called a hook or a grabber.
I don’t want to close my eyes; it makes me feel awkward and exposed to be in a group of people with my eyes closed. Because of that, I keep my eyes open. The problem is when I keep my eyes open, I feel like some sort of horrible nonconformist rebel. I feel awkward with my eyes closed and I feel guilty if they are open. Either way, I just feel bad. Besides, half of the time when speakers tell audience members to close their eyes, they forget to tell us when we can open them. If you are wanting me to imagine a story, just tell me to imagine it, don’t make me close my eyes (rant over).
You should plan your opening to be intentional and with power. “Can everybody hear me” is a weak and uncertain statement and this is not the first impression you want to leave. Do a microphone check before the audience members arrive and have someone stand in different corners of the room to make sure you can be heard. Don’t waste your valuable speech time with questions that you should already know the answer to.
You should know that before you begin. Even if the presentations for the day are running over and you are the last speaker, you should ask the MC before you begin. Always plan your first words with power.
You should make your slides big, really big. Test out your slides in advance of your speech, walk all around the room and make sure you can read them. Have a friend check them out as well. You should know they are big enough because you planned for it and tested it.
People really hate having things taken away, not to mention that your audience may want to take notes on their devices. Chances are you are speaking to adults, let them determine if it is appropriate to have out their technology.
Stop apologizing! Stop making excuses! While these lines may be true, they just come of as excuses and can make the audience either feel like you don’t want to be there, or they just feel sorry for you.
Talking about your nervousness will make you more nervous and will make them look for signs of your nervousness. Just start your speech.
Do not start with hesitation. Plan the first words, memorize the first words, practice the first words. Do not start with “Ok, so um, now I’d like…” Plan strong and start strong.
Do Not Discuss Your Business with People Watching…Really! I Mean It! Many of us are giving and listening to presentations in an online format. I have attended numerous presentations this year through Zoom where I have to sit and watch while the organizers engage in personal small talk or deal with the details of the presentation. This is how the speech I recently attended began. “Donna, you are going to share your screen, right?” “Yes. I have my PowerPoint ready to go. Will you push “record” when I give the signal?” “Sure. Where did you say that button is again? Do you think we should wait five more minutes, I think we had more who were coming? Dave, what was the total we were expecting?” “Yeah, we had 116 sign up, but the reminders went out late so this may be all we have. We can give them a few more minutes to log on.” “Donna, How is your dog? Is she still struggling with her cone since her spay surgery? My dog never would wear the cone –she tore her stitches out and broke her wound open. It was terrible. Well, it looks like it is about time to begin, thank you everyone for coming.” If you are organizing an event online, hosting a speech online, giving a presentation online–please keep it professional. Most platforms will allow you to keep the audience in a waiting room until it is time to start. If you have a business to deal with, keep the audience out until you have everything ready to go. Once the audience is in the meeting, you should engage the audience in group-type small talk or you should just start the presentation. In professional settings, you should start the meeting on time. Why punish those who showed up on time to wait for those who aren’t there yet?
I asked my long-time friend, Bill Rogers, to write an excerpt to add to the book. I met Bill when he was the Chief Development Officer for a hospital in Northwest Arkansas and I met him again when he was reinventing himself as a college student getting a Master’s Degree in the theater. He would love to share a symbolic cup of coffee with you and give you advice about public speaking.
Perfect morning for a walk, isn’t it? Join me for a cup of coffee? Wonderful. Find us a table and I’ll get our coffee.
There you go; just like you like it. There’s nothing like a great cup of coffee on the patio of your neighborhood coffee shop, is there?
Now that you’re settled in your favorite chair, take a sip, and let that glorious caffeine kick in and do its stuff. Okay, let’s talk.
So, you were asking me about public speaking.
Well, let’s see. Where do we begin?
One of the first pieces of advice I ever received was to imagine that every member of your audience is sitting there in their underwear! Yeah, right. That never worked for me. I tried it once with a local civic group of community leaders both male and female. If the intent of that tidbit is to make you relax, it certainly didn’t work for me. It just made me more self-conscious…and more nervous. I not only got distracted, but I also lost my train of thought, I started sweating, and, of course, imagined myself standing there without clothes. Needless to say, that speech was a disaster and I’ve never used it again. I suggest you don’t either.
In the early days, I also relied very heavily on my typed-up speech. Now, there’s nothing wrong with that unless you find yourself reading it word for word as I did. Nothing is more boring nor puts an audience to sleep quicker than a speaker with their nose down reading a speech. There’s no connection and connection with your audience is key.
As you know, I love theatre and I’ve done a bit of acting over the years. Early on, I learned that the quicker I learned my lines, the more I could play, experiment, and shape my character. It relaxed me and gave me enormous freedom. It led me to find a mantra for myself: “With discipline comes freedom.” This freedom will allow you to improvise as your audience or situation dictates while still conveying the core message of your presentation. That discipline and its resulting freedom apply to public speaking of any kind and, I think, will serve you well.
