Opening Your Speech

Imagine yourself at mission control; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Speak!

When the space shuttle blasts off - those first few seconds of lift are critical. It comprises a small portion of the total journey, yet if someone errors - they crash and burn. The beginning of your speech is much the same. If you error in the opening your speech will crash and burn.

The mission of your opening is to 1. Grab their interest; 2. Establish rapport; 3. Introduce your topic. Here are 10 techniques you can use to launch your successful speech.

10. Startling statement. Use a strong attention grabbing statement - with facts, statistics or unusual information. "The greatest fear is to speak in public. The second greatest fear is to die."

9. Suspense/ Surprise. Start with a suspense-building sentence or take them in one direction - then hit them with surprise. "It was a dark and stormy night - it was my wedding night."

8. Story/Anecdote. Tell a short story. Begin your story with the word imagine. It is an engaging word. "Imagine that we could travel back in time to witness the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk."

7. Quotation. When you use a quotation you tap into the credibility and power of the person who stated those words. "I have a dream, cried out Martin Luther King Jr." Quote from people well known and well liked by your audience.

6. Challenging Question. Questions are always powerful and engaging. This could be a rhetorical question. "Are you ready for the millennium? When the clock ticks over to January 1, 2000, will planes be falling and computers crashing?"

5. Compliment the audience. Be sincere - don't say, "You are the most beautiful audience I have ever seen." Instead say something that impressed you about the group, 'I am very impressed with the hospitality shown to me by you today. This lives up to the reputation I have heard about your community work.'

4. Occasion. Comment on the occasion - especially if it is an anniversary or awards night. "To speak to you on your 10th annual awards dinner is an honour." Or uncover some information about the group that outsiders would not normally know. "Happy Birthday to your founding president." This takes a little research - and is worth it.

3. Prop or visual. Catch their attention and set the mood with a funny hat, uniform, or stuffed bear. Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), would blow a cloud of smoke on stage before he made his entrance. It always got a laugh. You might roll a ball across the stage or play with a yo-yo. What you do before you speak can be powerful.

2. Previous speaker. Pick up on something a previous speaker said or did - especially if that was the president or chairman of the board. Build on what they said. It shows that you listened and gives you more credibility if you agree with the boss. Before you speak ask a participant, "What was the funniest thing that happened so far?" Try to build on this to get a laugh. Comedians call this technique a call back.

1. Engage the audience. Ask a question that requires the audience to answer, or one that is sure to make them laugh. "How many of the women in the audience have had an affair with Bill Clinton? - - How many of the men?"

Bonus tips:

? Don't start with "My topic is..." or "Today I am going to talk about..." Both of these are boring.

? Never start with an apology. "I'm sorry we are running late." "I'm sorry the president couldn't be here." "I'm sorry about the meal."

? Once you take your position on stage, enjoy a long pause before you speak. Silently count "1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi".

? Smile as you first look around the audience. Look like you are happy to be there even if you don't feel that way.

? Get them to laugh early. You'll feel better and they will decide to like you sooner.

We return to Mission Control.

10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Close - and that's another story.

© George Torok is host of the weekly radio show, Business in Motion; coauthor of the national bestseller, Secrets of Power Marketing and an international keynote speaker. He delivers programs that develop thinking and communication skills. You can reach him at 800-304-1861. For more information visit http://www.Torok.com and http://www.SpeechCoachforExecutives.com

---

Trust in Training: Societys Effect on an Audience

It is important to be continually aware that a person... Read More

Feedback

I believe that asking for and acting on objective feedback... Read More

The Top Four Ways To Get Audience Involvement In A Presentation

In the thousands of speeches I've heard very few presenters... Read More

What to Do When an Audience Member Disagrees With You

Some people enjoy drawing attention to themselves by trying to... Read More

How to Answer Questions Your Audience Will Ask

In elementary school, most of us asked questions which were... Read More

What Makes A Great Presenter?

Every day millions of people around the world make a... Read More

Speech Training - Building Your Voice, Tips from a Professional

Having a clear and confident voice is an essential business... Read More

10 Tips for Better -- and Less Scary! -- Public Speaking

The fear of speaking in public is well-documented, often discussed,... Read More

A Simple Guide to Writing (and Giving) a Speech

Nearly as dreaded as snakes and spiders, public speaking ranks... Read More

Take The Fear Out Of Public Speaking

You're a bright, dynamic executive. You've been scheduled to give... Read More

Speakers Learn How to Define Your Niche

This is one of the hardest things speakers have to... Read More

Ethics in Speaking: A Practical Point of View

Often managers have to deliver presentations with unpleasant content. The... Read More

Speak to Be Heard and Understood

Use your voice to your advantage. One of your main... Read More

Be Brief!

Centuries ago great speakers often spoke two hours and more.... Read More

How Authors Can Get a Free Promotional Tour

I was a celebrity lecture agent in the college and... Read More

The Ps and Qs of Public Speaking

Avoid the painWhich would you prefer - root canal dental... Read More

Speak Up or Sit Down

Last night the phone rang; my wife said, "I hope... Read More

The Best Practical Tips for Overcoming Stage Fright

As one who does some speech coaching, I have heard... Read More

Speech Writing Secrets Of President Bill Clinton

Speaking in public can be a powerful way to build... Read More

How To Handle Audience Questions Effectively

For some reason, the prospect of having to answer audience... Read More

Giving Your Audience Great Benefits

What benefit do you provide the audience?People should listen to... Read More

If You Arent a Little Nervous, You Arent Paying Attention

The fear of public speaking is one of the most... Read More

Get Real

Humans are born storytellers, but our education system doesn't help... Read More

10 Worst Tips To Give A Speaker

1. Learn the speech by heart or read it from... Read More

No More Stagefright - Have Fun Speaking!

7 Tips that calm and center you before your presentation:1.... Read More

Ten Steps to Fearless Public Speaking

There is plenty of dubious material which suggests you can... Read More

SOS - Goal Setting

... --- ... SOS This is the traditional seafaring emergency... Read More

Voice Coaching - Training Your Voice to Give Better Presentations

Picture a cool crisp autumn morning in the wide open... Read More

Using Your Natural Style On Stage

We were both speakers at the same convention presenting on... Read More

The Little-Known Speechwriting Secrets That Won George W Bush The US Election

He's been accused of "mangling the language, destroying its meaning... Read More

Choosing a Hot Keyword: Advice for Aspiring Public Speakers

When choosing keywords, you'll want to stay away from using... Read More

For Speakers: Ten Tips on How to Increase Your Fees

One of the most important tools speakers use is their... Read More

Get Speaking

On a recent Sunday evening, I watched a friend 'graduate'... Read More