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Chapter 14: The Opening

Chapter 14: The Opening

Video: Stop Losing Judges in the First 30 Seconds: Nail Your Case Opening

The presentation begins before anyone on your team speaks. Your title slide is often visible longer than almost any other slide in the deck. It may be on screen while the judges enter, while the team prepares, during introductions, and while the clock is being set. Don't waste that opportunity. The opening moments should immediately help the judges understand:

  • what the presentation is about;

  • who you are advising;

  • who your team is;

  • what role you are playing;

  • the date;

  • the context of the presentation.

Before you begin presenting your solution, position the room.

Your Audience Is a Person

One of the simplest ways to improve a case presentation is to stop thinking of the audience as ACME Corporation. An organisation cannot listen to your presentation. People do. Instead, determine who you are actually advising. Perhaps you are presenting to:

  • the CEO;

  • the CFO;

  • the Board of Directors;

  • the VP of Operations;

  • an investment committee;

  • a potential investor;

  • a government official;

  • a not-for-profit board;

  • another decision-maker.

If the case provides names, use them where appropriate. For example, "To: Maria Chen, CEO, ACME LLC" is stronger than simply "ACME LLC" because it prompts your team to consider the presentation from a specific decision-maker's perspective.

Think About What the Audience Cares About

Different decision-makers may evaluate the same recommendation differently.

CEO: May care about:

  • strategic direction;

  • growth;

  • competitive position;

  • organisational capability;

  • long-term value.

CFO: May focus more heavily on:

  • investment;

  • cash flow;

  • profitability;

  • ROI;

  • risk;

  • financial sustainability.

VP Operations: May care about:

  • feasibility;

  • capacity;

  • staffing;

  • processes;

  • technology;

  • implementation.

Board of Directors: May focus on:

  • strategic fit;

  • governance;

  • risk;

  • shareholder or stakeholder value;

  • long-term implications.

This does notdoesn't mean you build a completely different solution for every person. It means you communicate the solution through the concerns of the people who need to approve it.

Step Into the Role

The case may also establish a role for your team. Perhaps you are:

  • consultants;

  • employees;

  • executives;

  • analysts;

  • advisors;

  • entrepreneurs;

  • investment professionals.

That role should influence how you communicate. If you are acting as external consultants, you might say: "You asked us to determine how ACME can restore profitable growth while protecting its premium market position." If you are playing the management team, the language may be: "Our objective is to restore profitable growth while protecting the premium position we have built." The difference is subtle but important. You are not four students explaining what you found in a case. You are playing the professional role the case asks you to play.

The Title Slide Should Do Work

A useful title slide can establish:

  • Organisation: Who is the client?
  • Audience: Who specifically are you advising?
  • Team: Who are you?
  • Role: In what capacity are you presenting?
  • Context: What decision or challenge is being addressed?
  • Date: When is the recommendation being presented?

You do notdon't necessarily need every element in large text. The goal is to orient the audience immediately.

Consider a Message-Based Title

Instead of using only "ACME LLC," consider whether the title can begin to reinforce the central message. For example:

  • Restoring Profitable Growth at ACME or:
  • From Customer Churn to Sustainable Growth or:
  • Building ACME's Next Engine of Growth

The title begins positioning the story before the presentation starts. Don't force creativity; clarity is more important than cleverness.

The First 30 Seconds

The first 30 seconds should establish confidence and direction. The judges should quickly understand:

  1. Who are you?

  2. Who are you advising?

  3. Why are you here?

  4. What decision are you helping them make?

You do notdon't need a long introduction. You need a purposeful one. For example: "Good afternoon, Ms Chen and members of the executive team. You asked us to determine how ACME can restore profitable growth while protecting the premium customer experience that has built the brand. Today, we will show you why the problem begins with customer retention and what ACME should do about it." In a few sentences, the audience knows:

  • who they are;

  • what the problem is;

  • what the presentation will address;

  • where the story is going.

Don't Waste the Opening

Avoid spending valuable time on statements such as:

  • "Hello, our names are..." followed by lengthy team introductions. Or:
  • "Today we're going to talk about..." followed by an agenda that lists the slides. Or:
  • "Thank you for giving us this opportunity..." followed by a long preamble before reaching the case.

Professional courtesy matters, but so does time. Your opening should begin the argument.

The Opening Test

Before finalising the opening, ask:

  • Audience: Do we know exactly who we are speaking to?
  • Role: Have we stepped into the role established by the case?
  • Context: Does the audience immediately understand why we are here?
  • Decision: Is the problem or decision clear?
  • Relevance: Does the opening connect to something important to the audience?
  • Time: Are we getting into the substance quickly?
  • Confidence: Does the opening make us sound like advisors rather than students reading a case?

If the answer is yes, you have positioned the presentation effectively.

Discover Your MAD Skills Principle

You are not presenting to a company. You are advising people who need to make a decision.

Know who those people are. Understand what matters to them. Then communicate the solution accordingly.

The Bottom Line

The Opening
  • The opening positions the audience before the detailed analysis starts.
  • Do notDon't waste the title slide. Use it to establish:
    • the presentation;
    • the organisation;
    • the audience;
    • your role;
    • the context.
  • Present to people, not organisations.
  • If the case identifies a CEO, CFO, board, client, government official, or another decision-maker, recognise that role.
  • The audience's role should influence what you emphasise throughout the presentation.
  • The opening should quickly establish credibility, relevance, and direction.
  • Avoid generic openings that could be used for almost any case.

From the first slide, the judges should understand who you are advising, what decision matters, and why they should listen.

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