Another old adage we’ve all heard is Aristotle’s advice. You know the one. No? Well, roughly, it’s to tell your audience what you’re going to say, say it, and then tell them what you just said. That’s the basic formula for public speaking. And it works as a good place to start.
However, effective speaking is much more and, to me, it starts with a story or even a simple sentence.
You know the feeling you get when you read the first sentence of a good book and it just reaches out and grabs you? That should be your goal with every presentation. One sentence to capture your audience’s attention. Something that causes them to lean forward. Something that sparks their imagination.
It doesn’t have to be all that profound either. It can be something very simple. A personal story that relates to your topic. A relevant fact or statistic that defines or illustrates the issue or subject matter at hand.
A couple of classics come to mind. The first is Alice Walker’s, “The Color of Purple.”
“You better not tell nobody but God.”
And the second one is from my favorite novel, “To Kill A Mockingbird,” by Harper Lee.
“When he was nearly thirteen, my brother Jem got his arm broken at the elbow.”
Both sentences hook you immediately. A few simple words speak volumes. After reading or hearing those words, you naturally lean in. You want to learn more. You want to find out what happens next. Every effective speech or presentation does the same thing.
Of course, make sure that the first and last thing you say to your audience is both relevant and appropriate. I share this out of an abundance of caution. I once worked for an internationally recognized and well-respected children’s research hospital and I was given the privilege to speak at a national educational convention. The room was filled wall to wall with teachers. I thought I’d be cute and add a little levity. I opened my presentation with this line, “You know, I’ve had nightmares like this…” Instead of the roars of laughter, I was expecting, a wave of silence ensued. Not only was the line not funny, but it was also wholly inappropriate and I immediately lost my audience. Not my best day. Learn from my mistakes.
Finally, let’s touch on the importance of approaching a speech as a conversation. You and I are sitting here enjoying our coffee and having a friendly, relaxed conversation. Strive for that every chance you get. You may not always have that luxury. Some speeches and presentations simply demand formality. But even in those cases, you can usually make it somewhat conversational. I always try to write my speeches in a conversational style. Like I’m talking to a friend…or trying to make a new one.
So, to recap: tell a story, learn your lines, hook your audience with a simple sentence, close with a question or call to action, use repetition, keep it conversational, treat your audience as a friend, and give yourself permission to relax.
Above all, be yourself. Allow yourself to be as relaxed as you are with those closest to you. If you’re relaxed, if you try to think of your audience as a friend, then, in most cases, they too will relax and they will root for you. Even if they disagree with what you are telling them, they will respect you and they will listen.
How about another cup?
Remember This!
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Advanced Public Speaking Copyright © 2021 by Lynn Meade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.
You’ve heard the saying, “First impressions are lasting; you never get a second chance to create a good first impression” — right?
The same is true when talking about how to start a speech…
The truth is, when you start your speech, you must focus everything on making a positive first impression on your audience members (especially if you are doing the presentation virtually ). Capturing the audience’s attention from the very beginning is crucial to prevent them from being distracted, losing interest, or forming negative opinions.
The introduction is the formal greeting for speeches, so let’s be sure to get this right to hook the audience. Understanding the importance of speech openings can significantly impact making a strong first impression. Planning and delivering the first words with confidence and relevance is essential, as they set the tone for the entire presentation and ensure you deliver a professional start, free from hesitation or irrelevance.
Here are 15 different ways to start a speech as well as 2 extra BONUS tips at the end.
You can start by thanking the audience for coming and thanking the organization for inviting you to speak.
Refer to the person who introduced you or to one or more of the senior people in the organization in the audience.
This compliments them, makes them feel proud and happy about your presence, and connects you to the audience like an electrical plug in a socket.
A presentation tip at the start is to tell the audience members how much they will like and enjoy what you have to say.
For example, you might say:
“You’re really going to enjoy the time we spend together this evening. I’m going to share with you some of the most important ideas that have ever been discovered in this area.”
Remember that speaking is an art, so be an artist and take complete control of your performance,
You can begin by complimenting the audience members sincerely and with great respect.
Smile as if you are really glad to see them as if they are all old friends of yours that you have not seen for quite a while.
You can tell them that it is a great honor for you to be here, that they are some of the most important people in this business or industry, and that you are looking forward to sharing some key ideas with them.
You could say something like:
“It is an honor to be here with you today. You are the elite, the top 10 percent of people in this industry. Only the very best people in any field will take the time and make the sacrifice to come so far for a conference like this.”
Use a current event front-page news story to transition into your subject and to illustrate or prove your point. You can bring a copy of the newspaper and hold it up as you refer to it in your introduction.
This visual image of you holding the paper and reciting or reading a key point rivets the audience’s attention and causes more people to lean forward to hear what you have to say.
