Media Training for Sportspeople
Using pauses in presentations
Many people start their presentations in exactly the same way. But is it the right way?
“My name is Rich Watts, and today I am going to talk to you a little bit about public speaking.”
How many speeches or presentations have you heard during your lifetime that begin just like that? At school, at university, in your career, or at a family function? So many of us start our presentations like this, in exactly the same way as everybody else.
But is it effective? The answer is likely ‘no’.
As humans, our brains are wired to pay attention to things that are new and unique and novel. It’s a great way to ensure that we are safe from danger (for example, by alerting us to a tiger walking into our cave!), and has helped to keep us safe from tiger and other dangers since the dawn of man. It has allowed us to survive and evolve.
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Bringing this all into a public speaking context (that’s what you’re here for, right?), if your opening line is exactly the same as one we've heard thousands of times before, then we, as your audience, are not going to pay you or your message any attention.You are not new, novel, or even dangerous (like a tiger). It’s boring.
So, if you want to stand out and grab the attention of your audience right from the start of your next presentation or speech, then you need to make your opening line different.
If you are struggling for inspiration, then try opening with:
- A startling statement
- An amazing (but relevant!) fact
- A story
- A rhetorical question
- Or even, in the style of Napoleon, a long pause…
Whatever you do, if you want to succeed and stand out as a speaker, all you have to do is start differently.
Good luck!
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All of our recent blog posts are recorded as videos too. Click the video to watch this blog post narrated by Rich Watts, public speaking expert and 2x national public speaking champion.
To watch all our public speaking tips videos, visit the Rich Public Speaking Youtube channel here.
