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How to Create a Video Introduction That Hooks Your Audience

Video-Introduction-That-Hooks-the-Audience

That’s all the time you have got to hook your audience before they move on to another video.

If you miss your chance to impress and engage your viewer in this short period, you won’t have another shot.

How can you engage your audience in such a short amount of time?

Let’s take a look at five techniques you can use to write a video introduction that hooks your audience right away.

1. Create a Curiosity Gap with Your Video Intro

Your video has something that your viewers want; it’s what makes your viewers click on your video when they see it on their screens. Business people call this your “value proposition”— the value your video promises them.

Your video’s value proposition could be

a solution to a painful problem
an interesting idea they haven’t thought about
a funny sketch promising a laugh, and more.

In any case, before you sit down to write your video introduction , make sure to figure out what it is.

Before you sit down to write your video introduction, make sure to figure out the value proposition of your video.

Once you have figured it out, you want to tease the viewer with what marketers call a curiosity gap — the difference between what your viewer knows and what they want to know.

As the name suggests, a curiosity gap makes the viewer curious about your video’s premise—you can already trigger that feeling through the title and thumbnail —without revealing what is.

Bloomberg’s following video creates a curiosity gap right from the title and thumbnail — you may guess what city it is, but it’s not easy to figure out. The video starts by mentioning the city the video refers to — Mexico City — while showing one of the city’s main landmarks. By the time you click the video to figure out the city from the story, it’s already too late; the story has hooked you.

The key to creating a powerful curiosity gap is to delay your video’s main idea while assuming they are familiar and knowledgeable about your video’s topic and build your introduction from there.

Think of it as the experience of opening a Kinder Surprise or a McDonald’s Happy Meal — kids love to buy them because they know they will get a toy, except that you didn’t know which one.

The following video from Vox uses an interesting headline by referring to services we all know—Netflix—but shocks you in the last part of the headline when it says—“ all without the internet. ”

The first 30 seconds mix images of Cuba, the country where this mysterious service is based, with the narrator talking about the ease of using Netflix and other streaming services. Suddenly, the narrator asks, how do these services work in an authoritarian country like Cuba?

It’s important to balance the feeling the curiosity gap creates so you don’t confuse them; if you play too hard to get, it will feel condescending — i.e., you will make them feel like they’re not smart — thus destroying any chance of engaging them.

Easily Create Attention-Grabbing Video Intros

2. Use Aristotle’s Technique

You already know the attention span of the average viewer is short. As such, your video introduction should go straight to the point, showing the viewer what they will learn in the video.

One popular way to introduce your video’s central premise from the start is to use what’s known as “ Aristotle’s technique ,” or, as philosophers call it, the “ Aristotelian triptych .”

Leaving all the philosophical ideas behind, Aristotle’s technique is a three-part technique public speakers and content writers use to present an argument.

Here’s how it works:

Tell your audience what you will tell them —both in your introduction and headline, tell them precisely what they will learn in the video.
Tell them what you want to tell them —in the video, show them what you promised you would show them.
Tell them what you told them —in the last few seconds of the video, recap everything you talked about.

Here’s one example from Tim Schmoyer from Video Creators, who uses the first seconds to give background to the video’s topic, and then he explains what he will talk about in the rest of it.

Aristotle’s technique is particularly useful when creating tutorials and technical videos where clarity of thought is paramount. The best part is, it’s incredibly easy to implement; all you do is explain what the video is about.

3. Tell Them a Story

It’s no secret to say that people like storytelling, especially when it comes to video format. A comparison between the films released over the last 100 years shows that almost the majority of the movies have been fictionalized stories, with non-fiction documentaries representing a negligible part of the industry.

Image Source: Tableau Public

That’s to say that telling your viewers a story is a guaranteed way to hook them before they can click away. The question is, how do you create a story quickly?

Telling your viewers a story is a guaranteed way to hook them before they can click away.

It turns out, you can use the S.I.C. storytelling formula , the technique writers use to develop a story in a few paragraphs. Here’s how it works:

Start by developing a situation — that is, start by defining a background and character to your story, and a problem that connects the two.
Create interest by explaining how the problem unfolded, how your characters faced it, and how the situation changed.
Finish with a conclusion where you show how the characters overcame the challenge and what they learned — the “moral” of the story.

Wendover Productions is a channel that covers topics on “ how the world works .” Sam Denby, the host, covers “boring” topics like airports, shipping, and logistics, yet the channel has over 2.70 million subscribers. How does he manage to get such an immense following? By telling stories.

Ask yourself, “ what’s the story behind my video? ” There’s always a character — real or invented— that your video can relate to; find that character, the problems they faced, and show them in your introduction.

4. Show a Preview in Your Video Introduction

Your video title and thumbnail play a key role in hooking your viewer, which is what the Bloomberg example illustrated. Marketers call this “click-bait:” you spike your viewer’s interest and promise something that seems shocking, interesting, or unique.

The problem is, your promises can quickly fall short if you don’t use that initial interest to hook them. Your video introduction must prove that your video will show your viewers something of worth; otherwise, you will lose them.

Your video introduction must prove that your video will show your viewers something of worth; otherwise, you will lose them.

Start by showing a preview of the most important, shocking, or interesting part of the video, especially if that preview connects to the video’s thumbnail and/or title.

Casey Neistat, one of YouTube’s foremost influencers, always uses previews, both in his videos’ thumbnails as well as in the intro. The following video covers his traveling experience in a $21,000 plane ticket, Casey starts with a seemingly random yet fascinating question.

15 seconds later, he shows a card where he explains what the video is all about—how he got the ticket and the travel itinerary. Once he has hooked the viewer with an exciting preview and some background information, he starts the video at the beginning of the story.

Video previews are effective when the video shows a fun, fascinating, or awe-inspiring clip from your video, like in Niestait’s video.

Here’re some more tips on how to make your video thumbnail do its best.

5. Create a Video Introduction That Makes Them Laugh

One of the main benefits videos have over text is that they allow for a much greater range of emotions. The more emotions you can elicit in the viewer, the more you will engage them.

From the unlimited number of emotions available, laughter is one of the most essential human traits you can use in your videos. Laughter creates an emotional bond between the viewers, among a large array of benefits .

Starting your videos with a laugh is a guaranteed way of engaging your viewers quickly, which explains why some of YouTube’s most popular videos are bloopers and other funny clips.

Here’s how you can create a funny video introduction:

Break their expectations

Humor is all about breaking your viewers’ expectations.

Consider Groucho Marx’s famous quote: “ Those are my principles, and if you don’t like them… well, I have others. ”

What makes it funny is the pun after the ellipsis; it’s the unexpected and unapologetic lack of morals Groucho claims to have that makes his joke funny.

When you write your video introduction, ask yourself, “ what’s the expectation your viewers have about the topic of your video? ” Take it and flip it over its head.

In the first 25 seconds of the following video, the narrator—which happens to be called “Sciencephile the AI” and uses an artificial voice generator to narrate the script—builds momentum around the complexity of the video’s subject.

At first, you’d think Sciencephile the AI is referring to physics, as the video’s title suggests the video is about. But then, he breaks the expectations with some funny remarks.

Laugh at yourself

There’s no better way to use humor than to show your viewer that you, the host, are just like them. We are all drawn to think that whoever speaks to use in a video—or presentation, for what it’s worth — is an authority.

Use that bias we all have embedded to laugh at yourself. It will break the ice between the viewer and you, and you will gain their respect.

Joe Scott has built a large YouTube channel covering mostly science topics while using a mix of self-deprecating jokes, weird faces, and awkward silences. He has even created a “character” around himself, which makes his videos unique and funny.

Whether this “character” is real or not is irrelevant; these attributes make his videos funny and engaging, even when he covers complex topics.

Exaggerate a point

Exaggeration, or “hyperbole,” is a comedic device comedians use to make fun of a commonly accepted situation or idea. By exaggerating this idea, you are implicitly telling your viewers that you both know what or who you are talking about. This makes the viewer feel special and unique, something that builds trust between the viewer and yourself.

Jeff Nippard is a fitness expert who publishes videos on muscle building. In the following video, he parodies the “bro culture” that, after the global lockdown, started creating videos on training at home.

The first few videos already start by having Jeff sip coke (which is a common joke among fitness enthusiasts as something a beginner would do) and other ridiculous exercises, like “sip curls”—bicep curls done with milk jugs while drinking the milk at the same time.

Hook Your Audience with Your Video Introduction

With these five techniques, you will not write your video introductions like you did before. Now you know that catching your viewer’s attention early in your video is critical to engage them and increase your audience retention.

Find the right curiosity gap, introduce it fast, mix it with a story, and a funny remark, and you will hook them right away. Which of these five techniques are you going to use in your next video introduction?

Also, if you’re looking for an easy-to-use video intro creator – try Wave.video! You won’t regret it, we promise.

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How To Introduce Yourself in a Video Presentation

Posted by Belinda Huckle | On April 28, 2021 | In Online Presenting

In this Article...quick links

How you introduce yourself in a video presentation will set the scene for the rest of the meeting. Your first words will give the audience an instant indication of how confident you are, why you’re qualified to talk on the subject, and what they can expect from the presentation.

Have you ever found yourself about to start a virtual presentation and stumbling over your first words? You’ve finished the deck, you know your subject, you’ve rehearsed the presentation, but you’re not sure how to bridge that gap between ‘hello’ and getting started. Well, you’re not alone. The hardest part of any presentation is always the beginning.

First impressions really count, especially online, so think of your introduction as the key building block of a memorable and convincing presentation. But it’s not as easy as it sounds, so make sure you put as much effort into your introduction as you do for the rest of the deck. Here are our top tips to help you introduce yourself and create a great first impression online.

How to introduce yourself in a video presentation

6 tips to introduce yourself in a video presentation like a pro

1. get the basics right.

Research by Tricia Prickett and Professor Frank Bernieri of Oregon State University has found that, in most communication situations, speakers only have fifteen seconds to make a good first impression with their audience. And that’s when you are in the same room. When you’re presenting in-person things like appearance, clothes, accent, how we shake hands are all important, albeit very basic factors for creating a positive first impression.

But there is a big difference between presenting face-to-face versus online , so many of these factors are irrelevant when we’re delivering a virtual presentation or speaking at an online meeting. In reality, in this environment we probably have even less time to make a good first impression because many of the usual cues are missing. So you really need to know, and practise, the basic skills, tips and techniques of how to introduce yourself in a video presentation to help you overcome these limitations!

When we’re communicating online the basics include:

Good lighting : This is a must! If people can’t see you, your facial expressions, your eye connection – they’re not going to engage with you. For the simple reason that they can’t see you. If you’re not sure what your lighting looks like, jump on a Teams, Zoom or another VC platform call and take a screenshot. Then you can see (or not) what your audience sees. Lighting from behind the screen works best, so try out a few locations.
Camera at eye level : No one wants to be looking up your nose because you have your camera too low. So, either get a webcam and place it on the top of your screen – or easier and cheaper, raise your laptop by a foot or so (a pile of books will do the trick). And make sure the audience can see your head, shoulders and arms so that you can introduce gestures where appropriate.
Talk to your audience through the camera : Don’t talk to their image on your screen. Easier said than done, but it makes the world of difference. Don’t believe me?? Set up a VC meeting with a friend or colleague and record yourself speaking to them ‘through the camera’ versus to their screen image. You’ll never go back once you do.

There are a lot more tips on how to get the basics right in our recent blog which covers online body language tips .

2. Grab the audience’s attention at the start

Grab the audiences attention at the start of a video presentation

Too many people start their presentation with ‘Hello, my name is blah blah and I’m the blah blah (role) of blah company. Yawn!

Instead, to better introduce yourself in a video presentationconsider grabbing the audience’s attention with a short story,

Cognitive psychologist Jerome Bruner suggests we are 22 times more likely to remember a fact when it has been wrapped in a story. This is because stories engage our emotions. They also create vivid pictures in our minds. The combination of both means audiences are far more likely to find us and our presentation more memorable.

If a story isn’t relevant, consider beginning with a startling statistic, an evocative image, or a graphic chart . Or maybe a question for the audience. All these techniques (as long as they’re relevant to your message in some way!) will help to grab the audience’s attention and get them engaged at the start of your presentation.

3. Make your audience the hero

Sometimes an attention grab isn’t an appropriate introduction. We get that. If this is the case then start your presentation by making the audience the hero of the presentation. Let them know what’s in it for them (WIIFT) e.g. What problem do you want to solve for them? Why is your presentation relevant to them, their role, their situation? How will they use the information from your presentation? How will what you have to share be helpful – now or in the future?

The more you can let the audience know that they are your ‘front & centre’ the more they’ll want to listen to what you have to share.

4. Earn the right to be heard

It’s all well and good drawing the audience in by letting them know that you have something relevant to share with them. But why should they listen to you? This is where earning the right to be heard and establishing your credibility is key. No, that doesn’t mean regaling them with your entire resume, or life-history. Just a sentence or two as to why you have authority of, expertise about, or experience of the subject.

5. Set the scene

Set the scene at the start of a video presentation

Another great tip to help improve the way you introduce yourself in a video presentation is to effectively set the scene. Setting the scene may involve providing some context or background information to the presentation. It may also (and usually should, just like you would in a F2F meeting) include some housekeeping points like letting the audience know when you’d like them to ask questions. You know yourself that when you’re in an audience you usually prefer to ask questions as they pop into your head. So let the audience know, where you can, that they can ask questions along the way. Plus how should they do this – using the chat function, raising an e-hand, or a real hand, or, if it’s a small group, simply jumping in.

Depending on the size of the group you may need to let them know that you’ll be pausing at certain points during the presentation to answer questions . And/or if there will be a Q&A session at the end. Whatever option you choose, just let your audience know in advance. The same goes for information on whether the presentation will be recorded or if slides will be made available afterwards. And always let the audience know how long the presentation will be so they know what to expect. For specific tips on how to keep your audience engaged check out our recent blog on how to make an online presentation interesting .

6. Personal disclosure

Finally, your audience will not only want to know that you have the credibility to speak about the subject, they will also want to know a little bit about you as a person. So, consider sharing with them why you’re personally passionate about the subject, or especially grateful to have the opportunity to speak with them. Or is there something about your background that is unique or of potential interest to your listeners?

It’s important for the audience to get a sense of who you are, so just be yourself and let your personality shine through. Remember, people prefer to listen to someone who comes across as their authentic self and who they feel they have a connection with. So, use personal disclosure to build rapport and bond with your audience.

Oh, and the best tip of all? Don’t forget to smile. It’s contagious!

Improve your virtual presentation skills further with our online programs

Keen to learn how to introduce yourself in a video presentation? Then look at tailored training to lift your online presenting skills .

For nearly 20 years we have been the Business Presentation Skills Experts , training & coaching thousands of people in an A-Z of global blue-chip organisations – check out what they say about our programs .

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Written By Belinda Huckle

Co-Founder & Managing Director

Belinda is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of SecondNature International. With a determination to drive a paradigm shift in the delivery of presentation skills training both In-Person and Online, she is a strong advocate of a more personal and sustainable presentation skills training methodology.

Belinda believes that people don’t have to change who they are to be the presenter they want to be. So she developed a coaching approach that harnesses people’s unique personality to build their own authentic presentation style and personal brand.

She has helped to transform the presentation skills of people around the world in an A-Z of organisations including Amazon, BBC, Brother, BT, CocaCola, DHL, EE, ESRI, IpsosMORI, Heineken, MARS Inc., Moody’s, Moonpig, Nationwide, Pfizer, Publicis Groupe, Roche, Savills, Triumph and Walmart – to name just a few.

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How to Make an About Me or Self Introduction Video

Feb 11, 2022

It may be hard to talk about yourself. But making a video about yourself can be pretty easy, even if you don’t know exactly where to start.

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How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation [with Examples]

In this post, we are going to cover the best way, a very simple three-step process that will help you introduce yourself in a presentation. A summary of the steps is below.

Start with your name and company (or organization or school).
Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them.
Share some type of proof (social proof works best) that you can solve this problem.

I will break down each step into a simple-to-follow process. But first… a little background.

First, Identify What Your Audience Wants from Your Presentation

Create an Introduction for Yourself that Makes the Audience Care About the Topic

So, before you design your introduction, think about what your audience wants from your presentation. Why do they want to spend their valuable time listening to you? Are going to waste their time? Or, are you going to provide them with something valuable?

For instance, I have expertise in a number of different areas. I’m a public speaking coach, a keynote speaker, a best-selling author, a search engine optimization specialist, and a popular podcaster. However, if I delivered that sentence to any audience, the most likely reaction would be, “So what?” That sentence doesn’t answer any of the above questions. The statement is also really “me-focused” not “audience-focused.”

