ERASMUS+ CLICHE (2018-2021) 

CAPITALIZING ON LOCAL ICH AROUND EUROPE

2018-1-EL01-KA201-047861 

Talk like
 ERASMUS+ CLICHE (2018-2021) 
CAPITALIZING ON LOCAL ICH AROUND EUROPE
2018-1-EL01-KA201-047861 
Introductions and Conclusions
Before making a presentation, have you ever thought about

• how just not to do another boring presentation?

• how you're going to set the mood for your talk?

 
• how to catch people's eyes?

• how to leave a lasting impression?

• why should an audience listen to you?

INTRODUCTIONS & ATTENTION GRABBERS OR HOOKS
The Critical First 60 Seconds
In a TV commercial you have only 30 seconds to grab attention. The same applies to a presentation. The first 30-60
seconds of your talk is crucial. This is the time your listeners form an impression of you, and of what's to follow.

If you're visible before you speak—if, say, you're sitting on stage waiting to be introduced, or greeting audience
members beforehand—these decisions start even earlier. If your audience is tired, you are not the first one to present,
you’ll have less time of attention. More than anything else at that stage, it's your physical presence that audience
members are responding to, as well as, your opening that sets the entire tone of your presentation.
 What Is a Speech Hook?

A hook is generally used during the introduction

phase of a speech. A good hook introduces the topic, gets
everyone oriented, engaged and willing to listen to more.

What follows is 32 hooks that will grab your audience's attention

—and what to avoid during your introductions.
1. Open with an introduction

A simple story showing who you are, where you came from and why the things you will say matter.

1. Tell an entertaining or dramatic story

A good story is brief, sounds real and has a "message," or lesson, to support your viewpoint. If you do not want to tell a personal story
or you do not have one, invent one customizing it into the audience’s specific needs. There are many storytelling formulas
you can leverage recommended here 11 Storytelling Formulas to Supercharge Your Social Media Marketing 

2. Share a secret to incite curiosity

Make a confession, tell a personal anecdote, etc. Human beings are by nature curious creatures, most people in the audience will
probably ask themselves "What did he do?" and imagine all sorts of possible scenarios.

3. Make a shocking, provocative or sensational statement

A statement that goes against a popular belief achieves a level of surprise due to its perceived impossibility.  

4.  Make a paradigm-shifting statement

Tell a shocking fact that inspires surprise, amusement, curiosity and fear at the same time. if you have a controversial opinion tied to
your presentation, use it as your hook! 
 5. Reveal a mistake you've made - (‘fess up your mess up)

Tell a revealing personal story, e.g. a personal experience. It can quickly spark interest in your topic and build empathy between you and
your audience. Your stories make you human, and when you dare to show your vulnerabilities, you connect with your audience more
deeply.

6.  Use a quote or a catchy phrase differently

State the quotation and then add a twist to it.  For example, "We've all heard that a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single
step. A journey to nowhere also starts with a single step." The Yale Book of Quotations is an app that brings together over 13,000 quotes
you can adapt to your purpose.

7. Ask a rhetorical question - Knowledge Gap

Better still, start with a series of rhetorical questions. Posing a question creates a knowledge gap about what the listeners know and
don’t know. Get your audience thinking, participating mentally, challenging their prevailing beliefs on a certain topic.

8. Begin with a captivating photograph/video/graphics or a startling image

Speak visually. Did you know that 65% of the population are visual learners? If you are telling a personal story, show personal pictures.
This will make your audience feel how real your story is, and it will catch their attention. Use some surprising footage to support your
statements.
9. Use silence

You can start off your talk dramatically, by not saying a word, simply breathing in and out.
There are 4 kinds of speech pauses that you can use to put more power into your presentations.

10. Start with a physical object or demonstration

The audience's gaze is attracted by motion and visual objects. Thus, you can visually complement your opening story if you use a
physical object. It not only adds a dramatic effect, it also keeps viewers eyes on you while on stage.

11. Humor done well is always a winner 

Tell a relevant joke. Use both humor and an element of surprise in your opening statements. It is a good way to break the ice and very
effective in getting your point across, if it's relevant to your talk.

