By Patrina Pellett, PhD (Follow me on LinkedIn)

Virtual presentations are here to stay, especially in pharma and biotech. They’ve become an everyday part of our professional toolkit. Check out the chart below from a recent LinkedIn poll! Everyone is in several hours of virtual meetings per week.

But let’s be honest: most presenters are pretty bad at it and don’t see their virtual presentation for what it is: an amazing opportunity to build rapport and connection with their audience.

The Key Opportunity Virtual Presenters Overlook

You’ve logged into your virtual meeting that you've spent hours preparing for. Your content is flawless, your slides are beautiful, and you've even practiced. But within moments, something feels off. Your audience is distracted. Cameras are off, focus is elsewhere, and the engagement you were hoping for just isn’t there. You wonder, "Is anybody there?"

What went wrong?

The answer often lies in the first 5 minutes. This crucial opening window is where you either grab attention and set the stage for a productive interaction, or let the chance slip through your fingers. Unfortunately, most presenters overlook the magic that can happen in these initial moments. They rush into their slides, lose the human connection, and before they even realize it: the opportunity to connect with the audience is gone.

The Distraction Battle: Why the First 5 Minutes Matter More Than Ever

According to recent data from Zippia, 67% of workers are distracted during virtual meetings.  Folks are checking emails, browsing social media, or simply multitasking. This means that right from the start, you’re battling distractions.

That’s why the first 5 minutes are so important. It’s your window of opportunity to:

• Establish a genuine connection: People crave real human interaction, even over a screen. This moment is your chance to draw them in.
• Set the tone for everything that follows: Whether your audience leans in or tunes out depends on how you start.
• Create trust and rapport: Trust is everything in pharma and biotech, but you only have a short window to create it.

If you fail to engage your audience right away, you’re losing them to the very distractions we all face. And missing the opportunity to create a lasting impression.

The Impact of Missing This Opportunity

If you overlook those first 5 minutes, you miss the most valuable chance to truly connect. Here's what happens:

• Reduced Engagement: Your audience tunes out, whether it’s emails, texts, or thinking about what’s next on their to-do list.
• Minimal Impact: A weak start means your key points may get lost. The difference between being remembered or forgotten lies in how you begin.
• Lost Trust: Trust and connection are crucial, especially when presenting complex data. If you don’t engage upfront, you may never regain their focus.

What's amazing to me is that most people don't even consider the first 5 minutes and how they will capture attention. There is so much focus on the slides, transitions, etc, the initial interaction is completely overlooked.

Don't Repeat Common Mistakes

If you’ve found yourself losing your audience at the beginning, you might be falling into some of the same pitfalls that many in Medical Affairs face. Ignoring audience needs, data dumping, and letting nerves take control are some of the most common presentation mistakes that hold professionals back. 

Don’t Let This Opportunity Slip Away

Those first 5 minutes are the difference between a forgettable virtual meeting and a presentation that leaves a lasting impression. If your virtual presentations are falling flat, it’s likely because you’re missing out on how to make those first few minutes count.

Want to Know How to Turn Those Initial Moments into Your Superpower?

We recently hosted a webinar that dives deep into 3 strategies every presenter must use to connect and engage from the start. In just 30 minutes, you'll discover 3 practical, actionable ways to grab attention in the first 5 minutes. Check out the webinar here.

Conclusion: The Key Opportunity Virtual Presenters Overlook

Great presentation skills are essential to excelling in pharma and biotech and virtual presentations offer an incredible opportunity. If you know how to make the most of them. With 67% of workers battling distractions, those first 5 minutes are your golden window. Don’t let it pass by unnoticed. Grab it, make it count, and change the way your audience connects with you.

Up Your Presentation Game

Are you struggling to keep your audience engaged, communicate complex data, and build relationships in your virtual presentations?

Check out our Presentation Mastery Course. Get everything you need to master any presentation!