You never get a second chance to make a first impression.

給人第一次印象的機會只有一次。

Imagine you're at a conference, and the fifth speaker in the row is also the fifth person to begin their talk by saying,

想像你在一場研討會，第五位講者也是以下面這句話展開演講：

"Hello, my name is this and that, and in the next half hour, I will tell you a little bit more about this or that subject."

「哈囉，我的名字是某某某，接下來的半小時，我會跟各位聊聊這主題的一些事。」

Now, knowing that an audience's attention is at its highest at the beginning of a presentation, you want to keep that level of attention for as long as possible. 

要知道，觀眾注意力最專注的時機是在演講開端，所以你會想要盡可能地延長那專注度。

So, here are three easy ways to get that first impression just right. 

那麼，以下有三個非常簡單的方法，讓你正確掌握第一印象。

Start out with a question.

以問題開場。

In line with your topic, of course.

當然要跟你的主題有關係。

I was at a conference not so long ago about new technologies in internet banking.

我不久前參加了一場關於網路金融新科技的研討會。

And the speaker came on stage, held up a tablet computer, and he said, "Who has one of these?"

講者上台、高舉一部平板電腦，然後說：「誰也有這個玩意兒？」

And that was the first thing that he said.

而那就是他說的第一件事。

Now, as an audience, you don't even have to respond vocally; just raising your hand is enough.

身為觀眾，你根本不需要口頭回應，只要舉手就夠了。

It's very little effort. 

需要極小的力氣。

Chances of the audience going, "No, I'm not putting my hand up," are very few indeed.

觀眾心想「不，我可不要舉手」的可能性確實非常低。

And only after that small interaction, the speaker introduced himself and moved on to his first topic. 

而講者是在那短暫的互動後，才自我介紹並切入第一個主題。

So, choose a simple and a clearly formulated question. 

所以說，選擇一個簡單、清楚建構的問題。

You don't need to ask your audience for a miracle solution for climate change.

你不需要請觀眾提出解決氣候變遷的神奇方案。

Don't make them work too hard; keep it simple. 

不要讓觀眾太辛苦，讓一切保持簡單。

The second option is a striking figure.

第二個選擇是驚人的數據。

When preparing your presentation, go through the data of your topic.

在準備演講時，瀏覽主題的相關數據。

Is there an unexpected number that might raise a few eyebrows or set people thinking a figure that stands out, for instance.

舉例來說，有沒有一個意料之外的數據，會讓人驚訝挑眉，或者可以找一個突出的數字，引發人們思考。

Now, I do workshops around the country on how to get the most out of your speaking voice.

我會在全國各地舉行工作坊，教導大家如何發揮深音的最大作用。

And I usually open by saying that I recently read an article

我的開頭通常會是，我最近讀了一篇文章，

that claimed that CEOs of major companies with a lower-pitched voice earn up to 15% more than those with higher-pitched voices. 

文章指出聲音較低沉的大型企業執行長，其收益較聲音高昂執行長高出 15%。

And then I leave a pause. 

然後我會留點停頓時間。

And somebody is bound to go, "Yeah, sure; I bet this only goes for men."

一定會有人說：「喔，是喔，我打賭這只在男人身上有效。」

Actually, no; apparently, it's men and women.

其實不是，顯然在男人、女人身上都是如此。

And this brings me to my third option: tell a short story or an anecdote. 

這讓我可以繼續講第三個選擇，也就是說個短故事或分享趣事。

Because, right after this striking figure of 15%, I continue with a story about Margaret Thatcher, the former UK prime minister.

因為在那驚人的 15% 數據後，我會繼續講英國前首相柴契爾夫人的故事。

And she was known to take elocution lessons, 'specially to lower her voice.

眾所皆知地，她為了讓聲音更低沈而上了發聲法課程。

Because she was convinced that it would help her create a bigger impact in a political world which was, at that time, predominantly male.

因為她堅信那會幫她在當時幾乎只有男性的政治界中，留下更大的影響。

Now, don't do that, it's very bad for your voice, but that's not the point.

不過大家別這麼做，那對聲道很不好，不過那不是重點。

It's only after I've opened with this anecdote, or fun fact, if you will, that I properly introduce myself and crack on with my first topic. 

我會在用這個軼事（或是也可以說是有趣小知識）開場後，正式自我介紹並開始講第一個主題。

Now, these three intros are very easy ones that guarantee you to keep the attention high for as long as possible.

這三個開場方式都非常簡單，保證你可以維持最長時間的觀眾專注度。

And once you've picked your option, start rehearsing, and say your first lines out loud a couple of times.

一但你做出了選擇，就開始預演，大聲地講出你的開場白幾次。

This will train your so-called "motor memory" and make sure that your opening lines are coming out in one fluent motion. 

這會訓練所謂的「運動記憶」，並確保你的開場白是一氣呵成的。

You don't want to err in those first moments or be struggling to find your words. 

你可不想在一開始就出差錯或想不到要說什麼。

And here's a couple of things to avoid.

以下有幾件要避免的事。

For instance, never apologize for anything.

舉例而言，不要為任何事道歉。

Don't say, "I'm sorry, I have a bit of a cold," or "I haven't had much time to prepare."

不要說「抱歉，我有點感冒」或「我沒有太多的準備時間」。

Or, if you're doing a presentation in English and it's not your native language, 

或是如果你要用英文演講，但那不是你的母語，

don't go, "I'm sorry my English is not so good."

不要說：「抱歉，我的英文不太好」。

I'm sure it's perfectly fine, and if it's not, then people are bound to find out very soon, won't they?

我相信那完全沒問題的，如果有問題，人們也快就會發現，不是嗎？

Another bad idea, if you want to make a good first impression, is to start out with a joke or a witty remark.

如果你想要給人良好的第一印象，另外一個壞點子是企圖用笑話或機智字眼開場。

I mean, you can, but if your joke doesn't go down very well,

我的意思是，你可以這麼做，但如果你的笑話效果不好，

you can pack your bags and leave because there is no dignified way to pick yourself up after your attempt to humor went horribly wrong.

你就可以打道回府了，因為在你企圖搞幽默卻嚴重失敗後，沒有任何有尊嚴的方式可以改善狀況。

So, if nobody has ever called you funny or acknowledged your wit in any form, don't go there. 

所以說，如果從來沒人有說你好笑或是以任何形式認可你的機智，那就不要輕易嘗試。

So, remember, to sum it up, choose a good opening line⏤a question, a striking figure, or a little story.

所以，請記住總結：選擇一句好的開場白，可以是問題、驚人數據或是小故事。

Just to make sure that the first words that people hear from you as you're doing your presentation

目的就是要確保人們從你口中聽到的演講第一句話

are just a little more inspiring than "My name is such and such, and I'm here to talk about this and that."

比起只說「我的名字是某某某，我今天要討論的是這些事」更引人發想。

Now, here's a final tip: go online and watch a number of TED talks.

現在給各位一個最後的技巧：上網看個幾部 TED talk 演講。

You will never find a TED talk that starts out with "Hello, my name is...," and so on.

你絕對不會找到任何一場以「哈囉，我的名字是⋯⋯」等句子開頭的 TED talk 演講。