When & How to Use Quotes in a Presentation: Do’s and Don’ts

To introduce your topic or theme

Instead of simply stating the topic in your introduction (“Today, I’m going to talk about leadership…”), use the words of a respected figure in your industry to frame your topic and tell us why it matters.

For example: “Leadership is not about being in charge. It is about taking care of those in your charge,” says author Simon Sinek. [Pause] Today, I’ll be talking about how to lead, heart-first.

Works best for:

• Corporate presentations (to signal the importance of a topic)
• Academic lectures (to signal the importance of a topic or highlight its complexity)
• Keynotes or training workshops (to set the theme)

To emphasize a problem you’re addressing

Sometimes, the fastest way to highlight a problem is to use a quote that directly points to it. A quick-witted, succinct quote can make the issue feel urgent and important, without having to overexplain it.

It also brings a sense of relief to your audience to know that they aren’t alone in facing the problem at hand — other well-known names have been in the same position before.

Works best for:

• Sales and business presentations
• Training presentations or ‘how-to’ demo sessions
• Talks about social issues or change (for example, climate change or sustainability)

EXAMPLE: In this lecture titled ‘How to Pitch Your Startup’, the speaker uses a quote at the start of his talk to highlight the most common problem with startup funding applications: they don’t express their ideas clearly.

The quote used here is from a well-regarded figure in the startup industry, so it immediately strikes a chord with the attendees.

To set the tone of your talk

In certain scenarios, such as a welcome speech or a plenary session at a conference, starting off with a quote — quite literally — can set the tone of your talk and perhaps the events that follow. 

Think of it as the soundtrack that plays before the movie starts — it already conveys the type of story that’s about to unfold.

🗨️ Note: When the very first words you say are from a quote, it’s all the more important to choose the right quote from a credible source.

Works best for:

• Welcome speeches
• Lectures or training sessions
• Keynotes or plenary talks

EXAMPLE: This TED-Ed presentation about effective time management starts with a thought-provoking quote.

To support a point

As you make logical arguments to support your point (facts, statistics, or research data), inserting a thoughtful quote that further strengthens it brings a refreshing “human” element to your message. 

To your audience, it’s a welcome break from factual overload. And to you, it’s a way to add emotional appeal. A win-win!

Unsurprisingly, this tactic is quite popular, even in TED talks. And rightfully so — it balances “logos” (logic) with “pathos” (emotion) to make your message more persuasive.

Works best for:

• Any presentation scenario, from academic lectures to TED talks

EXAMPLE 1: Dr. Brene Brown, researcher and author, famously used the ‘Man in the Arena’ quote by President Ted Roosevelt in her TED Talk titled ‘Listening to shame’.

In fact, the quote is so effective at supporting her message about rising from failure that it also appears in her book and in her Netflix special.

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EXAMPLE 2: In a TED talk titled ‘Two reasons companies fail,’ the speaker, Knut Haanaes, uses a Bill Gates quote to support his second point.

Source: YouTube/TED

To celebrate wins (testimonials)

Share quotes from real customers, collaborators, team members, or even from the press to showcase your wins.

In this case, the person being quoted isn’t usually familiar to your audience, but including identifiers, such as job position or role, makes the quote more relatable.

Works best for:

• Sales presentations
• Investor pitches
• Lead generation webinars

EXAMPLE: Here’s a slide from Airbnb’s original pitch deck featuring early user testimonials (quotes).

You can see how the company was called ‘AirBed & Breakfast’ at the time.

To summarize your message

Just before you summarize your talk, use the words of someone else to mirror your key takeaway.

To indicate the summarizing nature of the quote, use phrases such as, “[Person X] captured the very essence of [this topic] when he said…”

Works best for:

• Any presentation scenario, from academic lectures to TED talks

EXAMPLE: In her 2008 Harvard commencement speech, JK Rowling quotes Greek author Plutarch towards the end to segue into her final takeaway message to the audience.

To end on an uplifting thought

When you end with a quote, your audience will remember it for days to come. They may even associate your entire talk with it.

In fact, that’s what happened with Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford commencement speech. It came to be known as the ‘Stay hungry, stay foolish’ speech, which incidentally is the quote he ended it with.

Many public speaking experts don’t recommend ending with a quote. In doing so, it is believed that you’re passing on the credibility you’ve earned with your audience to someone else.

If you feel strongly drawn towards ending with a quote, go for it. (I mean, Steve Jobs broke the rule, so you definitely can, too.)

There’s one caveat, though. If you’re branding yourself as a thought leader (i.e., an author, coach, or consultant), I wouldn’t recommend ending with someone else’s words. You’re probably better off choosing another method to conclude your speech (or you can quote yourself, which is a total power move).

Works best for:

• Motivational speeches
• Keynotes
• Closing remarks

EXAMPLE: Steve Jobs concluded his commencement address to the Stanford class of 2005 with the quote, “Stay hungry; stay foolish,” attributed to the very last words appearing in the Whole Earth Catalog magazine.