introducing yourself at a presentation

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How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

Last Updated: October 4, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 11 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 124,175 times.

Introducing yourself in a presentation is more than just saying your name. It’s an opportunity for you to share relevant details about yourself and connect with your audience. It also sets the tone for the rest of the talk. How you introduce yourself will influence how your audience receives the message you want to get across. Make your next introduction flawless by presenting the most engaging information about yourself. Be sure to prepare the introduction in advance and start with an attention-grabbing technique to connect to the audience.

Including Relevant Information in Your Introduction

• If you have an unusual or difficult to pronounce name, you may want to add a small remark to help your audience remember it. For example, you can say “My name is Jacob Misen, like ‘risen’ but with an M.”
• Try to make eye contact with parts of audience during your presentation as well. [1] X Research source

• If you are VP of Marketing at a large company, it can actually be much more effective to say something like “I have more than a decade of experience using Facebook marketing ads to target clients in the dance industry” rather than simply stating your job title.

• You can also specifically refer your audience to the handout or powerpoint for more information. For example, if you want to let them know that you have articles in many international newspapers but you don’t want to list them all out, simply say “I’ve written for a number of internationally recognized news organizations. You can find the full list on the first page of my handout.”

• For example, you could say “when I designed a website for Richard Branson last year …” to inform your audience that you have an impressive resume, without having to list it all for them in your introduction.

• Try concluding your introduction by mentioning a client or project you were working on that directly relates to the topic of your presentation. For example: “I’ve had the pleasure of working with NXP Semiconductors for the past three years. Just last week we encountered a problem with our logistical database...” and then lead into your presentation about a new software that will solve everyone’s logistical hiccups.

Grabbing Your Audience’s Attention Before Your Introduction

• If you don’t have music that can tie to your presentation, you can use a song with the theme of beginning. For example, if you are presenting at a sales meeting, play some soft jazz as participants enter. Then, when it’s time for you to start, play the Black Eyed Peas chorus of “Let’s Get it Started” to get your audience’s attention. You can then open with an energetic “Good morning!” or “Good Afternoon” as the music ends.
• Remember to choose music that’s appropriate to the event. An academic conference may not be the best place for pop music, for example (unless you are presenting research on pop music, of course).

• For example, if you are presenting on the design of a new user-friendly coffee machine, you may start your presentation by referencing Elon Musk: “Any product that needs a manual to work is broken,” and then go on to say “My name is Laurie Higgens, and my coffee machine doesn’t come with a manual.” Speak briefly about your relevant experience and qualifications, and then dive into presenting your design.
• Avoid cliche or overused motivational quotes the audience has probably already heard many times.
• Be sure to correctly cite your quote.

• For example, you might start with “According to Time magazine, Americans filled 4.3 billion prescriptions and doled out $374 billion on medicine in 2014.” Then, introduce yourself and your qualifications in medical research and transition into a presentation about how to prevent doctors from over prescribing medication to their patients.
• Remember to cite the source of your statistics. You will look more professional and reliable, and the audience will be able to follow up on the information if they wish.

• If you are giving a presentation about a new airport security-friendly travel bag, try starting your presentation with “How many of you have ever stood in line at airport security and nearly missed your flight?”
• You can also invite your audience to close their eyes and imagine something as you lead up to your question.
• Don’t be discouraged if your audience doesn’t raise their hands when you ask a question. Sometimes these questions seem more rhetorical to an audience, or maybe they are just shy. You can often see signs that they are still engaging with the question if people are nodding or smiling after you ask it.

• Try telling stories, showing pictures on a powerpoint, or using quotations.
• Being funny not only puts your audience at ease, but it also helps them remember you after the presentation. [10] X Research source

• For example, if you are making a presentation about a pizza delivery app, ask your audience members to tell their name, their favorite pizza topping, and a situation where they’ve had a particularly amazing or awful experience with food delivery.

Preparing Before Your Presentation

• When it’s time to present, it’s probably best to just write down a few notes or key words to remind you of what you want to say so you don’t just read off your note cards.
• Think about your overall intention as a speaker. Are you trying to educate, enlighten, or entertain the audience? Figure out the effect you want to have on the listener so your presentation is impactful.

• If you don’t have a friend to watch your presentation, record yourself on video and play it back later to refine your presentation skills. It can be uncomfortable to watch yourself on video, but it will help you nail your introduction. You can even record your whole presentation. Keep recording and re-recording until you are happy with it. Then you know the audience will be happy too.

• The best resource to learn about the local culture is the locals themselves. If you have a contact where you will be speaking, ask them about customs, dress code, and how humor is usually received. If you don’t know anyone personally, try searching in industry-specific online forums. Find YouTube videos of presentations given in the area that are relevant to your industry.

What Is The Best Way To Start a Presentation?

Expert Q&A

• Don’t spend too much time introducing yourself. Your introduction should be short and to the point so you can get on to your main presentation material. Depending on the length of your presentation, your introduction should be between 20 seconds and 2 minutes long. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.canr.msu.edu/news/eye_contact_tips_to_make_your_presentations_stronger
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/introduce-yourself-professionally
• ↑ https://www.washington.edu/doit/presentation-tips-0
• ↑ https://www.gvsu.edu/ours/oral-presentation-tips-30.htm
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescoachescouncil/2018/09/27/15-hacks-for-making-your-presentation-more-creative-and-engaging/
• ↑ https://www.hamilton.edu/academics/centers/oralcommunication/guides/how-to-engage-your-audience-and-keep-them-with-you
• ↑ https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/make-em-laugh-ten-tips-using-humor-presentations-judy-romano-mba?trk=portfolio_article-card_title
• ↑ https://www.ncsl.org/legislators-staff/legislative-staff/legislative-staff-coordinating-committee/tips-for-making-effective-powerpoint-presentations.aspx
• ↑ https://crln.acrl.org/index.php/crlnews/article/view/19102/22119
• ↑ https://www.forbes.com/sites/tjwalker/2011/06/07/should-i-rehearse-and-for-how-long-presentation-training/

About This Article

To introduce yourself at the start of your presentation, all you need to do is state your name and tell the audience any relevant experience or skills you have. For example, say something like, “My name is Jacob Misen, and I have over a decade of experience using Facebook marketing ads in the dance industry.” If you have a broad range of relevant experience, you can bullet point a few examples on your opening slide instead of reading them out. Once you’ve introduced yourself, smoothly transition into your presentation. For instance, you can mention a client or project you’ve recently worked on that relates to the topic of your presentation. For more tips, including how to practice your presentation, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation: Guide to a Killer Opener

Hrideep barot.

• Body Language & Delivery , Speech Writing

Not sure how to introduce yourself in a presentation? Hang on till the end of this article.

Giving a presentation can be unnerving. And introducing yourself can be nerve-wracking.

But, without a fitting introduction, you would just be hitting the dart in a dark room.

The usual “Good Morning! I’m Neil, and I work as a Designer at…” is boring and doesn’t cut the ice anymore.

So, how to Introduce yourself in a presentation or start with a killer opener?

Introducing yourself in a presentation is pitching yourself to the audience so they stick around for the rest of your talk. Include your background, your unique trait, and who you are while sticking to the context in the first 30-60 seconds of your introduction.

Your introduction should be effective and have an interesting hook. You’ve got to nail your introduction in one shot.

A make or break moment indeed.

But, fret not! We’ve outlined what to say before starting a presentation to help get your next presentation right.

Occasions Where you Might Have to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

Here is what to say to start a presentation on some of the occasions where you would have to introduce yourself before the presentation.

Though the principle focus will be about yourself, tweaking your intro to the context and the place is essential.

The self-introduction should be compelling enough to woo your audience to sit for the next couple of minutes.

1.How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Environment

Introducing yourself in your workplace can be rather common. But, it’s during business meetings and conferences where you need to stand out.

Every time you meet senior managers, introducing yourself with your name and job title doesn’t grab eyeballs anymore.

However, taking the first step matters. Here are certain scenarios where you might be called upon to introduce yourself in your workplace.

How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview Presentation

The “Tell me about yourself” in interviews is intimidating. If you’ve found alibi’s to every presentation in your school and college, it doesn’t work here anymore.

Prepare a short introduction about yourself and be interview-ready. Anytime someone hits you up with that question, you need to be able to answer it with the snap of a finger.

Here is an example of a self-intro during an interview.

“As a skilled designer, with two years of freelance experience, I’ve worked for clients with diverse needs. I’ve also designed brochures, magazines, logo , and packaging materials for my friend’s company. I’m confident that I can leverage my skills and bring in the best for your brand.

How to Introduce Yourself and Your Team in a presentation

Business meetings can be boring. But there are times where you might have to introduce yourself to a new co-worker or a senior leader.

As a team leader yourself, you might have to introduce yourself and your team to present on the performance of the company the previous month.

Presentation introduction ideas if you’re a marketing executive can be,

An increased conversion of 130%, that’s what our marketing team achieved last quarter making our campaign a massive success. The soldiers who made this possible are Ryan, who made sure the User Experience on our website was flawless. Sean who ensured seamless technical functioning, and Abby who is responsible for all the copies on our major assets. I’m John, who heads the marketing team and we want to take you through all the activities we actioned, the metrics we achieved, and the lessons we learned from our recent efforts.

In case you are giving a group presentation , you can check out this video to see how you can introduce different members of your group for seamless transitioning:

How to Introduce Yourself in a Conference Presentation

In a conference presentation, you’re expected to be a little formal. While you can adhere to that school of thought, don’t forget to story tell. That’s what hooks an audience! Here is an example of how to introduce yourself in a business conference:

“Today, I’m going to share a story of how someone with zero marketing skills and training made it to the top by creating massive revenue streams through online campaigns and paid advertising in just 6 months. If you’re passionate about digital marketing, this is for you. Stay tuned till the end for better insights.

