Here we are! You've been asked to give your first speech in public. You have planned and practised. You're all set to give the best presentation you've ever given.
As soon as you start your presentation, you have exactly three minutes to get the audience's attention and build rapport with them so they'll be interested in what you have to say.
In the first 3 minutes of your talk, your audience is trying to figure out what kind of person you are. They are deciding if they like you and if you are interesting enough to listen to. If you lose your audience in the first three minutes, the rest of the presentation will be a game of catch-up.
Why are your first three minutes as a public speaker the most important part of your presentation? This is when the audience's attention is naturally at its highest and most focused. Here is where the crowd decides whether or not to listen to you. You only get one chance to make a good first impression.
During this important time, you need to connect with your audience. For communication to work, there must be rapport. Before you present anything, you need to get to know your audience.
When two people have things in common, they get along. When you have enough rapport with the people in your audience, they will feel like they know you and will be interested in what you have to say.
You can get your audience to like you by;
Using the same words as them. Use their slang and favourite words.
- Say it in the same tone and the way they do.
- Move and stand in the same way.
People get close to each other when they have things in common. Tell your audience a story that shows them that you are just like them. Meet as many people in your audience as you can before the presentation and get to know them one-on-one.
Let your audience decide what they want from the start, and then do your best to meet those needs. Try out different kinds of openers to see which ones get you and your audience to know each other better. Be open to change, use as many different openers as you can, and look at the results. The best openers will be the ones that help you connect with the people in the room. You can look into the following types of openers:
o Current Events
o Humorous
o Pictorial
o Anecdotal
o Pertinent Quote
o Situation in the Real World
o Rhetorical
o Musical
If you've gotten to know your audience well enough in the first three minutes of your presentation, the rest of it will go smoothly. You will have an audience that is interested in what you have to say, and you can have fun with them and be yourself on stage.
Remember that the most important part of your presentation is the first three minutes. Get off to a good start with your presentation.