So, when I start to design my self-introduction, I want to focus just on the area of expertise related to my topic. I’m then going to answer the questions above about that particular topic. Once you have these answers, set them aside for a second. They will be important later.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation in Class.

If Everyone Already Knows You DON'T Introduce Yourself

Instead, you probably want to add in a fun way to start a speech . For example, instead of introducing yourself in your class speech and starting in an awkward way, start with a startling statistic. Or start with a summary of your conclusion. Or, you could start the presentation with an inspirational quote.

Each of these presentation starters will help you lower your nervousness and decrease your awkwardness.

If you are delivering a speech in a speech competition or to an audience who doesn’t know you try this technique. Just introduce yourself by saying your name , the school you represent , and your topic . Make it easy. This way you get to your content more quickly and lower your nervousness.

Typically, after you get the first few sentences out of the way, your nervousness will drop dramatically. Since your name, school, and topic should be very easy to remember, this takes the pressure off you during the most nervous moments.

Obviously, follow the guidelines that your teacher or coach gives you. (The competition may have specific ways they want you to introduce yourself.)

How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Presentation — A Step-by-Step Guide.

In a professional setting, when new people walk into a meeting and don’t know what to expect, they will feel uncomfortable. The easiest way to ease some of that tension is to chat with your audience as they come into the room.

By the way, if you are looking for a template for an Elevator Speech , make sure to click this link.

Step #1: Start with your name and company name (or organization).

This one is easy. Just tell your audience your name and the organization that you are representing. If your organization is not a well-known brand name, you might add a short clarifying description. For instance, most people outside of the training industry have never heard of The Leader’s Institute ®. So, my step #1 might sound something like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company…

Still short and sweet, but a little more clear to someone who has never heard of my company.

Should you give your job title? Well… Maybe and sometimes. Add your title into the introduction only if your title adds to your credibility.

For example, if you are delivering a financial presentation and you are the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of your company, you might mention that. Your title adds to your credibility. However, if the CFO is delivering a presentation about the value of joining a trade association, the CFO title adds little credibility. So, there is very little value in adding the title.

Step #2: Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them.

Identify the Problem You Solve for Your Audience

For instance, if my topic is how to deliver presentations, I have to determine why the audience would care. What problem will they have that I can help them with? For my audiences, the problem that I most often help people with is how to eliminate public speaking fear. Once I have the problem, I add that to my introduction by using the words, “I help people…”

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear.

However, if my topic is How to Close a Higher Percentage of Sales Presentations , I’d likely want to alter my introduction a little. I might say something like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people design more persuasive sales presentations.

I have expertise in both areas. However, I focus my introduction on just the expertise that is applicable to this audience. If I gave the first introduction to the second audience, they will likely respond by thinking, well, I don’t really get nervous speaking, so I guess I can tune out of this speech .

So, create a problem statement starting with, “I help people…” Make the statement apply to what your audience really wants.

Step #3: Share some type of proof (social proof works best) that you can solve this problem.

By the way, if you just do steps #1 and #2, your introduction will be better than most that you will hear. However, if you add Step #3, you will gain more respect (and attention) from your audience. Without adding some type of proof that you can solve this problem, you are just giving your opinion that you are an expert. However, if you can prove it, you are also proving that you are an expert.

This is the tricky part. For some reason, most people who get to this part feel like they haven’t accomplished great things, so they diminish the great accomplishments that they do have.

For instance, an easy way to offer proof is with a personal story of how you have solved that problem in the past.

A Few Examples of How to Introduce Yourself Before a Presentation.

For instance, one of my early clients was a young accountant. When I was working with him, he came up with the following introduction, “I’m Gary Gorman with Gorman and Associates CPA’s, and I help small businesses avoid IRS audits.” It was a great, audience-focused attention-getter. (No one wants to get audited.) However, as an accountant, it wasn’t like his company was getting a lot of five-star reviews on Yelp! So, he was kind of struggling with his social proof. So, I asked him a series of questions.

Me, “How many clients do you have?”

Gary, “Over 300.”

Me, “How many small business tax returns have you processed?”

Gary, “Well, at least a couple hundred a year for 15 years.”

Me, “So, at least 3000?” He nodded. “How many of your 300 clients have been audited since you have been representing them?”

He looked at me and said, “Well, none.”

So, we just added that piece of proof to his talk of introduction.

I’m Gary Gorman with Gorman and Associates CPA’s, and I help small businesses avoid IRS audits. In fact, in my career, I’ve helped clients complete over 3000 tax returns, and not a single one has ever been audited.

Here Is How I Adjust My Introduction Based on What I Want the Audience to Do.

For my proof, I have a number of options. Just like Gary, I have had a lot of clients who have had great successes. In addition, I have published two best-selling books about public speaking. I also have hundreds of thousands of people who listen to my podcast each week. So, I can pick my evidence based on what I want my audience to do.

For instance, if I’m speaking at a convention, and I want the audience to come by my booth to purchase my books, my introduction might sound like this.

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. One of the things that I’m most know for is being the author of two best-selling books, Fearless Presentations and Mastering Presentations.

However, if I’m leading a webinar, I may want the audience to purchase a seat in one of my classes. In that case, my introduction might sound like this.

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. For instance, for the last 20 years, I’ve taught public speaking classes to over 20,000 people, and I haven’t had a single person fail to reduce their nervousness significantly in just two days.

If my goal is to get the audience to subscribe to my podcast, my intro might sound like…

Hi, I’m Doug Staneart with The Leader’s Institute ®, an international leadership development company, and I help people eliminate public speaking fear. One of the ways that I do this is with my weekly podcast called, Fearless Presentations, which has over one million downloads, so far.

Use the Form Below to Organize How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation.

The point is that you want to design your introduction in a way that makes people pause and think, “Really? That sounds pretty good.” You want to avoid introductions that make your audience think, “So what?”

If you have a speech coming up and need a good introduction, complete the form below. We will send you your answers via email!

Can You Replace Your Introduction with a PowerPoint Slide?

Is it okay to make your first slide (or second slide) in your presentation slides an introduction? Sure. A good public speaker will often add an introduction slide with a biography, portrait, and maybe even contact information. I sometimes do this myself.

However, I NEVER read the slide to my audience. I often just have it showing while I deliver the short introduction using the guide above. This is a great way to share more of your work experience without sounding like you are bragging.

For tips about how many powerpoint slides to use in a presentation , click here.

Remember that There Is a Big Difference Between Your Introduction in a Presentation and Your Presentation Starter.

When you introduce yourself in a presentation, you will often just use a single sentence to tell the audience who you are. You only use this intro if the audience doesn’t know who you are. Your presentation starter, though, is quite different. Your presentation starter should be a brief introduction with relevant details about what you will cover in your presentation.

For details, see Great Ways to Start a Presentation . In that post, we show ways to get the attention of the audience. We also give examples of how to use an interesting hook, personal stories, and how to use humor to start a presentation.

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What is a video presentation?

Why is video presentation increasingly popular, presentations, videos, video presentation stats and numbers, different types of video presentations, what is a video presentation maker, how to make a video presentation using powerpoint, how to save a powerpoint presentation as a video, step by step guide on how to video record yourself presenting a powerpoint, how to create video presentations, video presentation templates:, video presentation ideas, video presentation tips, tips to create an engaging powerpoint video presentation, best presentation recorder in 2023, ultimate video presentations guide with tips & examples.

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best video presentation maker , how to create video presentation , how to record a powerpoint presentation with audio , powerpoint video presentation , video presentation , video presentation ideas , video presentation maker , video presentation tips , video presentation types , Video Presentations

Let’s all agree, presentations have been there for quite a period of time. Infact the first presentation program was launched way back in 1987 and was available only in Mac. Later Microsoft acquired it and rebranded it as Microsoft Powerpoint. Nowadays presentations are everywhere, be it in educational institutions, companies, organizations, and so many other places. As we evolved over the years, the importance of video also started to grow rapidly which has now lead to presentations take a new format which is Video presentations .

In this blog, we’ll look at everything that you need to know about video presentations right from the definition to examples,presentation templates, and the best presentation video maker to create video presentations.

Here’s what we’ll be covering in this presentation video ultimate guide:

Why video presentations are increasingly popular and effective
Video presentations stats
Types of video presentations
What is a video presentation maker
Video presentation template
How to make a video presentation with PowerPoint
How to create a personalized video presentation
Powerpoint video presentation tips
Best video presentation maker/Software

A video presentation could be defined as a video in which multiple slides are used along with audio, video narration along with animation, images to communicate certain specific information with an audience in an engaging manner.

Even after putting a lot of effort into static presentations to make them interactive and engaging there was always a problem of static presentations are lengthy and most cases boring failing to capture the audience’s attention. To give you a perspective, 79% of the audience feel most presentations to be boring.

This particular problem is solved with the usage of video presentations as the size of the duration of a video presentation is brought down drastically. Plus video presentations are easy to consume. Viewers can watch it at their pace and it doesn’t mandate all the stakeholders to be present in a physical or virtual place at the same time.

There are over 35 million PowerPoint presentations created every day and presented to an audience of 500 million people.
89% of people still use PowerPoint to create presentations out of which 43% say they don’t have an alternative.
87% of marketing people use video in their marketing efforts.
78% of people consume videos online in a week with 55% consuming videos every day.
70% of businesses are creating more videos in 2021 compared to 2020.
69% of people prefer to learn about a product through a video.
Most people turn out of a PowerPoint presentation after 10 minutes.

Presentation videos are now used for various use cases across different fields. Here is a list of seven different types of video presentations.

1. Sales presentation videos

Sales video presentations or video prospecting involves sales folks giving a quick outline of what the company and product has to offer to their prospects. Another type of sales presentation video also includes sales enablement presentation videos done by Marketing teams to upskill sales folks for better selling.

2. Educational presentation videos

Educational presentation videos involve lectures and courses taught by teachers in a live in-person or virtual classroom which are then converted into video lessons for anytime access.

3. Employee training and development presentation videos

Employee training and development presentation videos are an essential part of a new employee getting trained and used to the system in place. The training presentation being available in video form helps anyone to access them without any dependency enabling better productivity.

4. Business planning and review presentation videos

Business presentations are it planning, review, performance analysis could all be boring and time-consuming. Getting them done as a video version helps in getting key information to all the stakeholders involved.

5. Fund Raising and Company Pitch presentation videos

CEOs and founders look for VC funding to take their company to the big stage. A great presentation video selling the core value proposition of the company and project growth in the upcoming years will help catch the eyes of the investors and land the required funding.

6. Product usage explanation and How to presentation videos

New customers generally require onboarding guidance which includes walkthroughs and how-to presentations. Videos for the same enables users to take a look at them and learn to use the product at their own pace without being overwhelmed.

7. Employee onboarding and orientation presentation videos

Now with employee onboarding happening virtually, employee onboarding presentation videos are of much importance. Employees get to understand company culture, guidelines, roles, and responsibilities better and in a calmer manner through presentation videos.

8. Promotional and Marketing presentation videos

Product promotion presentations are often used by Marketing teams in various fields and virtual events. A video presentation, especially an animated video presentation, comes in handy for promoting products.

The common trend across all these different types of presentation videos is that all of them aren’t just one-time recording and usage but also could be used multiple times which brings down the resource requirements for all of the above use-cases.

A video presentation maker or a video presentation software is an app that lets you create presentation videos by using existing presentation slides or by creating new presentation slides and then converting them into videos.

There are two types of video presentation software . One that lets you screen record existing presentations and the other one that lets you create presentations by using existing templates which users can customize by adding voice, videos, images, characters, animation, etc.

Powerpoint is one of the presentation software with over 35 million PowerPoint presentations created every day and presented to an audience of 500 million people

Powerpoint being the most used presentation software for creating presentations we are going to look at how to make a video presentation using PowerPoint. There are multiple ways in which you can create a video out of your presentation and we have mentioned the same below.

Different methods to save a Powerpoint presentation as a video

Directly saving Powerpoint file as a video presentation
Using a screen recorder to record the presentation in slideshow mode
Using a screen recorder to record the presentation in the slideshow mode with a webcam overlay

Method one:

How to save powerpoint presentation as a video

Microsoft enables you to directly save your PowerPoint presentation as a video. Once you’re done with your presentation you’ll have to select > File > Export > Video . You can also decide to save it at the video quality of your choice which ranges from 4K HD to 480P. But remember the videos aren’t uploaded to the cloud so the better resolution you choose, the bigger will be the video size. The default video format will be MP4 or WMV.

Few things to know while saving PowerPoint presentations using this method:

Users can choose the time spent on each slide. By default, the time spent on each slide will be five seconds. So if your video is 20 slides and you choose the default five seconds per slide the PowerPoint presentation video will be of 100 secs.
Alternatively, you can choose manual slide timing if you feel you need to narrate more/less in a few specific slides.
You can decide to add narrations, audio, annotate on screen, clear annotations, record webcam as well. The webcam recording is however available only in Office 365.
You can also upload it to Microsoft streams for quick access within your organization.

Method two:

How to save a powerpoint presentation in powerpoint show format

Alternatively, you can save the presentation in PowerPoint Show format(.ppsx) . This directly opens the presentation in a slideshow format for viewers.

Using a screen recorder to record the presentation in slideshow mode

Although Powerpoint lets you record presentations with narration and even video in some versions, it’s quite a complex process that takes a lot of time and effort. This is where PowerPoint screen recording tools come in handy. The PowerPoint recorders enable you to quickly and easily record your presentation, customize them based on your expectations, and share it with others.

Here is a list of the Best PowerPoint screen recorders for you to choose the best tool.

One of the best PowerPoint screen recorders is Vmaker as it’s completely free to record an unlimited number of recordings, and comes without any watermarks. Let's take a look on how to record PowerPoint presentations using Vmaker.

Here is a step by step guide on how to screen record PowerPoint presentations with audio

Step 1: Sign up or Sign in to Vmaker and install the chrome extension .If you’re a Mac or Windows user, you can download and install the Vmaker's Screen Recorder for Mac or Vmaker's Screen Recorder for Windows .
Step 2: Open the PowerPoint presentation that you want to record.
Step 3: Launch the Vmaker app or chrome extension.
Step 4: Choose screen recording mode with audio enabled and click on start recording to begin recording your presentation.
Step 5: Add audio through narration, annotate screen, mute/unmute microphone, pause/resume recording as you wish.
Step 6: Click on finish recording to complete your PowerPoint screen recording.
Step 7: The video gets uploaded to the cloud in a few seconds irrespective of the video size. You can then edit, fine-tune, and then share it.

Adding a live webcam video to a PowerPoint presentation is also easier through Vmaker.

The steps and flow are pretty much the same with only the mode being different.

Step 1: Sign up or Sign in to Vmaker and install the Mac application
Step 4: Choose screen plus webcam recording mode with audio enabled and click on start recording to begin recording your presentation.
Step 6: Click on finish recording to complete your PowerPoint screen recording.

Video guide on how to record PowerPoint presentation with audio and video

As mentioned earlier you can also create video presentations from scratch up by using online presentation makers. Online presentation makers enable you to create stunning video presentations by adding a range of things right from the text, audio, video, background, avatars, video screen recording , animations, transitions, effects, and much more.

Users can decide either to start with a blank presentation or choose an existing template and start personalizing it based on their needs.

Video presentation template library on Animaker Deck ~ presentation video maker

Video presentation templates come in handy, especially for ones looking to create quick video presentations. You can choose any one of the templates based on your requirement and quickly edit the essential details to produce your video presentation.

Bonus: Screen Recording 101: Ultimate Resource Guide

Now that we have understood the importance of video presentations and learned how to create video presentations let’s take a look at some video presentation ideas and tips to create engaging video presentations.

Video presentations can further be enhanced by implementing certain ideas that will enable them to be engaging, seamless, and smooth for the audience. Here are some ideas that will help you create visually engaging video presentations.

Give your first slide a powerful statement that resonates with your entire presentation video

Use characters, images, and illustrations throughout your video presentation

Ensure all slides tell a story and connect with the powerful first statement , maintain similar font size consistently throughout the presentation videos.

Use transitions and motion graphics to make your presentation visually appealing

Ask Questions, polls, share quotes in between the video to keep viewers engaged

Conclude strongly proving or supporting your first statement, give a powerful statement that resonates with the video.

Give a powerful statement that resonates with the video presentation

Keep the first slide of your presentation video short concise and to the point resonating with what is the key topic being covered in the video. In the example above you could see the video is about avoiding single-use plastics and that is clearly mentioned to set the tone for the video.

