If you’re not a household name in your industry and you’re about to give a presentation, you might find yourself spending the first part of your speech convincing the audience that you’re worth listening to.
As you gain the audience’s trust throughout the session they will pay closer attention to what you have to say, however the first part of your presentation might be lost on those who were playing with their cell phones instead of listening.
If your audience don’t know much about you when you start talking they might not mistrust you, however you might have to prove yourself to them before you can deliver the message of your presentation.
You could of course start by talking about your credentials and why you are worth listening to. However, a better and faster way to do this is to ask someone to present and introduce you, you use a moderator. This should be a person whom your audience already trusts, that way the people listening won’t have to take your word for it; instead they will be hearing that you are an expert in your area from someone they already trust.
In order to get the most out of this you can ask the person presenting you if you can write your presentation yourself. This way you have total control over what is said about you and can deliver the message you want.
As a result of a well thought through introduction, you will find the audience more tuned to you and your goals will be easier to achieve.
Though this tip will help you get the start you need, you shouldn’t forget that you still have to make sure you have a well developed presentation and that you are prepared to deliver it.