Speechwriting 101: Writing an Effective Speech

Whether you are a communications pro or a human resources executive, the time will come when
you will need to write a speech for yourself or someone else.  When that time comes, your career
may depend on your success.

J. Lyman MacInnis, a corporate coach, Toronto Star columnist, accounting executive and author

of “The Elements of Great Public Speaking,” has seen careers stalled – even damaged – by a failure
to communicate messages effectively before groups of people. On the flip side, solid speechwriting
skills can help launch and sustain a successful career.  What you need are forethought and
methodical preparation.
Know Your Audience
Learn as much as possible about the audience and the event.  This will help you target the insights,
experience or knowledge you have that this group wants or needs:

 Why has the audience been brought together?

 What do the members of the audience have in common?
 How big an audience will it be?
 What do they know, and what do they need to know?
 Do they expect discussion about a specific subject and, if so, what?
 What is the audience’s attitude and knowledge about the subject of your talk?
 What is their attitude toward you as the speaker?
 Why are they interested in your topic?
Choose Your Core Message
If the core message is on target, you can do other things wrong. But if the message is wrong, it
doesn’t matter what you put around it.  To write the most effective speech, you should have
significant knowledge about your topic, sincerely care about it and be eager to talk about it.  Focus
on a message that is relevant to the target audience, and remember: an audience wants opinion. If
you offer too little substance, your audience will label you a lightweight.  If you offer too many ideas,
you make it difficult for them to know what’s important to you.

Research and Organize

Research until you drop.  This is where you pick up the information, connect the ideas and arrive at
the insights that make your talk fresh.  You’ll have an easier time if you gather far more information
than you need.  Arrange your research and notes into general categories and leave space between
them. Then go back and rearrange. Fit related pieces together like a puzzle.
Develop Structure to Deliver Your Message
First, consider whether your goal is to inform, persuade, motivate or entertain.  Then outline your
speech and fill in the details:

1. Introduction – The early minutes of a talk are important to establish your credibility and
likeability.  Personal anecdotes often work well to get things started.  This is also where
you’ll outline your main points.
2. Body – Get to the issues you’re there to address, limiting them to five points at most.   Then
bolster those few points with illustrations, evidence and anecdotes.  Be passionate: your
conviction can be as persuasive as the appeal of your ideas.
3. Conclusion – Wrap up with feeling as well as fact. End with something upbeat that will
inspire your listeners.
You want to leave the audience exhilarated, not drained. In our fast-paced age, 20-25 minutes is
about as long as anyone will listen attentively to a speech. As you write and edit your speech, the
general rule is to allow about 90 seconds for every double-spaced page of copy.

Spice it Up
Once you have the basic structure of your speech, it’s time to add variety and interest.   Giving an
audience exactly what it expects is like passing out sleeping pills. Remember that a speech is more
like conversation than formal writing.  Its phrasing is loose – but without the extremes of slang, the
incomplete thoughts, the interruptions that flavor everyday speech.

 Give it rhythm. A good speech has pacing.

 Vary the sentence structure. Use short sentences. Use occasional long ones to keep the audience
alert. Fragments are fine if used sparingly and for emphasis.
 Use the active voice and avoid passive sentences. Active forms of speech make your sentences
more powerful.
 Repeat key words and points. Besides helping your audience remember something, repetition
builds greater awareness of central points or the main theme.
 Ask rhetorical questions in a way that attracts your listeners’ attention.
 Personal experiences and anecdotes help bolster your points and help you connect with the
audience.
 Use quotes. Good quotes work on several levels, forcing the audience to think. Make sure quotes
are clearly attributed and said by someone your audience will probably recognize.
Be sure to use all of these devices sparingly in your speeches. If overused, the speech becomes
exaggerated. Used with care, they will work well to move the speech along and help you deliver your
message in an interesting, compelling way.

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You have heard the saying “First impressions are lasting; you never get a second chance to
create a good first impression.”
The same is true when talking about how to start a speech…

The truth is, when you start your speech, you must focus everything on making a positive  first
impression  on your audience members (especially if you are doing the presentation virtually ).
The introduction is basically the formal greetings for speeches, so let’s be sure to get this right
to really hook the audience.

Here are 15 different ways to start a speech as well as 2 extra BONUS tips at the end.

1) Thank The Organizers And Audience

You can start by thanking the audience for coming and thanking the organization for inviting you
to speak.