Here is a gif of a plastic bag traveling being used perfectly resonating with the text on the video presentation

Using Animations, videos, images, illustrations adds value to the video presentation and helps convey the message clearly to the audience. In the above example, there is a video of a plastic bag flying to support the text given in the slide.

Ensure all slides tell a story and connect with the powerful first statement of your video presentation

Ensure that the messaging in all slides of the video presentation connects with the message in the first slide. Here in this example, you can see that the slide talks about plastic taking a long time to break down which directly connects with the why you should avoid single-use plastics message in the first slide.

Maintain similar font size consistently throughout the presentation videos

To offer a great visual experience for the viewers it is important to use fonts, colors, and text consistently in the video. Here in this sample presentation video, you could see font, text, spacing, amount of content, and color being uniform throughout offering a great visual experience for viewers.

Use transitions and motion graphics to make your presentation visually appealing

Transitions and motion graphics help while presenting the video presentation as the time in between helps the presenter prepare what to convey and also builds curiosity amongst the audience. In the example above you could see a wide range of transitions being available for usage on the video presentation.

Ask Questions, polls, share quotes in between the video presentation to keep viewers engaged

One of the major factors that differentiate a good and great PowerPoint presentation is how engaged the audience are throughout the presentation. Usage of stats, quotes, polls, questions in a video presentation enables the viewers to be engaged throughout the presentation. For instance, in this presentation video above the creator has used stats along with the right illustration which is a great hook in keeping the audience engaged.

Conclude your video presentation strongly proving or supporting your first statement

The conclusion to a video presentation is as important as the first statement and it is important to finish the video presentation by supporting or proving what was conveyed in the first slide. In this reference, the creator has brilliantly made a powerful statement to support the need to avoid single-use plastic.

Following up on what we offered in the above section here are some tips to keep in mind while creating video presentations.

Define the purpose of the video

Identify the target audience for the video

Decide on the script, images, and illustrations for the video

Avoid using complex language and tone for the video

Ensure you have a good video presentation maker for creating the video, avoid trying to convey too much of information in one go , make the intro and conclusion as powerful as possible, define the purpose of the presentation video.

Often ignored but the most important step in presentation video creation is the purpose definition stage. List out the key goals that you want to achieve by creating the presentation video and then pick up the most important goal that resonates with the video creation as your purpose. By defining the purpose of the video the next steps will be simplified. The purpose of the video will also automatically help in identifying the target audience of the video, brainstorming ideas for the video.

The target audience are the group of people who’ll potentially watch your videos once you publish them. Identifying and getting to know your audience enables you to decide on what exactly you’ll convey in the video, how you’ll convey the message, and not just that but also define the length of the presentation video.

Decide on the Script, Images, and Illustrations

Write the script keeping in mind the purpose of the video and the target audience you are creating the video. Decide on the relevant images, videos, gifs, and illustrations to support the text on the script. By doing so early allows creators the time to make any changes to text based on the creatives and vice versa.

The sole purpose of PowerPoint presentations is to convey information in a simpler and meaningful manner. Using complex language, data and tone defeats the purpose. Keep the language simple, break down, visualize data as much as possible, and use a subtle tone throughout the presentation video.

Earlier presentation videos were being made using multiple tools which included a presentation tool, video editor, video hosting platforms. But now we have all-in-one video presentation makers that lets you do everything right from creating to sharing the video presentation. Ensure that you pick up the right PowerPoint video maker based on your video creation needs.

Here is an elaborate list of the best PowerPoint presentation makers for you to choose from.

The beauty of presentation videos is that you get to present them. So with that being the case adding too much stuff that you have to talk about as content on each slide doesn’t make any sense. Keep the content less and break down the information to be conveyed based on each slide so that you don’t end up sharing too much information in one particular slide alone.

The opening and closing slides of your video presentation hold the key to making an impact. Make the intro and conclusion as powerful as possible by interconnecting them. By doing so anyone watching the video presentation will have a takeaway from the presentation which creates a lasting impression.

Here are a few tips specifically for creating PowerPoint video presentations. The below tips are tailored to help you improve your PowerPoint video creation.

Decide on the font, color, and text content in each slide
Keep the content in each slide as short as possible
Support your content in each slide with powerful illustrations and data

Use transitions and effects but ensure that they’re not overused

Use high-quality images that are rich .

Visualize charts, graphs, tables and add color to them

Decide on the font, color, and text content in each slide

This presentation has Arial as font throughout the presentation

The minor details like font, sizing, color, and the volume of content in each slide play a key role in video presentations. Define the fonts and the size of the fonts that will be used in the presentation. Ensure that the amount of content on each slide is uniform. Making sure small details like this are looked into aids in the creation of the best PowerPoint video presentations.

Keep the content as short as possible

Keep the content in the presentation as short as possible

Ensure that there is a lot of empty space in the slide and the content is kept minimum. This ensures a pleasant viewing experience when the presentation is converted into a video. As there will be narration in video presentations the explanation can be done over voice rather than adding texts in the PowerPoint slides.

Support your content with powerful illustrations and data

Support your content in each slide with powerful illustrations and data

Adding illustrations and highlighting key data will help in engaging your audience as they’ll be paying key attention to what is being presented. Illustrations also enable you to offer a visually engaging video presentation keeping your audience engaged and hooked.

Transitions, Motion Graphics in powerpoint video presentations

Using the built-in transitions and animations in Powerpoint is the quickest and easiest way to add an extra dimension to your presentation. Smartly ensure that you use the animations and transitions effectively so that it adds to the quality of your presentation. Also, overusing them by making excessive use of it in every slide will make the presentation look clumsy.

Use high-quality images that are rich in your presentation

It’s important to have images across the presentation and the usage of images adds immense value to the presentation. Also, it is key to use high-quality ones as the usage of not-so-great ones really brings down the quality of video presentations.

Visualize charts, graphs, tables and add color to them

Using charts, tables and graphs helps the audience visualize data better. The video viewers can easily resonate with the insights shared in the narration with the visuals available on the video. Powerpoint comes with a built-in data visualization feature that enables you to create charts, graphs, tables with ease and convert them into videos.

Here is our list of the five best PowerPoint recorders for creating video presentations mainly using screen recording.

Vmaker
Panapto
Techsmith Camtasia
Ispring

If you’re looking to create video presentations by using templates, animations, characters, transitions, voiceovers, images, etc then the best option would be Animaker Deck . Animaker deck is a free avatar-powered presentation video maker.

This guide should have given you a comprehensive idea about presentation videos, the different types of presentation videos, and how to go about it in terms of planning, creation, and sharing. Do check out and start using Vmaker presentation video maker and create stunning presentation videos with ease.

If you enjoyed reading the above article, then here are a few more cherry-picked articles you might be interested in reading further!

The Ultimate Guide to Create an Instructional Video Without a Script

A Complete Guide On Product Videos ~ Definition, Types and Tips

Ultimate How-to Video Guide with Examples, Tips, and Ideas

Step by Step Guide: How to record Skype calls

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How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]

Published: September 13, 2023

The first step in mastering the art of delivering powerful presentations is understanding how to start a presentation properly.

how to start a presentation where a person holds mic

In this post, you'll discover strategies for crafting a solid presentation opening, designing an impactful opening slide, and delivering a memorable presentation.

Table of Contents

Why Your Presentation Opening Matters

How to start a presentation, opening slide examples, best practices for starting a presentation.

The opening of your presentation sets the tone for your entire session.

Within the first few minutes, most of your audience will decide whether they find your expertise, experience, and topic compelling enough to warrant their attention.

Think of it this way: Your opening is a preview of your presentation like a trailer is a preview of a movie. If the five-minute trailer isn’t engaging or impactful, why should the audience bother sitting through the half-hour movie?

Your opening shapes the expectations of your audience and entices them to stay engaged throughout the session.

And although you’ll still need to work to maintain their attention, getting it right from the start will spare you the challenge of re-engaging a disinterested audience right from the beginning of your presentation.

This opening statement is powerful because rather than lead with his “credentials” or “accolades,” as the audience most likely expects, he defies that expectation.

He creates a sense of intrigue that instantly piques the audience's curiosity and compels them to pay closer attention.

Infuse humor.

In Tom Thum's TedTalk titled Beatbox Brilliance , he sets a lighthearted tone by stepping on stage wearing oversized sunglasses and declaring, “My name is Tom, and I've come here today to come clean about what I do for money.”

As you might expect, this humorous approach not only elicits laughter but also surprises the audience, who are intrigued and pleasantly surprised at the tone he sets for the presentation.

Ask a question.

Graham Shaw's presentation titled “ Why people believe they can’t draw - and how to prove they can ” begins with, “Hi, I've got a question for you - how many people here would say they can draw?”

Seeing as this is a relatively lighthearted question that’s simple to answer, the audience responds immediately.

Now, what makes this a powerful opening technique is that Graham then goes on to say:

“When people say they can’t draw, I think it's more to do with beliefs rather than talent and ability. When you say you can’t draw, that’s just an illusion, and today I’d like to prove that to you.”

By immediately challenging a widely held belief among the audience and promising to debunk it during the presentation, he employs a powerful technique that keeps the audience fully engaged.

This approach makes the audience feel “invested” in the outcome of the presentation and curious as to whether he can back up his claim.

2. Tell your audience why they should be listening to you.

Getting your audience’s attention is just one part of the equation. Once you have it, you must also explain why they should “keep” listening to you. Here are some ways to do this:

Highlight relevant personal experience.

In Phil Waknell’s opening section, he talks about how he’s spent the last ten years helping conference speakers, business leaders, and entrepreneurs prepare and deliver powerful presentations .

This immediately signals to the audience that he’s someone worth listening to and positions him as a credible source of insights based on the wealth of experience he has gathered.

Highlight your expertise.

During the opening section of Dr. Lara Boyd’s presentation titled “ After watching this, your brain will not be the same ,” she says, “I’m Dr. Lara Boyd, and I’m a brain researcher here at the University of British Columbia.”

Sharing her credentials as a brain researcher is crucial to gaining her audience's trust — especially considering the technicality of her topic.

But even while creating presentations outside fields like brain research, sharing qualifications and credentials in your opening section can be a powerful technique.

This helps you position yourself as a credible authority and reinforcing your audience's confidence in your ability to deliver valuable information.

Tell your audience what’s in it for them.

In Mel Robbins’ opening section for her presentation titled “ How to stop screwing yourself over ,” she ends her introduction by saying:

“I’m here for you. I’m going to tell you everything I know in less than 18 minutes about how to get what you want.”

Although she started the section by highlighting her experiences and expertise, she went further by explicitly stating the benefits her audience can expect from her presentation.

Doing this is a great way to create a compelling reason for your audience to invest their time and attention and emphasize the value of the presentation you’re about to deliver.

3. Introduce your topic.

If your topic is relatively simple to grasp or your audience is particularly knowledgeable, introducing your topic can be as easy as “Today, I’m going to be talking to you about how we’ve built a six-figure software company in 6 months.”

However, if your topic is more complex or unfamiliar to the audience, you must do a bit more heavy lifting in your opening section.

For example, Sam Bern’s “ My philosophy for a happy life ” presentation discusses how he lives a happy life despite having Progeria disease.

However, because this condition might be unfamiliar to some audience members, he takes some time in his opening section to talk about the illness before delving into the meat of his presentation.

Similarly, if you’re presenting on a complex topic or to an audience that isn’t knowledgeable, it’s essential to consider this when crafting your opening section.

4. Leverage storytelling.

Stories can create immersive experiences that captivate the audience and convey a core message.

For example, in the opening section of Sam Bern's presentation, he tells a story about his struggles while trying to achieve his goal of becoming a drummer in his school marching band, despite living with Progeria disease.

This sets the tone for his entire presentation by conveying an inspiring message of fighting against and succeeding despite the odds.

Another great example is the opening section of Josh Kaufman’s presentation, titled “ The First 20 Hours — how to learn anything ,” where he tells a story about his experience as a time-strapped first-time parent.

This story enhances the presentation as Josh eventually shares that this experience triggered his interest in studying how to become an efficient learner.

Finally, Amy Morins’s presentation “ The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong ” is another excellent example of leveraging storytelling.

Amy starts her presentation with a thought-provoking story about observing a Facebook friend's seemingly perfect life.

She then highlights how such comparisons can lead to negative thought patterns and emphasizes the importance of cultivating mental resilience.

This relatable story not only resonates with her audience but also sets the stage for her message on building inner strength.

All these presentations are great examples that highlight how incorporating story-telling in your openings can be a powerful tool for creating memorable and impactful presentations.

Your presentation slides play a crucial role in determining the impact and effectiveness of your presentation.

In this section, you’ll find examples of 8 powerful opening slides across various use cases that not just support but enhance the presentation openings:

1. “ Blackboard is Getting an Upgrade ”

Although these are very different methods of injecting humor at the start of a presentation, they show how infusing humor can be a powerful tool for adding a touch of personality and creating a more enjoyable presentation for the audience.

4. Keep it short and sweet.

While it's important not to rush through the start of your presentation, keeping your opening concise is equally important. But remember, concise does not mean sacrificing substance; it simply means delivering information efficiently.

Essentially, you want an opening section that allows you to create a solid initial impression without losing the audience's interest.

So, how long should this opening secretion be?

Most successful presentation openings are under three minutes, and many are shorter, often clocking in at under one minute.

5. Embrace authenticity.

Contrary to popular belief, there isn't a specific personality that makes someone a better presenter. In fact, the most impactful presentations have been delivered by individuals with diverse characters.

Take, for instance, the contrasting styles of Tom Thum’s irreverent humor and animated mannerisms and Sam Bern, who adopts a relaxed and conversational approach. Despite their differences, both speakers have garnered millions of views for their talks.

So, rather than emulating or mimicking their presentations, the key takeaway is to embrace authenticity.

Allow your personality to shine through, lean on your strengths, and be human in your delivery.

Mastering the Art of Captivating Presentations

Starting a presentation is a skill that is as much an art as it is a science. Thankfully, it is also a skill that can be learned and honed.

By implementing the strategies in this guide and refining them through experience, you’ll become a master at delivering impactful presentations that command attention and leave a lasting impression.

All from the moment you step onto the stage.

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How to Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation [+ FREE Presentation Checklist]

May 1, 2018 | Business Professional English , Free Resource , Public Speaking & Presentations

How to Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation in English - Lesson

This lesson on how to organize your introduction for a presentation in English has been updated since its original posting in 2016 and a video has been added.

Getting ready to present in English? Here’s how to make sure your introduction for a presentation in English is successful.

But first… When you think about a presentation, I know you’re thinking about something like a TED video or a presentation at a conference. You’re thinking about a speech, with PowerPoint slides and a big audience.

But did you know we use the same skills when we share new information or ideas with our work colleagues? Or when we tell stories to our friends and family? The situation or speaking task may be different but we still use the same skills.

When presenting information or telling stories, we need to:

Capture a listener’s attention
Share information, ideas, or opinions
Give the important details
Make your information memorable
Get your audience (family, friends, colleagues or strangers) to agree, to take action, to change their mind, etc.

So today you’re going to learn how to take the first big step in your English presentation: how to start with a great introduction.

The introduction is the most important part of your presentation. It is the first impression you’ll make on your audience. It’s your first opportunity to get their attention. You want them to trust you and listen to you right away.

However, that first moment when you start to speak is often the hardest. Knowing how to best prepare and knowing what to say will help you feel confident and ready to say that first word and start your presentation in English.

Be sure to include these 5 things in your inroduction.

Lesson by Annemarie

How to Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation in English and Key Phrases to Use

Organize Your Introduction Correctly

Okay, first let’s focus on what you need to include in your English introduction. Think of this as your formula for a good introduction. Using this general outline for your introduction will help you prepare. It will also help your audience know who you are, why you’re an expert, and what to expect from your presentation.

Use this general outline for your next presentation:

Welcome your audience and introduce yourself
Capture their attention
Identify your number one goal or topic of presentation
Give a quick outline of your presentation
Provide instructions for how to ask questions (if appropriate for your situation)

Use Common Language to Make Your Introduction Easy to Understand

Great, now you have the general outline of an introduction for a speech or presentation in English. So let’s focus on some of the key expressions you can use for each step. This will help you think about what to say and how to say it so you can sound confident and prepared in your English presentation.

“The introduction is the most important part of your presentation. It is the first impression you’ll make on your audience. It’s your first opportunity to get their attention. You want them to trust you and listen to you right away.”

Welcome Your Audience & Introduction

It is polite to start with a warm welcome and to introduce yourself. Everyone in the audience will want to know who you are. Your introduction should include your name and job position or the reason you are an expert on your topic. The more the audience trusts you, the more they listen.

