The Secrets to Starting a Presentation Strong | Tim Newman Speaks

Have you ever wondered why those first few seconds of a presentation seem to matter so much—and what you can do to make an unforgettable first impression? That’s exactly what we’re diving into in today’s episode of Speaking with Confidence.

As your host, I’m Tim Newman—a recovering college professor turned communication coach—here to help you transform how you show up in critical professional moments. In this solo episode, I dig deep into the pivotal opening seconds of any conversation or presentation, explaining just how quickly our audiences form judgments about us, often before we’ve even said a word. If you’ve ever stumbled over your opening line, tossed out a nervous “um,” or rushed an apology, you’re not alone. But research shows those tiny signals have an outsized impact on how credible and confident we come across.

We kick off this episode looking at the science behind first impressions and what’s actually happening in your audience’s mind before you’ve begun to speak. I break down how nonverbal cues—like body language, eye contact, and breath—are unconsciously evaluated, leading listeners to decide, in milliseconds, whether you’re someone worth tuning into. Whether you’re entering a boardroom or joining a casual conversation, those early moments count more than we often realize.

Here’s the game changer: I introduce a simple, research-backed technique called the “silent transformation.” At its heart, this approach asks you to pause—intentionally—for a few seconds before you speak. What feels awkward from the speaker’s side actually signals steadiness and control to everyone watching. I walk you through why this pause lowers your anxiety, helps focus your thoughts, and sets the stage for a much stronger connection with your audience.

Of course, how you follow that pause is just as important as the pause itself. I share the elements of crafting a memorable first line, offering examples of surprising statistics, bold questions, and vivid short stories that instantly generate curiosity and relevance. You'll hear practical routines to make silence feel natural, concise strategies to build anticipation, and methods to ensure your opening words have real impact.

By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clear, actionable plan for your next presentation:

• The psychological evidence behind snap judgments in opening seconds
• How nervous habits derail your credibility, and what to do instead
• The silent transformation technique: why a deliberate pause works wonders
• How to practice silence so it feels empowering, not awkward
• The three reliable ways to open with impact (statistic, question, or story)
• Connecting your opener to your audience for immediate relevance
• Why concise, rehearsed beginnings make you appear more confident and thoughtful
• A challenge for your next presentation, and a routine for daily practice

This episode is perfect for anyone who wants to move beyond shaky introductions and truly command attention from the moment they step into the room. If you’re ready to transform your presence and make every word count, start with these tools—and don’t forget to visit speakingwithconfidencepodcast.com for your free eBook and resources to keep building your skills.

Let’s keep progressing together. Your voice

Chapters

• 0:08 Welcome And Purpose
• 0:27 Why First Seconds Matter
• 2:57 The Silent Transformation Technique
• 6:13 Crafting A High-Impact Opener
• 9:30 Practice, Challenge, And Resources