Refer to the person who introduced you or to one or more of the senior people in the
organization in the audience.

This compliments them, makes them feel proud and happy about your presence, and connects
you to the audience like an electrical plug in a socket.

2) Start With A Positive Statement

A presentation tip  at the start is to tell the audience members how much they will like and enjoy
what you have to say.

For example, you might say:

“You’re really going to enjoy the time we spend together this evening. I’m going to share with
you some of the most important ideas that have ever been discovered in this area.”

Remember that speaking is an art,  so be an artist and take complete control of your
performance,

3) Compliment The Audience

You can begin by complimenting the audience members sincerely and with great respect.

Smile as if you are really glad to see them as if they are all old friends of yours that you have not
seen for quite a while.

You can tell them that it is a great honor for you to be here, that they are some of the most
important people in this business or industry, and that you are looking forward to sharing some
key ideas with them.

You could say something like:

“It is an honor to be here with you today. You are the elite, the top 10 percent of people in this
industry. Only the very best people in any field will take the time and make the sacrifice to come
so far for a conference like this.”

4) Start Your Speech By Referring To Current Events

Use a current event front-page news story to transition into your subject and to illustrate or
prove your point. You can bring a copy of the newspaper and hold it up as you refer to it in your
introduction.

This visual image of you holding the paper and reciting or reading a key point rivets the
audience’s attention and causes people to lean forward to hear what you have to say.

5) Refer To A Historical Event

For many years, I studied military history…

Especially the lives and campaigns of the great generals and the decisive battles they won. One
of my favorites was Alexander the Great.

One day, I was asked to give a talk on leadership principles to a roomful of managers for a
Fortune 500 company.

I decided that the campaign of Alexander the Great against Darius of Persia would make an
excellent story that would illustrate the leadership qualities  of one of the great commanders in
history.

I opened my talk with these words:

“Once upon a  time  there was a young man named Alex who grew up in a poor country. But Alex
was a little bit ambitious. From an early age, he decided that he wanted to conquer the entire
known world. But there was a small problem. Most of the known world was under the control of
a huge multinational called the Persian Empire, headed by King Darius II. To fulfill his ambition,
Alex was going to have to take the market share away from the market leader, who was very
determined to hold on to it.

This is the same situation that exists between you and your major competitors in the market
today. You are going to have to use all  your  leadership skills to win the great marketing battles
of the future.”

6) Refer To A Well Known Person

You can start by quoting a well-known person or publication that recently made an important
statement.

One of the subjects I touch upon regularly is the importance of continual personal development.
I will say something like:

“In the twenty-first century, knowledge and know-how are the keys to success. As basketball
coach Pat Riley said, ‘If you are not getting better, you are getting worse.’”

7) Refer To A Recent Conversation

Start by telling a story about a recent conversation with someone in attendance.

For instance, I might say:

“A few minutes ago, I was talking with Tom Robinson in the lobby. He told me that this is one of
the very best times to be working in this industry, and I agree.”

8) Make A Shocking Statement

You can start your talk by making a shocking statement of some kind.

For example, you might say something like:

“According to a recent study, there will be more change, more competition, and more
opportunities in this industry in the next year than ever before. And 72 percent of the people in
this room will be doing something different within two years if they do not rapidly adapt top
these changes.”

Click here If you want to learn more techniques to wow your audience.

9) Quote From Recent Research

You can start by quoting a recent research report.

One example is:

“According to a story in a recent issue of Businessweek, there were almost 11 million millionaires
in America in 2018, most of them self-made.”

10) Start Your Speech By Giving Them Hope

The French philosopher Gustav Le Bon once wrote, “The only religion of mankind is, and always
has been hope.”

When you speak effectively, you give people hope of some kind.
Remember, the ultimate purpose of speaking is to inspire people to do things that they would
not have done in the absence of your comments.

Everything you say should relate to the actions you want people to take and the reasons that
they should take those actions.

11) Be Entertaining

Bill Gove used to walk onto the stage after his introduction if he had just finished talking to
someone on the side and was breaking off to give his talk to the group.

The audience got the feeling that his entire talk was one continuous conversation,  devoid of
meaningless filler words .

Bill would often go to the edge of the stage and then drop his voice in a conspiratorial way, open
his arms, and beckon the audience members to come a little closer.