For many years, I studied military history…
Especially the lives and campaigns of the great generals and the decisive battles they won. One of my favorites was Alexander the Great. Standing in the symbolic shadow of such historical figures can provide a powerful and engaging start to any speech, especially when drawing parallels to contemporary challenges.
One day, I was asked to give a talk on leadership principles to a roomful of managers for a Fortune 500 company.
I decided that the campaign of Alexander the Great against Darius of Persia would make an excellent story that would illustrate the leadership qualities of one of the great commanders in history.
I opened my talk with these words:
“Once upon a time there was a young man named Alex who grew up in a poor country. But Alex was a little bit ambitious. From an early age, he decided that he wanted to conquer the entire known world. But there was a small problem.
Most of the known world was under the control of a huge multinational called the Persian Empire, headed by King Darius II. To fulfill his ambition, Alex was going to have to take the market share away from the market leader, who was very determined to hold on to it.
This is the same situation that exists between you and your major competitors in the market today. You are going to have to use all your leadership skills to win the great marketing battles of the future.”
You can start by quoting a well-known person or publication that recently made an interesting or important statement.
One of the subjects I touch upon regularly is the importance of continual personal development.
I will say something like:
“In the twenty-first century, knowledge and know-how are the keys to success. As basketball coach Pat Riley said, ‘If you are not getting better, you are getting worse.’”
Start by telling a story about a recent conversation with someone in attendance.
For instance, I might say:
“A few minutes ago, I was talking with Tom Robinson in the lobby. He told me that this is one of the very best times to be working in this industry, and I agree.”
You can start your talk by making a shocking statement of some kind.
For example, you might say something like:
“Here’s a startling fact: According to a recent study, there will be more change, more competition, and more opportunities in this industry in the next year than ever before. And 72 percent of the people in this room will be doing something different within two years if they do not rapidly adapt to these changes.”
Click here If you want to learn more techniques to wow your audience.
You can start by quoting a relevant, recent research report.
One example is:
“According to a story in a recent issue of Businessweek, there were almost 11 million millionaires in America in 2018, most of them self-made.”
The French philosopher Gustav Le Bon once wrote, “The only religion of mankind is, and always has been hope.”
When you speak effectively, you give people hope of some kind.
Remember, the ultimate purpose of public speaking, is to inspire people to do things that they would not have done in the absence of your comments.
Everything you say should relate to the actions you want people to take and the reasons that they should take those actions.
Bill Gove used to walk onto the stage after his introduction if he had just finished talking to someone on the side and was breaking off to give his talk to the group.
The audience got the feeling that his entire talk was one continuous conversation, devoid of meaningless filler words .
Bill would often go to the edge of the stage and then drop his voice in a conspiratorial way, open his arms, and beckon the audience members to come a little closer.
He would say, “Come here, let me tell you something,” and then he would wave them forward as though he was about to tell a secret to the entire room.
The amazing thing was that everyone in the room would lean forward to hear this “secret” that he was about to share. People would all suddenly realize what they were doing and break out in laughter. It was a wonderful device to get the audience into the palm of his hands.
You can open by making a positive statement and then pose a rhetorical question to engage your audience and set the stage for your presentation.
Try something like this:
“This is a great time to be alive and in business in America. But let me ask you, what does it truly mean to be self-employed in today’s economy?”
Raise your hand to indicate what you want people to do. I have used this line, and after a moment of thought, I then say to someone who looks intrigued in the front, “How many people here feel truly self-employed?”
Invariably, someone will say, “We all do!”
I then compliment and affirm the answer: “You’re right! We are all self-employed, from the time we take our first jobs to the day that we retire; we all work for ourselves, no matter who signs our paychecks.”
Similarly, a 17-year-old science fair winner effectively engaged their audience with a question at the beginning of their TED Talk, showcasing the power of this technique.
You can start with a problem that must be solved. If it is a problem that almost everyone has in common, you will immediately have the audience’s complete and undivided attention.
For example, you could say:
“Fully 63 percent of baby boomers are moving toward retirement without enough money put aside to provide for themselves for as long as they are going to live. We must address this problem and take action immediately to ensure that each person who retires will be able to live comfortably for the rest of his or her natural life.”
Introducing a new idea at this point can be a powerful way to engage your audience further, by promising a solution that is both innovative and beneficial.
You can start by making a strong and powerful statement and then ask a question. You then follow with an answer and ask another question. This gets people immediately involved and listening to your every word.
Here’s an example:
“Twenty percent of the people in our society make 80 percent of the money. Are you a member of the top 20 percent? If not, would you like to join the top 20 percent or even the top 10 percent? Well, in the next few minutes, I am going to give you some ideas to help you become some of the highest-paid people in our society. Would that be a good goal for our time together today?”