If you’re presenting at a business conference, take a look at these 11 tips for presenting at a conference by Brian Campbell.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Business Pitch Presentation

Now, this is for entrepreneurs who are starting out. If you need investors to fund your start-up, you need to have a solid pitch.

 Let’s say, your product is AI-driven that alerts drivers who doze off while driving.

Talk about the benefits of it in a single sentence and highlight the downsides of dozing off while driving with stats and figures.

Check out this Crucial Public Speaking Tips for Startup Founders written by us that’ll help you nail your pitch.

Also, have a look at this video below. In this, Josh Light introduces himself in just two simple sentences and moves on to talk about his start-up. It is simple yet effective.

How to Introduce Yourself in Client Presentation

If you’re a freelancer, talking to clients can be a daunting task.

Let’s say you’re an engineer turned copywriter. That’s an interesting combo out there, and if you put it out in a way you write your copy, it would benefit you to a whole another level.

“I’m an experienced travel copywriter and I’ve written ad copies, sales pages, newsletters, landing pages for some of the top travel brands. I have over 5 years of expertise in this niche. One of my landing page copy at XYZ converted 50% of eyeballs into leads thus scaling up revenue drastically and I’m here to do the same if you see me fit after this call.”

2 . How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation as a Student

Are you that kid/student who always shied away from giving presentations? Did you always come up with excuses and ended up giving barely one or two presentations your whole school life?

Yes? Well, it’s time to come out of your cocoon as it won’t work out that way in college or at work.

Whether it’s a small project presentation or giving a speech in your English class, here is how you can introduce yourself as a student.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Seminar Presentation

We’ve all been there. Hundreds of projects and assignments, be it school or college.

And that’s where you have to introduce yourself before jumping into your project. No matter how good your project, a solid introduction can put you ahead of the game.

“ As a tech enthusiast myself, I was intrigued by blockchain technology for a long time and today I have my project built using that very technology. I’m so excited to share with you all the working of this model and its benefits. Let’s jump right in.

It’s pretty easy and to-the-point. You need to be self-confident while saying those two lines and try to avoid fillers.

3. How to Introduce Yourself as a Trainer

As a trainer or teacher, your audience may be high-school students, undergrads, or even professionals.

Depending on the setting and the audience, you can craft your intro effectively and be of interest to the listeners.

How to Introduce Yourself to Students

As a teacher in a new school or college, introducing yourself is obligatory.

You can go about it this way if you’re a Moral Science teacher or Counselor:

“Hi everyone! I’m Alexandra. Call me Alex for short. We are going to have loads of fun for the next couple of months as I will be handling your Moral Science classes from today. If you are stuck in a dilemma or facing challenges, you can talk to me personally anytime and I’ll help you find a way out.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Workshop

Workshops are where you learn about a subject.  What if you’re the one who is conducting the workshop or needs to fill in for your friend for a couple of minutes, you need to introduce yourself.

 If you’re an Economics Graduate who is conducting a Calligraphy workshop, your presentation starting words can be something like,

  “Back when I was a kid, I used to scribble down letters I saw on posters and fell in love with the notion of lettering and calligraphy. I wanted to get into design, but I thought it was a fleeting moment and took Economics. Little did I know how much it meant to me. I finally figured what to do in life, and here I’m helping and teaching you to do what you love after years of learning and unlearning.”

How to Introduce Yourself in Training Sessions

Whether you’re a corporate trainer or getting into training students after years of experience, introducing yourself never gets old.

You can emphasize your past experiences in the form of a story or start with how it was when you worked with one of the top clients in the industry.

Below is an example to give you a precise picture.

“How excited are you to get your first gig? I’ve been a freelance writer for over a decade now. And freelancing is one of the best jobs as it gives you financial freedom and lets you work from the comforts of your couch or at your favorite café. So, I’m here to teach you to do the exact same thing and help you find your passion.”

5 . How to Introduce Yourself in a Video Presentation

Virtual presentations are a thing right now. If you’re a camera conscious person, you might have a hard time giving a presentation.

Dressing well and looking at the camera and not the screen can help present better. And always, look into the camera and not the screen when it comes to virtual presentations.

No matter how tensed you are, do not reflect it on your face. Have a bottle of water beside you to buy time and calm your nerves.

Here are two possible situations where you might have to introduce yourself virtually. 

How to Introduce Yourself in Webinars

Webinars are ever-increasing and if your introduction is not crisp and strong enough, building an online presence can be challenging.

Here is how you can introduce yourself in a webinar:

“ Hi, guys and welcome to this long-awaited session. How excited are you all? I know I am! We’re live and will be having John in a while. I’m so thrilled to see hundreds of you all attending this webinar live. It’s going to be a great session. I’m Patrick and the head of Marketing at XYZ. We started this webinar series two months ago and received phenomenal feedback from you all. And that’s why we’re back again with another one. Thank you and welcome again! Hope you find this session valuable.”

How to Introduce Yourself in a Virtual Presentation

Now, this is for freshers whose onboarding is going virtual. Whether it’s training sessions, virtual presentations, or virtual meetings, you are asked to introduce yourself to every manager and executive multiple times in a day.

Hey everyone! I’ve always loved meeting new people and though this is virtual now, just so thrilled to see you all on screen. If you see a new face popping on your screen during meetings and conferences, that’s me, John the new joinee. Can’t wait to meet you all in-person. Excited to jump-start my career here.

You can also check out this video we made to know certain ninja hacks to engage a virtual audience:

Related Article: All You Need To Know About Presenting Remotely

How to Structure an Intro – How to Start and End

• Add a Compelling Hook

You can begin your speech with a fact or a question to pique curiosity of your audience.

• A Brief Overview about Yourself

In those initial few seconds, greet the audience and talk about your strength or any unique trait in a word or two.

You can mention your achievements or contributions before talking about your background.

• A Quick history or Timeline of your Career/Education

In any context, a brief background or history about yourself should be talked about to let your audience know a little more about you.

It helps them gain trust and reliability.

• Smooth transition to the main topic

You shouldn’t abruptly move to the heart of your speech post introduction. There should be a subtle transition to make it effective.

Here is a presentation introduction example,

“Would you believe if I told you that you could reach 15k+ people on LinkedIn in just 30 days? No? Stick around for the next 7 minutes as I’m going to teach you all about it so you can get started as a rookie with zero connections.” Hi everyone! I’m XYZ – a Linked Growth Hacker. I’ve been helping businesses grow and build a strong personal brand for five years now. If you’re wondering how to generate leads on LinkedIn, take note of the pointers I’ll be sharing with you today.”

Magic ingredients to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

You’ve got to nail your introduction no matter where you give the presentation.

You need to learn the art of introducing yourself because that’s the one thing you’ll be asked everywhere when you meet new people.

Introducing yourself is like marketing yourself. A stellar introduction can make a difference.

Here are some surefire ways to stand out in a crowd with your introduction.

With practice, your self-introduction will improve over time if you follow these tips. 

1 . Brevity is Key

We all know this by now. No matter how many years of experience you have or how much you’ve contributed to the team, your introduction should be short yet powerful.

With an impressive introduction about yourself, your audience will be keen on listening to you more. 

2 . Talk about Your Contribution

Instead of starting with your name and your job title, craft a story about the time you have to strive hard to achieve a goal be it personal or professional.

Speak about your contribution subtly without coming off as someone narcissistic. Unfold the little moments and share them with the audience.

Ensure it is related to your speech. Don’t go off course.  

3 . Understand Where You Are

The place where you present matters though it is about you. You need to research about the people, the place and craft an introduction aligning with it.

Keep it relatable. Get the audience to be on track with you. Keep your message clear and introduce it in a way it is memorable. 

4. Be as Real as Possible

Since you are introducing yourself, be as real as possible.

No, you don’t have to be extremely personal, but you can keep it minimal and include a common ground so that the audience can resonate with you.

5. A Smooth Transition is Essential

Transitioning from your intro to the main speech needs to be done right to keep the flow going.

Craft an intro and shift to the main topic without a pause after the introduction.

6. Create a Hook

Creating a hook is essential no matter the setting you’re introducing yourself in.

You need to grab the attention of the audience with your first sentence. You can quickly introduce yourself in a few sentences without taking much time.

Begin with a question or an interesting fact to hook the listeners every time you introduce yourself.

Want some inspiration? Here is a very practical video we have made on different opening lines from some of the most powerful speeches. Hopefully, it will get your creative juices flowing for what your hook should be:

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Concluding Thoughts

Introducing yourself in a presentation can be stressful. You won’t get it right on your first. Nope. Not on your third attempt.

Heck! Not even on your sixth introduction too.

But, here’s the thing.

You need to keep sailing and believe in yourself. That’s what can make you better.

If you want to evolve as an individual, learning how to introduce yourself can immensely contribute to your professional and personal growth.

Push your boundaries and cross your personal threshold. You will get there one day. And introducing yourself will no longer be a daunting task.

Enroll in our transformative 1:1 Coaching Program

Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you

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5 Memorable Ways to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation

by Janice Tomich

• Presentation Planning & Public Speaking Skills

Table of Contents

What Is The Role of Introducing Yourself In a Presentation?

Introducing yourself at the beginning of your presentation or keynote speech establishes your authority and credibility.

Introducing yourself effectively can also pique your audience’s interest and get their attention.

Keep your introduction short and sweet. Many presentations sink before they are even really underway by long-winded CVs recitals or too much context of what’s to come.

Your introduction needs only be a teaser of what you’ll be speaking. The goal is simply to help your audience understand the value you’ll bring to them—a short explainer of why it’s worth it for them to stay and listen.