He would say, “Come here, let me tell you something,” and then he would wave them forward as
though he was about to tell a secret to the entire room.

The amazing thing was that everyone in the room would lean forward to hear this “secret” that
he was about to share. People would all suddenly realize what they were doing and break out in
laughter. It was a wonderful device to get the audience into the palm of his hands.

12) Ask A Question

You can open by making a positive statement and then ask a question requiring a show of hands.

Try something like this:

“This is a great time to be alive and in business in America. By the way how many people here
are self-employed?”

Raise your hand to indicate what you want people to do. I have used this line, and after a
number of hands go up, I then say to someone who raised their hand in the front,  “How many
people here are really self-employed?”

Invariably, someone will say,  “We all are!”

I then compliment and affirm the answer: “You’re right! We are all self-employed, from the time
we take our first jobs to the day that we retire; we all work for ourselves, no matter who signs
our paychecks.”

13) Open With A Problem

You can start with a problem that must be solved. If it is a problem that almost everyone has in
common, you will immediately have the audience’s complete and undivided attention.

For example, you could say:

“Fully 63 percent of baby boomers are moving toward retirement without enough money put
aside to provide for themselves for as long as they are going to live. We must address this
problem and take action immediately to ensure that each person who retires will be able to live
comfortably for the rest of his or her natural life.”

14) Make A Strong Statement, Then Ask A Question

You can start by making a strong statement and then ask a question. You then follow with an
answer and ask another question. This gets people immediately involved and listening to your
every word.

Here’s an example:

“Twenty percent of the people in our society make 80 percent of the money. Are you a member
of the top 20 percent? If not, would you like to join the top 20 percent or even the top 10
percent? Well, in the next few minutes, I am going to give you some ideas to help you become
some of the highest-paid people in our society. Would that be a good goal for our time together
today?”

15) Tell A Story

You can start your talk with a story. Some of the most powerful words grab the complete
attention of the audience are,  “Once upon a time…”

From infancy and early childhood, people love stories of any kind. When you start off with the
words, “Once upon a time…” you tell the audience that a story is coming. People immediately
settle down, become quiet, and lean forward like kids around a campfire.

When I conduct full-day seminars and I want to bring people back to their seats after a break, I
will say loudly, “Once upon a time there was a man, right here in this city…”

As soon as I say these words, people hurry back to their seats and begin to listen attentively to
the rest of the story.

The story technique is very effective.

In fact, its probably one of the best public speaking tips  I’ve learned to this day.

Bonus Tip: Tell Them About Yourself

Very often, I will start a speech to a business, sales, or entrepreneurial group by saying:

“I started off without graduating from high school. My family had no money. Everything I
accomplished in life I had to do on my own with very little help from anyone else.”

It is amazing how many people come up to me after a talk that began with those words and tells
me that was their experience as well.

They tell me that they could immediately identify with me because they too had started with
poor grades and limited funds, as most people do. As a result, they were open to the rest of my
talk, even a full-day seminar, and felt that everything I said was more valid and authentic than if
I had been a person who started off with a successful background.

Building a bridge like this is very helpful in bringing the audience onto your side.

Bonus Tip: Get Them Talking To One Another

You can ask people to turn to the person next to them to discuss a particular point.

For instance, you could say:

“Tell the person next to you what you would like to learn from this seminar.”

Whatever you ask your audience members to do, within reason, they will do it for you. Your
commands and your thought leadership  will easily influence them, as long as you ask them with
confidence.

By following any one of these tips for starting your speech, you are sure to grab your audience’s
attention every time. How do you start a speech? Let me know in the comments.

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A good talk or public speech is like a good play, movie, or song.

It opens by arresting the listener’s attention, develops point by point, and then ends strongly.

The truth is, if you don’t know how to end a speech, the overall message won’t be persuasive
and your key points may get lost.

The words you say at the beginning, and especially at the end of your talk, are usually the
most persuasive parts of the speech  and will be remembered longer than almost any other part
of your speech.

Some of the great speeches in history and some of the most memorable Ted talks  have ended
with powerful, stirring words that live on in memory.
How do you end a speech and get the standing ovation that you deserve?

Keep reading to discover how…

Here are 9 tips and examples for concluding a speech.

1) Plan Your Closing Remarks Word For Word

To ensure that your conclusion is as powerful as it can be, you must plan it word for word.