You can start your talk with a personal story. Some of the most powerful words to capture the complete attention of the audience and make a personal connection are, “Once upon a time…”
From infancy and early childhood, people love stories of any kind. When you start off a presentation with a personal anecdote using the words, “Once upon a time…” you tell the audience that a relatable story is coming. People immediately settle down, become quiet, and lean forward, eager to hear how your experience might mirror their own or offer them new insights.
When I conduct full-day seminars and I want to bring people back to their seats after a break, I will say loudly, “Once upon a time there was a man, right here in this city…”
As soon as I say these words, people hurry back to their seats and begin to listen attentively, connecting with the story on a personal level.
Incorporating a personal story is very effective.
In fact, it’s probably one of the best public speaking tips I’ve learned to this day.
Very often, I will start a serious speech or presentation to a business, sales, or entrepreneurial group by saying:
“I started off without graduating from high school. My family had no money. Everything I accomplished in life I had to do on my own with very little help from anyone else.”
It is amazing how many people come up to me after a talk that began with those words and tells me that was their experience as well.
They tell me that they could immediately identify with me because they too had started with poor grades and limited funds, as most people do. As a result, they were open to the rest of my talk, even a full-day seminar, and felt that everything I said was more valid and authentic than if I had been a person who started off with a successful background.
Building a bridge like this is very helpful in bringing the audience onto your side.
You can ask people to turn to the person next to them to discuss a particular point.
For instance, you could say:
“Tell the person next to you what you would like to learn from this seminar.”
Whatever you ask your audience members to do, within reason, they will do it for you. Your commands and your thought leadership will easily influence them, as long as you ask them with confidence.
By following any one of these tips for starting your speech, you are sure to grab your audience’s attention every time. How do you start a speech? Let me know in the comments.
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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .
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12 of the best attention getters to start a speech
By: Susan Dugdale | Last modified: 01-12-2023
The audience settles in their seats. The lights dim. You walk out to the center of the stage. You pause, take a deep breath, open your mouth and begin.
What you say over the next 30 seconds to introduce your speech or presentation is crucial.
That's how much time you have to make a positive impression on your audience. In it they will decide whether or not you have anything relevant or useful to say. Those first impressions count!
So how do you write an effective speech introduction to grab and hold their attention?
Begin by finding out how to choose the right opener.
3. What if?
5. Key fact
7. Rhetorical
9. Headlines
10. History
11. Challenge
The better way to make your choice of opener is after you have carefully considered who you are talking to and why you're talking to them.
One size does not fit all. Different audiences will respond differently. If you are giving the same speech multiple times think about what you may need to change to fit.
To work well your opening needs to be aligned with:
Both the hook * to catch their attention and your topic must be relevant to them. Unless they're a captive audience, they've come freely to listen to you and they're expecting something of value from you.
How are you going to let them know they're in the right place? Why should they listen? What are they going to get or gain through listening?
Out of all the different ways to open, what attention getter is absolutely the best way?
The only way I know to work out what is best is to go through each of them, and as you do, consider your audience. Make a short list of those you think might work then try them out before making your final choice.
* hook – an opening statement that immediately captures the audience's attention just like a well baited hook on a fishing line catches a fish.
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Ask the audience to use their imagination. Get them to build evocative compelling images in their minds. Make them large. Add vibrant color, sound and movement.
For example:
“Let's take a break. Make yourself comfortable. Now close your eyes for a moment. Take a deep breath, and you're there, in the place where you feel the most at ease, the place where all the tensions, all the demands of your normal everyday life disappear. Look around you. See it. Feel it. It's so good, it's perfect."
“Close your eyes. Take a deep breath and a moment to picture in your mind the people dearest to you, the people you feel you could not live without. Now when did you talk to them, or spend real time with them last?"
Choose an image or an object related to your speech, for instance a pair of shoes, to trigger interest and build a connection.
For example, if I were giving a speech on the lives of upper-middle class 19th century women I could open by holding up a pair of ornately decorated kid leather pumps.
“What's the name of the young woman who wore these? Listen. Can you hear the rustle of her silk skirts? And hear her heart beat bom-biddy-bom as the beau of the ball stepped her way? Would he, or wouldn't he ask her to dance?”
'What if...?' invites an audience to consider the possibilities of something becoming real. They can be positive somethings or negative, trivial or something that would have a significant impact if it came to pass.
The power of a 'what if...?' rhetorical question as an opener lies in the potency of the images and feelings it triggers. A well-chosen 'what if...?' will immediately have an audience wanting to hear the rest of your speech.
To be effective a quotation doesn't have to be the clever quip or snippet of enduring wisdom: a famous quote from a well known person. It's origin could be personal, something someone important in your life said that's remained with you.
For example, my Mother answered all initial wails of outrage, pain or hurt from any of her five children with a command. "Breathe!" That was repeated, interwoven with encouraging asides, until whoever it was, was able to talk clearly and be understood. "It's OK.", she'd say. "Breathe. Come on. You can do it. Breathe. That's it. Keep going. Good."
