HBR Guide to Persuasive Presentations (HBR Guide Series)

Set the Right Tone for Your Talk

Your audience will size you up before you utter a word—so it’s critical to make a positive, message-appropriate first impression.

What’s the first thing you want people to think or experience? What mood do you want to create? Set the right tone for your talk by attending to the following details.

Precommunication

When you invite others to your presentation, send a thoughtfully written agenda with a concise but telling subject line—and be explicit about what the audience will get out of it. All communication leading up to your talk will affect your credibility and impact—so put as much thought and care into it as into the presentation itself. (See “Persuade Beyond the Stage” in the Media section.)

Atmosphere