Sales Presentations For Dummies

Chapter 5

Unleashing the Power of a Strong Opening

In This Chapter

Recognizing the hidden power of the first minute

Demystifying what makes an opening powerful

Putting together the building blocks of an effective opening

Gaining attention with the right hook for any audience

Keeping track of what to do and not to do for a killer opening

Imagine you’re sitting in front of your television deciding whether to watch a show. If you’re like most people, if the show doesn’t pique your interest in those first few seconds you change the channel or find something else to do. Your audience is no different than you. Although they probably won’t physically leave the room if your opening fails to grab their interest (although don’t bet on it), they can text, email, or simply mentally check out. Either way, you’ve lost them. And as any good performer knows, after you lose your audience, winning them back is an uphill battle.

All parts of your presentation aren’t created equal. Your opening carries ...