Suggestions for a memorable Introduction 

So you have a presentation coming up and you’re asking yourself, how does one make a truly impactful introduction? You have less than 30 seconds to show that you are engaging, relevant and credible. So how do you do that? I’m going to give you a few ways you can enhance your introduction (in no particular order). Take note! Before you try any of these techniques, have a specific goal for your speech.

#1 Share a Statistic

Sharing a statistic will instantly add credibility to your presentation. It can also provoke the audience or be used as a device to stir up emotion. 

#2 Spark their interest with something startling

I love docuseries and I’ve started to see this more often when an episode begins. In order to pique the interest of the audience, you could say “I’m going to speak about three seemingly random things, but pay attention, because by the end I’ll connect them all together”. Now they have a vested interest in paying attention to the components of your speech.

#3 Use a visual aid

As a presenter, using an image, a short video clip, or a physical product can stir up the audience and spark their interest. After the audience see’s it and has a moment to digest what they’re looking at, you can now ask a question and allow for a pause, just for a few seconds, while they think of a response. Which leads to the next point...

#4 Ask an Engaging Question

No member of the audience wants to be talked at...so ask them a question. This will make the audience feel like they are part of the conversation. You could get them to participate by raising their hand. Otherwise, ask a more open, rhetorical question and let them ponder a response in their minds for a few seconds before continuing. 

#5 Quotation 

I would say use this with caution. We’re at a moment in history where race and empowerment are strong drivers of conversation, and many previously esteemed members of society, or perhaps figures in history are being re-examined. At the same time, we have an opportunity to share voices which were previously not heard -  so...if you share a quotation, you’ll want to speak to the context and perhaps the story behind it, which ties into the next point

 #6 Firstly, avoid something long winded. The rule of thumb is that an introduction should be 10 to 15%  the length of the speech. So I would say save an anecdote for a ‘long’ speech. You’ll definitely want to rehearse this, so you can highlight your angle or perspective of the story. 

And lastly: Practice your introduction, and practice it again. If you deliver a confident and impactful introduction, this confidence will translate to the rest of your speech.