PRO SPEAKING TIP: Many hosts scramble at the last minute to cobble together their guest’s introduction. I do presentation coaching , and I advise my clients to help out their hosts by providing an introduction to the host ahead of time. You’ll free them of the burden and they’ll have a professional introduction ready with no effort. Do be clear you want it delivered as written, since you are the best judge of what your audience wants and needs to know about you.

Why Is the Personal Introduction Important?

Once you have been introduced by the host or the master of ceremonies, your first job is to establish trust with your audience members. You need to introduce yourself in a way that lets the audience know you are an experienced subject matter expert and will draw in your audience’s attention.

Your self-introduction is an opportunity to warm the audience and create that initial connection, which helps create an inviting atmosphere where the audience members are more likely to be engaged.

Start Introducing Yourself Even Before the Event Begins

You can start the conversation with your audience even before the event begins. Social media provides an easy way to connect with your audience. You can even ask what questions your audience has on the topic you will be speaking about. Common questions can give your amazing insights of what your audience wants to learn.

Likewise, as people are gathering, you have a second brilliant opportunity to introduce yourself—before you even walk onto the stage. As people are entering the room, reach out and say hello—introduce yourself! Some of my strongest, longest lasting connections have come through doing this. Introducing yourself to members of your audience before the speech is unexpected and usually well received (it also helps to calm down before your presentation, it eases your presentation nerves ). Meeting and greeting is a perfect way to begin to warm the room for you and provides some teasers of what you might be speaking about.

5 Unusual Ways To Introduce Yourself in a Speech or Presentation

Personal self-introductions provide an opportunity to have your name, expertise and story be sticky and memorable . You want your audience to leave your presentation be thinking about what you said and who you are.

Let’s assume you’ve already been introduced by your host.

Here are 5 unusual ways to introduce yourself at the beginning of your speech that no one will forget:

1. Do the Unexpected. Be Bold.

Almost every public speaker starts with the presenter introducing themself, their credentials, and then an overview of what they plan to speak about.

Imagine if you introduced yourself differently. The effect is a far more engaged audience. Consider asking a question and fielding the responses. Or, turn the tables. Ask people to introduce themselves to each other or have a few attendees introduce themselves to you. Ask those attendees what they want to learn from your session, and then respond with how how you plan to speak to their needs within the speech.

​​​​Margarita Quihuis ESG Advisor, ED: Peace Innovation Institute, The Hague Peace Innovation Lab Stanford

2. Address the Elephant in the Room

Does your appearance send a signal that you are young and may lack experience? Or perhaps you have lots of age and wisdom on your side and are presenting to a young audience? In this case, self-deprecating humour can quickly dissolve the elephant that is consuming the room. I’ll bet you’ll long be remembered as the cheeky renegade who was able to connect with your audience.

3. Use a Problem, Solution, Benefit Format

Set up your presentation, by concisely speaking to your main point —the problem you will be addressing. Then, allude to the solution(s) you will provide as well as the benefits and outcomes that your audience will receive from implementing your solution(s).

Brevity is your friend when you introduce yourself in this way. It’s a powerful way to pull your audience into your talk.

4. Skip the Introduction

Jumping right into your presentation will catch your audience’s attention—after all, there’s no rule that you must introduce yourself right at the very beginning of your speech. If you take this approach, weave references to your expertise and a personal antidote or two within your presentation itself to establish your credibility and why your audience should continue listening. (Simply leaping in without context will cause confusion if you don’t provide some backfill to help your audience connect the dots as to why you can be trusted to speak on the topic at hand.)

5. Use a Thought-Provoking Image of Yourself

It’s not easy to find just the ‘right’ image to introduce yourself and begin your presentation, because whatever you choose needs to be striking and impactful. The key is to choose an image which easily aligns with what you will be presenting.

Opening with an image for your first PowerPoint presentation slide gives an opportunity to speak to why the image resonates for you. You should also introduce your experience as you speak to the relevance of the image.

Boring, status quo introductions within presentations are soon forgotten. They’re usually forgotten a few seconds or minutes after they are delivered. Getting your introductions right is a core part of improving your presentation skills.

If you want to stand out from the crowd in professional settings it’s necessary to create unexpected, memorable introductions. This warms every person in the room and engages them—your introduction speech does not need to be boring!

But sometimes the hardest part is getting started, and that’s where I come in.

If you’re feeling stuck on your introduction, I invite you to work with me one-on-one in a 1-hour presentation strategy session . I’ll get you started and focussed on your next steps to creating a brilliant presentation that will have your audience glad they attended and leave inspired.

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How to Introduce Yourself For a Presentation | 6 Strategies for a Powerful Opening

Leah Nguyen • 04 Oct 2023 • 7 min read

First impressions are everything in public speaking. Whether you’re presenting to a room of 5 people or 500, those first few moments set the stage for how your entire message will be received.

You only get one chance at a proper introduction, so it’s crucial to nail it.

We’ll cover the best tips on how to introduce yourself for a presentation . By the end, you’ll walk onto that stage with your head held high, ready to kick off an attention-grabbing presentation like a pro.

Table of Contents

#1. start the topic with an engaging hook, #2. set context around your topic, #3. keep it brief, #4. do the unexpected, #5. preview next steps, #6. perform mock talks, bottom line, frequently asked questions, tips for audience engagement.

• Stage Fright
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How to Introduce Yourself for a Presentation (+Examples)

Learn how to say “hi” in a way that leaves a lasting impact and your audience wanting more. The introduction spotlight is yours—now go grab it!

Pose an open-ended challenge related to your experience. “If you had to navigate X complex issue, how might you approach it? As someone who’s dealt with this firsthand…”

Tease an accomplishment or detail about your background. “What many don’t know about me is that I once…”

Relate a brief story from your career that shows your expertise. “There was a time early in my career when I…”

Pose a hypothetical and then relate from experience. “What would you do if faced with an upset customer like I was several years ago when…”

Refer to success metrics or positive feedback that proves your authority. “When I last delivered a presentation on this, 98% of attendees said they…”

Mention where you’ve been published or invited to speak. “…which is why organisations like [names] have asked me to share my insights on this topic.”

Pose an open question and commit to answering it. “That leads me to something many of you may be wondering – how did I get so involved in this issue? Let me tell you my story…”

Sparking intrigue around your qualifications rather than just stating them will naturally draw the audience in through fun, engaging anecdotes .

For students:

• “As someone studying [subject] here at [school], I became fascinated with…”
• “For my final project in [class], I dove deeper into researching…”
• “Over the past year working on my undergraduate thesis about [topic], I discovered…”
• “When I took [professor’s] class last semester, one issue we discussed really stood out to me…”

For professionals:

• “In my [number] years leading teams at [company], one challenge we continue to face is…”
• “During my tenure as [title] of [organisation], I’ve seen firsthand how [issue] impacts our work.”
• “While consulting with [types of clients] on [topic], one common problem I’ve observed is…”
• “As the former [role] of [business/department], implementing strategies to address [issue] was a priority for us.”
• “From my experience in both [roles] and [field], the key to success lies in understanding…”
• “In advising [client-type] on matters of [area of expertise], a frequent hurdle is navigating…”

Start by stating a problem or question that your presentation will address. “You’ve all likely experienced the frustration of…and that’s what I’m here to discuss – how we can overcome…”

Share your key takeaway as a concise call to action. “When you leave here today, I want you to remember this one thing… because it will change the way you…”

Refer to a current event or industry trend to show relevance. “In light of [what’s happening], understanding [topic] has never been more critical for success in…”

Relate your message to what matters most to them. “As [type of people they are], I know your top priority is… So I’ll explain exactly how this can help you achieve…”

Tease an intriguing perspective. “While most people look at [issue] this way, I believe the opportunity lies in seeing it from this viewpoint…”

Connect their experience to future insights. “What you’ve faced so far will make so much more sense after exploring…”

The goal is to grab attention by painting a picture of what value they’ll gain to ensure the context won’t be missed.

When it comes to pre-show introductions, less is truly more. You’ve only got 30 seconds to make a blast of an impression before the real fun begins.

That may not sound like much time, but it’s all you need to pique curiosity and get your story started off with a bang. Don’t waste a single moment with filler – every word is an opportunity to enchant your audience.

Instead of droning on and on, consider surprising them with an intriguing quote or bold challenge related to who you are. Give just enough flavour to leave them craving seconds without spoiling the full meal to come.

Quality over quantity is the magic recipe here. Pack maximum impact into a minimum timeframe without missing a single delicious detail. Your introduction may only last 30 seconds, but it can spark a reaction to last all presentation long.

Forget a traditional “hi everyone…”, hook the audience in right away by adding interactive elements to the presentation.

68% of people say that it’s easier to remember the information when the presentation is interactive.

You can start with an icebreaker poll asking everyone how they are feeling, or let them play a quiz to learn about yourself and the topic they’re going to hear naturally.

Here’s how interactive presentation software like AhaSlides can bring your introduction to a notch:

• AhaSlides has a plethora of slide types for your polling, quiz, Q&A, word cloud or open-ended question demands. Whether you’re introducing yourself virtually or in person, these features are your best sidekicks to attract every eye to you!
• The results are shown live on the presenter’s screen, grabbing the audience’s focus with eye-catching designs.
• You can integrate AhaSlides with your common presentation software such as PowerPoint or Google Slides.

There are a few ways to show why your topic matters, such as:

Pose a burning question and promise the answer: “We’ve all asked ourselves at some point – how do you achieve X? Well, by the end of our time together I’ll reveal the three essential steps.”

Tease valuable takeaways: “When you leave here, I want you walking away with Y and Z tools in your back pocket. Get ready to level up your skills.”

Frame it as a journey: “We’ll discover a lot of things as we travel from A to B to C. By the end, your perspective will be transformed.”

Introduce yourself in style with AhaSlides

Wow your audience with an interactive presentation about yourself. Let them know you better through quizzes, polling and Q&A!