12. Paint a vivid visual (Say: “Imagine if…” or “Picture this…”)

The word imagine invites the audience to create a mental image of something.  There is power in asking the audience to conjure up
their imagination, to play along. This tactic can easily be adapted to any topic where you want the audience to imagine a positive
outcome, or a vision of a better tomorrow. It can be used, as well, to ask them to imagine being in someone else's shoes.
13. Map your presentation out

Preview where your presentation is headed. Move from section to section with your audience anticipating each topic. No one will
wonder what’s next.

14. Call back

A call-back is when you refer back to something that happened before or during the event or a previous presentation.

15. Quote a foreign proverb

Chances are your listeners have never heard it so they have novelty appeal. Here is a site for foreign proverbs.

16. Give startling statistics, examples, analogies or make comparisons

Take the time to research startling statistics that illustrate the seriousness of what you're going to talk about. A surprising or thought-
provoking comparison can also be effective as an unexpected element.
17. Add an emotional “tag” to your message

Do you truly sound as though you mean it? Besides receiving the best information in the world, your listeners need to know you care. 

18. Provide a reference to a historical event

There are times when the day that you present may have some significance in history that can be tied to the subject of your
presentation.

19. Add a little show business 

Quote movies, primarily comedies.  Here are a couple of examples: "The first rule of leadership: everything is your
fault" (from A Bug's Life.) And here are a couple of sites for movie quotations to start you off: 
Best Business Quotes From The Silver Screen and The Best Business Wisdom Hidden In Classic Movie Quotes.

20. Tell an expert‘s opinion, a case study or describe a problem briefly  

21. Do or say something unexpected

Don’t use the 'Today, I'm going to talk about . . .’ or 'My topic today is‘ opening,. It is boring!

22. A testimony or success story

23. A sound effect or provide sensory details that will allow them to actually see, hear, feel, and smell the different
stimuli in your presentation.

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24. Choose an unexpected title for your talk

25. Know your audience

Who are they? (age, occupation, education, values, beliefs, etc.). Why are they coming to listen to you.  What do you think could excite
them? Align your hook with them. Voice their own fears or insecurities.
26. Learn to improvise

A speaker never knows what will be coming from listeners. It’s important therefore to know not only how to survive but to thrive in
every speaking situation.

27. Your breath is a powerful tool

Get in the habit of “belly or diaphragmatic breathing”. It will focus your concentration, slow your heart rate as you begin to get enough
oxygen and will provide you with a well-oxygenated brain while keeping you fully focused when speaking.

28. Eye contact

Look at your audience and acknowledge them before you get into the body of your speech. Be sure to let your gaze linger long enough
so that real contact is made. One or two seconds is probably enough time.

29. Smile

When you smile, you'll remind everyone present that this speaking event is an enjoyable situation.
30. Speech Pauses

There are 4 kinds of speech pauses that put more power into presentations. i. The sense pause to allow people to absorb the new
information and catch up with you. ii. The dramatic pause to make a point stick in the listener’s minds. iii. The emphatic pause to
emphasize an important point. iv. The sentence-completion pause to make a statement or quote a line in which everyone is familiar,
then let the audience answer it for you.

31. Use clear links or transitions between hooks

To make sure that the opening of your talk (and the rest of it) is coherent and easy to follow, make sure that there are obvious and
smooth transitions between your ideas.  Writing down a version of what you plan to say can help you figure out whether they make
sense. 

32. A "what if" scenario

A "what if" scenario might grab your listeners' attention as it asks them to look forward to a positive future. It is easily adaptable to
almost any presentation.

33. Use your own remote

A remote gives you power to move around and focus your eyes on the audience rather than on your laptop. Carry your own remote
with you. When you rely on whatever remote is at the venue, you waste time until you get used to it. Don't forget to pack extra
batteries for it.
WHAT TO AVOID

1. Avoid introducing your introduction. Show don't tell.

That sounds like : 'Let me start out with a story . . .', or 'I heard a very funny joke the other day . . . ‘ or 'Before I begin . . . ' since you've
already begun! Just tell  the story, the joke, or whatever will delight your listeners. To let readers experience your story, use sensory details
and describe actions to direct a mental movie in your reader’s mind.
Imagine you want to explain to a reader you’ve grown up in a family who loves books. How can you help your reader imagine your family’s
love of books?
In her book Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott shows us her family’s love of books:
I grew up around a father and a mother who read every chance they got, who took us to the library every Thursday night to load up on books for the coming
week. Most nights after dinner my father stretched out on the couch to read, while my mother sat with her book in the easy chair and the three of us kids each
retired to our own private reading stations.
Can you picture the whole family reading?