Welcome to [name of company or event]. My name is [name] and I am the [job title or background information].
Thank you for coming today. I’m [name] and I’m looking forward to talking with you today about [your topic].
Good morning/afternoon ladies and gentlemen. I’d like to quickly introduce myself. I am [name] from [company or position]. (formal)
On behalf of [name of company], I’d like to welcome you today. For those of you who don’t already know me, my name is [name] and I am [job title or background]. (formal)
Hi everyone. I’m [name and background]. I’m glad to be here with you today. Now let’s get started. (informal)

Capture Their Attention

For more information about how to best capture your audience’s attention and why, please see the next session below. However, here are a few good phrases to get you started.

Did you know that [insert an interesting fact or shocking statement]?
Have you ever heard that [insert interesting fact or shocking statement]?
Before I start, I’d like to share a quick story about [tell your story]…
I remember [tell your story, experience or memory]…
When I started preparing for this talk, I was reminded of [tell your story, share your quote or experience]…

Identify Your Goal or Topic of Presentation

At this stage, you want to be clear with your audience about your primary topic or goal. Do you want your audience to take action after your talk? Is it a topic everyone is curious about (or should be curious about)? This should be just one or two sentences and it should be very clear.

This morning I’d like to present our new [product or service].
Today I’d like to discuss…
Today I’d like to share with you…
What I want to share with you is…
My goal today is to help you understand…
During my talk this morning/afternoon, I’ll provide you with some background on [main topic] and why it is important to you.
I will present my findings on…
By the end of my presentation, I’d like for you to know…
I aim to prove to you / change your mind about…
I’d like to take this opportunity to talk about…
As you know, this morning/afternoon I’ll be discussing…

Outline Your Presentation

You may have heard this about presentations in English before:

First, tell me what you’re going to tell me. Then tell me. And finally, tell me what you told me.

It sounds crazy and weird, but it’s true. This is how we structure presentations in English. So today we’re focusing on the “First, tell me what you’re going to tell me” for your introduction. This means you should outline the key points or highlights of your topic.

This prepares your listens and helps to get their attention. It will also help them follow your presentation and stay focused. Here are some great phrases to help you do that.

First, I’m going to present… Then I’ll share with you… Finally, I’ll ask you to…
The next thing I’ll share with you is…
In the next section, I’ll show you…
Today I will be covering these 3 (or 5) key points…
In this presentation, we will discuss/evaluate…
By the end of this presentation, you’ll be able to…
My talk this morning is divided into [number] main sections… First, second, third… Finally…

On Asking Questions

You want to be sure to let you audience know when and how it is appropriate for them to ask you questions. For example, is the presentation informal and is it okay for someone to interrupt you with a question? Or do you prefer for everyone to wait until the end of the presentation to ask questions?

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to interrupt me. I’m happy to answer any questions as we go along.
Feel free to ask any questions, however, I do ask that you wait until the end of the presentation to ask.
There will be plenty of time for questions at the end.
Are there any questions at this point? If not, we’ll keep going.
I would be happy to answer any questions you may have now.

Capture Your Audience’s Attention

Do you feel unsure about how to capture the attention of your audience? Don’t worry! Here are some common examples used in English-speaking culture for doing it perfectly!

Two of the most famous speakers in the English-speaking world are Steve Jobs and Oprah Winfrey. While Steve Jobs is no longer living, people still love to watch his speeches and presentations online. Oprah is so famous that no matter what she does, people are excited to see her and listen to her.

BUT, if you listen to a speech by Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey, they still work to get your attention!

The don’t start with a list of numbers or data. They don’t begin with a common fact or with the title of the presentation. No – they do much more.

From the moment they start their speech, they want you to listen. And they find interesting ways to get your attention. In his most famous speeches, Steve Jobs often started with a personal story. And Oprah often starts with an inspiring quote, a motivational part of a poem, or a personal story.

These are all great ways to help your audience to listen to you immediately – whether your presentation is 3 minutes or 20 minutes.

Here’s how you can do it.

Like Steve Jobs or Oprah Winfrey, start with a:

Personal story or experience
Motivational quote or line from a poem or book
Joke (be careful with this – make sure it translates easily to everyone in the audience!)
Shocking, bold statement (Think of Steve Jobs’ quote: “ Stay hungry. Stay Foolish .”)
Rhetorical question ( =a question that you don’t want an answer to; the focus is to make someone think)

And finally, consider audience participation. Ask a question and get your audience to respond by raising hands.

Get the complete Presentations in English Series:

Part 1: How to Prepare for Your Presentation in English

Part 2: How to Start with a Great Introduction in Your Presentation

Part 3: How to Organize Your Presentation in English

Part 4: How to End Your Presentation Powerfully

As I mentioned in the video, I have two question for you today:

What is the best introduction you’ve ever heard? Have you watched a TED Talk or a presentation on YouTube with a great introduction? Tell me about it. What do you think was great about the introduction?
What frightens you the most about preparing your introduction in a presentation? Share your concerns with me so I can help you overcome any challenges you have.

Be sure to share in the comments below to get feedback from me and to learn from others in the Confident English Community.

Have a great week! ~ Annemarie

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5 Smart Questions to Ask in an English Job Interview

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#310: The Right Grammar for English Introductions

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#309: How to Go Off Topic in English | English Conversation Skills

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Learn and practice how to correctly use though, although, even though, and as thought in your English conversations.

Thank you, Annemarie. thanks for the generosity of sharing useful and systemative information and content.

This is really a very informative message thank you.. And it’s help me a lot

hi thank you for this It was helpful. You used simple english that i understood well.

How to start with a great presentation on composition

Thankyou for the information . It was much helpful . I will definitely use this information in my presentation 🤗

Hi, I am Thang Sok Do you have a Sample presentation?

This was helpful but can you please tell me how to start a presentation in college because this is for work in a company. My presentation is on laboratory skills and all that

Its informative

Thank you for this video! I’ve learned quite a lot and will want to use all these knowledge in presenting my thesis proposal in 2 months. About your question no. 2, I’d just like to share that the mere fact of presenting in front of many respected professionals makes me already nervous and shaky even if i have studied everything about my presentation. What do you think should i do to deal with my concern?

Could you give me advise, how to start learning English for beginner.How to prepare presentation on any topic and how to make interesting..

Thank u so much for valuable advice. Definitely I will used this in my presentation!!

Thank you very much for these kind of useful advice. I hope my first presentation will be exciting for the audience.Your video is helping me again thanks a lot 😊

hi, i’m B.COM student and I have to prepare presentation about identifying business opportunities. How to start and an attractive attention to my audience.. Please Help me…

very nise and educative piece of information thank you nancy nairobi kenya

i am starting a video speech shooting in night about a famouse person how do i start my speech with a good intro.

Hi again how do you do a introduction goodbye

Hi i do not know what you are talking about

Hi Kate, I’m sorry to hear you’re not sure about the content. I recommend reviewing the video carefully if you haven’t already. Is there something specific you have a question about?

thanks a lot for guiding in such an easier way.

Your write-up on introduction helped a lot, thank you Annemarie. I work for cross-geography team and greetings get lengthy as timezones are different e.g. “Good evening to those joining from US office and good morning to colleagues from India office”. I replaced that with “Thank you everyone for joining”. Is it okay?

Hi Amit, I’m so glad it was helpful. As for your greeting, both of your options are perfectly appropriate and friendly.

How to introduce group members in online presentation?

Great question! I’d love to use that for a future Confident English lesson.

its amazing. i can’t explain in wording. this material helping me a lot. i am so happy after use this website . its make easy for me preparing my presentation more interesting. i am thankful too u.

thanks! i use your materials to teach my students(clinets) how to prepare a presentation. is it ok to use them on my materials?

Hi! I am a student from the USP from Tuvaluan and i take CEE45 so our assessment 2 is to prepared a group presentation and we presented in school. so need your help for how to start an attractive introduction to my teacher and my fellow students, they already kwow me.

Thank you.. very helpful

Very useful

It was very use Gul for or presentations

Hi. I am a 1st year BIT student and I have to prepare a presentation on 3D Printing. how to start an attractive introduction to my teachers, when they already know about me? Can you please help me out? Thank you.

I just took 1st place for my paper that I presented at an international students conference. I used a lot of your techniques to improve my speech and I have no words to say how grateful I am to you. Keep up the good work!

😲WOW!! That’s awesome, Andrew. 🙌Congratulations on your presentation. What a wonderful response to your hard work. I’d love to know what you presentation was about. And thank you for sharing your new here. I’m thrilled to know that my techniques were helpful to you.

The title of the presentation was “Handling burnout: A study regarding the the influence of job stressors over military and civilian personel”. I can sent you my paper through email if you would like to see it.

Hi Andrew, what a fascinating topic. And it’s interesting because I just had a newspaper reporter interview me about burnout as a small business owner. Must be a hot topic. 🙂 And sure, I’d love to see it.

🔥❤ too goodd

Hello Annemarie, Thank you so much for one of the best content on the English presentation, I’ve seen. I have a question: Is it impolite or informal to start the presentation without a greeting? I’m asking this question because I’ve seen a lot of TEDTalks and in only a few of them, they greet the audience and in most of it, they quickly go to the “CAPTURING the ATTENTION” with numbers and pictures. I would be so thankful if you could answer this question as soon as possible, my presentation is so close. Best regards, Helia

Hi Helia, What a great question. It has definitely become more common to skip the greeting and go straight to capturing the attention of the audience and you’re right that we often see this in TED talks. I would say it’s best to know your audience and what might be expected. For example, at more formal, traditional conferences or lecture, it might be more appropriate to start with a welcome. I prefer to welcome/thank my audience quickly at the start when I give presentations. A welcome can be very brief, just one sentence, and then you can quickly go into … Read more »

Hi Annemarie I would like to thank you for giving such types of presentation skills but I have a question can you give me some idea about vote of thinks.

I’m glad the lessons are helpful to you. Could you clarify what you mean by ‘vote of thinks?’ I’m not sure I understand that.

Please can you give me some idea about vote of thanks

Could you clarify what you’re asking for, Bello?

Thanks a lot

Glad it was helpful!

it is agood i learn alot from this english class

Hello.i would like to thank you for giving these beautiful tips to start a presentation.This article helped me a lot.

That’s great, Radha. Glad to hear it.

Thanks for your article. It’s simply for interpersonal skill development.

You’re welcome, Mithun. Glad to know it was helpful.

Hi Annemarie . Thank you so much for giving such helpful guildelines it’s really gonna help me

I’m glad it’s helpful, Swetha! 🙂

thank you for help me

You’re very welcome!

Hi Anne Marie, i ‘m from Catalonia and i came across with your site only by chance and i think it’gonna be so helpful for me to pass the next test for c1 level. Several weeks ago i did some rehersals with my presentation and i was so nervous and terrified about what was expected from me.

Some tips in your youtube channel are so cool !!! Thank you.

Hi Tom, I’m thrilled you’ve found this site in your preparations for your English exam and am glad to know it’s helpful! Best of luck as you continue to prepare.

Hi Annemarie Thanks it’s so useful to develop presentation skill. Fatima

You’re very welcome, Fatima! I’m glad it was helpful.

Awesome, especially this simple and clear motto: “First, tell me what you’re going to tell me. Then tell me. And finally, tell me what you told me.” This three sentences exactly explain the content you need to create a memorable presentation.

Hi Dzmitry,

Yes, I’ve always loved that simple motto on how to do a presentation. 🙂 It’s so easy to remember and tells you exactly what to do.

hello I need to introduce myself to language center. i am going to learn Danish Language and i want to introduce myself to them and i am little bit nervous because my grammar is not good at that level.so will you please guide me how to introduce myself to them with an example. i did go through your examples but that is for professionals and i am just a student (Graduate). I don’t have any experience . Please guide me how to do it.

I was in a confused state about starting a conversation and proceeding in it but when I read the guidelines you mentioned above I became confident. thank you for your innumerable ………….

Thank you so much…… it’s an excellent topic, and it helped me a lot

I’m so glad this was helpful to you! Thank you for sharing.

hi annemarie i have a few questions about a speech i have to make a englishi speech of what i want to become can you help me?

Hi Rebecca,

Thank you for the question. I have several lessons on the topic of presentations in English . However, for personal assistance with English or presentations, I only do that through my one-on-one classes .

thank you so much…… it’s really helpful for me….

You’re very welcome, Shalini.

Thanks its really nice to develop the presentation skills

Awesome. I’m glad it was helpful to you, Mohammed.

I have to give a demo on one of your programs next week. I would like you to check my self introduction – Good afternoon everyone and thank you for all of your presence. Before we get into the session I would like to quickly introduce myself. My name is Dinesh . I am working as a Pharmaceutical sale and promotion of the brands for Arrient Healthcare. I am in this filed for the past ten years. Before becoming trainer I worked as a medical representatives for different pharma company . I am highly interested in learning from people and … Read more »

Please ignore my previous comment. Yea the demo was a success. So hereafter I will say”I have been in this field for the past four years. Actually I worked for different consultancies so I didn’t include an article there.

I have to give a demo on one of your programs next week. I would like you to check my self introduction – Good afternoon everyone and thank you for all of your presence. Before we get into the session I would like to quickly introduce myself. My name is Monica. I am working as a Soft Skill Trainer at Synergy School of Business Skills. I am in this filed for the past four years. Before becoming trainer I worked as a Recruiter for different job consultancy. I am highly interested in learning from people and I think teaching/training is … Read more »

Thank you for sharing your example! One note: “I am in this field for the past four years.” –> Don’t forget, when we’re talking about something that started in the past and continues to now, we use the present perfect. How might you change this sentence to fix the grammar?

Also, we want to add an article to, “… I worked as a recruiter for [a] different job consultancy.”

I wish you much success in your demo this week! Best, Annemarie

Yea the demo was a success! So hereafter I will say”I have been for the past four years. Actually I worked for different consultancies.

I like it but I think capturing their attention is the most difficult part in preparing a presentation. From my little experience, I used to talk about something out of the scope of the presentation in order to grasp their attention. For example, I had a presentation about medical terminology and its parts (suffix, prefix —). So I provided example which is Ultra Violet then I talked about the ultraviolet in the sun and Vitamin D deficiency. They liked the talk because it is very important to them and by this topic I captured their attention more and more.

Hello Fadia, I’m sorry I’m so late in responding to your comment! I agree with you: capturing attention is very challenging to do. It requires understanding your audience, knowing what is important to them, and how to connect with them. In English-speaking culture, we often connect by telling a story or showing we understand a problem the audience has. I think you’re exactly right to talk about something that is maybe “off topic” or out of the scope of the presentation, as you said, to get their attention first. It sounds like you did a great job in your experience!! … Read more »

hi there it was great going through your enlightening presentation skills however i would be even more delighted if you put some quotes for various PPT’s which will give us an instant ideas during the adhoc PPT like myself…just a suggestion.

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How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples

August 3, 2018 - Dom Barnard

For many people the thought of delivering a presentation is a daunting task and brings about a great deal of nerves . However, if you take some time to understand how effective presentations are structured and then apply this structure to your own presentation, you’ll appear much more confident and relaxed.

Here is our complete guide for structuring your presentation, with examples at the end of the article to demonstrate these points.

Why is structuring a presentation so important?

If you’ve ever sat through a great presentation, you’ll have left feeling either inspired or informed on a given topic. This isn’t because the speaker was the most knowledgeable or motivating person in the world. Instead, it’s because they know how to structure presentations – they have crafted their message in a logical and simple way that has allowed the audience can keep up with them and take away key messages.

Research has supported this, with studies showing that audiences retain structured information 40% more accurately than unstructured information.

In fact, not only is structuring a presentation important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, it’s also important for you as the speaker. A good structure helps you remain calm, stay on topic, and avoid any awkward silences.

What will affect your presentation structure?

Generally speaking, there is a natural flow that any decent presentation will follow which we will go into shortly. However, you should be aware that all presentation structures will be different in their own unique way and this will be due to a number of factors, including:

Whether you need to deliver any demonstrations
How knowledgeable the audience already is on the given subject
How much interaction you want from the audience
Any time constraints there are for your talk
What setting you are in
Your ability to use any kinds of visual assistance

Before choosing the presentation’s structure answer these questions first:

What is your presentation’s aim?
Who are the audience?
What are the main points your audience should remember afterwards?

When reading the points below, think critically about what things may cause your presentation structure to be slightly different. You can add in certain elements and add more focus to certain moments if that works better for your speech.

Good presentation structure is important for a presentation

What is the typical presentation structure?

This is the usual flow of a presentation, which covers all the vital sections and is a good starting point for yours. It allows your audience to easily follow along and sets out a solid structure you can add your content to.

