Although introducing a speaker at an event is usually little more than an afterthought, knowing how to introduce a speaker can set the tone for the entire speech and determine its success. It not only lets the audience know who will be giving the presentation but also helps increase attentiveness, generates excitement and positions the speaker as an authority.
Wondering how to introduce someone to an audience? Let’s discuss some of the most important aspects of a speaker introduction you should consider.
Get to Know Your Guest Speaker: Be Knowledgeable in Your Introduction
The speaker that delivers the message can be just as important as the message itself, so one of your most important tasks is figuring out how to present the speaker in a way that positions them as a qualified authority to speak on the subject.
While you can use an introduction of speaker sample to get yourself started, the core of the message should still be centered around the specific qualifications and accomplishments of the speaker, as that is what will get people excited about hearing them speak.
Sometimes, the speaker might have their own suggestions on how to make the introduction, so be sure to ask them, as they can provide you with a biography or sample introduction of guest speakers that you can use in the future.
What Subject? Why This Audience? Why This Speaker?
Once you figure out the topics the speaker is going to cover, the next step of how to introduce a speaker will involve gaining insights about the subject matter, as well as looking into the type of audience that is going to receive the message.
Any successful speech needs to get three main elements right:
- Have a solid subject
- An audience that is interested in that subject
- A speaker that is qualified and interesting enough to speak about it
A speaker introduction that assists you in achieving these three elements is going to produce the best results. Think about who your audience is, why it cares about the subject at hand and how this particular speaker will deliver the message. Answer these questions and you’ll be well on your way to developing a memorable and specific introduction.
Public Speaking Tips
One item that many people fail to consider is that the introduction and the speech itself are connected and need to complement one another to deliver the best results. The best speakers understand this and make sure to build on the introduction and use it as a segue to their material. For instance, one example of introducing a speaker to an audience is to use humor to lighten the mood, in which case the speaker may comment on the joke and use it as a way to instantly form a connection with the audience.
Another quality of experienced public speakers is that when they go in front of an audience, they do so with a crystal-clear understanding of what they want the audience to take away, putting together the speech in a way that inspires and motivates people.
Finally, any good speech has a clear structure. Even though speakers may allow themselves to wander from time to time, there should always be a clear attention grabbing opening, a middle section and a memorable close.
How to Begin the Speech and How to End It
The beginning of a speech is the single most crucial part that every speaker needs to get right. If the opening does not land, it won’t matter how good the rest of the speech is or how well you customized a sample speech to introduce a person. There’s a reason why the opening statement is called a grabber. You need to grab the attention and imagination of the audience and have them sit on the edge of their seats in anticipation.
An excellent way to do that is to use inspiration. If you can share a relevant anecdote from your own personal experiences or choose a quote from someone held in high esteem which, in turn, paints a vivid picture and gives your arguments and stories more weight, you’re off to a great start. You can also employ various what-if scenarios, or hypothetical situations, that involve the listener so that they become more invested in your story.
When it comes to the ending of a speech, you must leave little room for error. If you fumble through your closing statement, you could erase all the buildup that you accomplished beforehand. Whatever you do, make sure to include a call to action, even if it’s something as simple as encouraging people to seize the opportunities that are available to them.
What to Avoid
In the above sections, we’ve not only explored speaker introduction examples in the form of some best practices but also went through some helpful tips on how to make the speech itself as impactful as possible.
However, for the speech to be effective, it’s also crucial to avoid certain mistakes that novice speakers often succumb to. For instance, confidence is a crucial part of delivering a compelling speech. Stance, body language and eye contact are all things that the speaker should be aware of. And since a speech has to contain a message, you can’t be lethargic and must have a certain energy level so that people feel that the words spoken are done so with conviction.
SportsSpeakers360
When looking for ideas on how to introduce a speaker, finding the best approach can be a challenge. However, if you use the tips listed above, you’ll find that the introduction doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective.
At SportsSpeakers360, we have a wide range of sports speakers that will be easy to introduce because of their long list of accomplishments. If you want to learn more, please call (303) 747-4087 or fill out our contact form today!