Presentation Opening Lines: 50 Examples from TED Talks to Boardrooms
You’re standing in front of the room. Everyone’s looking at you. And you have exactly 10 seconds before they decide whether to pay attention or check their phones.
What do you say?
After training over 10,000 executives, I’ve collected the opening lines that actually work — from TED stages to investment banking boardrooms. Here are 50 you can steal today.
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Opening Lines That Create Curiosity
These openers make your audience need to know what comes next:
1. “What if everything you’ve been taught about [topic] is wrong?”
2. “There’s a reason 90% of [audience] fail at [challenge]. And it’s not what you think.”
3. “I’m about to show you something that changed how I think about [topic] forever.”
4. “The biggest lie in [industry] is that [common belief]. Here’s the truth.”
5. “Three years ago, I discovered something that [specific result]. Today, I’m sharing it with you.”
Opening Lines with Shocking Statistics
Numbers that surprise create instant engagement:
6. “75% of [audience] will [negative outcome] this year. You don’t have to be one of them.”
7. “In the time it takes me to finish this sentence, [striking statistic].”
8. “£4.2 million. That’s what [problem] cost companies like yours last year.”
9. “The average [professional] spends 23 hours a week on [activity]. I’m going to show you how to cut that in half.”
10. “Only 3% of [audience] ever achieve [goal]. Here’s what they do differently.”
Opening Lines with Stories
Stories activate emotion and memory:
11. “Last Tuesday, I watched a CEO lose a £10 million deal in eleven words.”
12. “When I walked into my first board meeting at JPMorgan, I made a mistake I’ll never forget.”
13. “Picture this: It’s 2am, you’re staring at 47 slides, and your presentation is in 6 hours.”
14. “The worst presentation of my career taught me the most valuable lesson.”
15. “A client called me last week in a panic. What happened next surprised us both.”
Opening Lines with Questions
Questions force active engagement:
16. “When was the last time you sat through a presentation and thought, ‘I wish this was longer’?”
17. “What would it mean for your career if you could [specific outcome]?”
18. “How many of you have ever [common frustrating experience]?” (Wait for hands)
19. “What’s the one thing standing between you and [goal]?”
20. “If I could guarantee [result], would that be worth 15 minutes of your time?”
Opening Lines with Bold Statements
Confidence commands attention:
21. “Everything you’re about to hear contradicts conventional wisdom. And it works.”
22. “I’m not here to give you information. I’m here to change how you think.”
23. “This presentation will either transform your approach or confirm you’re already doing it right.”
24. “By the end of this session, you’ll never [common mistake] again.”
25. “I’ve spent 24 years in boardrooms. Here’s what actually matters.”
Opening Lines for Specific Situations
For Board Presentations:
26. “I’ll give you the recommendation first, then the reasoning. We need £2.3 million to [goal].”
27. “Three numbers tell the story of this quarter: [X], [Y], and [Z].”
28. “Before I show you the data, let me tell you what it means for next year.”
For Investor Pitches:
29. “[Market] is a £4 billion problem. We’ve built the solution.”
30. “In 18 months, we’ve gone from idea to £2 million ARR. Here’s how we’ll 10x that.”
31. “The companies that invested in [comparable] early made 40x returns. This is that opportunity.”
For Sales Presentations:
32. “Your competitors are already doing this. Let me show you what you’re missing.”
33. “I’ve spoken to 50 companies like yours. They all have the same problem.”
34. “What if I told you there’s a way to [benefit] without [sacrifice]?”
For Team Meetings:
35. “I’ve got good news and better news. Which do you want first?”
36. “We’ve achieved something this quarter that’s never been done before.”
37. “I need your help solving a problem that’s been keeping me up at night.”
Opening Lines to Avoid
Never start with these — they kill momentum instantly:
❌ “Good morning, my name is… and today I’m going to talk about…”
❌ “Can everyone hear me okay?”
❌ “I know you’re all busy, so I’ll try to be quick…”
❌ “I’m just going to quickly run through…”
❌ “Sorry, let me just get my slides working…”
❌ “I’m not really an expert, but…”
For a deeper dive into why these openings fail and the psychology behind what works, read my complete guide: How to Start a Presentation: 15 Powerful Openers That Grab Attention.
Ready to Transform Your Openings?
My Presentation Openers & Closers Swipe File gives you 50 proven opening lines AND 30 powerful closing techniques — ready to use in your next presentation.
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Mary Beth Hazeldine has trained over 10,000 executives in presentation skills. With 24 years in investment banking (JPMorgan, PwC, RBS, Commerzbank) and 16 years as a presentation coach, she knows what works in high-stakes situations. Learn more at Winning Presentations.
Related Reading:
- How to Start a Presentation: 15 Powerful Openers That Grab Attention (Hub Post)
- The Board Presentation Structure Nobody Teaches You
- The Executive Summary Slide: How to Write the Only Slide That Matters