Ask yourself, “What is the purpose of this talk?”

Your answer should involve the actions that you want your listeners to take after hearing you
speak on this subject.

When you are clear about the end result you desire, it becomes much easier to design a
conclusion that asks your listeners to take that action.

The best strategy for ending with a BANG is to plan your close before you plan the rest of your
speech.

You then go back and design your opening so that it sets the stage for your conclusion.

The body of your talk is where you present your ideas and make your case for what you want
the audience to think, remember, and do after hearing you speak.

2) Always End A Speech With A Call To Action

It is especially important to tell the audience what you want it to do as a result of hearing you
speak.

A call to action is the best way to wrap up your talk with strength and power.

Here Is A Speech Conclusion Call To Action Example

“We have great challenges and great opportunities, and with your help, we will meet them and
make this next year the best year in our history!”

Whatever you say, imagine an exclamation point at the end. As you approach the conclusion,
pick up your energy and tempo.  This is even more important if the presentation you are giving
is virtual.

Speak with strength and emphasis.

Drive the final point home.

Regardless of whether the audience participants agree with you or are willing to do what you
ask, it should be perfectly clear to them what you are requesting.

3) End A Speech With A Summary

There is a simple formula for any talk:

1. Tell them what you are going to tell them.

2. Tell them.
3. Then, tell them what you told them.
As you approach the end of your talk, say something like,

“Let me briefly restate these main points…”

You then list your key points, one by one, and repeat them to the audience, showing how each
of them links to the other points.

Audiences appreciate a linear repetition of what they have just heard.

This makes it clear that you are coming to the end of your talk.

4) Close With A Story

As you reach the end of your talk, you can say,

“Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I have been talking about…”

You then tell a brief story with a moral and then tell the audience what the moral is.

Don’t leave it to them to figure out for themselves.

Often you can close with a story that illustrates your key points and then clearly links to the key
message that you are making with your speech.

To learn more about storytelling in speaking, you can read my previous blog post  “8 Public
Speaking Tips to Wow Your Audience.”

Here’s a recap of these 4 tips in a video…

Keep reading for the other 5 speech conclusion techniques.

5) Make Them Laugh

You can close with humor.

You can tell a joke that loops back into your subject and repeats the lesson or main point you
are making with a story that makes everyone laugh.

During my talks on planning and persistence, I discuss the biggest enemy that we have, which is
the tendency to follow the path of least resistance. I then tell this story.

Ole and Sven are out hunting in Minnesota and they shoot a deer. They begin dragging the deer
back to the truck by the tail, but they keep slipping and losing both their grip and their balance.

A farmer comes along and asks them, “What are you boys doing?”

They reply, “We’re dragging the deer back to the truck.”

The farmer tells them, “You are not supposed to drag a deer by the tail. You’re supposed to drag
the deer by the handles. They’re called antlers. You’re supposed to drag a deer by the antlers.”

Ole and Sven say, “Thank you very much for the idea.”

They begin pulling the deer by the antlers. After about five minutes, they are making rapid
progress. Ole says to Sven, “Sven, the farmer was right. It goes a lot easier by the antlers.”

Sven replies, “Yeah, but we’re getting farther and farther from the truck.”

After the laughter dies down, I say…

“The majority of people in life are pulling the easy way, but they are getting further and further
from the ‘truck’ or their real goals and objectives.”

That’s just one example of closing using humor.

6) Make It Rhyme

You can close with a poem.

There are many fine poems that contain messages that summarize the key points you want to
make.

You can select a poem that is moving, dramatic, or emotional.

For years I ended seminars with the poem, “Don’t Quit,” or “Carry On!” by Robert W. Service. It
was always well received by the audience.
7) Close With Inspiration

You can end a speech with something inspirational as well.

If you have given an uplifting talk, remember that hope is and has always been, the main religion
of mankind.

People love to be motivated and inspired to be or do something different and better in the
future.

Here are a few of my favorite inspirational quotes  that can be tied into most speeches.  You can
also read this collection of leadership quotes  for further inspiration.

Remember, everyone in your audience is dealing with problems, difficulties, challenges,

disappointments, setbacks, and temporary failures.

For this reason, everyone appreciates a poem, quote or story of encouragement that gives them
strength and courage.