Transcript

Tim Newman: 0:08

Welcome back to Speaking with Confidence, a podcast that helps you build the soft skills that lead to real results. Communication, storytelling, public speaking, and showing up with confidence in every conversation that counts. I'm Tim Newman, a recovering college professor turned communication coach, and I'm thrilled to guide you on a journey to becoming a powerful communicator. Have you ever started a presentation with an um, a rushed sorry, or by fumbling with a clicker? Little signals like filler words, nervous apologies, or awkward pauses may feel harmless, but research shows people form impressions extremely quickly, in fractions of a second to just a few seconds, and those first moments can matter more than anything you'll say later. In the next few minutes, you'll walk away with one exact step you can use to cut out those shaky openings and step into the room with presence from your very first breath. And to see why this one step works so powerfully, we first need to look at what's happening in those critical opening seconds. When you step into a room or onto a stage, your audience's minds don't wait for your first words. They begin assessing you instantly. Lab studies show people suffer when we snap judgments in a fraction of a second, sometimes within just a hundred milliseconds, and those early impressions can stick, subtly shaping how everything you say afterward is received. Whether it's a professional setting or a casual introduction, those first visual and nonverbal cues carry surprising weight. So what explains this? Our brains are wired to interpret small signals quickly. A shift in posture, a glance that lingers or darts away, the pace of your breathing, these cues register before you're even conscious of them. Nonverbal communication, like how you hold your body or whether your voice sounds steady, gets noticed immediately and guides how others decide if you're confident, competent, or even worth listening to. That reaction isn't something an audience chooses to turn on or off, it happens automatically. The numbers experts cite vary, but research points to judgments forming in under a second, while others describe the first seven seconds or even the first couple of minutes as decisive. The exact window depends on the study, but the conclusion is consistent. Those opening moments carry more influence than most speakers realize. This is why a shaky start, like fumbling with slides or leading with an apology, doesn't just feel small, it actively undermines how credible you appear. Anxiety makes the cycle even worse. Nervous ticks, filler words, or rush sentences all surface in those early seconds, and the brain that's reading you interprets them as hesitation or a lack of confidence. But here's the shift. You're not powerless in this process. While you can't prevent people from forming quick impressions, you can guide what they see by being intentional about your signals. Standing with a calm posture, holding steady eye contact, and avoiding the urge to rush are subtle actions that turn those rapid judgments in your favor. And it is exactly in these first moments when most speakers feel the urge to fill the space as quickly as possible, that a different approach becomes available, one that transforms what feels awkward into the strongest signal of all. And this is where the silent transformation technique comes in. In a simple adjustment that reshapes both how you feel and how you're seen. At its core, it uses a deliberate pause before you begin speaking. What feels like awkward silence to you comes across very differently to your audience. Rather than reading it as hesitation, they register steadiness and control. The pause becomes a small but powerful shift that changes the tone of the entire presentation. Even brief moments of silence helps your body reset. And studies suggest that short, protective periods of quiet reduce stress markers, steady the breath, and improve focus. Those first few seconds without rushing give your brain the oxygen and space it needs to move from a reactive, anxious state into one of clarity and presence. Instead of starting in a panic mode, you start with composure. To the audience, that same pause functions as a nonverbal signal. People tend to associate purposeful silence with confidence. Because speakers know their place on stage, don't feel pressured to spill words immediately. Presentation coaches often point out that pausing early eliminates filler words and cuts off the habit of racing forward. Research also finds that speakers who use pauses strategically are perceived as more articulate and thoughtful, sometimes even more credible than those who rush through without stopping. The impression is not created by the words themselves, but by the deliberate control of space and timing. Beyond perception, the pause creates mental white space. For you, it opens a moment to breathe and anchor your thoughts. For your listeners, it offers room to settle their attention and prepare to absorb what comes next. In this way, silence works in both directions, calming the speaker and priming the audience at the same time. If you want to practice, start small. A helpful rule is to pause briefly after every short phrase, about every five to ten words. Rehearse aloud so silence becomes part of your rhythm rather than you trying to remember in the moment. Over time, this habit makes the first five seconds of silence feel natural, not forced, and it strengthens your delivery throughout the presentation. By now, you can see how the pause itself sets the stage. But silence on its own is only half the picture. What determines whether those first seconds elevate you or fall flat is what you choose to say next. Now comes the part that gives real weight to your silence, crafting your moment of impact. A strong opening line is what turns quiet attention into active curiosity. Too many presenters waste their first breath on something generic like today I'll be talking about. The pause may have primed the audience, but a bland start can undo it just as quickly. What works instead is an opener that instantly signals importance, stakes, or relevance. Research shows there are three reliable categories to draw from when building that line. First, the surprising statistic. Something that challenges assumptions or reveals what's at risk. For example, every minute, forests the size of 40 football fields disappears. Second, the bold question, directly inviting the audience to think with you. Such as, what if the way you define productivity has been wrong all along? And third, is the short story. Just one vivid line that personalizes the theme. Such as, last year, one conversation completely reshaped how I think about failure. Each approach functions by closing in on the unspoken thought running through everyone's mind. Why should I care? A helpful template for designing your own is simple. Start with your hook, statistic, question, or story, and tie it immediately to why it matters for your audience. This connection transforms an interesting fact into something with immediate relevance. The opener doesn't need to be dramatic, but it does need to be intentional. The goal is to create just enough of a curiosity gap to pull people in, while leaving the direction open for the rest of your message. Your timing here matters as well. Instead of filling the silence too quickly, practice a clear transition. Pause. Take a single slow breath, open your gaze to the room, and then deliver your first line. This small routine sharpens the impression of control and builds a rhythm that helps both you and your audience settle into the flow. Coaches often emphasize that the beginning should be concise, not rushed, and that you know your line well enough that it feels automatic. When the pause and the opener are aligned, they stop eating separate techniques and merge into a clear signal of presence. The silence prepares attention, and your first words give that attention direction. Done consistently, this moves you beyond a nervous introduction and into a confident launch that gets the whole room with you right from the start. That's the shift to focus on as you think about the space where presence truly begins. Those first few seconds aren't empty space, they're your opening tool. By pausing before you speak, you replace rushed energy with presence that makes every word count. You now have a science-informed reasoning and a simple strategy you can try, and the payoff comes only when you put it into practice. So here's your challenge. In your very next presentation, take a five-second pause, deliver one rehearsed opening line, and then share your one sentence result in the comments. For daily practice, spend three minutes rehearsing that same line five times, each with a pause in front. That's all for today. Remember, we're looking for progress, not perfection. Be sure to visit speakingwithconfidence podcast.com to get your free ebook, Top 21 Challenges for Public Speakers, and How to Overcome Them. You can also register for the Former for Public Speaking Group. Always remember, your voice should be powered changeable. We'll talk to you next time. Take care.