Or I could use this line from one of my high school reports which read, "...with further maturity she should do well." (Thank you Mr Phillips. Your prediction was right on target.)
Or this from our son aged four as he watched me getting ready for another day of teaching: "When I grow up I'm going to wear pretty dresses and go to school just like you."
Choose an interesting key fact as an attention getting device: one of the most rarely known, or a shocking statistic from the body of your speech to open with.
For example: "Take a guess at what the most powerful and frequently used word is in the English language?
It's not one of those usually thought of candidates. Love? No. Money? Nope. Neither is it any member of your family... Mum, Dad, brother, sister, son, or daughter.
It's a three letter word, so common it's overlooked and taken for granted. 'The'. It's the humble 'the'."
(For more see this BBC article: Is this the most powerful word in the English language?
Or: "Between 2020/21 and 2021/2022, Americans consumed about 11 million metric tons of sugar, up from about 10 million metric tons in 2009/2010. Can you even begin to imagine the size of that sweet white mountain?"
(For more see: US sugar consumption statistics )
Share a personal story related to your specific topic as the beginning of a speech. Done well, it lets the audience know you understand their situation and helps establish your credibility: your right to talk on the subject.
As an example here's the opening of a speech I gave about the impact of suicide on families and friends:
“One fine Spring day I biked home from school and found a policemen guarding our backdoor. Through it came sounds I'll never forget: my quiet Mother screaming. He said, "You can't go in."
I kicked him in the shins and did. It was the 15th of September, three days before my thirteenth birthday and my father was dead. Killed by his own hand. Suicide.”
(If you want to find out more about the speech and read it, it's here: After they're gone . It's an example persuasive speech using the five steps of Monroe's Motivated Sequence.)
These are questions that although they are asked, they're never really intended to be answered by anyone other than the person asking them. * Their principal function is to act as a segue, or lead in, to what the person intends to say next. For instance, the first main point of your introduction.
Examples: "What if I were to say to you that there was no such thing as public speaking fear?"
"What do you think the main benefits of being able to speak up in public are?"
* Although there's bound to be someone in your audience who will. Be ready for them, and move on.
These questions bring speaker and audience together, establishing a common ground, a mutual understanding, which is an effective way to ease into a speech. If your question 'works' you'll see heads nodding in agreement.
Take headlines from what's trending in media you know the audience will be familiar with and see.
Using those that relate to your speech topic as the opening of your speech is a good way to grab the attention of the audience. It shows how relevant and up-to-the-minute the topic is.
For example: "'Death toll soars to 76 in Florida after Hurricane Ian demolished entire communities.' 'Noru became a super typhoon in 6 hours. Scientists say powerful storms are becoming harder to forecast.' 'Hurricane Orlene strengthens into Category 4 storm as it heads toward western Mexico.'
Three front page headlines from CNN just today. Climate change. Let's do what we can."
If you're giving a speech to celebrate a special birthday or an anniversary, consider using several carefully selected events that occurred on the same day as a speech opening. They could be either funny or serious, depending on the specific purpose of your speech. They're a great way to place the person in a much wider context and often with exalted company.
For example: "What do the 1863 National Thanksgiving Day proclamation by President Abraham Lincoln, National Boyfriend Day, and Gwen Stefani have in common with Joe? Yes, the 3rd of October! It's a great date made better by being Joe's birthday. And we say Gwen is truly privileged to have the same one as him."
Let the audience know first thing, at the beginning of the speech, what action you expect they'll be able to take by the time your presentation is complete. Then when you come to the final points, repeat the call to action, or challenge, as part of your closing statement.
For example: "I've a challenge for you. That's to sign up for our public speaking course. Right now you may not see yourself doing that. Public speaking? Me? I'd rather have a root canal done, without painkillers. However, by the end of the presentation...well, let's see. There's a first time for everything!"
Use a startling statement, a fact, or a series of facts, to jolt the audience into paying attention.
"Covid. We've had 1.06 million of us die in the US, so far. Today there are nearly 60,00 new cases. More mothers, fathers, friends, colleagues, children – people. People ill. People who might die. So why have we stopped wearing masks?"
For more: Google: Covid stats US
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Practical Media Training and Public Speaking Tips
We don’t want to break it to you, but you don’t really have all that much time. As a public speaker or presenter, you have but a scant few moments to open a speech or presentation with a powerful hook. Here, we offer 25 great ways on how to open a speech.
But first, a quick note about the two elements any speech opening should possess: it must be engaging and on message . The way you open a speech gets them in the door and your main point, or message, keeps them in their seats.
Notice that we said engaging and on message. A funny opening joke may engage the audience, but if it’s not directly related to your presentation’s main message , your audience may only remember the joke. There’s nothing funny about that.