Here are 7 Tips to Tell an Inspiring Poem or Story to End Your Speech

 You have to slow down and add emotion and drama to your words.
 Raise your voice on a key line of the poem, and then drop it when you’re saying
something that is intimate and emotional.
 Pick up the tempo occasionally as you go through the story or poem, but them slow
down on the most memorable parts.
 Especially, double the number of pauses you normally use in a conversation.
 Use dramatic pauses at the end of a line to allow the audience to digest the words and
catch up with you.
 Smile if the line is funny, and be serious if the line is more thought-provoking or
emotional.
 When you come to the end of your talk, be sure to bring your voice up on the last line,
rather than letting it drop. Remember the “exclamation point” at the end.
Try practicing on this poem that I referenced above…

Read through “Carry On!” by Robert Service .

Identify the key lines, intimate parts, and memorable parts, and recite it.

8) Make It Clear That You’re Done

When you say your final words, it should be clear to everyone that you have ended. There
should be no ambiguity or confusion in the mind of your audience. The audience members
should know that this is the end.
Many speakers just allow their talks to wind down.

They say something with filler words  like, “Well, that just about covers it. Thank you.”

This isn’t a good idea…

It’s not powerful…

It’s not an authoritative ending and thus detracts from your credibility and influence.

When you have concluded, discipline yourself to stand perfectly still. Select a friendly face in the
audience and look straight at that person.

If it is appropriate, smile warmly at that person to signal that your speech has come to an end.

Resist the temptation to:

 Shuffle papers.
 Fidget with your clothes or microphone.
 Move forward, backward, or sideways.
 Do anything else except stand solidly, like a tree.

9) Let Them Applaud

When you have finished your talk, the audience members will want to applaud…

What they need from you is a clear signal that now is the time to begin clapping.

How do you signal this?

Some people will recognize sooner than others that you have concluded your remarks.

In many cases, when you make your concluding comments and stop talking, the audience
members will be completely silent.

They may be unsure whether you are finished.

They may be processing your final remarks and thinking them over. They may not know what to
do until someone else does something.

In a few seconds, which will often feel like several minutes, people will applaud.

First one…
Then another…

Then the entire audience will begin clapping.

When someone begins to applaud, look directly at that person, smile, and mouth the
words thank you.

As more and more people applaud, sweep slowly from person to person, nodding, smiling and
saying, “Thank You.”

Eventually, the whole room will be clapping.

There’s no better reward for overcoming your fear of public speaking  than enjoying a round of
applause.

BONUS TIP: How To Handle A Standing Ovation

If you have given a moving talk and really connected with your audience, someone will stand up
and applaud. When this happens, encourage others by looking directly at the clapper and
saying, “Thank you.”

This will often prompt other members of the audience to stand.

As people see others standing, they will stand as well, applauding the whole time.

It is not uncommon for a speaker to conclude his or her remarks, stand silently, and have the
entire audience sit silently in response.

Stand Comfortably And Shake Hands

But as the speaker stands there comfortably, waiting for the audience to realize the talk is over,
one by one people will begin to applaud and often stand up one by one.

If the first row of audience members is close in front of you, step or lean forward and shake that
person’s hand when one of them stands up to applaud.

When you shake hands with one person in the audience, many other people in the audience feel
that you are shaking their hands and congratulating them as well.

They will then stand up and applaud.

Soon the whole room will be standing and applauding.

Whether you receive a standing ovation or not, if your introducer comes back on to thank you
on behalf of the audience, smile and shake their hand warmly.
If it’s appropriate, give the introducer a hug of thanks, wave in a friendly way to the audience,
and then move aside and give the introducer the stage.

Follow these tips to get that standing ovation every time.

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Speech introductions

The introduction and conclusion of a speech are essential. The audience will remember the main
ideas even if the middle of the speech is a mess or nerves overtake the speaker.  So if nothing else,
get these parts down!

Introduction

The introduction gives the audience a reason to listen to the remainder of the speech. A good
introduction needs to get the audience’s attention, state the topic, make the topic relatable,
establish credibility, and preview the main points. Introductions should be the last part of the speech
written, as they set expectations and need to match the content.

Attention getters

The first few sentences of a speech are designed to catch and maintain the audience’s attention.
Attention getters give the audience a reason to listen to the rest of the speech. Your attention getter
helps the audience understand and reflect on your topic.