2. Avoid keeping your gaze glued to your notes.

3. Avoid breathing rapidly and shallowly. Tackle your speech anxiety head-on
Apart from the discomfort this creates in you physically and mentally, your audience may notice that you struggle with speech anxiety,
lessening their confidence in you and your message.

4. Avoid long introductions

Always consider the total time you have and craft an opening that helps balance the talk as a whole.

5. Avoid using a bag of grabbers

It can make the audience feel disoriented and unsure of where they’re headed.  Use one speech hook at a time.
Make sure that the hook is brief, well-rehearsed
and pertinent to your topic.
Exercise: How to Start a TED

How do the following five speakers capture your attention and engage you at the beginning of their talks?
Watch the first minute of each speaker.
How did they begin?  What was the first word?  What did this achieve?  
Which speaker is hardest to stop watching after 60 seconds?

The five speakers

Seth Godin Blogger and Author
Jeff Bezos Founder of Amazon
Steve Jobs Founder of Apple
JJ Abrams Creator of Lost
Elizabeth Gilbert Author “Eat, Pray, Love”
CONCLUSIONS & ATTENTION GRABBERS OR HOOKS
 A good talk or public speech is like a good play, movie, or song.

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

 If the ending isn’t memorable, the talk itself may not be.
“Effective communication is 20% what you know and 80% how you feel about what you know.” —
Jim Rohn

Plan your close before you plan the rest of your speech. Then go back and design your opening so
that it sets the stage for your conclusion.

There is a simple formula for any talk:

i. Tell them what you are going to tell them.
ii. Tell them.
iii. Then, tell them what you told them.
What follows is 19 hooks that will grab your audience's attention
—and what to avoid during your conclusions.
1. Signal the end

(In conclusion, In summary, … to a close…)

2. Summarize your thesis

List your key points, one by one. Audiences appreciate a linear repetition of what they have just heard.

3. Camera pull-back

Show the bigger picture, a broader set of possibilities implied by your speech.

4. Come full circle 

i. Pose a question which you answer at the end. ii. Finish a story you started and demonstrate a message. iii. Close with the title of the
presentation – if it is a provocative, memorable one. iv. Repeat your first slide, this work especially well with powerful images or
quotes.
5. Call to action

If you’ve given your audience a powerful idea, ask them to take the next step, try it in their own lives, and to pass it on to others.
Whatever you say, imagine an exclamation point at the end.

6. End with an either / or scenario

Give your audience a choice to encourage them to continue thinking about your presentation. This can be linked to your ‘call of action’.
For example, "We can do this, or we can do nothing. The choice is yours."

7. Personal commitment

Make a commitment of your own.

8. Use a clincher (a story, a poem, an inspirational quote, a compelling statistic, a cartoon or animation, a strong visual image to
shock, to humor, or as a metaphor to be explained and highlight your message)

Tell a brief story with a moral and then tell the audience what the moral is. “Let me tell you a story that illustrates what I have been
talking about…” Use a poem that is moving, dramatic, or emotional or contains messages that summarize the key points you want to
make. Inspirational quotes can be tied into most speeches. A relevant cartoon can make your message memorable.
https://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/26-motivational-quotes-for-success/
9. Use the power of 3

“A speaking or writing principle that suggests that things that come in threes are funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other
numbers of things. The reader or audience of this form of text is more likely to remember the information. This is because having three
entities combines both brevity and rhythm with having the smallest amount of information to create a pattern. It makes the author or
speaker appear knowledgeable while being both simple and catchy.” Wikipedia
Here are a few of the most famous examples of the rule of 3:  
“This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.”  Winston Churchill
“Blood, sweat and tears” - General Patton
“I came, I saw, I conquered” - Julius Caesar
“Just Do It” - Nike slogan

10. Demonstrate

Show don’t tell is a great rule of thumb, as the saying goes ‘actions speak loudly than words.’ Ending your presentation with a
practical demonstration will not only clarify your message but be memorable for your audience.
11. End your presentation on a high note

End with energy, passion and enthusiasm for your topic. Try to lift the mood. This can be especially important for those presentations
which may tackle a difficult subject or convey some bad news. You don’t want your audience leaving the auditorium thinking, ‘well,
that was depressing!’

