Did you know that how well a speech is going to turn out can be determined before you even open your mouth? It turns out that introductions are one of the most important things that that set the tone for a speech. If done correctly, then you’re going to have an easy time coming out on top. If not, well then there’s just no way that you can win…
Introducing – You!
In a perfect world, you would have someone introduce you before any speech that you gave. Unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world. This means that all too often we find ourselves in the awkward situation where we have to introduce ourselves. When this happens (and it DOES happen), you need to be ready to say the right things.
The trick with this kind of introduction is that you need to walk a fine line – you are special and the audience is lucky to have you there to give a speech, but you really can’t come out and say that. Instead, you are going to have to find a way to allow them to reach that conclusion all by themselves.
One of the best ways to do this is to use your self-delivered introduction to communicate your passion for the topic that you will be talking on. By taking the time to explain how you came to care so much about the topic you will be able to show your audience that you know what you are talking about and why they should listen to what you have to say.
Introduce Your Audience To Each Other
If you want your audience to pay attention to what you have to say, you’re going to have to find a way to make them feel comfortable listening to you. One rather unique way to go about doing this is to halt before you start your speech and get them to do something for you.
What you are going to want to have them do is to stand up and take just a moment to introduce themselves to the rest of the audience. Of course the size of your audience matters – if it’s too big, then you can’t have everyone introduce themselves to everyone else. However, for smaller groups asking everyone to share their name and one other piece of information (where they are from, why they are there, etc.) can be a great way to change everyone’s view of your speech.
Instead of showing up and sitting with a bunch of strangers to listen to a speaker that they don’t know, something will have changed. Now they’ll be sitting among people who they know and with whom they have something in common.
As a speaker this will work for your benefit. Everyone will be in a more relaxed and positive mood as you speak. You should find it easier to connect with your audience and they should enjoy your speech more.
What All Of This Means For You
As speakers we are always looking for ways to better connect with our audiences. One great way to make this happen is to use the power of introductions to start things off right.
All too often we’ll find ourselves in a situation where we end up having to introduce ourselves. When this happens, we need to be careful to not come across as being too boastful. Instead, share with the audience why you care so much about the topic that you’ll be talking about and they’ll understand that you really know what you are talking about. Likewise, taking the time to allow your audience to introduce themselves before you start to speak can help everyone feel connected.
When we meet new people, we always start the relationship by introducing ourselves. As speakers we need to find ways to use this social skill during our speeches so that we are able to better connect with our audiences and thereby more easily change their lives…
– Dr. Jim Anderson
Blue Elephant Consulting –
Your Source For Real World Public Speaking Skills™
Question For You: If you have to introduce yourself, how long do you think this should take?
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What We’ll Be Talking About Next Time
Let’s say that you were going to go out and buy a new car. Now lets say that you didn’t get to make any decisions about what that car was going to look like. You don’t get to choose the color, the accessories, or even the type of car. When the car got delivered to you, how would you feel? I’m willing to bet that you’d have almost no connection to that car – it had not been customized for you. What this all means is that if you don’t take the time to customize your speech for your audience, then you’re going to get the same reaction: they aren’t going to feel any sense of connection with you.