 Startle the audience

o Speaker walks up to stage with notes stuck to hands with jelly.
 Rhetorical question
o Did you know there is a right way to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
 Quote
o Rob Gronkowski once said, “Usually, about 2 hours before a game, I stuff in a nice
peanut butter and jelly [sandwich] with chocolate milk.”
 Story
o A little boy walks in from a long day at school, telling his mom that he is starving. His
mom is confused because she knows she sent him to school with a full lunch. As she
opens his lunch box, she sees his peanut butter and jelly, with the grape jelly
smeared on the side of the bag. She realizes there has to be a better way to make a
PB&J.
 Imagery, song, visual…
o Bring in a clear sandwich bag with jelly seeping through the bread of a peanut butter
and jelly sandwich.

Logical orientation

Once the audience is invested in the speech, logical orientation tells the audience how the speaker
will approach and develop the topic.

 Your thesis needs to be stated clearly and concisely

 o Peanut butter on both sides of the bread with jelly in the middle is the best way to
make a PB&J.
 Provide background information so the audience is able to follow your topic
o PB&Js have developed a bad reputation, because of the jelly making the bread soggy
and hands sticky.

Psychological orientation

Like the logical orientation of a speech, the psychological orientation is also going to provide the
audience with a map for how and why the topic is being presented.

 Make the topic relatable for the audience

o Most of us remember our moms – dads too – packing a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich in our lunches. We also remember how the jelly did not just stay in the
sandwich, but became a new stain on our shirts and the glue that held all the
playground dirt to our hands.
 Motivate the audience to see the importance of the topic
o We can end this torture for future generations by making sure all parents are aware
of the best way to make a PB&J.
 Establish your credibility as speaker on the topic
o I have eaten numerous PB&Js myself, but my real authority on the topic comes from
being a mom of two boys and the maker of many PB&Js.

Both the logical and psychological orientations give the audience a road map for the speech ahead
as well as cues for what to listen to. This will help the audience transition from the introduction to
the main points of the speech.

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12 of the best attention getters to start a speech

By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 01-12-2023

The audience settles in their seats. The lights dim. You

walk out to the center of the stage. You pause, take a deep
breath, open your mouth and begin.

What you say over the next 30 seconds to introduce your

speech or presentation is crucial.

That's how much time you have to make a positive

impression on your audience. In it they will decide whether
or not you have anything relevant or useful to say. Those
first impressions count!
So how do you write an effective speech introduction to
grab and hold their attention?

Begin by finding out how to choose the right opener.

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12 of the very best ways to start a speech

1. Use imagination to create mind pictures

Ask the audience to use their imagination. Get them to

build evocative compelling images in their minds. Make
them large.

For example:

“Let's take a break. Make yourself comfortable. Now close

your eyes for a moment. Take a deep breath, and you're
there, in the place where you feel the most at ease, the
place where all the tensions, all the demands of your
normal everyday life disappear. Look around you. See it.
Feel it. It's so good, it's perfect."

“Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and a moment to

picture in your mind the people dearest to you, the people
you feel you could not live without. Now when did you talk
to them, or spend real time with them last?"
Return to Top

2. Use an item to build a connection 

Choose an image or an object related to your speech, for

instance a pair of shoes, to trigger interest and build a
connection.
For example, if I were giving a speech on the lives of
upper-middle class 19th century women I could open by
holding up a pair of ornately decorated kid leather pumps.

“What's the name of the young woman who wore these?

Listen. Can you hear the rustle of her silk skirts? And hear
her heart beat bom-biddy-bom as the beau of the ball
stepped her way? Would he, or wouldn't he ask her to
dance?”
Return to Top

3. Ask a 'What if...?' rhetorical question

'What if...?' invites an audience to consider the possibilities

of something becoming real. They can be positive
somethings or negative, trivial or something that would
have a significant impact if it came to pass.

The power of a 'what if...?' rhetorical question as an

opener lies in the potency of the images and feelings it
triggers. A well-chosen 'what if...?' will immediately have
an audience wanting to hear the rest of your speech.

For example:

1. "What if we don't find a way to successfully manage

climate change?"

2. "What if we really did solve the affordable housing

crisis?"

3. "What if questions of race and color ceased to

matter?"

4. "What if medicines were freely available to everybody

who needed them?"
 5. "What if the person sitting next to you turned, looked
into your eyes and said they loved you? Truly. Madly.
Deeply."

