They’ve got their eyes on you. Don’t blow it.

When does your presentation begin? When you step up to the microphone? When you begin to speak to the audience? Or. . .?

If you want to make a strong impression, start right away!

Have you ever seen this happen? A speaker is introduced. She looks at the audience and says, “Before I begin my presentation. . .” But when we think about it, hasn’t she begun already?

In a sense, your presentation begins long before you stand in front of the audience. It begins when you start drafting the speech, or when you first have the main idea of your talk.

But in this article we won’t look back that far. Let’s see things from the audience’s point of view. For viewers, your presentation begins the moment you “present” yourself to audience. That means your presentation starts from the moment when either you or another person (usually the emcee) does or says something to draw the audience’s attention to you. Typically, this means when you are introduced and you move toward or onto the stage.

Why should we think of this moment as the beginning of our speech? Because it is from this moment that all eyes will be on you and the audience members will begin assessing you and your talk. One study even found that viewers’ perception of a speaker’s accent is influenced by the speaker’s appearance.

So, how will that go? Will you create a strong impression or a weak one? This will depend on a number of important factors.

Attire. How are you dressed? Is your outfit casual? Formal? How should you be dressed? A good rule of thumb is: Dress just a bit more formally than your audience. But how formal is that? If you aren’t sure, ask the organizers about the audience — age range, backgrounds, interests and so on. Are they students, tech workers, sales people or bankers? When in doubt, confirm in advance who will be in the audience.

Movement. Do you stride confidently toward the speaking space? Smile as you greet the emcee? Keep your torso erect, your head up and your glance friendly and confident? Or do you shuffle ahead, eyes downcast, seeming nervous?

Position. Where should you position yourself? Behind the lectern, or away from it? How close to the audience? A lot will depend on the physical setup of the speaking stage, the location of audience seating, the venue’s lighting and the presence of any distractions. Checking out the speaking area beforehand will help you plan your start.

These are just a few factors that make up the start of your presentation before you begin to speak, and there may be others depending on your speaking situation. If you give these aspects careful thought in planning your talk, you will be ready to put your best foot forward at your next appearance.