Spark urgency: “We’ve only got an hour, so we have to move fast. I’ll hustle us through sections 1 and 2 then you’ll put what you learn into action with task 3.”

Preview activities: “After the framework, be ready to roll up your sleeves during our hands-on exercise. Collaboration time starts…”

Promise a payoff: “When I first learned how to do X, it seemed impossible. But by the finish line, you’ll say to yourself ‘How did I live without this?'”

Keep them wondering: “Each stop delivers more clues until the big reveal awaits you at the end. Who’s ready for the solution?”

Let the audience see your flow as an exciting progression beyond an ordinary outline. But don’t promise air, bring something tangible to the table.

Presentation perfection requires plenty of playtime before showtime. Run through your intro like you’re on stage – no half-speed rehearsing allowed!

Record yourself to get real-time feedback. Watching playback is the only way to spot any awkward pauses or filler phrasing begging for the chopping block.

Read your script to a mirror to eyeball presence and charisma. Does your body language bring it home? Amp up appeals through all your senses for total captivation.

Rehearse off-book until your intro floats to the surface of your mind like breathwork. internalise it so you shine without flashcards as a crutch.

Perform mock talks for family, friends or furry judges. No stage is too small when you’re perfecting your part to sparkle.

💡 Know more: How to introduce yourself like a Pro

And there you have it – the secrets to Rocking. Your. Intro. No matter the size of your audience, these tips will have all eyes and ears hooked in a snap.

But remember, practice isn’t just for perfection – it’s for confidence. Own those 30 seconds like the superstar you are. Believe in yourself and your value, because they’ll believe right back.

How do you introduce yourself before a presentation?

Start with the basic information like your name, title/position, and organisation before introducing the topic and outline.

What do you say to introduce yourself in a presentation?

A balanced example introduction may be: “Good morning, my name is [Your Name] and I work as a [Your Role]. Today I’ll be talking about [Topic] and by the end, I hope to give you [Objective 1], [Objective 2] and [Objective 3] to help with [Topic Context]. We’ll start with [Section 1], then [Section 2] before wrapping up with [Conclusion]. Thank you for being here, let’s get started!”

How to introduce yourself in a class presentation as a student?

Key things to cover in a class presentation are name, major, topic, objectives, structure and a call for audience participation/questions.

Leah Nguyen

Words that convert, stories that stick. I turn complex ideas into engaging narratives - helping audiences learn, remember, and take action.

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• Toastmasters →

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation with 6 Terrific Tips

Presentations can be very nerve-racking experiences!

Even seasoned speakers will get the jitters!

When you’re preparing to give a talk about something, you put a lot of time and energy into crafting what you have to say. Understandably, you want things to go as well as possible.

Maybe you’re going to give a speech about an area of expertise that you have in a particular industry.

Perhaps your presentation will to focus on a personal experience that’s had a significant influence on your life.

Then again, you could be getting ready to give a funny speech that you hope will really entertain listeners .

Whatever your presentation is about, your main goal is for those attending your talk to pay attention. Without that, all your blood, sweat and tears − as the saying goes − is for nought!

Giving a Presentation About Yourself

When you introduce yourself at the start of a presentation, it’s the first opportunity that audience members have to meet you formally. So, you should give them the best impression that you can.

It’s critical, at this point, to establish a strong connection with participants that will encourage them to hear you out.

Audiences are known to judge a speaker quite quickly!

The moment you open your mouth, they’re deciding whether they’re going to like what you have to say or if there’s something else they’re rather spend their evening doing.

If it’s the latter, they’ll look for a chance to make a speedy exit as unobtrusively as possible – like when the lights dim so that you can show your first slide, for example.

Here’s how to woo watchers and keep them in their seats with an effective personal introduction.

Start with the Basics

At a minimum, you must tell those listening who you are and what your presentation is about.

If they’ve signed up for the talk, they should know this already. Nevertheless, you need to show them respect by starting off with these few facts.

You never know, someone could be in the wrong meeting room!

In addition, this is the time to pique participants’ interest by briefly saying why it is that you’re giving this particular speech.

Typically, you’ll do this by offering your credentials or a little of your experience on the subject matter.

Here, you can also include a comment about what you hope listeners will learn from you.

You may have heard this approach referred to as the elevator speech   or elevator pitch .

In this instance, it’s all about giving people the basic information they need in preparation to hear your speech, and doing it concisely in simple language that everyone will understand.

Here’s a sample:

‘Hello. My name is ­­­­­­­­­­­___________. I’m a neuroscientist. I’m here to talk about how the body responds to stress and what we can do to improve our stress responses.”

Construct the Connection

Beyond offering the basics, give some thought to how you’d like audience participants to remember you.

This where you must consider how to make the right connection with listeners.

Sure, you want them to think favourably of you but what are the particulars of that good impression?

Can you imagine what they might tell others about your talk?

Do you want them to go away and Google more information about your speech topic ?

Are you interested in having them follow your story on social media?

This will determine what you tell them in addition to your name, rank and serial number, so to speak, and your subject matter expertise.

Here are a few steps that will help:

1. Predict participant profile

For any presentation, you should know who you’re speaking to.

While you can’t be expected to know anything about audience members as individuals, you should be able to get a general sense of them in terms of their demographic and other characteristics.

Say you’re speaking to members of a local club. Find out ahead of time why these folks are members of the same organization.

Are most of them retired and looking for a social outlet? Is the club focused on providing a service to the immediate community, or doing good works oversees?

Try to develop a loose idea in your mind of what the participants have in common.

2. Think like listeners

As much as possible, try to put yourself in the shoes of the people coming to hear your presentation.

Be very careful not to generalize or assume too much based on what you understand connects them as a group.

Just use what you know as a helpful yard stick to gauge what you can say about yourself that might resonate with them – or with the majority.

Maybe you’re giving a talk about how to achieve financial success, and your audience is all 20 somethings struggling to pay off student debt while juggling a few jobs in the gig economy.

Certainly, you should introduce yourself with regard to your financial expertise. However, you’ll make a stronger impact on them if you can relate to being a starving student once yourself.

They need to get that you know what you’re talking in both respects and what you’re going to tell them will be valuable.

3. Use universal understanding

Regardless of the diversity in your audience and how they may differ from you, there are some day-to-day life events that most of us can connect with.

Use this common appreciation to create empathy in your self introduction .

You might be able to bond early on with participants by mentioning interpersonal relationships, traffic jams, work challenges or inclement weather, for instance.

When you can offer something else about yourself in this way, it will enhance the connection between you and your listeners.

Succinctly explaining your back story, or your personal perspective, as it relates to your topic will grow your credibility.

“Hello. My name is ____________. I’m a family therapist. When I was a child, I had a sibling that suffered from mental health problems and that’s why I became a therapist. I’m here today to tell you how we can strengthen and heal relationships with others.”

Putting it All Together

There are a few terms you may hear that sum up putting these pieces together to introduce yourself.

It’s called the Rhetorical Triangle or the Triangle of Trust. Simply put, it’s about connecting yourself to the message and then connecting your message with the audience.    

It may be easier to remember if you can visualize a triangle with three points – speaker, message, audience.

This demonstrates the importance of speaking from one’s knowledge base, presenting the message logically and appealing to the audience’s emotion.

It reinforces that people are more likely to listen to and connect with you when you appear to know what you’re talking about and have a passion for the subject matter.

You might also like: Preparation: How to write a Speech Outline (with Examples)

6 Ways to Work your Introduction Magic

Once you’ve got a good idea of what you want to say about yourself in your presentation, it’s time to fine tune your plan. Here are several tips to make your personal intro really pop!

1. Communicate clearly

It shouldn’t surprise to you that you need to speak at a reasonable volume and enunciate your words clearly.

A successful speech starts out strong .

Therefore, when you’re telling listeners who you are and a bit about you this is the place to practice communicating properly.

You may feel reluctant to ‘toot your own horn’ but the audience needs to know a little about you and also how to say your name correctly.

So, speak up !

If your name might be a difficult one for some participants to pronounce, take the time to walk them through. Here are two illustrations:

“Hello. My name is Adeolu Akomah. That’s pronounced “ad – e – o – lu – a – kom – ah”.”

“Hello. My name is Ryan Trench. That’s pronounced the same way as in “trench coat”.”

2. Make it natural

As much as possible, put your nervousness aside and try to be yourself.

In other words, show your personality sincerely and don’t try to present an image of someone that you’re not.

We can be forgiven for watching other presenters and thinking that they’re more compelling speakers or have a special charisma.

This may definitely be the case, but how do you think most of them became this way?

It’s because they learned to be comfortable in their own skin when giving speeches.

We each have a unique personality and one key to connecting with an audience is to show that when introducing yourself.

3. Set the tone

Building on the previous point, set the proper tone for your talk.

Will it be a quite formal presentation about a serious subject?

Or, is it going to be an entertaining personal story where you want participants to feel a little laid-back and not restrain their laughter at the right moments?

Try to match the emotion in your voice to the purpose of your presentation.

There’s nothing wrong with speaking in grave thoughtful tones when you want to pull on people’s heart strings with a serious subject matter like childhood cancer.

By the same token, letting a few chuckles escape when you introduce why you’re an expert on skiing mishaps can also stage an appropriate mood.

Setting the tone also means being polite and showing participants that you appreciate their attendance. Acknowledge them with a short welcome or thank them for coming.

4. Bring best body language

Body language is a critical component of giving any speech.

During your personal introduction, your body language can help to build trust or cast doubt on your words.

Strive to appear relaxed and confident

Listeners will then be more apt to believe that you are who you say you are and that you have something to tell them that’s worthy of their time and attention.

5. Watch for TMI

This is a trickly one!

TMI, or too much information, is generally a judgement call based on the aim of your presentation.