4. Try a quotation from someone who's

impacted your life in some way

To be effective a quotation doesn't have to be the clever

quip or snippet of enduring wisdom: a famous quote from
a well known person. It's origin could be personal,
something someone important in your life said that's
remained with you.

For example, my Mother answered all initial wails of

outrage, pain or hurt from any of her five children with a
command. "Breathe!" That was repeated, interwoven with
encouraging asides, until whoever it was, was able to talk
clearly and be understood.  "It's OK.", she'd say. "Breathe.
Come on. You can do it. Breathe. That's it. Keep going.
Good."

Or I could use this line from one of my high school reports

which read, "...with further maturity she should do well."
(Thank you Mr Phillips. Your prediction was right on
target.) 

Or this from our son aged four as he watched me getting

ready for another day of teaching: "When I grow up I'm
going to wear pretty dresses and go to school just like
you."
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5. Use an interesting key fact

Choose an interesting key fact as an attention getting
device: one of the most rarely known, or a shocking
statistic from the body of your speech to open with.

For example:
"Take a guess at what the most powerful and frequently
used word is in the English language? 

It's not one of those usually thought of candidates.  Love?

No. Money? Nope. Neither is it  any member of your
family... Mum, Dad, brother, sister, son, or daughter.

It's a three letter word, so common it's overlooked and

taken for granted. 'The'. It's the humble 'the'."

(For more see this BBC article: Is this the most powerful
word in the English language?

Or:
"Between 2020/21 and 2021/2022, Americans consumed
about 11 million metric tons of sugar, up from about 10
million metric tons in 2009/2010. Can you even begin to
imagine the size of that sweet white mountain?"

6. Share personal stories

Share a personal story related to your specific topic as the

beginning of a speech. Done well, it lets the audience know
you understand their situation and helps establish your
credibility: your right to talk on the subject.

As an example here's the opening of a speech I gave about

the impact of suicide on families and friends:

“One fine Spring day I biked home from school and found a
policemen guarding our backdoor. Through it came sounds
I'll never forget: my quiet Mother screaming. He said, "You
can't go in."
I kicked him in the shins and did. It was the 15th of
September, three days before my thirteenth birthday and
my father was dead. Killed by his own hand. Suicide.”

(If you want to find out more about the speech and read it,
it's here: After they're gone. It's an example persuasive
speech using the five steps of Monroe's Motivated
Sequence.)
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7. Rhetorical questions

These are questions that although they are asked, they're

never really intended to be answered by anyone other than
the person asking them.* Their principal function is to act
as a segue, or lead in, to what the person intends to say
next. For instance, the first main point of your introduction.

Examples:
"What if I were to say to you that there was no such thing
as public speaking fear?"

"What do you think the main benefits of being able to

speak up in public are?"

*Although there's bound to be someone in your audience

who will. Be ready for them, and move on.

8. An empathetic question, aligning yourself

with the audience and eliciting a response

These questions bring speaker and audience together,

establishing a common ground, a mutual understanding,
which is an effective way to ease into a speech. If your
question 'works' you'll see heads nodding in agreement.
Examples:

1. "Have you ever experienced the butterflies in your

stomach turning into a herd of rampaging elephants,
just before you step up to give your presentation?"

2. "Have you ever wanted a good day to never end?"

3. "How often have you 'lost' your car in the supermarket

car park?"
4. "How often have you ever wanted to shout, NO? You
want me to prepare a new presentation by tomorrow?
NO. You want me to stay late, again? NO."
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9. It's in the news

Take headlines from what's trending in media you know

the audience will be familiar with and see.

Using those that relate to your speech topic as the opening

of your speech is a good way to grab the attention of the
audience. It shows how relevant and up-to-the-minute the
topic is.

For example:
"'Death toll soars to 76 in Florida after Hurricane Ian
demolished entire communities.'
'Noru became a super typhoon in 6 hours. Scientists say
powerful storms are becoming harder to forecast.'
'Hurricane Orlene strengthens into Category 4 storm as it
heads toward western Mexico.'

Three front page headlines from CNN just today. Climate

change. Let's do what we can."
10. This day in history

If you're giving a speech to celebrate a special birthday or

an anniversary, consider using several carefully selected
events that occurred on the same day as a speech
opening. They could be either funny or serious, depending
on the specific purpose of your speech. They're a great
way to place the person in a much wider context and often
with exalted company.