What does it mean to be on message? First, you need one. As part of our public speaking workshops , we encourage our clients to themselves a simple question: What is the one thing, more than anything else, I want this audience to remember from my presentation six months from now? That one thing typically is your overarching message .
Some examples:
“Our nonprofit organization’s donations are surging and have more than made up for the dip in last year’s contributions.” “This program for at-risk youth is as beneficial for the overall community as it is for the actual participants. “ “My new product may look like many others, but what it delivers is unlike anything else on the shelf.”
Your messages are meaningful, but they become memorable when you frame them within the context of your open.
Just as a storefront business owner draws customers with their window display, or a publisher gets a sale because of an eye-catching book cover, your speech opening hooks your audience and keeps them in their seats.
The first few moments of your presentation are vital for its success.
For that reason, your presentation opening speech needs to be as engaging as possible. Niceties, such as introductions or thank-yous, or relevant (but uninteresting) logistical information are impediments to getting your audience immediately invested in your topic. We show you all about the three parts you should have in your presentation open here .
The opens that follow allow you to leap directly into the heart of your message and convey your main takeaway points quickly, creatively, and effectively. Your audience’s attention is precious. Give them an open that convinces them their investment of time will be worth it.
These opens, from our book 101 Ways to Open a Speech , represent a mix of styles and methods. You can open your presentation speech with a third-person anecdote or share your own story. You can be persuasive or utilize the element of surprise. Some speech openers tell a story, others frame a topic, and a couple rely on modern technology. There’s a way to open a speech that is right for you, that reflects your personality, and that serves your specific goals and topics.
1. The Common Ground Open – Is there a gap between you and the audience? Perhaps you’re a 70-something speaking to some high school students, or a conservative Republican addressing a group of left-leaning advocates. If you have any chance of succeeding in sharing your message, you’ll need to close the gap quickly. Opening with a shared story, statistic, goal, or interest, and doing so with humility and grace, is an excellent way to bring the audience closer to you and to show them they have something to gain by listening to you. Imagine that a CEO of a large investment company is about to talk finances to a group of entry-level employees at one of your many locations. Here’s how she could start:
“You may not think I know what it is like to struggle, but at your age I was scraping for pennies, working two jobs, and still barely managing to pay my rent. It got easier when I learned to make my money work as hard as I was. It’s a lesson I plan to share with you today .”
2. Descriptive Open – A school administrator is talking to teachers about a new approach to student test prep. He could say:
“With your help, we are going to implement new lessons that reduce the rate of failure by increasing students’ opportunities to experience success.”
Are you still awake? Abstract concepts like “rate of failure,” “opportunities,” and “success” don’t exactly rouse an audience. When words are vivid, messages gain power and pop. Concrete and descriptive words, as opposed to abstract concepts, put the audience in the middle of the action. This version would be better:
“No one wants to see that big red ‘F’ on a test – not a student, not a teacher, and not a parent. With our new approach, and your help, we’ll be able to hand out a lot more ‘A’s’ and ‘B’s’—and the students would have worked hard to earn them.”
4. The Third-Person Anecdote Open – Stories are great ways to communicate the human condition. Therefore, choose a story or anecdote you’ve heard along the way – or pick one out of the local newspaper or online news story – and use it to reinforce your presentation’s main message. However, don’t start by saying, “I’d like to begin with a story.” Just start with the action:
“Three years ago, Walt Harris had his dream job, dream spouse, and dream home. He worked out five days a week, ate well, and mediated on weekends. Then he received a diagnosis from his doctor that changed his life. In the past three years, Walt lost his job, lost his home, and is close to facing divorce. Unfortunately, almost all of this was preventable.”
5. The Show of Hands Open – How many of you think this way to open a speech is overdone? How many of you think it could be done better? The question you pose should challenge conventional thinking, lead to a counterintuitive conclusion, or add a dose of unexpected humor. Likewise, this strategy works well if you are trying to sway the audience to reconsider previously held positions or beliefs. You must be quick on your feet to transition from the audience’s answers to the point you are trying to make:
“So, you think the sky is blue? Well, I’m going to tell you what happens on those days when it appears to be green.”
6. The Fable Open – Do you have something to preach but don’t want to sound preachy? If you lead off with a fable, or one of its literary cousins (allegories and parables), you can delve into moral lessons and insights about human behavior, all without sounding too heavy. In her book, “The Story Factor,” Annette Simmons writes that stories provide a more accessible route. A story, she says, is a “more dynamic tool of influence. Story gives people enough space to think for themselves.”
7. The Contrast Open – If speeches were boxing matches, you’d use the contrast open every time. This technique showcases the difference between diametrically opposed concepts, positions, ideas, or words. As a result, this approach is useful if you want to persuade others to change their perspective or embrace something new. Here are some of the themes that work well:
8. The Information Gap – You know you will be facing a crowd of people who are quite knowledgeable about your subject. That’s OK. As it turns out, people who know a lot about a topic are still just as interested in learning about the parts of the topic they don’t know, according to American educator and economist George Loewenstein . If you can find a kernel of knowledge that exposes the gap or looks at the topic in a different way, you’ve given your audience ample reason to stick around to the end.