1. Greet the audience and introduce yourself

Before you start delivering your talk, introduce yourself to the audience and clarify who you are and your relevant expertise. This does not need to be long or incredibly detailed, but will help build an immediate relationship between you and the audience. It gives you the chance to briefly clarify your expertise and why you are worth listening to. This will help establish your ethos so the audience will trust you more and think you’re credible.

Read our tips on How to Start a Presentation Effectively

2. Introduction

In the introduction you need to explain the subject and purpose of your presentation whilst gaining the audience’s interest and confidence. It’s sometimes helpful to think of your introduction as funnel-shaped to help filter down your topic:

Introduce your general topic
Explain your topic area
State the issues/challenges in this area you will be exploring
State your presentation’s purpose – this is the basis of your presentation so ensure that you provide a statement explaining how the topic will be treated, for example, “I will argue that…” or maybe you will “compare”, “analyse”, “evaluate”, “describe” etc.
Provide a statement of what you’re hoping the outcome of the presentation will be, for example, “I’m hoping this will be provide you with…”
Show a preview of the organisation of your presentation

In this section also explain:

The length of the talk.
Signal whether you want audience interaction – some presenters prefer the audience to ask questions throughout whereas others allocate a specific section for this.
If it applies, inform the audience whether to take notes or whether you will be providing handouts.

The way you structure your introduction can depend on the amount of time you have been given to present: a sales pitch may consist of a quick presentation so you may begin with your conclusion and then provide the evidence. Conversely, a speaker presenting their idea for change in the world would be better suited to start with the evidence and then conclude what this means for the audience.

Keep in mind that the main aim of the introduction is to grab the audience’s attention and connect with them.

3. The main body of your talk

The main body of your talk needs to meet the promises you made in the introduction. Depending on the nature of your presentation, clearly segment the different topics you will be discussing, and then work your way through them one at a time – it’s important for everything to be organised logically for the audience to fully understand. There are many different ways to organise your main points, such as, by priority, theme, chronologically etc.

Main points should be addressed one by one with supporting evidence and examples.
Before moving on to the next point you should provide a mini-summary.
Links should be clearly stated between ideas and you must make it clear when you’re moving onto the next point.
Allow time for people to take relevant notes and stick to the topics you have prepared beforehand rather than straying too far off topic.

When planning your presentation write a list of main points you want to make and ask yourself “What I am telling the audience? What should they understand from this?” refining your answers this way will help you produce clear messages.

4. Conclusion

In presentations the conclusion is frequently underdeveloped and lacks purpose which is a shame as it’s the best place to reinforce your messages. Typically, your presentation has a specific goal – that could be to convert a number of the audience members into customers, lead to a certain number of enquiries to make people knowledgeable on specific key points, or to motivate them towards a shared goal.

Regardless of what that goal is, be sure to summarise your main points and their implications. This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there.

Follow these steps:

Signal that it’s nearly the end of your presentation, for example, “As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…”
Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation – “In this speech I wanted to compare…”
Summarise the main points, including their implications and conclusions
Indicate what is next/a call to action/a thought-provoking takeaway
Move on to the last section

5. Thank the audience and invite questions

Conclude your talk by thanking the audience for their time and invite them to ask any questions they may have. As mentioned earlier, personal circumstances will affect the structure of your presentation.

Many presenters prefer to make the Q&A session the key part of their talk and try to speed through the main body of the presentation. This is totally fine, but it is still best to focus on delivering some sort of initial presentation to set the tone and topics for discussion in the Q&A.

Questions being asked after a presentation

Demonstration

Use the demonstration structure when you have something useful to show. This is usually used when you want to show how a product works. Steve Jobs frequently used this technique in his presentations.

Explain why the product is valuable.
Describe why the product is necessary.
Explain what problems it can solve for the audience.
Demonstrate the product to support what you’ve been saying.
Make suggestions of other things it can do to make the audience curious.

Problem-solution

This structure is particularly useful in persuading the audience.

Briefly frame the issue.
Go into the issue in detail showing why it ‘s such a problem. Use logos and pathos for this – the logical and emotional appeals.
Provide the solution and explain why this would also help the audience.
Call to action – something you want the audience to do which is straightforward and pertinent to the solution.

Storytelling

As well as incorporating stories in your presentation , you can organise your whole presentation as a story. There are lots of different type of story structures you can use – a popular choice is the monomyth – the hero’s journey. In a monomyth, a hero goes on a difficult journey or takes on a challenge – they move from the familiar into the unknown. After facing obstacles and ultimately succeeding the hero returns home, transformed and with newfound wisdom.

Storytelling for Business Success webinar , where well-know storyteller Javier Bernad shares strategies for crafting compelling narratives.

Another popular choice for using a story to structure your presentation is in media ras (in the middle of thing). In this type of story you launch right into the action by providing a snippet/teaser of what’s happening and then you start explaining the events that led to that event. This is engaging because you’re starting your story at the most exciting part which will make the audience curious – they’ll want to know how you got there.

Great storytelling: Examples from Alibaba Founder, Jack Ma

Remaining method

The remaining method structure is good for situations where you’re presenting your perspective on a controversial topic which has split people’s opinions.

Go into the issue in detail showing why it’s such a problem – use logos and pathos.
Rebut your opponents’ solutions – explain why their solutions could be useful because the audience will see this as fair and will therefore think you’re trustworthy, and then explain why you think these solutions are not valid.
After you’ve presented all the alternatives provide your solution, the remaining solution. This is very persuasive because it looks like the winning idea, especially with the audience believing that you’re fair and trustworthy.

Transitions

When delivering presentations it’s important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it’s all relevant. This can be done using speech transitions which are words and phrases that allow you to smoothly move from one point to another so that your speech flows and your presentation is unified.

Transitions can be one word, a phrase or a full sentence – there are many different forms, here are some examples:

Moving from the introduction to the first point

Signify to the audience that you will now begin discussing the first main point:

Now that you’re aware of the overview, let’s begin with…
First, let’s begin with…
I will first cover…
My first point covers…
To get started, let’s look at…

Shifting between similar points

Move from one point to a similar one:

In the same way…
Likewise…
Equally…
This is similar to…
Similarly…

Internal summaries

Internal summarising consists of summarising before moving on to the next point. You must inform the audience:

What part of the presentation you covered – “In the first part of this speech we’ve covered…”
What the key points were – “Precisely how…”
How this links in with the overall presentation – “So that’s the context…”
What you’re moving on to – “Now I’d like to move on to the second part of presentation which looks at…”

Physical movement

You can move your body and your standing location when you transition to another point. The audience find it easier to follow your presentation and movement will increase their interest.

A common technique for incorporating movement into your presentation is to:

Start your introduction by standing in the centre of the stage.
For your first point you stand on the left side of the stage.
You discuss your second point from the centre again.
You stand on the right side of the stage for your third point.
The conclusion occurs in the centre.

Key slides for your presentation

Slides are a useful tool for most presentations: they can greatly assist in the delivery of your message and help the audience follow along with what you are saying. Key slides include:

An intro slide outlining your ideas
A summary slide with core points to remember
High quality image slides to supplement what you are saying

There are some presenters who choose not to use slides at all, though this is more of a rarity. Slides can be a powerful tool if used properly, but the problem is that many fail to do just that. Here are some golden rules to follow when using slides in a presentation:

Don’t over fill them – your slides are there to assist your speech, rather than be the focal point. They should have as little information as possible, to avoid distracting people from your talk.
A picture says a thousand words – instead of filling a slide with text, instead, focus on one or two images or diagrams to help support and explain the point you are discussing at that time.
Make them readable – depending on the size of your audience, some may not be able to see small text or images, so make everything large enough to fill the space.
Don’t rush through slides – give the audience enough time to digest each slide.

Guy Kawasaki, an entrepreneur and author, suggests that slideshows should follow a 10-20-30 rule :

There should be a maximum of 10 slides – people rarely remember more than one concept afterwards so there’s no point overwhelming them with unnecessary information.
The presentation should last no longer than 20 minutes as this will leave time for questions and discussion.
The font size should be a minimum of 30pt because the audience reads faster than you talk so less information on the slides means that there is less chance of the audience being distracted.

Here are some additional resources for slide design:

7 design tips for effective, beautiful PowerPoint presentations
11 design tips for beautiful presentations
10 tips on how to make slides that communicate your idea

Group Presentations

Group presentations are structured in the same way as presentations with one speaker but usually require more rehearsal and practices. Clean transitioning between speakers is very important in producing a presentation that flows well. One way of doing this consists of:

Briefly recap on what you covered in your section: “So that was a brief introduction on what health anxiety is and how it can affect somebody”
Introduce the next speaker in the team and explain what they will discuss: “Now Elnaz will talk about the prevalence of health anxiety.”
Then end by looking at the next speaker, gesturing towards them and saying their name: “Elnaz”.
The next speaker should acknowledge this with a quick: “Thank you Joe.”

From this example you can see how the different sections of the presentations link which makes it easier for the audience to follow and remain engaged.

Example of great presentation structure and delivery

Having examples of great presentations will help inspire your own structures, here are a few such examples, each unique and inspiring in their own way.

How Google Works – by Eric Schmidt

This presentation by ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt demonstrates some of the most important lessons he and his team have learnt with regards to working with some of the most talented individuals they hired. The simplistic yet cohesive style of all of the slides is something to be appreciated. They are relatively straightforward, yet add power and clarity to the narrative of the presentation.

Start with why – by Simon Sinek

Since being released in 2009, this presentation has been viewed almost four million times all around the world. The message itself is very powerful, however, it’s not an idea that hasn’t been heard before. What makes this presentation so powerful is the simple message he is getting across, and the straightforward and understandable manner in which he delivers it. Also note that he doesn’t use any slides, just a whiteboard where he creates a simple diagram of his opinion.

The Wisdom of a Third Grade Dropout – by Rick Rigsby

Here’s an example of a presentation given by a relatively unknown individual looking to inspire the next generation of graduates. Rick’s presentation is unique in many ways compared to the two above. Notably, he uses no visual prompts and includes a great deal of humour.

However, what is similar is the structure he uses. He first introduces his message that the wisest man he knew was a third-grade dropout. He then proceeds to deliver his main body of argument, and in the end, concludes with his message. This powerful speech keeps the viewer engaged throughout, through a mixture of heart-warming sentiment, powerful life advice and engaging humour.

As you can see from the examples above, and as it has been expressed throughout, a great presentation structure means analysing the core message of your presentation. Decide on a key message you want to impart the audience with, and then craft an engaging way of delivering it.

By preparing a solid structure, and practising your talk beforehand, you can walk into the presentation with confidence and deliver a meaningful message to an interested audience.

It’s important for a presentation to be well-structured so it can have the most impact on your audience. An unstructured presentation can be difficult to follow and even frustrating to listen to. The heart of your speech are your main points supported by evidence and your transitions should assist the movement between points and clarify how everything is linked.

Research suggests that the audience remember the first and last things you say so your introduction and conclusion are vital for reinforcing your points. Essentially, ensure you spend the time structuring your presentation and addressing all of the sections.

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Blog Marketing How To Start a Presentation: 15 Ways to Set the Stage

How To Start a Presentation: 15 Ways to Set the Stage

Written by: Krystle Wong Jul 25, 2023

The opening moments of your presentation hold immense power – it’s your opportunity to make a lasting impression and captivate your audience.

A strong presentation start acts as a beacon, cutting through the noise and instantly capturing the attention of your listeners. With so much content vying for their focus, a captivating opening ensures that your message stands out and resonates with your audience.

Whether you’re a startup business owner pitching a brilliant idea, a seasoned presenter delivering a persuasive talk or an expert sharing your experience, the start of your presentation can make all the difference. But don’t fret — I’ve got you covered with 15 electrifying ways to kickstart your presentation.

The presentation introduction examples in this article cover everything from self-introduction to how to start a group presentation, building anticipation that leaves the audience eager to delve into the depths of your topic.

Click to jump ahead:

How to start a presentation introduction

15 ways to start a presentation and captivate your audience, common mistakes to avoid in the opening of a presentation, faqs on how to start a presentation, captivate the audience from the get-go.

Presentations can be scary, I know. But even if stage fright hits, you can always fall back on a simple strategy.

Just take a deep breath, introduce yourself and briefly explain the topic of your presentation.

To grab attention at the start, try this opening line: Hello everyone. I am so glad you could join me today. I’m very excited about today’s topic. I’m [Your Name] and I’ll be talking about [Presentation Topic]. Raise your hand if you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by [Challenge related to your topic]. Many of us might have faced challenges with [Challenge related to your topic]. Today, we’ll explore some strategies that’ll help us [Solution that you’re presenting].

Regardless of your mode of presentation , crafting an engaging introduction sets the stage for a memorable presentation.

Let’s dive into some key tips for how to start a presentation speech to help you nail the art of starting with a bang:

Understand your audience

The key to an engaging introduction is to know your audience inside out and give your audience what they want. Tailor your opening to resonate with their specific interests, needs and expectations. Consider what will captivate them and how you can make your presentation relevant to their lives or work.

Use a compelling hook

Grab the audience’s attention from the get-go with a compelling hook. Whether it’s a thought-provoking question, a surprising fact or a gripping story, a powerful opening will immediately pique their curiosity and keep them invested in what you have to say.

State your purpose

Be crystal clear about your subject matter and the purpose of your presentation. In just a few sentences, communicate the main objectives and the value your audience will gain from listening to you. Let them know upfront what to expect and they’ll be more likely to stay engaged throughout.

Introduce yourself and your team

Give a self introduction about who you are such as your job title to establish credibility and rapport with the audience.

Some creative ways to introduce yourself in a presentation would be by sharing a brief and engaging personal story that connects to your topic or the theme of your presentation. This approach instantly makes you relatable and captures the audience’s attention.

Now, let’s talk about — how to introduce team members in a presentation. Before introducing each team member, briefly explain their role or contribution to the project or presentation. This gives the audience an understanding of their relevance and expertise.

Group presentations are also a breeze with the help of Venngage. Our in-editor collaboration tools allow you to edit presentations side by side in real-time. That way, you can seamlessly hare your design with the team for input and make sure everyone is on track.

Maintain enthusiasm

Enthusiasm is contagious! Keep the energy levels up throughout your introduction, conveying a positive and upbeat tone. A vibrant and welcoming atmosphere sets the stage for an exciting presentation and keeps the audience eager to hear more.

Before you think about how to present a topic, think about how to design impactful slides that can leave a lasting impression on the audience. Here are 120+ presentation ideas , design tips, and examples to help you create an awesome slide deck for your next presentation.

Captivating your audience from the get-go is the key to a successful presentation. Whether you’re a seasoned speaker or a novice taking the stage for the first time, the opening of your presentation sets the tone for the entire talk.

So, let’s get ready to dive into the 15 most creative ways to start a presentation. I promise you these presentation introduction ideas will captivate your audience, leaving them hanging on your every word.

Grab-attention immediately

Ask a thought-provoking question.

Get the audience’s wheels turning by throwing them a thought-provoking question right out of the gate. Make them ponder, wonder and engage their critical thinking muscles from the very start.

Share a surprising statistic or fact

Brace yourself for some wide eyes and dropped jaws! Open your presentation with a jaw-dropping statistic or a mind-blowing fact that’s directly related to your topic. Nothing captures attention like a good ol’ dose of shock and awe.

State a bold statement or challenge

Ready to shake things up? Kick off with a bold and daring statement that sets the stage for your presentation’s epic journey. Boldness has a way of making ears perk up and eyes widen in anticipation!

Engage with a poll or interactive activity

Turn the audience from passive listeners to active participants by kicking off with a fun poll or interactive activity. Get them on their feet, or rather — their fingertips, right from the start!

Venngage’s user-friendly drag-and-drop editor allows you to easily transform your slides into an interactive presentation . Create clickable buttons or navigation elements within your presentation to guide your audience to different sections or external resources.

Enhance engagement by incorporating videos or audio clips directly into your presentation. Venngage supports video and audio embedding, which can add depth to your content.

Begin with an opening phrase that captures attention

Use opening phrases that can help you create a strong connection with your audience and make them eager to hear more about what you have to say. Remember to be confident, enthusiastic and authentic in your delivery to maximize the impact of your presentation.

Here are some effective presentation starting words and phrases that can help you grab your audience’s attention and set the stage for a captivating presentation:

“Imagine…”
“Picture this…”
“Did you know that…”
“Have you ever wondered…”
“In this presentation, we’ll explore…”
“Let’s dive right in and discover…”
“I’m excited to share with you…”
“I have a confession to make…”
“I want to start by telling you a story…”
“Before we begin, let’s consider…”
“Have you ever faced the challenge of…”
“We all know that…”
“This is a topic close to my heart because…”
“Over the next [minutes/hours], we’ll cover…”
“I invite you to journey with me through…”

Build connection and credibility

Begin with a personal connection .