So, how much is too much?

Well, you mustn’t offer your whole life story! Just zero in on the relevant details that are necessary to set the stage for your speech.

We’re all complex individuals with varied and interesting backgrounds and life situations. Your audience gets that but they want to know what’s drawn you to speak to them today.

As already touched upon, how to describe yourself as an expert is critical.

It’s okay to be humble but remember that you need people to understand that you know your subject matter so give them enough to go on.

6. Strategize with stereotypes

‘No two ways about it, your audience is bound to stereotype you when they hear a bit of your background.

There are two methods to use this to your advantage.

First, you can capitalise on the typical stereotype and reinforce it with some self-deprecating humour. Maybe you want to play up being a science geek.

Alternatively, you can turn the stereotype on it’s head by introducing yourself as an atypical example of what listeners may be assuming when they hear your background.

Say you’re a grandmother who is giving a talk about saving the environment. If you’ve sailed solo across an ocean, weave that into your introduction as it relates to your passion for ecology.

Whatever you choose, think of what works best to connect with your audience.

Try Out Toastmasters

Here’s another approach to learning the fine points about introducing yourself in a presentation – learn from Toastmasters International .

If you’re not familiar with this organization, essentially, they’re a club where people meet regularly to study and practice public speaking and leadership skills.

Plan to drop in at a meeting as a visitor when someone is giving a talk, or watch online videos of members presenting.

These are two ways to observe how people apply what they learn through Toastmasters to give a great introduction about themselves.

The other choice is to read up on the first speaking project that all Toastmasters members take on.

This is called the Icebreaker   speech . The objective is for presenters to give a short talk about themselves so that other members can get to know them.

Of course, this is definitely a different type of speech !

Having said that, the Icebreaker lesson reinforces that you can choose what exactly you want people to know about you, and its good practice for getting comfortable talking about yourself.

The guidance given is to say something about your life experience, your occupation, what you spend your time doing and/or your family.

People love personal stories so no matter what you choose to tell them about yourself, they’re bound to find it interesting and probably will notice several points of connection they have with you.

What’s more, even if you’re not a member of Toastmasters International , you can access the Icebreaker speech instructions free online.

If you do decide to delve further into Toastmasters, you never know, you might quickly get hooked!

Related: What to Expect at Your First Toastmasters Meeting

Conclusion: Giving about Presentation About Yourself

How you introduce yourself when giving a presentation can make all the difference.

Be mindful that the start of your talk is when you have a captive audience.

And, make sure you use that edge to intrigue them and then make a smooth transition to the content of your speech.

By following a few pointers about the best way to introduce yourself, you’ll leave listeners with an immensely memorable experience!

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A Simple Way to Introduce Yourself

• Andrea Wojnicki

Think: present, past, future.

Many of us dread the self-introduction, be it in an online meeting or at the boardroom table. Here is a practical framework you can leverage to introduce yourself with confidence in any context, online or in-person: Present, past, and future. You can customize this framework both for yourself as an individual and for the specific context. Perhaps most importantly, when you use this framework, you will be able to focus on others’ introductions, instead of stewing about what you should say about yourself.

You know the scenario. It could be in an online meeting, or perhaps you are seated around a boardroom table. The meeting leader asks everyone to briefly introduce themselves. Suddenly, your brain goes into hyperdrive. What should I say about myself?

• Andrea Wojnicki , MBA, DBA, is an executive communication coach and founder of Talk About Talk, a multi-media learning resource to help executives improve their communication skills.

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

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!

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

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.

“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:

“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:

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).

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:

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 Introduce Yourself in a Presentation Without it Being Awkward?

• Filed under: Public speaking articles , Public speaking tips and tricks , Speaking tips

We’ve all been there. That conference or that Chamber of Commerce meeting where the host is, “OK, before we start, let’s all stand up and introduce ourselves for 30 seconds.” It seems simple, it seems casual and no one is asking you to give a big keynote speech. And still our heart is racing like a Maserati. We’re not even listening to the other people because we are thinking about what to say when it is our turn.

So, how to introduce yourself in a presentation without it being awkward? The main goal of the introduction speech is to be remembered. Therefore, focus on the audience, introduce a problem that actually creates a little emotion and that people can relate to and show them how you solve these problems.

Now, if you read the first paragraph of this post and if you ever experienced what I described, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Therefore, today I’m going to teach you exactly how to introduce yourself in a presentation. So, let’s dive in.

Table of Contents

Three Possible Outcomes of the Introduction Speech

Here is the reality when it comes to simple introduction speeches: there are three possible outcomes for every single introduction speech you give.

#1 You make an awful impression.

You’re stammering, your tongue-tied and you can’t say anything. You’re like, “Oh, I’m so nervous!” and therefore you say something stupid and inarticulate.

That happens every once in a while. I can think of maybe three-four times in my life but that’s pretty rare. So, you should remember that, chances are, you’re really not going to do that.

#2 You say something interesting and memorable

And since you said something that is interesting, people want to come up to you afterwards, introduce themselves and give you their card.

That’s great. That’s an ideal scenario.

Unfortunately, that also doesn’t happen very often but that’s what you’re going to be able to do after reading this post.

#3 Nobody remembers anything you said

Usually it goes like this. You stand up and say, “Hello, my name is blah-blah-blah. I work at company blah-blah-blah and we do blah-blah-blah…”

Then you sit down and the result is that nobody remembers anything that you just said. They don’t remember your name or the name of your company and they don’t remember what you do.

In fact, you sounded like Charlie Brown’s teacher, “Wah-wah-wah, wah-wah-wah.”

It’s all generic stuff and that’s the real danger for most of us. It’s not that we give a bad impression or a horrible promotion or people see our hands shaking, but nevertheless it’s a lost opportunity to make an impression.

Main mistakes lots of people do while introducing themselves during a presentation

Here’s how most people introduce themselves at networking events and professional associations:

• Hi, my name is…
• I am the CEO of…
• My company does…
• I really appreciate being here today and meeting you all…

#1 Your introduction is boring

What’s wrong with the way people usually introduce themselves? It’s awful and it’s boring.

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They start off and everything they say is about themselves and it is boring.

#2 Your introduction makes no impression

The real danger is we make no impression at all. We’ve taken time to go across town to some meeting to possibly meet people to try to advance our organization and to make new contacts and…we blew it.

That’s just not a good idea. That’s why we need a plan and that’s why we need to rehearse.

#3 You talk too much about yourself

You start off by introducing yourself. The problem is that nobody at this stage of the relationship cares about your name . No one really cares about your title, either. The problem with this kind of introduction is that is all about “me, me, me.”

Why in the world do you think anyone would care about that? It’s boring and it’s unmemorable.

#4 Your introduction speech generates no response

Now, I have to point out though, that even if you give an introduction just like I described above then nobody would be thinking “Wow! That guy’s awful. That’s horrible. That’s boring!”

I don’t think it would generate that sort of reaction. The reaction it would generate is that the upcoming speakers will not listen to you and instead think about what they’re going to say next.

So, it would create no response from the audience. And that’s our real danger here.

Our danger is not breaking out in a sweat, fainting and having to be carted out of the room. The real danger is that nobody remembers your speech even two seconds later and later no one has a reason to come speak to you.

#5 You use acronyms or initials

There’s also a possibility that you’re using an acronym or initials. This is frankly a big problem with a lot of associations.

“Hi I’m A.M. Jefferson from the ABTF unit and I’ve blah-blah-blah…” Well… no one outside your organization knows what the ABTF is and it’s just confusing.

So, my advice to you: other than M.D., I wouldn’t use any initials to introduce yourself.

What is the main goal of the introduction speech?

Now you would like to know know to introduce yourself in a presentation without it being awkward? For starters, don’t start with your name, your rank, your title, the history of your company and an abstract list of services. That’s what most people do.

The main goal of the introducing yourself is being remembered. Your goal, again, is not just somehow to get through the introduction and your goal is not to embarrass people or embarrass yourself in the introduction.

Your goal is to make people remember something about you and have something to talk about later. They should have a reason to come up to you and give you their card or to start a conversation.

That is the goal of a self-introduction. How to accomplish that? I’m going to tell you what to do in just a moment, so keep reading.

How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation in a way that will be Remembered?

So, I’ve shown you the wrong way of introducing yourself; now let me demonstrate how I introduce myself during a presentation. Of course, there are lots of other ways you can do it but this is how I usually to it.

“Imagine that somebody calls you today and wonts you to be a speaker at a conference like this one today. You have only 20 minutes to deliver your message. Are you absolutely confident that your message will be interesting and memorable to your audience?

Hi, I’m Janek Tuttar and I teach people how to speak in front of audiences to get the results that they want.

If you give me a business card at the end of the meeting, I will give you free access to my online public speaking course.”

That’s it. That is how I introduce myself if I’m at a typical business meeting, speaker’s conference, etc. and everyone is asked to go around in 20 or 30 seconds to introduce themselves.

Now, is that a spellbinding oratory and everyone’s going to go, “Oh, wow! He’s the best speaker ever!”

No! But there are a number of things about that introduction speech that worked for me and can work for you. And by the way – that whole introduction takes usually less than 30 seconds.

Focus on the need people have

For starters, I didn’t start with my name because everybody starts with his/her name. Instead, I focused on the audience.

“Imagine that somebody calls you today and wants you to be a speaker at a conference like this one today.”

People can visualize that, and this way I’m talking about the audience – not me.

This is a basic public speaking tip. Anytime you talk about your audience rather than yourself, you’re winning . People care about themselves more than they care about you, the speaker.

It’s nerve racking to think, “Wow, I have to up on stage and talk to 500 people… Oh my gosh! I don’t want to look like a fool. “

Whether it’s happened to them, to a close friend, family member – if there was a public speaking experience involved, they weren’t quite sure how it would turn out.

