Imagine you have got an opportunity to open a large conference filled with a thousand people and you are asked to introduce the main speaker. It is seemingly a small one- or two-minute opening speech but it is one of the most important part of the session as your main job is to set the tone and energy of the session, which is a huge help to the following speaker whose audience is already warmed up before he speaks.
How would you feel if you were the main speaker, and the person doing your opening speech messed up the title of your speech, your name, and cracked a few offensive jokes about your profession while trying to be over enthusiastic in his role? I bet that would kill half of the impact of your talk even before it begins!
Most introductions are poor affairs and inexcusably do not do justice to the following speaker’s talk. Here are some suggestions to help you make a well-organized opening speech:
Thoroughly Prepare
No matter the length of the opening speech, the preparation must be perfect. Start with gathering as many facts about the speaker as you can. Look up LinkedIn profiles, previous talk videos, list of any awards, qualifications and a brief idea about the topic. Of course, too many facts might become boring but getting the above-mentioned basic facts is a necessity.
Most importantly, get the person’s exact name and pronunciation correct and do not forget the title of the talk. It is always a good idea to adequately prepare so you can internalize the introduction and do not have to rely on notes.
Follow the structure
Even an introduction speech is a proper speech, and it is very important to follow a specific structure that can help in organizing the facts you may have gathered based on your research.
You may start with an introduction to the topic – stating the exact title – and then follow it up by giving just a little bit of teaser about why the talk is so important and relevant for the audience. Please remember not to give away too much of the content, as the speaker may want to cover it himself. Last but not the least, state important information about the speaker – his/her qualifications, accomplishments, expertise areas and any awards etc.
Finally announce the name of the speaker – accurately and clearly with the correct pronunciation.
Sincerity
Be sincere in your introductions and avoid derogatory remarks or cheap humor in an attempt to try and appear funny as they may be misinterpreted. Remember, your main speaker is the star of the session – it is not you. It is your most important job for your main speaker to look good.
Some common pitfalls to avoid in your opening speech:
- Do not talk too long or keep going on and on and boring the audience
- Do not over-praise or under praise the speaker
- Avoid deprecatory comments even if you know the speaker very well
- Avoid being ill-prepared and get your facts right
For more such interesting articles and tips on public speaking, please go through the links below:
7 Most Effective Public Speaking Tips for Leaders and Managers
About the Author
Puneet Wadhwa, the author of this blog – Speak to Succeed! is an IT Business Executive by profession, and a Public Speaker and Leadership trainer by passion. He has been professionally speaking for many years and has won several awards for his public speaking engagements. He presents corporate trainings and seminars to corporations and associations whose people want to speak and lead effectively. To contact Puneet, email him at pwadhwaspeaks@gmail.com or fill out the contact form at https://www.speaktosucceed.in/about-me/.