Share a real-life experience or a special connection to the topic at hand. This simple act of opening up creates an instant bond with the audience, turning them into your biggest cheerleaders.

Having the team share their personal experiences is also a good group presentation introduction approach. Team members can share their own stories that are related to the topic to create an emotional connection with your audience.

Tell a relevant story

Start your presentation with a riveting story that hooks your audience and relates to your main message. Stories have a magical way of captivating hearts and minds. Organize your slides in a clear and sequential manner and use visuals that complement your narrative and evoke emotions to engage the audience.

With Venngage, you have access to a vast library of high-quality and captivating stock photography, offering thousands of options to enrich your presentations. The best part? It’s entirely free! Elevate your visual storytelling with stunning images that complement your content, captivate your audience and add a professional touch to your presentation.

Use a powerful quote

Sometimes, all you need is some wise words to work wonders. Begin with a powerful quote from a legendary figure that perfectly fits your presentation’s theme — a dose of inspiration sets the stage for an epic journey.

Build anticipation

Provide a brief outline.

Here’s a good introduction for presentation example if you’re giving a speech at a conference. For longer presentations or conferences with multiple speakers especially, providing an outline helps the audience stay focused on the key takeaways. That way, you can better manage your time and ensure that you cover all the key points without rushing or running out of time.

Pose a problem and offer a solution

A great idea on how to start a business presentation is to start by presenting a problem and offering a well-thought-out solution. By addressing their pain points and showcasing your solution, you’ll capture their interest and set the stage for a compelling and successful presentation.

Back up your solution with data, research, or case studies that demonstrate its effectiveness. This can also be a good reporting introduction example that adds credibility to your proposal.

Preparing a pitch deck can be a daunting task but fret not. This guide on the 30+ best pitch deck tips and examples has everything you need to bring on new business partners and win new client contracts. Alternatively, you can also get started by customizing one of our professional pitch deck templates for free.

Incite curiosity in the audience

Utilize visuals or props.

Capture your audience’s gaze by whipping out captivating visuals or props that add an exciting touch to your subject. A well-placed prop or a stunning visual can make your presentation pop like a fireworks show!

That said, you maybe wondering — how can I make my presentation more attractive. A well-designed presentation background instantly captures the audience’s attention and creates a positive first impression. Here are 15 presentation background examples to keep the audience awake to help you get inspired.

Use humor or wit

Sprinkle some humor and wit to spice things up. Cracking a clever joke or throwing in a witty remark can break the ice and create a positively charged atmosphere. If you’re cracking your head on how to start a group presentation, humor is a great way to start a presentation speech.

Get your team members involved in the fun to create a collaborative and enjoyable experience for everyone. Laughter is the perfect way to break the ice and set a positive tone for your presentation!

Invoke emotion

Get those heartstrings tugging! Start with a heartfelt story or example that stirs up emotions and connects with your audience on a personal level. Emotion is the secret sauce to a memorable presentation.

Aside from getting creative with your introduction, a well-crafted and creative presentation can boost your confidence as a presenter. Browse our catalog of creative presentation templates and get started right away!

Use a dramatic pause

A great group presentation example is to start with a powerful moment of silence, like a magician about to reveal their greatest trick. After introducing your team, allow a brief moment of silence. Hold the pause for a few seconds, making it feel deliberate and purposeful. This builds anticipation and curiosity among the audience.

Pique their interest

Share a fun fact or anecdote.

Time for a little fun and games! Kick-off with a lighthearted or fascinating fact that’ll make the audience go, “Wow, really? Tell me more!” A sprinkle of amusement sets the stage for an entertaining ride.

While an introduction for a presentation sets the tone for your speech, a good slide complements your spoken words, helping the audience better understand and remember your message. Check out these 12 best presentation software for 2023 that can aid your next presentation.

The opening moments of a presentation can make or break your entire talk. It’s your chance to grab your audience’s attention, set the tone, and lay the foundation for a successful presentation. However, there are some common pitfalls that speakers often fall into when starting their presentations.

Starting with Apologies

It might be tempting to start with a preemptive apology, especially if you’re feeling nervous or unsure about your presentation. However, beginning with unnecessary apologies or self-deprecating remarks sets a negative tone right from the start. Instead of exuding confidence and credibility, you’re unintentionally undermining yourself and your message.

Reading from Slides

One of the most common blunders in the opening of a PowerPoint presentation is reading directly from your slides or script. While it’s crucial to have a well-structured outline, reciting word-for-word can lead to disengagement and boredom among your audience. Maintain eye contact and connect with your listeners as you speak. Your slides should complement your words, not replace them.

Overwhelming with Information

In the excitement to impress, some presenters bombard their audience with too much information right at the beginning.

Instead of overloading the audience with a sea of data, statistics or technical details that can quickly lead to confusion and disinterest, visualize your data with the help of Venngage. Choose an infographic template that best suits the type of data you want to visualize. Venngage offers a variety of pre-designed templates for charts, graphs, infographics and more.

Ignoring the Audience

It’s easy to get caught up in the content and forget about the people in front of you. Don’t overlook the importance of acknowledging the audience and building a connection with them. Greet them warmly, make eye contact and maintain body language to show genuine interest in their presence. Engage the audience early on by asking a show of hands question or encourage audience participation.

Lack of Clarity

Your audience should know exactly what to expect from your presentation. Starting with a vague or unclear opening leaves them guessing about the purpose and direction of your talk. Clearly communicate the topic and objectives of your presentation right from the beginning. This sets the stage for a focused and coherent message that resonates with your audience.

Simplicity makes it easier for the audience to understand and retain the information presented. Check out our gallery of simple presentation templates to keep your opening concise and relevant.

Skipping the Hook

The opening of your presentation is the perfect opportunity to hook your audience’s attention and keep them engaged. However, some presenters overlook this crucial aspect and dive straight into the content without any intrigue. Craft an attention-grabbing hook that sparks curiosity, poses a thought-provoking question or shares an interesting fact. A compelling opening is like the key that unlocks your audience’s receptivity to the rest of your presentation.

Now that you’ve got the gist of how to introduce a presentation, further brush up your speech with these tips on how to make a persuasive presentation and how to improve your presentation skills to create an engaging presentation .

How can I overcome nervousness at the beginning of a presentation?

To overcome nervousness at the beginning of a presentation, take deep breaths, practice beforehand, and focus on connecting with your audience rather than worrying about yourself.

How long should the opening of a presentation be?

The opening of a presentation should typically be brief, lasting around 1 to 3 minutes, to grab the audience’s attention and set the tone for the rest of the talk.

Should I memorize my presentation’s opening lines?

While it’s helpful to know your opening lines, it’s better to understand the key points and flow naturally to maintain authenticity and flexibility during the presentation.

Should I use slides during the opening of my presentation?

Using slides sparingly during the opening can enhance the message, but avoid overwhelming the audience with too much information early on.

How do I transition smoothly from the opening to the main content of my presentation?

Transition smoothly from the opening to the main content by providing a clear and concise outline of what’s to come, signaling the shift and maintaining a logical flow between topics.

Just as a captivating opening draws your audience in, creating a well-crafted presentation closing has the power to leave a lasting impression. Wrap up in style with these 10 ways to end a presentation .

Presenting virtually? Check out these tips on how to ace your next online presentation .

Captivating your audience from the very beginning is crucial for a successful presentation. The first few moments of your talk can set the tone and determine whether your audience remains engaged throughout or loses interest.

Start with a compelling opening that grabs their attention. You can use a thought-provoking question, a surprising statistic or a powerful quote to pique their curiosity. Alternatively, storytelling can be a potent tool to draw them into your narrative. It’s essential to establish a personal connection early on, whether by sharing a relatable experience or expressing empathy towards their needs and interests.

Lastly, be mindful of your body language and vocal delivery. A confident and engaging speaker can captivate an audience, so make eye contact, use appropriate gestures and vary your tone to convey passion and sincerity.

In conclusion, captivating your audience from the very beginning requires thoughtful preparation, engaging content and a confident delivery. With Venngage’s customizable templates, you can adapt your presentation to suit the preferences and interests of your specific audience, ensuring maximum engagement. Go on and get started today!

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Video script writing 101: how-to steps + templates and examples.

Two professionals collaborating with a digital tablet in a modern office setting.

It’s no secret: v ideo gets more engagement and drives more growth than any other type of media.

But you’ll only reap the benefits if your marketing videos are at least decently produced.

That doesn’t mean every video needs a Hollywood budget, but you do need to put time into planning your video and writing a video script (or asking AI to write one for you).

The good news? Learning how to write a good video script is easier than it looks. This guide covers the basics of writing a script and gives you examples to help you write your own.

In this article, you’ll learn:

How to script a video with AI .
How to plan your script.
Best practices for writing a script.
Tips for choosing the “right” kind of script.
Example video scripts to jog your creativity.

Stay tuned until the end and we’ll also walk you through our favorite ready-to-edit presentation, promo, and explainer video script templates available from Biteable .

Create videos that drive action

Activate your audience with impactful, on-brand videos. Create them simply and collaboratively with Biteable.

Video scripts made easy: Start with a Biteable template

You don’t have to write your own video script from scratch. Video script templates are the busy video maker’s secret weapon.

Biteable’s online video-making software offers hundreds of video templates to jump-start your script-writing creativity.

Fully customizable.
One-click editing.
Ready-made content. (24+ million clips, images, animations, music tracks).
Free 7-day trial

How to script a video with AI

The easiest way to script and create videos is with a little help from your newest assistant: AI. Biteable’s AI-powered Automated Video Assistant (AVA) scripts and creates your video with the click of a button.

Read your complete guide to scripting and creating videos with AI for the step-by-step details.

Graphic design of a purple-themed Biteable video maker interface with a central play button, decorative stars, and abstract shapes.

How to write a video script

Before we go anywhere with video, let’s be clear about this: keep it simple. As you plan your video and write your script, it’s all too easy to start throwing all sorts of cool ideas out. After all, you can do anything in a video, right?

With an unlimited budget, sure. But we’re willing to bet your budget is limited. So keep your videos as simple as possible. You’d be surprised how much work it takes to produce very minimal on-screen effects.

Planning your video script

With all that in mind, start planning your script. Some writers call this “ prewriting ”.

1. Identify your audience.

This is a staple in any sort of marketing or copywriting. You need to address a very specific customer with your content, otherwise it won’t resonate. It can be tempting to make it as broad as possible in order to address every potential customer. Avoid this temptation. Something that’s for everybody appeals to nobody.

If you need help identifying who you want to reach, go through the exercises on this worksheet from digitalmarketer.com.

2. Choose a goal

Next you need to know what the point of the video is. This will depend on where your audience will see the video, what stage of the marketing funnel the video will be used at, and what you want viewers to do after they watch the video, and the key performance indicators you use to track your success.

But if you want viewers to do something specific after seeing the video, you’ll need a call to action. Just make sure your call to action aligns with the purpose of the video. Have a look at this video for FreshBooks. The purpose of the video is quite clear, even if it’s not explicitly stated.

3. Decide on a central character

If your video features too many people, it will be difficult to follow and the focus will stray from the main point. Identifying the primary character does two things:

It simplifies and focuses your video.
It pushes you toward creating a story (if your video needs it).

Some videos, like a product overview, have very little story in them. However, it’s still best if a single person does most of the talking. If you’re producing a video with a narrative arc, it’s best to focus on the main character.

In either case, you need to know who’s going to be on screen most of the time. If you need two or more people in the video, choose one person to show for a majority of the screen time.

Bonus tip: If you can, use the same person as the spokesperson in all your videos. This creates continuity and familiarity in your video content. That’s why brands often create characters that almost function as mascots, like Flo from Progressive.

4. Identify the main point of the video

This boils down to a very simple exercise: tell someone why they should watch this video in one sentence.

When you start writing your script, put the answer to this question as close to the beginning as possible. Let viewers know what they’re going to get right up front, and you’ll retain more viewers.

As a bonus, identifying the point of the video will also tell you what sort of video you need.

Writing your video script

If your planning is good, the writing will be fairly easy. You’ve already created your map. Just follow it.

5. Write out visual and audio elements.

This is super important if you’re doing any sort of voiceover with visuals that cut to different shots. But even if your video is a single shot of someone talking, write the visual and audio aspects into your script.

The script is a set of directions for whoever is shooting the video, and you want the video team to know, without a doubt, what’s supposed to be happening with both the visual and audio elements.

A simple table with two columns is an easy way to format your script. It’s easy to read and see how the video will look and sound. This is a brief two-column video script example:

Add as many boxes as you need to cover all the shots in your video.

6. Write your script, then trim to fit

Depending on the sort of video you’re making, you may need to cram everything into 15 or 30 seconds, or you could have a full three minutes or more to work with.

Either way, plan for 125 to 150 words of dialogue per minute.

But when you start writing, focus on saying everything you want to say. Once you’ve got all the dialogue written, check your word count, then start axing and rewording until it fits your time limit.

This method makes your script clear and concise. It forces you to keep only the dialogue you need .

Here are a few brief tips for writing dialogue:

Speak directly to the audience. Use “you” and talk to your viewers. It’s more personable, and people prefer being spoken to rather than being spoken at.

Write it the way you would say it. Your audience isn’t going to read your script. So write what you would actually say, not what looks best on paper.

Read your script out loud. This is the only way to find out if your dialogue sounds natural. If you make changes, read it out loud again.

Once the dialogue is clean, you’ll know roughly how much footage you need to shoot and what shots you need. If you’re using a voiceover, be sure to shoot some extra footage to account for pauses in the dialogue and visuals that don’t make the cut.

Bonus tip: Use AI to get the first draft of your script. Use a chatbot like ChatGPT , or skip to the finished video with AVA — Biteable’s AI-powered Automated Video Assistant.

7. Stick to the video script (mostly)

This is technically not part of writing the script. But it’s related to writing your script. It boils down to one question: why bother writing the script if you’re not going to follow it? That’s like paying an architect to draw a floor plan, then just building your house all willy-nilly.

Once you start filming, follow your script as much as possible. Some minor changes are fine, and professional actors or voice actors can contribute some flair. Or, if you find you don’t have the resources to do what you planned, you may need to make changes or go back and rewrite the script.

But avoid making major changes to the script on the fly just because you think of something cool. Ad hoc changes and ad-libbing rarely turn out for the best. Explosions are cool, but don’t blow everything up just to have some fun.

How to write the right kind of video script

Marketing videos accomplish two things:

They educate viewers.
They persuade viewers.

Some videos only do one of the two and some do both, but we’re going to split the various types into one of these two categories to keep things simple.

Educational videos: Presentation and explainer video scripts (+ templates)

Presentation and explainer videos fall into the educational category.

These videos are usually for:

Demonstrating how to do something.
Explaining how your product or service works.
Introducing what your brand does.

The keys to success with educational videos are brevity and visuals.

Concise information is easier to remember. That’s why phone numbers are seven digits long. So keep your video short and break it up into manageable blocks of information to help viewers retain what you’ve shown them.

Also, include relevant visuals to show and tell the viewer what you’re explaining, which will increase retention even more. Here’s an excellent explainer video from Mint:

It’s short (1:32), the visuals are relevant, and the dialogue is broken up into separate statements.

This explainer video from Dollar Shave Club is legendary:

Watch this one more than once, because it’s hilarious. But once you stop spitting coffee, notice how the dialogue is broken up into 10-15 second chunks, which are separated by funny visuals. Distinct, memorable blocks of information.

And just for giggles, here’s a bonus videos to get your inspired.

To help you create your own explainer or presentation video, Biteable offers video templates you can edit yourself. Here are a few presentation and explainer video script templates to get you started:

Persuasive videos: Promotional and commercial video scripts (+ templates)

Promotional and commercial videos are for getting people to do things. The action you’re after isn’t always an immediate purchase. You could use a persuasive video to get people to consume additional promotional content.

But, most often, promotional and commercial videos are for:

Showing the benefits and features of your product or service.
Demonstrating what separates your brand from competitors.
Showcasing how your product or service will improve your customer’s life .

Customers will often view these videos on social media or in a sidebar on a website. Getting to the point and keeping it short are non-negotiable. A call to action is mandatory as well.

These videos usually get watched with the sound off, so write your script and plan your visuals to work without sound. Including subtitles is also a good idea.