So, that the first principle:

• I talked about the audience
• I introduced a problem that actually created a little emotion
• I introduced a problem that people could relate to

Show them how you solve this need

Did you see that I then introduced the solution by saying that I teach people how to solve that problem and I introduced the solution that cost nothing.

“ I will give you free access to my online public speaking course”

I’m not asking them to whip out a checkbook or a credit card, so I don’t seem self-serving. Also, this way, I’ve given people an excuse to come up to me.

“Hi, Janek. Nice to meet you. Here’s my card… I would love to take a look at that online course.”

Now we have a conversation because they remember what I do.

Figure out how you can talk about what you do through the eyes of someone in the audience.

Pay attention…this works for me! I’m not saying that you have to say it exactly like this, but you should remember the basic formula:

• what are people’s needs
• how am I going to help them meet these needs?

I realize not everyone is a writer, but I do think if you try hard you should be able to come up with something that’s useful.

For example: if you are a small business owner working from home, it could be the top 10 tips for reducing your taxes. That might be something that people would then come up to you and say, “Yeah, I would like these tips. Can you send them to me?”

So, that’s my recommendation to you: figure out how you can talk about what you do through the eyes of someone in the audience.

• The second part
• What is an easy and non-threatening way for people to approach you?

How to rehearse the introduction speech?

Now the part you’re not going to like. But it’s the most important part if you want to become a master at introduction speeches.

Practice in front of a video camera and record yourself

I need you to grab your cell phone, or any other video camera, and I need you to practice your introduction so you get captured on video. I know you don’t want to do it because, “Oh, I don’t like my voice and I look weird on video!” etc.

Guess what? Everyone in that room to whom you’re introducing yourself has to hear your voice. They have to see your face so you’re not hiding anything with them. You’re only hiding from yourself.

So, you’ve got to bite the bullet. Nobody likes to do this and nobody likes the sound of his/her own voice. But it’s the only way to be supremely confident when you’re introducing yourself.

It’s the only way to know if you’re being too soft or if you’re playing with your ring finger or if you’re rocking back and forth.

Therefore, you’ve got to do it on video. It’s not going to be worth your while unless you do this one step.

Make a list of things you like and things you don’t like

Now I need you to watch your video and I need you to figure out what worked well and what should be corrected. Make a list of things you like and things you don’t like.

If you’ve done that you should now be feeling pretty comfortable and fairly confident about your introduction speech and your ability to introduce yourself in front of a group of people.

Ask for feedback from a friend

Now, let’s do one more test.

Take the best video that you made of yourself and e-mail it to several friends. First, I want you to call a friend, then e-mail it to him/her immediately and say, “Hey Bill (or “Hey Sandy”) I just emailed you a short video. Can you take a quick look because I really need your feedback. This video is only 30 seconds long.”

Ideally, they’re at a computer where they can actually click on it, watch it and hear it while you’re on the phone. Then, right after they’ve seen and heard it, ask them for some feedback:

• “What did you like?”
• “What do you remember?”
• “What would you do differently?”

See what they say. If they just say, “Oh, everything was professional and great,” then this usually means that you probably didn’t say something interesting.

Ask your friend for specifics

You want them talking about the specific things you mentioned – the hook . You also want them to say, “Well, you seem relaxed and comfortable.”

Ideally they will comment that they didn’t even know you had that special report or that book you’re giving away and they’d like it themselves.

I would also ask if there’s anything they don’t like. If they say, “Well, you seem scared,” or that, “The product your giving away sounds really cheesy and it sounds like an infomercial,” then you should consider what to change about your introduction speech.

Listen to what they have to say but it doesn’t mean you should change everything just based on their opinion. Therefore, here’s my challenge to you.

I want you to call five people and try to talk to at least three. Let’s get some independent verification from others telling you what the message is, what they get it from it and whether they like it.

The feedback you receive and improvements you make will further boost your confidence and you’re going to be fantastic the next time you have to introduce yourself.

Bonus tip: don’t memorize your introduction speech

If you are standing in front of 12 people, introducing yourself might not seem as scary as standing in front of 1000 people, but it still takes most people out of their comfort zone.

When you’re feeling nervous , your palms and feet get sweaty and your whole body is telling you “run!” Adrenaline is flowing and your brain tells you to get out of here.

When that happens, your mental faculties shut down because your body is saying, “Run! Don’t think!”

Therefore, my advice to you is: don’t memorize your introduction speech because that’s extra work and that’s extra stress. It’s hard to deliver it without sounding like you are reading a canned speech, or you have memorized something, so don’t do it.

Instead, focus on the idea you want to communicate and just talk it through in a conversational way.

And you know what? When you’re in these meetings, instead of worrying about your introduction speech, you can actually listen to this person over there, about what they do and what they have to offer. Also, you now may have a good reason why you may want to go out and talk to that person afterwards.

Final thoughts: How to Introduce Yourself in a Presentation Without it Being Awkward?

After following the tips I gave you in this article, you will be good at introducing yourself.

The other beauty of this is if you plan and you have a process and you’re all set, you’re not going to be sweating and waiting for your turn to introduce yourself. You could actually be present; you can be in the moment and actually listening to other people instead of thinking of yourself.

Related questions

How to speak with confidence in public? Accept the fact that you’ll be nervous, but don’t let it control you. Prepare your speech or presentation well in advance. Practice in front of a variety of listeners. Learn controlled breathing and act like you own the stage. (full article here)

What is a good speech introduction? A good speech introduction draws the audience’s attention to you, raises interest and tells the listeners that something exciting is coming. But if your prelude leaves the listeners thinking, “Meh?“ you’ll find yourself in a difficult situation. (full article here)

How do you outline a presentation? Always start with your introduction and end with your powerful closing. Flesh out the body by listing topics in the order that you want to cover them. Never skimp on the important details of your speech. Remember that an outline is only a draft. (full article here)

Useful reading:

• How to Use a Teleprompter During your Speech? A Complete Guide

Public speaking FAQs: Answers To the Top 22 Most Common Questions

• Retirement Speech: 14+ Secret Tips on How To Go Out With A Bang

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Who is janek tuttar.

My name is Janek Tuttar , and I am the founder and author of Speak and Conquer website.

I have been teaching public speaking at Estonian Entrepreneurship University of Applied Sciences

Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

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Hi! My name is Janek Tuttar, and I am the founder and author of SpeakAndConquer.com.

I have been teaching and blogging about public speaking since spring 2007. Here, I am sharing the wisdom of how to cope in different public speaking situations.

Send me an e-mail: [email protected]

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How to introduce yourself during a presentation.

Imagine this scenario: you are about to present to a group of people you've never met before. As you take the stage, all eyes are on you, and you feel a wave of nervousness wash over you. The first thing you need to do is introduce yourself, but how do you do it in a way that captures their attention and leaves a lasting impression?

Introducing yourself during a presentation can be daunting, especially if you're not used to speaking in front of a large audience. But it's an essential part of any presentation; how you do it can set the tone for the rest of your talk. A weak introduction for a presentation can leave your audience disengaged and uninterested, while a strong one can make them eager to hear more. Creating a cool presentation to introduce yourself and a compelling narrative or intriguing fact can set the stage for a memorable and impactful presentation.

This blog post will explore the most effective ways to introduce yourself during a presentation. Our discussion will encompass the significance of initial impressions and various methods to deliver an introduction speech that leaves a lasting impact.

Whether you're a seasoned presenter or just starting, this blog is for you. By the end, you'll have the knowledge of how to introduce yourself in a presentation and leave a lasting impression on your audience. So let's get started!

Table of Contents

Start with your name and background, state your name and provide some relevant background information, choose details that establish you as an expert in your topic, share what you’re presenting, provide a brief summary of what your presentation is about, identify three key points you plan to cover, show why your topic matters, explain why your topic is important and how it relates to your audience, use statistics, anecdotes, or examples to illustrate the significance of your topic, additional tips, wrapping it up.

The first step in introducing yourself during a presentation is to state your name and background. It is crucial to communicate clearly and confidently, even if the information may appear obvious. Begin by saying your name, then provide some context about who you are and why you're there.

As an illustration, you could express it in this manner: "Greetings, I am identified as John Smith. I'm the marketing director for XYZ Company, and I'm here to talk to you about our new product line." This simple introduction speech establishes your credibility and relevance. Providing your audience with a glimpse of your identity and the topics you'll be discussing can also help create a comfortable environment for them.

Remember to speak clearly and confidently, making eye contact with your audience as you introduce yourself.

By stating your name and providing some relevant background information, you're giving your audience an idea of who you are and why you're qualified to speak on the topic at hand. You can even create an attractive introduction page in your presentation using professional PowerPoint templates .

It's crucial to ensure that your introduction speech is not excessive. You should avoid including irrelevant information or appearing self-centered, as it may cause your audience to lose interest.

For instance, if you're giving a self-introduction speech on the latest trends in social media marketing, you might mention that you've been working in digital marketing for 10 years and have experience running successful campaigns for major brands. You could include your website link or portfolios . This information helps establish your credibility and personal branding , making your audience more receptive to what you say.

After introducing yourself, the next step is to share what you're presenting. This can be done by giving a brief overview of your topic or by stating the purpose of your presentation. It's important to be clear and concise in this part of your introduction, as it sets the expectations for the rest of your talk.

For example, you might say, "Today, I'm going to be talking about the latest trends in social media marketing and how they can benefit your business." This sentence explains to your listeners what they will gain from your talk and why it's important for them.

By sharing what you're presenting, you're also giving your audience a reason to listen and engage with your talk. Having prior knowledge of what to anticipate would increase their chances of paying attention and inquiring later.

Giving a brief summary of your presentation can help your audience understand the scope of your talk better. Furthermore, it aids in keeping you focused and guaranteeing that you address all the crucial aspects.