12. A sound bite

A sound bite is like a slogan, a quick and catchy phrase which demands attention. Fit the central message of your presentation into a
few words, they will be memorable and ‘Tweet-able’.
"Stay hungry, stay foolish." – Steve Jobs
"Chance favors the connected mind." — Author Steven Johnson

13. End with a provocative question

Questions, especially those that jolt us out of our comfort zone, stimulate and challenge our mind.

14. Use the title close technique

This creates a bookend to your entire presentation and can be used to bring your audience full circle. See the tip about coming full
circle above.
15. Make it clear that you’re done

Stand perfectly still, smile warmly to signal that your speech has come to an end, make a wave, a bow or a clear signal that this is the
end.

16. Use a summary or a ‘thank you’ slide

A summary slide wraps up your talk and leaves your audience with the key takeaways and learning points.

17. Thank the audience

It's the great way for anyone to signal to the audience that it’s time to applaud and then head home.

18. Let them applaud

When someone begins to applaud, look directly at that person, smile, and mouth the words thank you. Sweep slowly from person to
person, nodding, smiling and saying, “Thank You.”

19. End your presentation on time

Practise your presentation well in advance, timing yourself each time. Cut out any fluff or filler and stick to what you’ve rehearsed.
WHAT TO AVOID SAYING OR DOING

 1. Clichés that don’t help anyone, e.g.

“The future is full of challenges and opportunities. Let’s dream together. Let’s be the change we want to see in the world.”

2. Never close with a video, e.g. “I’ll close with this video which summarizes my points ”. End with you!

3. Never apologize! Your job was to give the best talk you could in the time available, e.g.
“I’m sorry I haven’t had time to discuss some of the major issues here, but hopefully this has at least given you a flavor of the topic.” 

4. “Well, that’s my time gone, so I’ll wrap up there.” Plan more carefully! You mean, you had a lot more to say but can’t tell us
because of bad planning?

5. “Finally, I just want to thank my awesome team, who are pictured here: David, Joanna, Gavin, Samantha, Lee, Abdul, and Hezekiah. Also, my university,
and my sponsors.” Lovely, but do you care about them more than your idea, and more than us, your audience?

6. “So that concludes my argument, now are there any questions?” Or, how to preempt your own applause.

7. “Thanks for being such an amazing audience. I have loved every moment, standing here, talking to you.” 
“Thank you” would have been just fine.
WHAT TO AVOID

You shouldn’t
1. shuffle papers, fidget with your clothes or microphone. Just stand solidly, like a tree.
2. end a presentation with a slide that asks "Questions?“ End instead with a strong image that relates to your
presentation's content.
Practical Skills for Presenters
 Speech pauses
The power of your speech is contained in the pauses and the silences that you create as you move from point to point.
T Y P E S O F P A U S ES

1. T h e v i t a l i n f o r m a t i o n P a u s e
Give your listeners a moment for the vital information you just delivered to sink in.
2. P u n c h l i n e P a u s e
Immediately before and after your punch line to create heightened anticipation and let them  release
their laughter.
3. N e w V i s u a l P a u s e
When switching to a new slide or visual. Your audience will be focusing on this either way, give them a
moment before you continue talking. 
4. E m p h a s i s P a u s e
Draw attention to a keyword or phrase by  pausing immediately before and immediately after the word
(or phrase).
5. S e n t e n c e P a u s e
Stop connecting sentences with “and” indefinitely. At the end of a sentence, give a pause before moving
on to the next.  Get more speaking opportunities. 
6. D r a m a t i c P a u s e
Build a bit of anticipation. Dramatic pauses are used whenever you want to generate some suspense.
7. “ I ’ m in T h o u g h t ” P a u s e
Use to show the audience that the next part was something you put a lot of thought into. A revelation. 
8. R h e t o r i c a l Q u e s t i o n P a u s e
Let the audience answer the question in their minds by pausing for a moment after asking the question.
9. P a r a g r a p h P a u s e
Use longer pauses in your speech whenever you are transitioning from one major idea or point to the
next.
10. C omma P a u s e
Break your talk into a series of short clauses and breathe. 
Inspirational Quotes
Tips on how to Tell an Inspiring Poem or Story to End Your Speech

