Answer:
Engage the audience — get them interested, give them a reason to listen. How?
Describe a scene or a character.
Tell a story.
Share a personal experience.
Relate to a recent event.
Piggyback on a previous speaker’s remark or theme.
Point out something important about the audience or the current setting.
Show a compelling visual image.
Ask a provocative question.
State a fact that is troubling, amusing, or remarkable.
Spell out what's at stake for your listeners.
Offer a humorous observation or anecdote.
Explain your own interest in the topic.
Tell listeners what the topic has to do with them.
Focus the presentation—tell listeners what it’s about. State the presentation’s goal or your thesis or research question. Tell listeners what they’ll learn.
Preview what’s to follow—your points, your approach, or the type of content.