GREAT GRABBERS

Here are some suggested openers that will really get—and keep—their attention:
- The Hook. “I’ve been traveling around the world this year and I’m here to tell you why working and living in Asia can help propel your career forward.”
- The Tease. “During this presentation, I will be giving you next year’s incentive plan. But let’s start with the state of the company.”
- The Quiz. “There are five reasons why we will win this completion. Can anyone tell me what they think these are?”
- The Shock. “The competition is outdoing us by 35 percent, but I can tell you how to get our numbers up.”

Once you’ve appealed to their needs, don’t now fall into the trap of delivering only facts. Remember when you’ve been in the position of having to endure a speaker drone on about research or give a long, detailed history about a topic without giving any context of why it’s relevant. You know this kind of thing has left you squirming in your seat, your eyes rolling or your brain miles away.
If you have to barrage listeners with facts, at least tease them a bit. Drop little nuggets of incentive for they can enjoy if they’re paying attention. Keep stimulating them with signal phrases like “A little known fact is,” “ What I’ve learned is,” “The inside scoop is.”
By giving them something that makes them feel like they’ve just penetrated the inner circle, they’ll feel special and bonded to you for the duration.


(Excerpted from Loud and Clear by Karen Berg. Read more here: https://tinyurl.com/wm2tod4)