The speech introduction is the first part of a speech and the first opportunity to grab the audience’s attention. The speaker should state the topic, make it relatable to the audience, establish credibility and preview the main points. You should write or finalize your introduction at the end so that it reflects what you actually said.
Listen up, audience!
No matter whether you are giving an informative speech to enlighten an audience about a certain topic or a persuasive speech aims to convince the crowd to adopt a particular viewpoint. But whichever type of speech you’re writing or delivering, one thing is true: You must create an attention-grabbing speech introduction.
What Is The Best Way To Start A Speech?
Whether in speech writing or public speaking, the role of a good intro cannot be understated. It is your best chance to captivate your audience’s attention and entice them to be with you until the rest of your speech.
It’s also your opportunity to introduce the topic and thesis statement and set up the points you’ll discuss later. So, keep in mind that you emphasize the relevance of your subject matter to the audience and contextualize it properly.
These are some of the best ways to make a compelling introduction speech.
- State a quote or use a historical event reference. Analyze your target audience and look for a powerful quote from a relevant figure or a historical event that will resonate with listeners and relate it to your topic. A notable quotation can immediately establish a strong connection. On the other hand, an important event will help you illustrate your point or paint a scenario better.
- Share a personal story. Sometimes, you don’t have to search far and wide to demonstrate a point. You can tap into your personal experience and share something about yourself. Generally, audience members enjoy hearing stories as they pique their interest and get a glimpse of who the speaker is. Your anecdotes will also make you more human and accessible.
- Start with an “Imagine” or “What if?” scenario. Want to make your audience engaged? Let their imagination run. In many speeches over the years, some of the most successful ones used this technique. Speakers transport the audience to the future or a scenario wherein their proposed idea or belief reigns. For example, “What if we live in a world where everyone can access healthcare?”
- Count on a video or any other visual aids. If you’re a public speaker keen to use technology, you may also want to commence your speech with visual aids. For instance, you can show a pre-prepared video to draw the crowd’s attention right before you speak. If you’re talking about hunger and food security, you can show footage of how such issues take a toll in many third-world countries.
- Tell surprising statistics. One of the most effective ways to shock — and, ultimately, grab your audience’s attention is by telling real, hard facts. If you’re looking for a good attention-getter, you can rely on surprising statistics about your topic. For instance, if your topic is bullying, you can mention that in the US, around 3 million students are victims of bullying.
- Ask the audience a question. Another way to hook your audience is by asking them a question. It can be a direct one (e.g., “Who among here are…” then ask for a show of hands). It can also be a rhetorical question (e.g., “What is the meaning of life?”). The key is interacting with the crowd to get their attention and effectively introducing your subject matter.
What Should You Include In the Introduction?
When you look at intro samples and templates on the web, you’ll find that effective speech introductions contain key elements. And one of the most important is your attention-grabber, which will compel your audience to listen to your speech and narrative.
You must also introduce your speech topic and indicate why it matters to your audience. You should also share something about yourself, especially your credibility, to discuss a particular subject matter.
Once you’ve laid out these foundations, state your central idea or thesis statement. Tell the audience members the point of view you want them to adopt, and give them a preview of the main points you’re discussing if you’re giving a persuasive speech. If you’re writing or delivering an informative one, you can provide them with a brief speech outline or the key points you’ll touch upon throughout the body of the speech.
What Are The Best Lines To Introduce A Speech?
One of the most common public speaking tips you’ll encounter is to have a good introduction. To help you capture the audience’s attention, here are some ideas you can use in your speech.
- A famous quote (For example, “Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower” by Steve Jobs)
- A song lyric (“Imagine there’s no countries/ It isn’t hard to do/ Nothing to kill or die for/ And no religion, too,” from “Imagine by John Lennon)
- A line from a poem (“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise,” from “Still I Rise” by Maya Angelou)
- A line from a movie (“Greed, for a lack of a better word, is good,” from “Wall Street”)
- Reference to a historical event (“Two hundred years ago, one of the most important proclamations was made. Through the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln, the enslaved Black people were given freedom.”
