Your First Line Is More Important Than The Speech Itself

You will never have a chance to re-do a first impression. And it only takes a few seconds to make one - 7 seconds, to be precise. According to Forbes, it takes up to 7 seconds for someone to create a solid impression of who you are. Some research suggests it only takes a tenth of a second to begin determining traits like trust. That means by now your subconscious will have already decided if you are interested in what I am saying, how you feel about it and whether or not you trust me.

If you do not set the right impression within the first 7 seconds of meeting someone or an entire audience, you can do your absolute best to recover; however, it becomes extremely tricky to re-engage your audience if your introduction has already tuned them out. And it only becomes harder and harder to do so the further along you are in your speech. If you do not hook your audience or create the desired impact within the first 7 seconds, your audience may miss out on the rest of your speech. 

Often we focus heavily on the meat of the presentation - but your entrance and exit are just as, if not even more important. According to public speaking expert Ronald Adler, though your opening and closing usually occupy less than 20% of your speaking time, “listeners form their impression of a speaker early and they remember what they hear last. It is therefore vital to make those few moments at the beginning and end of a speech work to your advantage.” Those moments determine how your audience will view you and absorb your entire speech. For this reason, the very first line of your speech may just be the most important one. 

This is not to be discouraging whatsoever. On the contrary – I am the biggest optimist! And one that firmly believes you have an important message that deserves to be heard. I am writing this to help employ you with the tools to guarantee an engaged, invested audience that will absorb your valuable message. 

Starting strong also allows you to set a confident, intentional tone for yourself, putting you in the right headspace to powerfully deliver your entire presentation. As the creator of The Art of Public Speaking textbook Stephen Lucas writes, “getting off on the right foot is vital to a speaker’s self confidence. What could be more encouraging than watching your listeners’ faces begin to register interest, attention and pleasure? The hardest part of any presentation is the beginning. If you get through the opening stages of your speech without blundering, the rest will go much more smoothly.” 

So what is the ideal opening line? What is the best way to start a presentation? There really are no rules or wrong answers...except 1: It MUST hook your audience. Your opener needs to be a moment. It needs to get heads turning and jaws dropping. How exactly can we achieve this? Well, there are lots of ways to create that reaction. 

Red Flags 

Here are the surefire ways to avoid getting your desired reaction from your opening line.

• Bio 

Ex: “Hi, my name is ______ and I’ll be talking about _____.”

• Buzz word

Ex: “Umm, so, today I’ll be talking about…”

• Diving in without setting up at all

Ex: “Today I’ll be talking about…”

That is not to say these elements cannot exist in other parts of your introduction or speech. A bio, for example, can be an important part of establishing your credibility; however, be wary of opening your speech with any of these. Think about it - what type of introduction would you want to hear as an audience member? What would make you check out?

Think of a good book - what's an epic opening line to kick off your moving speech? It can be a shocking emotional story, a mind-blowing statistic, a cleverly placed joke. According to a Claremont University study, for example, if your audience empathizes with your opening story, they will experience 47% higher oxytocin levels, increasing your connection and influence with them. The more vivid your story imagery, the more your audience will feel like they were there with you. Get creative with it! Be mindful to also pick a path that feels right for you and for the tone of the topic.

Green Flags

To find out all the best tips and tricks for a strong opener, take a look at my free course - Start Presentations with Star Confidence. 

If you don’t yet believe me, at least believe some of humanity’s classic thinkers, orators and textbook writers!

“The beginning is the most important part of the work.” - Plato

“A bad beginning makes a bad ending.” - Euripides 

“It is your job, as you start your speech, to turn that daydreaming, diverse group of individuals into a concentrating, stimulated, involved, thinking, participating audience.” - Leon Fletcher

Setting the right tone from the very first word of your speech allows you to genuinely earn your audience’s interest and maximize the impact of your message. Now you have the tips to make the ultimate impression for your audience, engaging and truly creating an experience for them from the first 7 seconds to the very last.