A Better Way to Start a Speech
Description: Learn the essential strategy for opening any talk, presentation, or pitch with impact. This guide explains why typical tactics—like starting with a story, statistic, or question—often fall short, and introduces the “Premise Principle” for engaging your audience from the first sentence with clarity and purpose.
How should you start a speech?
Whether you're building a keynote address, a TED-style talk, a sales pitch, or an internal presentation, you know the introduction is critical.
In fact, YouTube counts a 'view' as just 30 seconds - in other words, they believe that 30 seconds is all you need to decide whether a video is worth watching. In my experience, the same is true for all formal communication.
And yet so many presentations fail to immediately engage the audience.
Notice I said presentations and not presenters. There are many terrifically engaging presenters who completely fail to earn buy-in for their ideas due to a lack of clarity or an inability to make a logical argument.
Similarly, there are weak or even dull presenters who make their case, earn buy-in, and drive major action on their ideas.
In this article, I’m going to present a case against the typical approach to writing introductions—and the only way you should consider opening your talk.
Standard "How to Start a Speech" Advice Is Well-Intentioned but Unhelpful
If you've ever read a book or watched a video on how to start a speech or write the introduction to a presentation, you've undoubtedly seen the same three options:
1) Tell a story
2) Share a surprising statistic
3) Ask a thought-provoking question.
All of can work, but they often don't. Why? Because they are each a tactic, not a strategy. Let’s consider them one by one to see how they fall apart.
1. Stories Take Too Long to Get to the Point
We all know how powerful stories are. Telling a story is one of the fastest and easiest ways to connect with others. Stories create empathy and are far more engaging than facts alone.
However—and this is a big however—the way most people tell stories takes way too long to get to the point. When you take the stage or begin your presentation, there’s only one question the audience is asking themselves: “What’s in it for me?”
If you don’t answer that question explicitly and make sure the audience knows exactly what your talk is about and why they should care, they’re gone.
At best, they’ll zone out; at worst, they’ll start answering emails right in front of you.
2. Statistics Aren’t Surprising Unless You Know Enough
You see a statistic and think, “Wow, that’s crazy. I can’t even believe it!” So you decide that’s how you’re going to open your talk. What’s the problem? Well, your audience doesn’t know what you know.
If I tell you "Human brains have approximately 86 billion neurons, but in the cerebellum alone, there are about 69 billion neurons—over 80% of the total," for example, you have no idea if that’s interesting or not because you’re not a neurobiologist.
You don’t know enough about the field to be thrilled, terrified, or even curious. Remember, unless you’re talking to a group of peers, you are the expert compared to your audience. They need context before a statistic is actually shocking.
And if you open with a statistic expecting the audience to be shocked but instead they’re just “meh,” you’re like a comedian who delivers a punchline to silence. Cringeworthy way to open a talk. Don’t do it!
3. Rhetorical Questions Can Backfire If You Don’t Know How They’ll Answer
Every trial attorney will tell you, “Never ask a question you don’t know the answer to.” In other words, if your case can turn on the answer to this question, and you don’t know for sure how they’ll answer, it’s not worth the risk.
That’s what often happens when speakers open with a rhetorical question. Because it’s in front of an audience and they’re not actually asking each individual to answer, they have no idea if the audience is with them or not.
Suppose you're an AI expert and you ask, "Are you afraid of artificial intelligence?" and 70% of the audience is thinking, “No, I think it's super cool”—you just lost most of the room without even realizing it. Yowza.
These common approaches to writing introductions can fall flat because they rely on assumptions about the audience’s response, rather than building on a foundation the audience already believes, fears, wants, or struggles with.
Without that foundation, these openings leave the audience searching for a reason to care. So, what can we do instead?
Begin Your Talk with Something the Audience Can’t Refute
Now, any of these tactics—stories, stats, and questions—can work. But how do you know which one will work, and when to use it?
Instead of reaching for a tactic first, start with the Premise Principle: All talks must begin with something your audience already holds true.
A premise isn’t just a catchy opening—it’s the foundation of your talk. And because it’s foundational, it cannot wobble, shake, or crumble unexpectedly. A solid premise makes your audience feel aligned with you before you even get to your main points. This connection creates trust, credibility, and, crucially, engagement.
Here are four ways to ground your talk in an irrefutable premise:
Belief: A deeply held pre-existing assumption about how the world is or should be.
Fear: A worry or anxious thought that keeps your audience up at night.
Want: A desire or aspiration they would actually search for. This must be something they already know they want (not just what you think they need—even if you’re right).