You might be thinking “great! I’ll save myself time and create a video with no dialogue!” That’s a perfectly good idea, but even if your video has no dialogue, don’t skip the script. Write a script for the visuals so you have a plan to work from.

Here are some examples of commercial videos that work well on multiple platforms:

Notice how short these are. Also note that all of them are consumable without sound. But the main takeaway from these videos is that you need to get attention, deliver your message, and get out before your viewer swipes you off their screen.

Video templates starter pack

We know that can be challenging, so we created a starter pack of video template collections you can use and edit yourself:

Social media video templates .
Video ad templates .
Promotional video templates .
Explainer video script templates .

Make your first video with Biteable

So you’ve got the knowledge. You’ve got the templates. You’ve got the video editor ( Biteable, of course ) and you’ve got the power. Now go forth and make some awesome videos.

Make stunning videos with ease.

Take the struggle out of team communication.

Try Biteable now.

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No experience necessary

Intro Video Templates

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What are intro video templates.

Intro video templates are pre-designed video templates that can be used to create short, attention-grabbing introductions for a variety of videos, such as YouTube videos, company presentations, and more. They usually include a logo animation or text animation with a background music.

How customizable are the intro video templates on InVideo?

Our templates are fully customizable, you can add your own logo, text, color scheme, and background music to the templates, and make changes to the design and layout as per your preference.

Can I use the intro video templates on InVideo for commercial purposes?

Yes, you can use the intro video templates on InVideo for commercial purposes. All the intro video templates are available with the subscription plan, you may be required to have the subscription plan to access and use the templates.

How long does it take to create an intro video using InVideo's templates?

The time it takes to create an intro video will vary depending on the complexity of the template and the amount of customization you want to do. However, InVideo's platform is designed to make the process as quick and easy as possible, so you can typically create an intro video within a few minutes.

Home Blog Presentation Ideas How to Start a Presentation: 5 Strong Opening Slides and 12 Tricks To Test

How to Start a Presentation: 5 Strong Opening Slides and 12 Tricks To Test

Cover image of a How to Start a Presentation article with an illustration of a presenter giving a speech.

Knowing how to start a presentation is crucial: if you fail to capture the audience’s attention right off the bat, your entire presentation will flop. Few listeners will stick with you to the end and retain what you have told.

That is mildly unpleasant when you are doing an in-house presentation in front of your colleagues. But it can become utterly embarrassing when you present in front of larger audiences (e.g., at a conference) or worse – delivering a sales presentation to prospective customers.

Here is how most of us begin a presentation: give an awkward greeting, thank everyone for coming, clear our throats, tap the mic, and humbly start to mumble about our subject. The problem with such an opening performance? It effectively kills and buries even the best messages.

Table of Contents

The Classic Trick: Open a Presentation with an Introduction
Open a Presentation with a Hook
Begin with a Captivating Visual
Ask a “What if…” Question
Use the Word “Imagine”
Leverage The Curiosity Gap
The Power of Silence
Facts as Weapons of Communication
Fact vs. Myths
The Power of Music
Physical Activity
Acknowledging a Person

How to Start a PowerPoint Presentation The Right Way

Let’s say you have all of your presentation slides polished up (in case you don’t, check our quick & effective PowerPoint presentation design tips first). Your presentation has a clear storyline and agenda. Main ideas are broken into bite-sized statements for your slides and complemented with visuals. All you have left is to figure out how you begin presenting.

The best way is to appeal to and invoke certain emotions in your audience – curiosity, surprise, fear, or good old amusements. Also, it is recommended to present your main idea in the first 30 seconds of the presentation. And here’s how it’s done.

1. The Classic Trick: Open a Presentation with an Introduction

When you don’t feel like reinventing the wheel, use a classic trick from the book – start with a quick personal introduction. Don’t want to sound as boring as everyone else with your humble “Hi, I’m John, the head of the Customer Support Department”? Great, because we are all about promoting effective presentation techniques (hint: using a dull welcome slide isn’t one of them).

Here’s how to introduce yourself in a presentation the right way.

a. Use a link-back memory formula

To ace a presentation, you need to connect with your audience. The best way to do so is by throwing in a simple story showing who you are, where you came from, and why your words matter.

The human brain loves a good story, and we are more inclined to listen and retain the information told this way. Besides, when we can relate to the narrator (or story hero), we create an emotional bond with them, and, again – become more receptive, and less skeptical of the information that is about to be delivered.

So here are your presentation introduction lines:

My name is Joanne, and I’m the Head of Marketing at company XYZ. Five years ago I was working as a waitress, earning $10/hour and collecting rejection letters from editors. About ten letters every week landed to my mailbox. You see, I love words, but decent publisher thought mine were good enough. Except for the restaurant owner. I was very good at up-selling and recommending dishes to the customers. My boss even bumped my salary to $15/hour as a token of appreciation for my skill. And this made me realize: I should ditch creative writing and focus on copywriting instead. After loads of trial and error back in the day, I learned how to write persuasive copy. I was no longer getting rejection letters. I was receiving thousands of emails saying that someone just bought another product from our company. My sales copy pages generated over $1,500,000 in revenue over last year. And I want to teach you how to do the same”

b. Test the Stereotype Formula

This one’s simple and effective as well. Introduce yourself by sharing an obvious stereotype about your profession. This cue will help you connect with your audience better, make them chuckle a bit, and set a lighter mood for the speech to follow.

Here’s how you can frame your intro:

“My name is ___, and I am a lead software engineer at our platform [Your Job Title]. And yes, I’m that nerdy type who never liked presenting in front of large groups of people. I would rather stay in my den and write code all day long. [Stereotype]. But hey, since I have mustered enough courage…let’s talk today about the new product features my team is about to release….”

After sharing a quick, self-deprecating line, you transition back to your topic, reinforcing the audience’s attention . Both of these formulas help you set the “mood” for your further presentation, so try using them interchangeably on different occasions.

2. Open a Presentation with a Hook

Wow your audience straight off the bat by sharing something they would not expect to hear. This may be one of the popular first-time presentation tips but don’t rush to discard it.

Because here’s the thing: psychologically , we are more inclined to pay attention whenever presented with an unexpected cue. When we know what will happen next – someone flips the switch, and lights turn on – we don’t really pay much attention to that action.

But when we don’t know what to expect next – e.g., someone flips the switch and a bell starts ringing – we are likely to pay more attention to what will happen next. The same goes for words: everyone loves stories with unpredictable twists. So begin your presentation with a PowerPoint introduction slide or a line that no one expects to hear.

Here are a few hook examples you can swipe:

a. Open with a provocative statement

It creates an instant jolt and makes the audience intrigued to hear what you are about to say next – pedal back, continue with the provocation, or do something else that they will not expect.

TED.com Jane McGonigal Ted Talk - This Game Will Give You 10 Years of Life

“You will live seven and a half minutes longer than you would have otherwise, just because you watched this talk.”

That’s how Jane McGonigal opens one of her TED talks . Shocking and intriguing, right?

b. Ask a rhetorical, thought-provoking question

Seasoned presenters know that one good practice is to ask a question at the beginning of a presentation to increase audience engagement. Rhetorical questions have a great persuasive effect – instead of answering aloud, your audience will silently start musing over it during your presentation. They aroused curiosity and motivated the audience to remain attentive, as they did want to learn your answer to this question.

To reinforce your message throughout the presentation, you can further use the Rhetorical Triangle Concept – a rhetorical approach to building a persuasive argument based on Aristotle’s teachings.

c. Use a bold number, factor stat

A clean slide with some mind-boggling stat makes an undeniably strong impact. Here are a few opening statement examples you can use along with your slide:

Shock them: “We are effectively wasting over $1.2 billion per year on producing clothes no one will ever purchase”
Create empathy: “Are you among the 20% of people with undiagnosed ADHD?”
Call to arms: “58% of marketing budgets are wasted due to poor landing page design. Let’s change this!”
Spark curiosity: “Did you know that companies who invested in speech recognition have seen a 13% increase in ROI within just 3 years?”

3. Begin with a Captivating Visual

Compelling visuals are the ABC of presentation design – use them strategically to make an interesting statement at the beginning and throughout your presentation. Your first presentation slide can be text-free. Communicate your idea with a visual instead – a photo, a chart, an infographic, or another graphics asset.

Visuals are a powerful medium for communication as our brain needs just 13 milliseconds to render what our eyes see, whereas text comprehension requires more cognitive effort.

Relevant images add additional aesthetic appeal to your deck, bolster the audience’s imagination, and make your key message instantly more memorable.

Here’s an intro slide example. You want to make a strong presentation introduction to global pollution. Use the following slide to reinforce the statement you share:

Our Iceberg Is Melting Concept with Penguins in an Iceberg

“Seven of nine snow samples taken on land in Antarctica found chemicals known as PFAs, which are used in industrial products and can harm wildlife”

Source: Reuters

4. Ask a “What if…” Question

The “what if” combo carries massive power. It gives your audience a sense of what will happen if they choose to listen to you and follow your advice. Here are a few presentations with starting sentences + slides to illustrate this option:

What if example with an Opening Slide for Presentation

Alternatively, you can work your way to this point using different questions:

Ask the audience about their “Why.” Why are they attending this event, or why do they find this topic relevant?
Use “How” as your question hook if you plan to introduce a potential solution to a problem.
If your presentation has a persuasion factor associated, use “When” as a question to trigger the interest of the audience on, for example, when they are planning to take action regarding the topic being presented (if we talk about an inspirational presentation).

What if technique analysis for a Financial topic

5. Use the Word “Imagine”

“Imagine,” “Picture This,” and “Think of” are better word choices for when you plan to begin your presentation with a quick story.

Our brain loves interacting with stories. In fact, a captivating story makes us more collaborative. Scientists have discovered that stories with tension during narrative make us:

Pay more attention,
Share emotions with the characters and even mimic the feelings and behaviors of those characters afterward.

That’s why good action movies often feel empowering and make us want to change the world too. By incorporating a good, persuasive story with a relatable hero, you can also create that “bond” with your audience and make them more perceptive to your pitch – donate money to support the cause; explore the solution you are offering, and so on.

6. Leverage The Curiosity Gap

The curiosity gap is another psychological trick frequently used by marketers to solicit more clicks, reads, and other interactions from the audience. In essence, it’s the trick you see behind all those clickbait, Buzzfeed-style headlines:

Curiosity Gap example clickbait Buzzfeed

Not everyone is a fan of such titles. But the truth is – they do the trick and instantly capture attention. The curiosity gap sparks our desire to dig deeper into the matter. We are explicitly told that we don’t know something important, and now we crave to change that. Curiosity is an incredibly strong driving force for action – think Eve, think Pandora’s Box.

So consider incorporating these attention grabbers for your presentation speech to shock the audience. You can open with one, or strategically weave them in the middle of your presentation when you feel like your audience is getting tired and may lose their focus.

Here’s how you can use the curiosity gap during your presentation:

Start telling a story, pause in the middle, and delay the conclusion of it.
Withhold the key information (e.g., the best solution to the problem you have described) for a bit – but not for too long, as this can reduce the initial curiosity.
Introduce an idea or concept and link it with an unexpected outcome or subject – this is the best opening for a presentation tip.

7. The Power of Silence

What would you do if you attended a presentation in which the speaker remains silent for 30 seconds after the presentation starts? Just the presenter, standing in front of the audience, in absolute silence.

Most likely, your mind starts racing with thoughts, expecting something of vital importance to be disclosed. The surprise factor with this effect is for us to acknowledge things we tend to take for granted.

It is a powerful resource to introduce a product or to start an inspirational presentation if followed by a fact.

8. Facts as Weapons of Communication

In some niches, using statistics as the icebreaker is the best method to retain the audience’s interest.

Say your presentation is about climate change. Why not introduce a not-so-common fact, such as the amount of wool that can be produced out of oceanic plastic waste per month? And since you have to base your introduction on facts, research manufacturers that work with Oceanic fabrics from recycled plastic bottles .

Using facts helps to build a better narrative, and also gives leverage to your presentation as you are speaking not just from emotional elements but from actually recorded data backed up by research.

9. Fact vs. Myths

Related to our previous point, we make quite an interesting speech if we contrast a fact vs. a myth in a non-conventional way: using a myth to question a well-accepted fact, then introducing a new point of view or theory, backed on sufficient research, that proves the fact wrong. This technique, when used in niches related to academia, can significantly increase the audience’s interest, and it will highlight your presentation as innovative.

Another approach is to debunk a myth using a fact. This contrast immediately piques interest because it promises to overturn commonly held beliefs, and people naturally find it compelling when their existing knowledge is put to the test. An example of this is when a nutritionist wishes to speak about how to lose weight via diet, and debunks the myth that all carbohydrates are “bad”.

10. The Power of Music

Think about a presentation that discusses the benefits of using alternative therapies to treat anxiety, reducing the need to rely on benzodiazepines. Rather than going technical and introducing facts, the presenter can play a soothing tune and invite the audience to follow an exercise that teaches how to practice breathing meditation . Perhaps, in less than 2 minutes, the presenter can accomplish the goal of exposing the advantages of this practice with a live case study fueled by the proper ambiance (due to the music played in the beginning).

11. Physical Activity

Let’s picture ourselves in an in-company presentation about workspace wellness. For this company, the sedentary lifestyle their employees engage in is a worrying factor, so they brought a personal trainer to coach the employees on a basic flexibility routine they can practice in 5 minutes after a couple of hours of desk time.

“Before we dive in, let’s all stand up for a moment.” This simple instruction breaks the ice and creates a moment of shared experience among the attendees. You could then lead them through a brief stretching routine, saying something like, “Let’s reach up high, and stretch out those muscles that get so tight sitting at our desks all day.” With this action, you’re not just talking about workplace wellness, you’re giving them a direct, personal experience of it.

This approach has several advantages. Firstly, it infuses energy into the room and increases the oxygen flow to the brain, potentially boosting the audience’s concentration and retention. Secondly, it sets a precedent that your presentation is not going to be a standard lecture, but rather an interactive experience. This can raise the level of anticipation for what’s to come, and make the presentation a topic for future conversation between coworkers.

12. Acknowledging a Person

How many times have you heard the phrase: “Before we begin, I’d like to dedicate a few words to …” . The speaker could be referring to a mentor figure, a prominent person in the local community, or a group of people who performed charity work or obtained a prize for their hard work and dedication. Whichever is the reason behind this, acknowledgment is a powerful force to use as a method of starting a presentation. It builds a connection with the audience, it speaks about your values and who you admire, and it can transmit what the conversation is going to be about based on who the acknowledged person is.

Closing Thoughts

Now you know how to start your presentation – you have the opening lines, you have the slides to use, and you can browse even more attractive PowerPoint presentation slides and templates on our website. Also, we recommend you visit our article on how to make a PowerPoint Presentation to get familiarized with the best tactics for professional presentation design and delivery, or if you need to save time preparing your presentation, we highly recommend you check our AI Presentation Maker to pair these concepts with cutting-edge slide design powered by AI.

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How to create and deliver a winning team presentation

Get your team on prezi – watch this on demand video.

Anete Ezera May 31, 2024

Team presentations are about creating a dynamic experience for your audience whilst working together to share valuable information.

You might need to do a team presentation in various situations. For example, in a school project, a team presentation lets each member highlight their contributions. In the workplace, team presentations are great for updating projects, pitching ideas to clients, or sharing research findings with stakeholders.

Using a platform like Prezi can really boost your team’s presentation. Let’s look at what makes team presentations effective and how you can create a successful one.

Team presentations explained

So what exactly is a team presentation? Simply put, in a team presentation you’re working with others to share information or ideas. Each person brings their strengths and viewpoints, making the presentation more engaging.

Typically, the team divides the content so everyone has a part to focus on. This involves planning, creating visual aids like slides, and practicing together. The goal is to ensure everything flows smoothly and the message is clear. By combining everyone’s efforts, you end up with a presentation that effectively shares your team’s insights and knowledge.

How to create a great team presentation: a step-by-step guide

When done right, team presentations can be a really rewarding experience for everyone involved. To make sure the creation process runs smoothly, follow this step-by-step guide.

1. Gather your team

To start, you need to get everybody together. Use this opportunity to discuss the purpose of the presentation and what you want to say. This way, everyone understands the goal and can be on the same page with the project.

2. Divide the responsibilities

During the discussion, pinpoint what each team member is good at and assign roles based on their strengths. For example, one person might be great at research, another at designing slides, and someone else might excel at public speaking. By dividing tasks this way, you ensure a high-quality presentation as everyone gets to contribute the best way they can.

3. Plan the content

When planning your content, outline the key points you want to cover. Break down the presentation into sections and decide who will handle each part. Make sure the content flows logically from one section to the next. This planning phase is crucial for a cohesive presentation.

