasing laughter lines make it less likely that I’ll be seen as “young” – lol!).
So think about your audience.
What’s most important to them? Having the opportunity to assess your credibility or immediately being hooked by something that you say, show, or do?
It depends.
Five Points to Start a Great Business Presentation
I recommend covering five points to get you off to a great start in a business presentation:
- Who are you?
- What are you going to talk about?
- Why should the audience listen?
- How are you going to proceed?
- Wow! (This is the hook.)
Change the order depending on your audience.
Learn more about this simple Who? What? Why? How? Wow! structure to get you off to a great start in presentations in the book 英語の仕事術 and in the course Speak Like An Expert Online.
Enjoy!
Thanks, TopTia, for the photo.
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