Additionally, the synopsis provides your listeners with an overview of the topics they will be educated on during your presentation and how it can benefit them. It's important to keep your summary short and to the point, as you'll have plenty of time to delve deeper into each topic during the rest of your presentation.

Identifying three key points you plan to cover can help both you and your audience stay organized and focused throughout the presentation. These key points should be the main takeaways from your presentation and should be related to your talk's overall purpose or theme.

Suppose you're delivering a speech about the latest trends in social media marketing. Your presentation may consist of three essential aspects such as

• The Significance of video content in social media marketing
• The emergence of influencer marketing
• Strategies for integrating social media marketing with other digital marketing channels

By identifying these key points, you'll be able to structure your presentation logically and cohesively, making it easier for your audience to follow along and remember the main ideas.

In addition to sharing what you're presenting and identifying key points, you must show your audience why your topic matters. This means highlighting the relevance and importance of your presentation to their lives, businesses, or industries.

You can do this by sharing statistics, real-life examples, or current events that demonstrate the significance of your topic.

For example, suppose you're giving a presentation on the latest trends in social media marketing. In that case, you might share statistics about the increasing number of users on different social media platforms and how this affects businesses' marketing strategies .

By showing why your topic matters, you capture your audience's attention and convince them that your presentation is worth their time and attention. It also helps to create a sense of urgency or importance, making your audience more likely to engage with your talk and take action based on the information you provide.

Doing so can help your audience understand how the information you're sharing can benefit them personally or professionally.

For instance, if you're giving a presentation on financial planning, you might explain how effective planning can lead to greater financial security, freedom, and peace of mind and how this relates to your audience's financial goals and aspirations.

By establishing this connection between your topic and your audience's interests, needs, or concerns, you can create a sense of relevance and relatability that will keep them invested in your presentation.

Moreover, by highlighting the potential benefits of adopting your ideas or strategies, you can motivate your audience to take action and apply what they've learned.

Statistics, anecdotes, and examples are powerful tools that can help illustrate the significance of your topic and make it more relatable to your audience.

Let's say you're delivering a speech regarding the significance of mental well-being at the workplace. In that case, you might share statistics about the prevalence of mental health issues among employees and the negative impact this can have on productivity, morale, and overall well-being. In these circumstances, the employee may move to find another related opportunity from job sites like Bazar for their mental relaxation. You could also share personal anecdotes or stories from other companies that have implemented mental health initiatives and seen positive results, such as reduced absenteeism, improved employee engagement, and increased job satisfaction.

Using these examples can make your presentation more memorable and persuasive and help your audience understand why your topic matters in a real-world context.

Here are some additional tips to keep in mind when introducing yourself while giving a presentation:

Consider incorporating multimedia elements to enhance your introduction

Multimedia elements such as images, icons , videos, or graphs can be a great way to supplement your introduction for a presentation and make it more engaging. Ready-to-use PowerPoint themes help you add that visual element to your presentation. You can present the media files directly on the UI in Troop Messenger . It supports sharing all kinds of files.

Let's say that you are delivering a talk about the advantages of physical activity, for instance. In that case, show a short video clip of people working out or include a graph that shows the correlation between physical activity and improved health outcomes. You can easily create and edit such videos with a free online video editor , allowing you to enhance your presentation with compelling visuals and data.

Ensure that your introduction for the presentation is brief and focused. While it's important to establish the relevance and significance of your topic, you don't want to spend too much time on your introduction for the presentation and risk losing your audience's attention. Keep your introduction speech under two minutes and focus on the most compelling and relevant points.

Practice your introduction beforehand to ensure confidence and clarity

Using this method, you can prevent tripping over your words or overlooking crucial details during your presentation. Practising helps you identify areas where you might need to revise or refine your introduction for presentation to make it more effective.

Use humor or storytelling to make your introduction more engaging

Humor and storytelling can effectively make your introduction for presentation more engaging and memorable. Sharing a personal story or injecting some humor into your presentation can put your audience at ease and create a more relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.

For example, when delivering a presentation on the advantages of meditation, you could begin with a funny story about a moment when you were experiencing high levels of stress and how practicing meditation assisted you in managing it. Alternatively, you could share a personal story about how you discovered the benefits of meditation and how it has changed your life.

Using humor or storytelling in this way can help you connect with your audience on a more personal level and create a sense of rapport that will make them more receptive to your message. Just be sure to keep your humor appropriate and relevant to your topic, and avoid anything that could be considered offensive or insensitive.

Introducing yourself during a presentation is a crucial first step toward establishing a connection with your audience. By following the tips outlined in this blog on how to introduce yourself professionally, such as starting with a hook, keeping it concise, and highlighting your expertise, you can make a great first impression and set the tone for the rest of your presentation.

It's important to rehearse your self-introduction speech in advance to ensure that you appear confident and captivating. By implementing these strategies, you can successfully introduce yourself during your next presentation and leave a lasting impression on your audience.

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How to Introduce Yourself in an Email: 15 Examples + 5 Tips

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Networking is essential to progress in your professional life. So, how to introduce yourself in an email ? 🤔

A good presentation can help you grow your business, build your personal brand and, ultimately, leave a good impression on everyone you communicate with.

In this article, we share 5 designs with you, along with tips on how to shine with your customers, colleagues, etc.! ✨

What is an introductory mail?

An introductory email is used to share your information with other people, prospects, new customers , etc. 👀

For example, you can use it if you’ve just taken on a new role, so you’ll have a new boss and new colleagues. 🔗 Also, if you’ll want to expand your network and make professional and personal contacts.

Basically, an introductory email is used to establish contacts . 🤝

An introductory e-mail is essential for getting the word out about your company. It’s also a great way to do networking .

We know, building a strong network, will give you a big boost. 👍

Introduction Email Sample

Here’s an introduction email sample that will surely captivate your recipients. 😏

That’s great! But how do you write a professional e-mail ? 🧐

Here are 15 email introduction examples to inspire you.

15 Email Introduction Examples

How to write an introductory email to a client? If you want to be more sociable, build relationships and generally be a nicer person, then introductory emails are for you. 😉

There’s nothing wrong with a little courtesy, on the contrary!

Let’s find out about its examples for every day and professional life. 👇

1. How to introduce yourself in an email to clients?

The above example is suitable for high-value clients who expect personalized service . 🥰 This customer introduction email is perfect for sending to many customers. 👉 The aim is to share your contact details, ensure continuity of the relationship and build customer loyalty . Dear [name of recipient], I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as a new representative of [company name]. I have recently joined the team as [position] and will now be responsible for all of your account needs. Please know that I am committed to providing the same level of personalized service and attention to detail that you have always experienced at [Company Name]. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me directly at [phone number] or email me at [email address]. Thank you for your support, I look forward to working together. Sincerely, [your name]. ————————————— Subject: New opportunities and continued success for [company name] Dear [Customer name], I hope this message finds you well. My name is [your name] and I recently accepted the role of [your title] here at [company name]. I would like to introduce myself and let you know that I am excited about the opportunity to work with you and [client company name]. [Company Name] values ​​our partnership with [Customer Company Name] and is committed to continuing our successful collaboration. We look forward to learning more about your business goals and discussing how we can support your goals in the future. Please contact me at any time to arrange a phone call or meeting. I would like to network and explore new opportunities to grow the company together. Thank you very much for your continued trust in [company name]. I look forward to our collaboration. Best regards, [your name]. —————————————– Subject: Welcome from [your name] – new contact for [company name] Hello [Customer Name], I hope you’re doing well. My name is [your name]. I would like to introduce myself as the new contact at [company name] and assume your role in [your job title]. I am taking over from [name of previous contact] who has taken on a new role within the company. I am honored to serve in this role, and I am very much looking forward to building a strong and successful relationship with you and [Client Company Name]. I am here to ensure that your experience with our services/products continues to exceed your expectations. I would love to discuss your current and future needs and how we can best serve you. Please call or arrange an appointment as soon as possible. Thank you for partnering with [Company Name]. I am excited about the journey ahead and the successes we can achieve together. Best wishes, [your name].

2. Introductory e-mails to a new customer

If you’re a new account manager, customer relationship manager or have direct contact with customers. 👂

This example gives an introduction about you and explains your role. 👉 The purpose of this email is to provide a professional introduction, but also to reassure the customer that this won’t affect their business. Dear [name of recipient], I am writing this e-mail to introduce myself as the new Account Manager/Customer Relationship Manager [or applicable role] for your account. I would like to take this opportunity to briefly explain the areas in which I am responsible: [Briefly explain the main areas of responsibility] Looking forward to hearing from you , I am fully committed to ensuring a smooth and successful collaboration. I’d be thrilled to hear from you soon. Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, [your name]. —————————————— Subject: Welcome to [Company Name] – Let’s get started! Dear [Customer name], Welcome to [Company Name]! My name is [Your Name]. We are excited to have you as our main point of contact as you embark on this new journey with us. Our team strives to provide [a brief description of our services/products] with the aim of providing [a brief description of how our services/products can benefit our customers]. In order to help you make the most of our services/products, we would like to arrange a welcome call. This gives us the opportunity to better understand your needs and tailor support to your goals. Please let us know your convenient time. I will arrange everything. If you need any clarification, please feel free to contact us. Thank you for choosing [Company Name]. We look forward to working together and supporting your success. I would like to extend my warmest greetings. [your name] ————————————— Subject: A new adventure with [company name] begins! Hello [Customer Name], The whole team would like to extend a warm welcome to you. I am [your name], your dedicated [your job title], and I will make sure you have a great experience with our [service/product]. At [Company Name], we believe in [Company Core Values] and are committed to supporting our customers every step of the way. We can help you with [a brief description of the solution or benefits offered]. We would like to start by having a short conversation to discuss your goals and how we can best help you achieve them. This is also a good opportunity to ask questions. Please let us know your availability for a brief introduction. If you are in a hurry, please feel free to contact us directly. We look forward to a fruitful partnership and will warmly welcome you again. Best regards, [your name]