4. Develop visual aids

Great visuals can make your presentation stand out. That’s where Prezi steps in to help you create engaging visuals that complement your content. Also, make sure to keep the design consistent and not too cluttered. Remember, visual aids should enhance your message, not distract from it.

5. Rehearse together

Practice makes perfect! Schedule a few rehearsals where everyone presents their part. Pay attention to the transitions between speakers to ensure they’re smooth. Rehearsing together helps you catch any issues and make sure everyone is comfortable with their role.

6. Get feedback

To improve your delivery, practice in front of a trusted audience of friends or colleagues, and get their honest opinions. They can give you feedback on any tweaks you can make to improve your presentation. Following this, you can then make any necessary adjustments based on their feedback.

7. Prepare for Q&A

Be ready to answer questions from your audience. To prepare, discuss potential questions with your team and decide who will answer which types of questions. This preparation helps ensure you can handle the Q&A session confidently.

8. Present with confidence

On the day of the presentation, stay calm and confident. Trust in the preparation you’ve done. Remember to engage with your audience, make eye contact, and speak clearly. Most importantly, support each other as a team, and have fun with it.

To learn more about delivering a successful presentation with two or more people, explore our article on co-presenting tips and techniques .

9. Reflect and learn

After the presentation, gather your team to reflect on what went well and what could be improved for next time. Learning from each experience helps you continually improve your presentation skills.

By following these steps, you can be sure that every aspect of creating a team presentation is covered, allowing maximum success.

What are the advantages of team presentations?

Collaborating as a team for presentations has many advantages, including:

The opportunity to work together as a team provides a sense of unity. Whether it’s in the workplace or an educational setting, relying on each other and sharing insights can really improve morale in any team. Also, being in a group provides motivation and excitement that you may not necessarily experience in solo presentations.

Understanding of each other

In education and business settings, working on a team presentation means interacting with other members. Hearing other’s opinions and suggestions can help in getting to know your team better, which can help in other aspects of work or school.

Promotes teamwork

The ability to work together effectively for a team presentation can improve other team interactions further down the line. It’s a great opportunity to get everyone involved, especially those who might usually shy away from group discussions. This creates a more forthcoming team for the future.

Less opportunity for errors

Having more than one person contributing to a presentation means that there’s less chance of making mistakes. There’s going to be more than one person looking over progress, which means that any initial errors will likely be spotted by someone in the team. Even when working on your own sections, the chance to rehearse together means that you can all pick up on potential mistakes before the big day.

Diverse perspectives

Having a whole team involved means that several different viewpoints are brought together. Having each team member contribute their unique insights can lead to a richer and broader presentation overall. This ensures your presentation has a bigger impact on your audience.

Shared workload

With a team presentation, the workload is distributed among the group, making it more manageable. This should reduce the pressure off any one individual and allows for more thorough preparation before you take to the stage.

Improved audience engagement

Having multiple speakers can help to keep your audience interested. Each presenter will have different voices and styles of presenting, which can help maintain the audience’s attention throughout the whole presentation.

Demonstrates team strength

For business professionals in particular, creating and presenting a successful team presentation shows the power of your company. It portrays to your audience how reliable you are as a team and how you can work together to deliver great results. This is going to help you with future prospects and gaining the trust of clients, investors, and partners.

Top tips for creating and presenting your team presentation

Here are some top tips to help you nail a team presentation, with some advice on what to do and what to avoid.

Do: plan early

Start planning your presentation as soon as possible. Early planning gives you ample time to organize content, assign roles, and create visuals. Don’t wait until the last minute – good preparation is key to a smooth presentation.

Two young cheerful businesswomen working on laptop computer together on laptop computer in cafe. One of them is jotting down notes during the meeting.

Don’t: overload slides

Avoid cramming too much information onto your slides. Instead, keep them clean and simple with key points and visuals. Your audience should be listening to you, not reading dense text on the screen.

Do: practice together

Rehearse your presentation as a team several times. This helps ensure smooth transitions between speakers and a cohesive delivery. In addition, practicing together builds confidence and helps you refine your timing.

Don’t: ignore feedback

Constructive criticism can help you improve your presentation. However, don’t take feedback personally – use it to make your presentation stronger.

Do: engage your audience

Keep your audience engaged by incorporating questions or a brief activity into your presentation. This interaction helps maintain their interest and makes your presentation stand out.

Don’t: monopolize the presentation

Ensuring everyone on the team has a chance to speak values each member’s contribution and keeps the presentation dynamic and interesting.

Do: use effective visuals

Visuals are great for engaging your audience and capturing their attention! That’s why make sure to incorporate charts, images, and videos to illustrate your points. Compelling visuals can make complex information easier to understand – just make sure they’re relevant and support your message.

Don’t: forget to smile

A friendly demeanor can make a big difference. Smiling helps you appear confident and approachable, and it can put both you and your audience at ease. Remember, you’ve prepared well, so enjoy the experience!

Do: use Prezi

If you want to stand out, use Prezi for your presentation! Its dynamic, non-linear format can make your content more engaging and visually appealing. Prezi allows you to create a more interactive and memorable presentation experience and makes the presentation creation process even easier with AI-powered functionalities .

Don’t: rush through transitions

Transitions between speakers are crucial. Don’t hurry through them; take your time to smoothly hand over to the next person. This maintains the flow of the presentation and keeps the audience engaged.

Creating a team presentation is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your collective talents and knowledge. By following these tips, you’ll be well on your way to delivering a presentation that’s both impressive and enjoyable.

Why Prezi is perfect for team presentations: the power of Prezi AI

Prezi is the go-to platform for team presentations, thanks to its incredible AI features. Prezi AI makes creating a polished, professional presentation a breeze, allowing you to focus on your content while it handles the design.

With Prezi AI, you can simply provide a prompt about your subject, and it will suggest the best layout, color scheme, and design elements. This means you don’t have to be a design expert to create a visually stunning presentation. Prezi AI can even put your entire presentation together for you, ensuring that it looks cohesive and engaging.

One of the standout features is the Prezi AI text tool. It can suggest edits to improve your content, recommend the best way to display your text—whether it be in lists, bullet points, or paragraphs—and even adjust the length of your text to fit perfectly on your slides. This not only saves time but also means you don’t need to constantly double-check your work. You can present with assurance, knowing your presentation is professionally polished.

Presenting with Prezi is incredibly easy, making it ideal for both virtual and in-person settings. For virtual presentations, Prezi Video allows you to display your slides live next to you, creating a more engaging experience for your audience. Prezi’s collaborative features are perfect for team presentations, enabling the entire team to present together virtually. Each member can take turns presenting their sections seamlessly, making it feel as if you’re all in the same room, even if you’re miles apart.

Prezi AI takes the stress out of creating and presenting, making it the best tool for team presentations. With its intelligent design suggestions, text editing capabilities, and seamless virtual presentation features, Prezi ensures your team can deliver an impressive and professional presentation every time.

Here’s a summary of the key things Prezi AI can do

Build your presentation: Prezi AI can literally put together your team presentation for you. It will come up with the best theme and layout and put the whole presentation into action.

Suggest improvements: Prezi AI can offer suggestions to make sure your presentation looks visually appealing and engaging. By proposing matching color palettes, images, and layouts, Prezi AI helps you create a polished presentation that leaves a lasting impression.

Text editing: To make your message clear and concise, use the Prezi AI text editing tool. It can generate text based on prompts you provide as well as offer edit suggestions on existing text. This way, you know your text is correct and makes sense.

Team presentation ideas from Prezi

Here are some Prezi presentation examples that would work well as team presentations:

TED talks: From Inspiration to innovation

The Prezi presentation by Neil Hughes is a great example of a team presentation because it’s divided into sections, giving each participant a chance to share their insights. Incorporating videos for each section, where specific team members speak, effectively ensures that everyone has their say. This approach helps convey the message clearly and makes sure all voices are heard.

Adopting a gratitude frame of mind

The layout chosen for this presentation is ideal for a team effort. With four main points, each delved into further, it allows each team member to take responsibility for one point. This ensures a fair division of speaking time and workload among all team members.

UX design tips for product managers

Similar to the previous example, this serves as great inspiration for team presentations due to its division into five main points, each explored in detail. Assigning one team member to focus on each area allows them to dedicate their full effort to their section, resulting in a high-quality presentation overall. Additionally, this showcases how Prezi’s open canvas can create an immersive experience by zooming in and out of points, making your message much clearer.

Hopefully, these examples have given you more of an insight of what your team presentation could look like. Allocating one team member to each key point is a great idea to split the workload and ensure everyone gets their chance to speak and show off their expertise.

However, not all team presentations require every team member to be involved in the presenting stage. Sometimes, tasks may be split in a way where some participants focus on the creation process, while others focus on the presenting aspect. It purely depends on where the talents of your team members lie.

Wow your audience with a team presentation created with Prezi

Team presentations provide many positives that may not be attained with solo presentations. The opportunity to have different ideas and points of view can really broaden the perspective of your audience. They can deliver a sense of team unity and strength, which is particularly important in business. When it comes to educational settings, team presentations are a great opportunity to practice working in a group and identify each student’s strengths and weaknesses.

Creating a team presentation should be more about the content you’re sharing and less about spending hours on design. This is why utilizing Prezi AI to create your finished product is a great choice, as you can focus more closely on working as a team.

By using Prezi for your next team presentation, you can take your audience on an immersive journey through your words, ensuring your audience is hooked from start to finish.

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6 tips to introduce yourself in a video presentation like a pro. 1. Get the basics right. Research by Tricia Prickett and Professor Frank Bernieri of Oregon State University has found that, in most communication situations, speakers only have fifteen seconds to make a good first impression with their audience.
How to Make a Video Presentation With Audio in 8 Steps
A video presentation is a presentation that can be shared and viewed as a video. Technically, for a presentation to be a video presentation, it must be an MP4 or MOV file type. A video presentation can be shared online on YouTube, Vimeo and other social media platforms. The best part of a video presentation with audio is that you can share it ...
How to Start your Presentation: 4 Step Formula for a Killer Intro
Have a presentation coming up? Want to hook you audience from the start? Then watch this Lighthouse Communications video that gives you a step by step formul...
How to Make an About Me or Self Introduction Video
The video below, which was created using the Self-Introduction template, builds a picture of a person with a variety of interests—including interest in their field. It wouldn't take long to do the same for your own About Me video. Just replace the included answers with a list of your own interests and skills. USE THIS TEMPLATE.
How To Create a Presentation Introduction (With Examples)
How to create an engaging introduction. Consider using the tips below to engage your audience before your next presentation: 1. Tell your audience who you are. Introduce yourself, and then once your audience knows your name, tell them why they should listen to you. Example: "Good morning. My name is Miranda Booker, and I'm here today to ...
How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation [with Examples]
Step #2: Tell your audience what problem you can solve for them. This is where all of the pre-work comes into play. In this step, you will use the answers to one of those questions that you answered earlier. For instance, if my topic is how to deliver presentations, I have to determine why the audience would care.
Ultimate Video Presentations Guide With Tips & Examples
There are over 35 million PowerPoint presentations created every day and presented to an audience of 500 million people.; 89% of people still use PowerPoint to create presentations out of which 43% say they don't have an alternative.; 87% of marketing people use video in their marketing efforts.; 78% of people consume videos online in a week with 55% consuming videos every day.
Video Presentations: A Guide for Engaging Content
Tip #3 - Voiceovers can become your best friends. The whole point behind a video presentation is not to create a boring one-person video speaking in front of the camera. Use voiceovers effectively to introduce charts, data feedback, etc., with your voice connecting the points of the entire presentation.
How to Start a Presentation [+ Examples]
Best for: Presentations that explore trends or topics that are new, cutting-edge, or even controversial. 3. "State of the Cloud 2023—The AI era" Image Source. This is the opening slide of a presentation that explores the impact of the "AI era" and the "cloud economy" on the financing ecosystem.
Presentation Introduction Example
\\An Example of How to Start a Presentation //Opening a presentation can be one of the most difficult parts of a presentation. If you're looking for ideas o...
Free Introduction Video Maker Online
Our free introduction video maker makes it easy to craft an engaging self-introduction presentation to talk about your interests, qualities and "Who you are" in a video as as a complement to your resume or profile. Browse professional introduction video templates, and start making yours by adding music, photos, texts, etc. Try it online!
Organize Your Introduction for a Presentation [+ FREE Presentation
Part 1: How to Prepare for Your Presentation in English. Part 2: How to Start with a Great Introduction in Your Presentation. Part 3: How to Organize Your Presentation in English. Part 4: How to End Your Presentation Powerfully. As I mentioned in the video, I have two question for you today:
How to Structure your Presentation, with Examples
This clarifies the overall purpose of your talk and reinforces your reason for being there. Follow these steps: Signal that it's nearly the end of your presentation, for example, "As we wrap up/as we wind down the talk…". Restate the topic and purpose of your presentation - "In this speech I wanted to compare…". 5.
How To Start a Presentation: 15 Ways to Set the Stage
How to start a presentation introduction. Presentations can be scary, I know. But even if stage fright hits, you can always fall back on a simple strategy. ... Enhance engagement by incorporating videos or audio clips directly into your presentation. Venngage supports video and audio embedding, which can add depth to your content.
Video script writing 101: How-to steps + templates and examples
Video script templates are the busy video maker's secret weapon. Biteable's online video-making software offers hundreds of video templates to jump-start your script-writing creativity. Fully customizable. One-click editing. Ready-made content. (24+ million clips, images, animations, music tracks). Free 7-day trial.
Intro Video Templates: Create Professional Introductions Easily
Intro Video Templates. Use our Intro Video Templates to create stunning and professional-looking intro videos for your brand, business, or personal projects. We have a wide range of customizable templates that can be used for any purpose you need such as YouTube videos, company presentations, and more.
How to use video to improve your leadership presence
Step one: Watch the video, and take note of your reaction. When you watch a video, you see something old and new simultaneously (even if it's one that you've never seen). Most of you have ...
How to Start a Presentation: 5 Strong Opening Slides and ...
Financial PowerPoint Template with Calculator by SlideModel. 5. Use the Word "Imagine". "Imagine," "Picture This," and "Think of" are better word choices for when you plan to begin your presentation with a quick story. Our brain loves interacting with stories. In fact, a captivating story makes us more collaborative.
Free Video Presentation Maker
Access the "Present and record" option on the editor's top-right side or click on the three-dot menu to select it among recommended actions. Select "Go to recording studio" and set up your camera and microphone. Start recording with your notes in Presenter's View and have the options to pause and resume your recording.
How to Create a Multimedia Presentation (& Tools to Use)
Top it all off with a music clip that doesn't overwhelm or distract from the content of the presentation. Example #5: Video. Adding video to presentations is one of the easiest ways to create a multimedia video presentation. Here's an example of a slide created in Visme that includes a YouTube video. Go ahead and press play to see it in action!
How To Start a Presentation (With Tips and Examples)
1. Tell your audience who you are. Start your presentation by introducing yourself. Along with sharing your name, give your audience some information about your background. Choose details that are relevant to your presentation and help establish you as an expert in your chosen topic. Example: "Good morning.
How to create a professional team presentation
Plan the content. When planning your content, outline the key points you want to cover. Break down the presentation into sections and decide who will handle each part. Make sure the content flows logically from one section to the next. This planning phase is crucial for a cohesive presentation. 4.
Video Production 101: The Ultimate Guide for Beginners and
This comprehensive guide is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in the field of video production, especially for the purposes of business growth. From covering the basics to the intricate details of post-production to key video types to consider for your brand, this is a one-stop shop. We also offer tons of best practices and advice on ...
11 Best Presentation Deck Templates for Startups in 2024
1. Presentation Deck Template Inspired by AirBnb's Pitch Deck. The design for this presentation deck was inspired by one of AirBnb's first pitch decks. It has been featured in many articles and roundups about the best pitch decks in startup history. The slides follow a minimal layout with a fun color combination.
Introduction
A composite of a century of field recordings, the digital presentation of the Omaha Indian Music collection includes cylinder recordings made in the 1890s, documentation of the 1983 Omaha harvest celebration powwow, a performance in 1985 by the Hethu'shka Society at the Library of Congress, and interviews conducted with Omaha elders and ...
Demystifying Microsoft Entra ID, Tenants and Azure Subscriptions
Introduction. As a startup or an new customer exploring Microsoft Azure, you may find the terminology around identity and access management a bit perplexing. Terms like Tenant, Subscription, and Microsoft Entra ID, are crucial to understanding how to effectively manage and secure your Azure environment. This blog post aims to demystify these ...
NVIDIA Corporation
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