- Reference to a notable figure (“Stan Lee, the man behind iconic Marvel characters, was hired as an editorial assistant at a comics company after graduating high school.”).
- A bold statement (“Prostitution must be legalized.”)
- A serious statement (“Climate change is a pressing issue.”)
- A humorous line (“Don’t underestimate me. That’s the job of my mom.”)
- A shocking statistic (“If you’re consuming too much fast food and baked goods, did you know that you are 51% more likely to be depressed?”)
- A direct question (“Who among here plays violent video games?”)
- A rhetorical question (“Is there a more powerful feeling than love?”)
- A personal story (“Back when I was a fresh college graduate, I busied myself applying to the top multi-national companies.”)
- An anecdote (“Long ago, there was a man — an old but healthy man — who dared climb Mount Everest. He was 80, and he succeeded.”)
- A what-if scenario (“What if there were no poor people?”)
How Do You Introduce Yourself In A Speech?
Whether you’re a first-time speaker or a veteran, how you approach introducing yourself in a speech is important in establishing your credibility. To avoid getting called boring, you might want to shy away from the usual “Hi, everyone. I’m (your name). I (your credentials), and today I will be talking about (points of the speech).”
Usually, someone else may have given your name and background. This gives you the liberty to begin your speech more interestingly.
You can start by stating any of the introduction lines listed above, then transition to why listening to you will matter to them. For example, if you’re talking about mental health and depression, you can follow up a surprising statistic with something like, “I know because I was a part of that statistic. Now, I’ve studied to become a therapist myself.”
To further create an air of authority, you must be mindful of your body language (taking a deep breath before speaking can help you shake off your nervousness and tension). Additionally, you must make eye contact and speak words clearly.
How Do You Introduce A Speaker?
Now, if you’re tasked to introduce the one who will deliver the speech, it’s your responsibility to set the right atmosphere and build excitement.
One of the first things to do is know how to pronounce the speaker’s name and ensure that what you’ll say about the speaker’s credibility is factual. Since you’re only introducing the speaker, keep things simple and concise. If you want to enrich your introduction, you can ask the speaker what they want to be highlighted (Do they have a new book? Which prestigious groups are they affiliated with?).
Like what the speaker would do, you must also make eye contact to engage the audience. Practice and have a run-through before you take the stage to guarantee a smooth delivery.
What Is An Example Of A Speech Introduction?
Speakers and speech writers know how challenging it is to grab an audience’s attention. Here’s a good example of an introductory speech that uses statistics. This is from English restaurateur Jamie Oliver who delivered a TED Talk about food:
“Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat.
My name’s Jamie Oliver. I’m 34 years old. I’m from Essex in England, and for the last seven years, I’ve worked fairly tirelessly to save lives in my own way. I’m not a doctor; I’m a chef, I don’t have expensive equipment or medicine. I use information, education.”
What Is The Introduction For A Speech On Bully
Looking for inspiration for a good introduction where your topic is bullying? Check out this sample intro from actress and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador Millie Bobby Brown during World Children’s Day in 2019:
“In world capitals — in buildings like this — adults talk about children’s rights. But today, young people don’t want to be talked about. They want to do the talking.
Millions of people responded to UNICEF surveys and petitions about what the Convention on the Rights of the Child meant to them. In the words of one young person: ‘Be an active voice. Don’t let things go unnoticed. So today, I want to talk about an issue that is very personal to me. Something that so often goes unnoticed — but causes real suffering. Bullying.”
What Are Some Other Examples Of Speech Introductions?
Below are some more speech introduction examples you can take inspiration from.
- “Three things I learned while my plane crashed” by Ric Elias: “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well, I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.”
- “How to find and do work you love” by Scott Dinsmore: “8 years ago, I got the worst career advice of my life.”
“How great leaders inspire action” by Simon Sinek: “How do you explain when things don’t go as we assume? Or better, how do you explain when others are able to achieve things that seem to defy all of the assumptions?”