9. The Unexpected Definition Open – Dictionaries obviously do their jobs and do them well. However, there are times when a word gains more power when it is redefined. Say you are a valedictorian and you want to share how much your fellow students mean to you. Here’s a start:
“The dictionary defines classmate as a member of your class, but I define you all as so much more than that. We were each other’s friends, confidants, mentors, and guides. As worthy opponents, we challenged one other on the field and in the classroom. We were each other’s keepers and cheerleaders. And, we now can define ourselves as fellow graduates.”
10. “This Day in History” Open – This day in history you learned there were 25 ways to open a speech. That is a historical fact, but not a great citation. Fortunately, there are plenty of worthy, significant, thought-provoking, and interesting events you can find – a simple online search yields thousands – to illustrate your main point.
11. The Incorrect (or Ironic) Quote – Back in 2004, Microsoft’s Bill Gates told the world, “Two years from now, spam will be solved.” Oh yeah? Hindsight is 20/20, but that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from the trove of ill-considered observations and incorrect assumptions about the future. Leading a presentation with an incorrect quote can help you transition to many powerful points, including the risks of false assumptions, the dangers of being slow to change, and the speed of evolution.
“We’re going to go on a dive to the deep sea. Anyone that’s had that lovely opportunity knows that for about two-and-a-half hours on the way down, it’s a perfectly, positively pitch-black world.”
When combined with a series of video images featuring bioluminescent sea creatures, the open transported the audience deep into the world of ocean exploration all from the comfort of their hotel meeting room.
13. The Bookend Open – Like the inseparable friends that they are, the Bookend Open must go with the Bookend Close, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Consequently, the theme, story, example, joke, theme, or fact that you offer in the open must return – in some fashion – for a visit in the end.
14. Rapid-Fire Statistics Open – A dietician wants to warn her audience about the dangers of gaining weight on a diet rich in fast food meals. She could start like this:
“Between 2013 and 2016, more than 1 in 3 American adults took a turn through the drive-thru or approached the counter to grab a fast food meal on any given day. For children and teens, a fast food diet has been associated with higher caloric intake and poor diet quality. That double whammy is a reality that more young people face, as studies have found caloric intake from fast food on the rise for children aged 2 to 18. The industry itself shows no signs of slowing. The fast food industry is a $198.9 billion business in the United States. It’s expected to grow by more than $20 billion by 2020.”
This data stacking is less about individual numbers and more about the broader point she is trying to convey. The main takeaway is this: Society’s propensity for fast food is growing and affecting the health of children and teens.
15. The Mystery Open – They fill bookshelves and dominate television listings. What are they? Those mysteries, psychological thrillers, and police procedurals readers and viewers can’t seem to get enough of. A mystery works fine for an open, too. Here’s one way to do it: Pose a single question at the start of your talk and then answer it piece by piece during your presentation – leaving the big reveal for the close.
16. The Multiple Choice – It’s better than the tests you remembered as a student or the online surveys you are asked to take. That’s because it’s your multiple-choice test and it’s the way you can draw your audience to your topic. This open is tailor-made for a talk with multiple perspectives about an issue or different solutions for the same problem. Here’s an example:
“As a company, we have several directions we can take in terms of growth and increased sales. We could a.) buy up smaller companies to diversify our portfolio of services, b.) cull some of our services and move resources to focus on only a few or, c.) we could opt to franchise. I’m going to spend some time on each and then offer the option that I think is the way for us to go.”
17. The Challenge Open – Challenges spur audiences to act or deliver on a goal. You could open a speech with a challenge if you are seeking legislative change, raising money for a project, looking to increase sales, or asking for volunteers. The main objective is motivation. The audience not only needs to buy-in to your message but take the actions to manifest it. Here’s one way to do that:
“Dreamers see possibilities where others see obstacles. I am here today to call upon my fellow dreamers to encourage those who are hesitant about the project to look past the stumbling blocks we face in the construction of this community playground and consider giving kids a chance to play.”
18. The Skeptical Audience Open – A doubting audience is a difficult audience – there is no getting around it. They may be untrusting of your ideas or against what you are proposing. Perhaps they have been disappointed in the past or are simply stuck in their ways. The more “hostile” the crowd, the faster you need to address the gap. While every open needs to be a blend of your goals and audience needs, this one requires careful consideration. Here’s the formula:
19. The Rhetorical Question Open – Do you think opening with a question engages audience members? Yes, it does. This method engages the audience from the get-go. A CEO might pose this question:
“We offer great services. We have a loyal customer base. And, we make improvements every year. So, why are we not No. 1 in our market?”