Problem: A difficult or seemingly insurmountable obstacle on their way to getting what they want. Problems can be external (features of the world around them) or internal (feelings or thoughts inside their own head).
Further reading on how to craft a great premise in this article, "How to Design a Speech that Earns Buy-In Every Time"
Starting with a premise rooted in a belief, fear, want, or problem establishes common ground right from the start, making the audience feel heard and understood. It’s this unshakeable foundation that allows the rest of your talk to stand tall, earning buy-in before you even get to your main argument.
The premise informs the tactic
Now that you've decided on the foundation of your talk, it's time to choose how you'll communicate it. Let's take a look at a few examples from our clients giving TED-style talks:
Rishika Kartik gave a talk at TEDxBrownU entitled, "Creativity is More Accessible Than Meets the Eye."
Her premise was a belief, that art is something to be seen and not touched. And Rishika conveyed that premise in record time, opening her speech with a startling pronouncement: "DON'T touch the art!"
This talk has since received 1,100,000 views!
Peder Tellefsdal gave his now-viral talk at TEDxArendal entitled, "How to seek forgiveness when relationships are on the line."
His premise was the fear about hurting the people we love. In Peder's case we decided to state it outright. The first sentence of his talk was, "None of us want to hurt the people we love." If you also fear that, this talk is for you (and it was for many people, now sitting at 1,700,000 views).
Martin Lespérance delivered his talk at TEDxLakefield College School entitled, "The wrong thing to look for in a great job."
His premise was a problem that so many teens and young adults face: it feels impossible to find a job you love that also satisfies your passion, your parents, friends, and community's expectations, and also serves a deeper purpose. He articulated that premise by opening with a question that instantly makes everyone who has ever struggled with this problem anxious, "What do you want to be when you grow up?"
Martin’s talk has received 12,000 views in its first 12 days since release.
Carey Theil and Christine Dorchack spoke at TEDxAlexanderPark about "How to be an activist who creates real change."
Their premise was a want, the desire to do something genuinely good for the world. They explicitly state that premise at the 2:00 mark, but we decided that they would open the talk with a story about Christine's dog saving her life, which inspired her to dedicate her life to saving dogs, aka something good in the world.
As you can see, you might choose a story, a surprising statistic, or a rhetorical question to deliver your premise, depending on what fits your communication style and your message. But those aren't the only options - don’t overlook simply stating the premise outright! This can be a powerful and often underestimated approach that brings immediate clarity and focus to your message.
Their talk has over 200,000 views and was in the Top 10 most popular new videos on the TEDx YouTube Channel the month it released, August 2024.
Make Sure You Deliver on the Promise of the Premise
A word of caution: Whatever you decide, make sure your talk delivers on its promise.
If your premise connects with a belief, fear, want, or problem, then your talk should take the audience to a new understanding—a paradigm shift rather than just a solution.
A paradigm shift invites your audience to see the issue in a new way. Instead of giving a simple answer, you’re expanding their perspective and leaving a lasting impact. They’ll remember this shift as something they can apply well beyond your talk.
For a deeper look into why a paradigm shift is more impactful than a solution, read this article, "Why Frameworks Are Better Than Tactics"
Bringing It All Together: How to Make Your Premise Work for You
To recap, the most effective way to open a talk is to start with a premise that your audience already believes, fears, wants, or struggles with. This solid foundation creates the trust and engagement you need to build your case.
So the next time you prepare a talk, step back from the flashy tactics. Instead, ask yourself, “What does my audience already believe, fear, want, or struggle with that relates to my message?” When you start there, your talk will feel grounded, purposeful, and compelling.
Just like in any construction project, a solid foundation is what holds everything up. By building your talk on a premise your audience already holds dear, you’re creating a structure that invites them to engage, buy-in, and ultimately, take action on your big ideas.
Are YOU ready to conquer the red dot?
All four examples in this article come from TED-style talks that were developed, pitched, and delivered inside of our signature program Conquer the Red Dot®, where we help experts and leaders like you book, write, and deliver the talk of your life on one of the world's most prestigious stages.
If you're thinking of stepping on the Red Dot in 2025, you can register for our upcoming free masterclass on December 18th and learn everything you need to know.
Suggested Reading
Practical Advice on Clear Communication
Get exclusive tips delivered directly to your inbox twice a month.
Topics include:
How to book, write, and deliver TED-style talks
Clear and consistent messaging
Professional speaking
Learn the essential strategy for opening any talk, presentation, or pitch with impact. This guide explains why typical tactics—like starting with a story, statistic, or question—often fall short, and introduces the “Premise Principle” for engaging your audience from the first sentence with clarity and purpose.