This is an executive exercise that we practice on our 5-day Discovery Public Speaking Course.
How to introduce a speaker
Of all the aspects of public speaking, introductions are probably the most misused. This is because we fail to determine the objective, the purpose, and the desired result.
How often do we hear an introduction which is a partial biography, unstructured, stumbled through, and merely going through the motions?
Who cares whether the speaker was born in 1961 in London, that he went to grammar school and university, that he married a classmate, has four children, a hybrid car, a poodle, and moved to Paris in 1996? So, they are going to speak on "The future of the rain forests in Brazil".
Exaggeration? Perhaps. But not too far from the truth. It recalls the awful ritual of the average introduction.
What is our duty when we introduce a speaker?
We aim to increase the interest, attention, and anticipation of the audience. It is only a courtesy to the speaker to condition the audience to a pleased, happy anticipation and ensure their attention.
What makes a good introduction?
It consists of several things:
With a few rare exceptions, a good introduction should not go over two or three minutes, nor should it steal the limited time of the speaker.
There should always be an "introduction of the introduction." Perhaps this is only a single sentence of an attention-compelling nature. An introduction is a short speech and should follow the rules for good speech-making. Some appropriate ‘off the cuff’ remarks or comments that might further increase the mood and anticipation if it is lightly humorous and in good taste.
The body of the introduction should raise the importance of the timeliness of the subject matter. This is to increase the interest of the "so what" members of the audience. A short statement about the speaker should follow, restricted as far as possible to their accomplishments.
Up to this point, the title of the talk, the business or professional connection, or the title of the speaker and their name, have not been given. The conclusion of the introduction consists of these three items:
title of speaker (Mr, Dr, Professor, Sir, General, your highness, your excellency)
title of the speech
the speaker's name
In that order. The last words spoken are the name of the speaker.
All of this in three minutes? Yes. It takes some doing, but it is your duty to add professionalism to the event. Try it, and you will be surprised by the positive reception.
Rare indeed is the person who can give a good introduction when called upon at short notice. An introduction needs preparation, thought and ingenuity. The introducer needs to know the title of the speech, the angle the speaker will take, some pertinent facts about them, and the type of audience they will be addressing.
When you are the introducer, pay close attention to everything that happens before your part of the programme. Often events happen that present a comment or slice of humour which, if grasped, establishes the liaison and happy anticipation which is priceless for the speaker.
What about introducing more than one speaker at the same meeting?
If that is your task, pay close attention to what the first speaker says. Use your ingenuity, and as they finish, comment upon their speech. Pick out some statement or thought you can refer to, and perhaps humorously, connect their speech with the one which follows. Use such remarks as the "introduction to the introduction" for the next speaker.
As you introduce a speaker, it is your duty to increase your audience's attention and anticipation. Try it next time. Condition the audience as you introduce the speaker.
When you introduce a speaker, it's also important to be respectful, and enthusiastic and when the introduction is over, lead the applause, and the audience will take their cue from you.
Here's one I prepared earlier for a famous footballer
Good evening, everybody,
Our speaker this evening was born in Marseille in 1972.
He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in the history of world football.
He has played for top clubs in France, Italy, and Spain, and for five years he was the captain of the French national team.
He is the iconic figure of a generation of French players that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship.
After a brief international retirement, he returned to the national team in 2005 and captained France to the 2006 World Cup Final where he won the Golden Ball as the tournament's most outstanding player.
Sadly, he retired from professional football after the 2006 World Cup when described by Italian Manager, Marcello Lippi as the ‘magician of the tournament.'
He is a three-time winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year and the only manager to win three Champions League Trophies.
Here to talk to us on the theme of ‘A footballing legacy for Africa…’
please welcome, Mr Zinedine Zidane.
If you're looking to enhance your professional skill set or want to help a colleague on the road to success, enrol in our Public Speaking Classes This executive public speaker course helps you to polish your skills so you can present comfortably to the board and other industry professionals.
