Where to start when presenting?

I'm sitting in a sales presentation for a product I suspect it quite good. The presenter doesn't know that  I teach presenting.

The presenter is selling software training. I hear about the company, the product, the cost, and everything except the audience. I scan the room and see five your people all keen to learn about the training. They don't want to know about the company, or the product, or about anything until the first topic is covered....THEM!

When I teach Presenting Effectively with Microsoft PowerPoint, the first thing we learn is where to commence a presentation. If you think a presentation is about you, or your product, you are wrong. It is about your audience. In this case, something motivated each person to walk in the door, go to level 3 and sit in a room for the presentation. The presenter might try:

• "One of the difficult things I faced when I first looked for a job was having enough experience, and I couldn't get the experience unless I had a job."

• "I spent ages studying books and getting experience, but I couldn't prove to an employer that I had the necessary skills."

• "I could have gone to university, but would that guarantee I could demonstrate real, hands-on skills?"

These are only suggested openings, but each one commences with the audience. Identify the problem that belongs to your audience, and you have really started to present.