The document outlines ten mistakes to avoid when opening a presentation, emphasizing the importance of a strong opening line. Common pitfalls include sarcasm, lack of preparation, and clichéd phrases that bore the audience. It encourages speakers to engage their audience from the start and offers solutions for impactful openings.

1. Bad Opening Lines to Your
Speech
10 Mistakes to Avoid
when Opening Your
Presentation
George Torok
Superior Presentations

2. You had me at hello

3. You had me at hello
Imagine if you could
deliver an opening for your
presentation that was that
effective.
You can grab your audience
with powerful “hello” lines.

4. But first, you need
to avoid these 10
opening-line
mistakes.
George Torok
Superior Presentations

5. Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking

6. This opening reeks of
sarcasm. It’s a negative
start even if people laugh.
Unaccustomed as I am to public speaking

7. I don’t know why I have
been asked to speak

8. I don’t know why I have
been asked to speak
This line is either sarcastic or
true. If the first is true, see
previous point. If the second
is true, the audience is in for
a boring speech.
George Torok
Superior Presentations

9. I haven’t really prepared anything

10. I haven’t really prepared anything
This line is either a sarcastic
joke (see point one) or an
admission of guilt. You’re
telling the audience that
you don’t value their time
because you didn’t bother
to prepare.

11. Speaking off the top
of my head

12. Speaking off the top
of my head
What does that mean?
How do you speak “off
the top of your head”. Do
you ever speak from the
bottom of your feet, the
end of your elbow or
behind your buttocks?

13. Today I am going
to talk about

14. Today I am going
to talk about
Boring! You’ve
managed to bore your
audience with your first
seven words.
George Torok
Superior Presentations

15. Hello, how is everybody today?

16. Hello, how is everybody today?
This presentation opening
is boring, impersonal and
phony. The audience
knows that you don’t care
about them.

17. A funny thing happened
on the way here

18. A funny thing happened
on the way here
This opening is
ancient, cliché and
overdone. This line
reveals your lack of
creativity.

19. Thank you for that kind introduction

20. Thank you for that kind introduction
Sounds insincere and
casts doubt on the
validity of the
introduction.
George Torok
Superior Presentations

21. Is this thing on?

22. Is this thing on?
The speaker demonstrates
a lack of preparation and
understanding of how to
use the microphone.
George Torok
Superior Presentations

23. Before I begin

24. Before I begin
This is both a silly and
confusing opening line.
If you started speaking,
you have already begun. If
you haven’t begun, why
are you speaking?

25. Open Your Presentation
with Pizzazz
Imagine the difference
when you grab the
attention of your audience
with your first few words.
Grab this ebook now to
learn how to open your
next presentation with
Pizzazz.

26. Open Your Presentation
with Pizzazz
• Purpose and Importance
• Ensure a Powerful Opening
• Effective Opening Lines
• Open with a Success Story
• Opening Lines to Avoid
Discover how to Open your Presentations