The ILEAD Company® welcomes you to Talk Tuesday! On Tuesdays, I will assist you with talk creation and speech delivery nuggets. The primary goal is to help speakers rise to the call of being a winning leader, where you are consistently growing your influence, impact and income. For some people, speech writing comes easy while for others, this may not be the case. So, let’s focus on speech writing for a moment today.

Public Speaking – Writing an ‘On-Point’ Introduction

When writing a speech, it is best that you start with step one of a basic outline:

• Tell them what you’re going to tell them (the introduction).

Speech Introduction

There are several goals that an introduction must accomplish but let’s discuss one of these goals today. The goal that most wealth speakers are great at achieving is obtaining the attention of the audience. ‘There are a number of different devices that work well for gaining the audience’s attention:

Jokes

People love to laugh. By telling a good joke early in the speech, you not only build your rapport with the audience, you also motivate to listen with the promise of more humor. Just make sure that the joke isn’t offensive and that it fits well with the rest of your speech.

Quotations 

Quotations are great attention-getters. If a quotation has stood the test of time, it offers some sort of humor or insight that will interest the audience. Also, a good quote by a known author will enhance your credibility.

Anecdotes 

A good story is a very effective attention-getter. If you tell a story about yourself, you can build your credibility, and the story will probably be more relevant to your audience.

Statistics 

It’s a public speaking myth that statistics shouldn’t be used in speeches. If you use too many statistics, perhaps, it could be problematic. However, if you select a few really startling statistics that illustrate your point, they can be quite effective. If you are going to use a statistic as an attention-getter, make sure that it’s relevant and has a lot of impact.’

Ready to practice writing your intro for your next speech? Let’s get to it! Don’t forget that in 2018, there will be masterclasses available weekly to help you master the art and business of speaking. CLICK HERE to learn more. Until next time my friend, remember, you are positively influential!