1. You have to slow down and add emotion and drama to your words.
2. Raise your voice on a key line of the poem, and then drop it when you’re saying something that is intimate and emotional.
3. Pick up the tempo occasionally as you go through the story or poem, but them slow down on the most memorable parts.
4. Especially, double the number of pauses you normally use in a conversation.
5. Use dramatic pauses at the end of a line to allow the audience to digest the words and catch up with you.
6. Smile if the line is funny and be serious if the line is more thought-provoking or emotional.
7. When you come to the end of your poem or story, 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 the following poem “Carry On!” by Robert Service.

Find the key lines, intimate parts, and memorable parts, and recite it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzDoflsTFpk
It’s easy to fight when everything’s right,
And you’re mad with the thrill and the glory;
It’s easy to cheer when victory is near,
And wallow in the fields that are gory.
It’s a different song when everything’s wrong,
When you’re feeling internally mortal;
When it’s ten against one, and hope there is none,
Buck up, little soldier, and chortle:
There are some who drift out in the deserts of doubt,
And some who in brutishness wallow;
There are others, I know, who in piety go
Because of a Heaven to follow.
But to labour with zest, and to give of your best,
For the sweetness and joy of the giving;
To help folks along with a hand and a song;
Why, there’s the real sunshine of living.

Carry on! Carry on! There isn’t much punch in your blow.
You are glaring and staring and hitting out blind;
You are muddy and bloody, but never you mind.
Carry on! Carry on!
You haven’t the ghost of a show.
It’s looking like death, but while you’ve a breath,
Carry on, my son! Carry on!
‘And so in the strife of the battle of life
It’s easy to slave, and starve and be brave,
When the dawn of success is beginning.
But the man who can meet despair and defeat
With a cheer, there’s the man of God’s choosing;
The man who can fight to heaven’s own height
Is the man who can fight when he’s losing.
Carry on!  Carry on!
Fight the good fight and true;
Believe in your mission, greet life with a cheer;
There’s a big work to do, and that’s why you’re here.
Carry on!  Carry on!
Let the world be the better for you;
And at last when you die, let this be your cry:
Carry on, my soul!  Carry on!
-Robert W. Service, Rhymes of a Red Cross Man

Carry on! Carry on! Things never were looming so black.

But show that you haven’t a cowardly streak,
And though you’re unlucky you never are weak.
Carry on! Carry on! Brace up for another attack.
It’s looking like hell, but – you never tell.
Carry on, old man! Carry on!
Have you ever wondered:
•What the Three Little Pigs, the Three Blind Mice, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, the Three Musketeers, the Three Wise Men, and the
Three Stooges have in common?
•Why the three-act structure is the dominant approach to screenwriting in Hollywood?
•Why three bullet points are more effective than two or four?
•Think in terms of three when crafting your content and you’ll likely end up with a more engaging outcome.

For example:
•“Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” “Government of the people, by the people, for the people”
•“Friends, Romans, Countrymen” “Location, location, location”
•“Father, Son, and Holy Spirit”
•“Faith, Hope, and Charity”
•“Mind, body, spirit”
•“Stop, Look, and Listen”
•“I came, I saw, I conquered”
Public Speaking Tips For Your Next Speech
https://www.briantracy.com/blog/public-speaking/27-useful-tips-to-
overcome-your-fear-of-public-speaking/

To learn more about storytelling in speaking, read this blog post 

“8 Public Speaking Tips to Wow Your Audience.”

11 Inspirational TED Talks for High School Students

https://content.wisestep.com/ted-talks-for-high-school-students/

Speech Pauses
Practicing pauses and allowing silences when you speak will enable you to speak with power in any
situation. In music, all of the beauty is contained in the silences between the notes. In speaking, the
drama and power of the speech is contained in the silences that you create as you move from point to
point.

Training Video: The 4 Types Of Speech Pauses

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkS67oiei78&feature=emb_logo
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