Best Opening Quotes For Speeches & Presentations

What is an opening quote?

An opening quote is an articulate quote that sets the scene for the speech, presentation or writing that is to follow. Usually a deep, famous, poignant and/or funny quote, it helps the presenter (or writer) begin by immediately connecting their audience with the upcoming subject matter.

The writer or presenter will usually commence with something along the lines of:

‘Joe Blogs was once quoted as saying ….”Grass is green…” etc.

They will then go on to explain how this ties in to what they are going to be speaking about.

Using a quote to commence your speech can be very effective as it’s attention grabbing, sparks interest from the audience and paints a picture with words.

Whilst many commence with a famous quote, it’s not always necessary. As long as you can tie the quote in with your topic and that its relevant, it’s still a great way to commence.

Opening Quote Ideas

What you choose to quote as your ‘opening quote’ will greatly depend on your topic. Just be aware of over-used quotes, or quotes that a bit too cringey for your audience. Take your time and find a meaningful quote that will be unique for your topic of conversation.

We’ve grouped a few suggestions to get you started:

Funny Opening Quotes

Remember to consider your audience!:

Inspiring Opening Quotes

Inspiring quotes are a great way to open graduation or valedictory speeches, award speeches and motivating events:

Happy Opening Quotes

Happy quotes are a great way to start when the event is light and positive – or you want it to become so:

Short Opening Quotes

If you need to keep your opening quote short and to the point, then the following collections are best:

If you’re looking for other great ways to start a speech (and things to avoid!) then check out this great video:

Best Opening Quotes For Speeches & Presentations

What is an opening quote?