3. Presentation mails for a new company or boss

On the other hand, you need to be more formal when sending messages to your new company or a boss. 🤠 The focus is on your professional abilities , sales skills and commitment rather than your personality. 💪 Show that you’re there to do the job! Dear [name of recipient], I’m writing this email to introduce myself as your new [position] and express my determination to help the team achieve its goals. With over 10 years of experience in [a related field], I will bring strong skills and abilities that will contribute to the company’s success. I look forward to working closely with you and the rest of the team. If you would like us to prioritize a particular project or task, please contact me. I’m sure we’ll be able to achieve great things together. Thank you for this opportunity. Sincerely, [your name]. ————————————— Subject: Exciting News: Introducing [New Company Name] – The Beginning of a New Chapter Dear [recipient name], I hope this email cheers you up. We would like to introduce [New Company Name], a company that is committed to providing innovative solutions and unparalleled services in the [Industry/Field] field. My name is [your name] and I am honored to serve in [your position] at [new company name]. [New company name] has a mission of [concisely stating core values ​​such as innovation and customer satisfaction], and is based on the philosophy of [statement of mission and goals]. I would love to discuss how [new company name] can work with you to achieve your goals. Please contact me directly to learn more about our services and how we can contribute to your success. Thank you for considering [new company name] as a partner. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration. I would like to extend my warmest greetings, [your name]. —————————————— Subject: Welcome [new manager’s name], new [job title] at [company name] Dear [recipient name], I hope this email finds you well. I am very pleased to introduce [new manager’s name] who recently joined [company name] in a new [position]. [New boss’s name] brings a wealth of experience in [briefly describing his background or expertise] and a visionary approach to leadership. [New Manager’s Name] is excited to lead the team to new heights and will strive to improve our services/products to meet and exceed our customers’ expectations. [He/She/They] is interested in building strong relationships with customers and stakeholders and looks forward to connecting with you. Please welcome [new boss’s name] to [company name]. [He/She/They] intends to contact you in the coming days to introduce himself and discuss how we can continue to successfully work together. Thank you for your continued support and partnership with [Company Name]. We are excited about this new chapter and the positive changes it will bring. Best, [your name].

4. Introductory e-mail to new business contact

A cold mail is a mail you send to someone you don’t know. 🔍 For example, it could be a potential customer you want to connect with, a new contact who might be interested in your services, or a company you would like to contact for business. 🗣️ This sample email shows you how to connect and introduce yourself to someone you’ve never met before. 👋 Dear [name of recipient], I am contacting you to introduce myself and to tell you that I have recently heard of your company and am impressed by your work in [industry/specific field]. As a professional with extensive experience in [ strategic business unit ], I believe there is potential for cooperation and mutually beneficial opportunities between our organizations. If you have a few minutes, I’d like to arrange a call or meeting to discuss this further. Please let me know if you are available for a brief conversation. Sincerely, [your name]. ————————————— Subject: Introducing [your name]: Explore new possibilities together Dear [recipient name], I hope this email resonates with you. My name is [your name] and I recently joined [company name] as [your title]. If you require any further assistance, requests, or opportunities to discuss anything related to our [product/service], I would be happy to introduce you to me as your new contact. Drawing from my background in [your career/industry], I have a passion for delivering value and excellence on projects. We look forward to the opportunity to work with you and explore ways to achieve mutual success. Thank you for your continued partnership with [Company Name]. I’m excited about the possibilities of our collaboration. Best wishes, [your name] —————————————— Subject: A new beginning: How [your name] met [recipient’s name] Hello [recipient name], I believe this message will lead you to success. My name is [your name], my most recent [your title] at [company name]. We would be happy to introduce you as someone who shares a strong interest in [specific interest or field relevant to the recipient]. Having recently begun my journey with [Company Name], my goal is to build meaningful connections and explore synergies between our professional endeavors. We believe that by working together and sharing insights, we can achieve great results. I’m really looking forward to the possibility that our paths may cross, whether it’s an industry event, a joint project, or just a coffee chat to exchange ideas. Please contact us at [your email address] or call us directly at [your phone number]. I look forward to learning more about your work and discussing potential collaboration opportunities. I wish you continued success, [your name].

5. Emails to introduce yourself to new colleagues

Finally, we know that your first day in a new job can be nerve-wracking. 🙈 This sample introduction email will help you make friends from day one. With this email, you can introduce yourself , explain who you are and end with a “call-to-action” to establish a connection. 👌 Dear [name of recipient], I’m writing this email to introduce myself as the new member of the team. My name is [your name] and I’m delighted to be joining [company name]. I’ll be taking on the new role of [your job title], and I’m looking forward to working with you and getting to know you better. If you need any help or have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Sincerely, [your name]. ——————————————- Subject: [Your Name], Greetings from your new [Position] Dear team, I hope this message finds you well. My name is [your name]. I’m excited to join [company name] in the new role of [your position]. I look forward to using your background in [your background/industry/specialty] to contribute to our projects and learn from you. I am passionate about [some of your professional interests] and believe in [core values ​​or principles you value]. I look forward to bringing my experience and enthusiasm to the team and working towards our common goals. You can always contact me for collaborations, questions, virtual coffee chats, etc. I look forward to getting to know you and becoming an integral part of our team’s success. Warm regards, [your name]. —————————————— Subject: Hello from [your name], new member of [department/team name]. Hi guys, My name is [your name]. I’m a new addition to [department/team name] here at [company name] as a new [your position]. I have an extensive background in [your career] and am interested in leveraging my skills and knowledge to contribute to our mutual success. Outside of work, I like to [briefly mention my hobbies and interests] and am always open to discussions about [topics that interest me]. I look forward to seeing you in the break room, via Zoom, or via email. Please feel free to write me a message or call me at [your phone number]. Let’s make the most of collaboration and achieve great things together! Best wishes, [your name].

5 Tips for introducing yourself in a professional e-mail

At this point, you should know what a presentation email is thanks to the examples we’ve seen previously. 💡 Now we’re going to help you understand how to write the best presentation emails.

Check out these 5 useful tips for creating presentation emails that stand out from the crowd. 🌈

1. Think of the subject line

The first step to take before writing an introductory email is to pay attention to the subject line . 🧐

It would be a real shame if your message ended up in the recipient’s spam folder. 🗑️ When you send an emailing campaign , your aim is to grab the attention of each recipient as soon as they read the subject line.

Therefore, when writing the email subject line , avoid using overly boring formats such as “Introductory email”. 😴

On the other hand, familiarity is not recommended. Choose a subject line such as “It’s my first day!” or “Nice to meet you by email”. ⚡

2. Present your role in the company

The next step is a professional presentation . 🥸 Don’t address your interlocutor with ready-made phrases such as “Madam, Sir”.

Instead, say “Dear (name of recipient)” or “Hello to the whole (department) team”. 👉 If it’s your first day , the first line of your e-mail should include the date you joined the company.

Also include information about your position, role, and responsibilities. 💼 Show that you’re ready for a new challenge!

However, if it’s your last day, here’s how to write a good professional goodbye message . 😥

3. Take care with the tone of your writing

As we saw in the follow-up emails , adopt a polite and consistent tone to make an effective professional presentation. 🌟

Some companies use a more or less formal tone (at Waalaxy , we like to be on first-name terms). 👽

Take inspiration from the style of their website, blog, or LinkedIn posts. By doing this little research, you’ll know what tone to use to better reflect their values. 🪞

4. Show your personality

Talk about yourself! 📣 Don’t limit yourself to your skills and experience . Let your personality shine through.

Note that this is not about displaying your whole life, but about finding a balance between your professional and personal life. ⚖️

Try to put yourself in your interlocutor’ s shoes. How can you pique their interest with this e-mail?

Talk a little about your hobbies, your interests, what you like most… 🍔 If you like burgers, you can ask where the best local restaurant is, for example.

It’s the perfect way to get to know your new colleagues ! 🤗

5. Don’t forget to use polite expressions

Finally, use polite formulas 🪶 when writing your introductory e-mail.

Here again, avoid overly formal expressions like the infamous “Please accept, Madam, Sir, my distinguished greetings”. 🙄

At the end of your e-mail , say that you’re excited to meet the people involved. As you can see, the aim of this email is to create a warm, friendly atmosphere. 🥰

Remember, your message needs to stand out. 🤩 These tips will also work if you’re looking for a way to write a professional thank-you email .

Conclusion: How to introduce yourself in an email?

In this article, we’ve shared five examples of presentation emails and five tips for making them a success! 🚀

Learning how to introduce yourself by e-mail is an excellent skill to master to advance your career and make new connections. ✌️

Above all, be positive, inspire others with your personality, always write professionally and proofread before sending . 👀

Now you know how to start an e-mail in any professional situation.

Read our article on email signatures to finish on a high note! 💅

Article FAQ

What should the subject line be in a presentation email.

A good subject line for a presentation email should be clear and concise. 🧊

For example, the subject line for an e-mail to a prospect needs to be informative and at the same time entice them to click. How can we do this? 👇 By using types of questions to ask a customer , like this one:

“Need to hire a developer? I’m here!” 🔔

What’s the difference between a cover letter and a motivation letter?

A cover letter is used in some cases to complement a CV and focuses on the candidate’s experiences, it is generally used to apply for a job offer 😀

Unlike a motivation letter , which can be used to better understand the candidate’s motivations once hired, or to introduce yourself to new clients/colleagues.

That’s all there is to it! You know all about the how to introduce yourself in an email . 🎩

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