For example:
"What do the 1863 National Thanksgiving Day
proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, National
Boyfriend Day, and Gwen Stefani have in common with
Joe?
Yes, the 3rd of October! It's a great date made better by
being Joe's birthday. And we say Gwen is truly privileged
to have the same one as him."

11. Issue a challenge

Let the audience know first thing, at the beginning of the

speech, what action you expect they'll be able to take by
the time your presentation is complete. Then when you
come to the final points, repeat the call to action, or
challenge, as part of your closing statement.

For example:
"I've a challenge for you. That's to sign up for our public
speaking course. Right now you may not see yourself doing
that. Public speaking? Me? I'd rather have a root canal
done, without painkillers. However, by the end of the
presentation...well, let's see. There's a first time for
everything!"
 12. Shock

Use a startling statement, a fact, or a series of facts, to jolt

the audience into paying attention.

For example:

"Covid. We've had 1.06 million of us die in the US, so far.

Today there are nearly 60,00 new cases. More mothers,
fathers, friends, colleagues, children – people. People ill.
People who might die. So why have we stopped wearing
masks?"
To work well your opening needs to be aligned with:

 the type of speech you're giving

 your main purpose for giving it
 your target audience and,  
 their interests or needs

Both the hook* to catch their attention and your topic must be relevant to them. Unless
they're a captive audience, they've come freely to listen to you and they're expecting
something of value from you.

How are you going to let them know they're in the right place? Why should they listen?
What are they going to get or gain through listening?

Out of all the different ways to open, what attention getter

is absolutely the best way?

The only way I know to work out what is best is to go

through each of them, and as you do, consider your
audience. Make a short list of those you think might work
then try them out before making your final choice.

* hook – an opening statement that immediately captures

the audience's attention just like a well baited hook on a
fishing line catches a fish.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 Tips for Introducing a Guest Speaker
 
 
If you’re slated to introduce the guest speaker you should make a point to introduce
yourself to them first thing in the morning to ensure you have the proper pronunciation of
their name and tell them that you’ll be introducing them. If you wish you can join the
speaker at the head table to give you an opportunity to get to know them a little better. 
Never try to give a speech of introduction strictly from memory, always make notes.
 
The introducer’s job is to
 
1. Remind the audience why the topic is important to them
2. Establish the speaker’s qualifications to speak on the topic
3. Get the presentation off on a high note by establishing an up-beat tone
4. Make the speaker feel especially welcome
 
All of this can be accomplished in no more than a couple of minutes.
 
Most introducers think their job is either to entertain the audience by being funny, or to
make a speech of their own. Nothing could be further from the truth. The audience didn’t
come to hear the introducer; they came to hear the featured speaker.
 
Here is an example of an appropriate and effective speech of introduction:
 
“Good morning ladies and gentlemen. It’s a great pleasure for me to introduce our
speaker today, who is going to talk to us about the ten most common personal financial
planning mistakes. This is a subject in which we should all be deeply interested because
it’s by avoiding financial mistakes that we can best ensure our financial futures. Our
speaker, although having spent almost his entire career advising people on their
finances in places like New York, Los Angeles and Toronto, grew up about thirty miles
from where we are right now. He is an award-winning professional accountant who has
specialized in personal finances and taxation for over twenty years, and has guided the
financial affairs of some of this country’s best-known athletes, entertainers,
entrepreneurs and executives. Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming
home, Steve Robbins!”
 
When you arrive at the lectern to perform the actual introduction, remember these ten
rules.
 
1. Stick to meeting the four objectives of a speech of introduction; avoid the temptation
to make your own speech, either on the topic or anything else
2. Never try to introduce a speaker from memory; have good notes
3. Never tell a joke. There are no circumstances that justify telling a joke during a speech
of introduction
4. Keep the introduction as short as possible
5. Be up-beat and enthusiastic
6. Avoid clichés such as “a person who needs no introduction” and “without further ado”
7. Look at the audience, not at the speaker, during the introduction; turn toward the
speaker only at the very end of the introduction
8. Start the applause
9. Wait at the lectern and greet the speaker with a hearty handshake
10. Go sit down
 
Remember, when introducing or thanking a speaker, you are not the star.
 
Source: Lyman MacInnis, https://lymanmacinnis.squarespace.com/journal/2010/1/17/introducing-and-thanking-speakers.html