21. The Activity Open – Of all the 25 ways to open, this one triggers the most immediate engagement. Use it during training sessions and workshops when you are trying to teach a specific skill. When an audience engages in an activity right from the start, they recognize the benefits of listening to the rest of what you have to say. Make sure the activity is challenging, however. If they breeze through it, they’ll spend the rest of the workshop twiddling their thumbs.
22. The Self-Effacing Open – Remember the speaker who offered a joke, only to have that become his message? Well, in this way to open a speech, humor also must be deftly handled. Modesty and humility are the hallmarks of people who can laugh at themselves – which are both traits that can attract an audience. If you are planning to laugh at your own expense, just make sure it’s not at a cost. Stay away from jokes that question your credibility or diminish the topic of your speech. And make sure your self-deprecating humor doesn’t sound too self-pitying (“I hope, like my receding hairline, you won’t similarly retreat for the exit before I am done.”). You don’t want the audience thinking about your weaknesses or paying undue attention to them.
24. The PowerPoint Open – Ahh, the PowerPoint presentation … when used correctly it is a highly effective tool for the audience. When used incorrectly, it induces a snoozefest. Overly literal slides typically fall flat, while conceptual (and eye-catching) images make your words even more memorable. If you plan on using technology front and center, you should pick an image that captivates and intrigues, and forms a segue into the opening you want to tell. For instance, you are presenting a talk on how to create a stunning painting. You could begin with a slide that shows a big, bold, and colorful painting. You say:
“This painting is the manifestation of dozens of choices and decisions the artist made along the way from concept to completion. We only see the final product, but the real art is the way it all comes together.”
As you proceed, you show slides in reverse, moving from final product to blank canvas. Along the way, you bring the viewer through each step.
25. The Study Hall Open – Some presenters are faced with the dilemma of sharing data-heavy charts and graphs. To rely solely on PowerPoint is potentially ineffective – just too much data at once. So, take your audience back to school and to all those handouts. Edward Tufte , an expert in data visualization and a professor emeritus at Yale University, suggests using the “study hall” method. At the beginning of the session, distribute the handouts and ask the audience to read them. Following their review, you are off to the races. Your task is not to repeat what they have read but offer context and meaning. “
Back in 1973, a horse named Secretariat ran the Kentucky Derby in 1 minute and 59 seconds – breaking the two-minute mark for the first time in the then 99-year history of the race. His record still stands.
It doesn’t take a lot of time to do something great. The way you open a speech may not break any records, but it can have a long-standing effect on your audience. From the very start, you have an opportunity to influence others, establish rapport, and exhibit creativity. When done well, such effort is rewarded. Your audience not only connects with you during your talk but also remembers what you said long after your speech is done.
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Speak for success.
"Be a voice not an echo." - Albert Einstein
Want to move audiences? Develop a powerful opening! Here is how to start a speech, including 12 foolproof ways to grab audiences in public speaking.
Let's talk about how to start a speech. When it comes to persuading, inspiring, or influencing an audience, your opening is by far the most important moment in your performance.
So how do you begin a presentation in ways that will get an audience on your side and start you on the road to speaking memorably?
Learn this skill and 101 tips and tricks for more successful speaking in my Public Speaking Handbook, How to Give a Speech . Also available as an Amazon bestseller!
Let's imagine that you're finally pitching to that audience of decision makers. It's the high-stakes opportunity you've been waiting for, and you've put together a killer presentation. There's just one problem: how do you start the thing off with a bang? Remember, anyone can give an ordinary presentation. It's your job to stand out from the crowd for career success.
Your Opening Sets the Tone of Your Presentation
You probably already know you need to begin with power and purpose. You're just not sure how . . . or for that matter, exactly why.
The answer is that, when it comes to influencing listeners in speeches and presentations, two concepts explain why your beginning and ending need to be particularly strong. I'll discuss both concepts here, then provide some powerful tools for your opening gambit: your speech Introduction .
Ready to set your audience on fire?
This article is available as a free PDF . Click here to download "How to Start a Speech - 12 Foolproof Ways to Grab Your Audience!" Learn and practice starting out powerfully!
Your Introduction and Conclusion Need to Be Strong
The two concepts concerning why you need to start and end strongly, are primacy and recency . Primacy states that people remember most vividly what they hear at the beginning of a speech. Recency says those same people will strongly recall what you say at the end. In terms of public speaking, this translates into your introduction and conclusion. And you really do need to start early. Here's how to create an opening your audience will remember .
In more practical terms, there are three specific reasons why your introduction needs to be engaging and interesting immediately :
(1) Audiences make judgments about you and your message in the first minute. After that point, you'll be able to change those opinions about as easily as you can change a hamster into a ham sandwich. So here's how to be strong in the first 60 seconds of your speech .
(2) Your opening sets the entire tone of your presentation (including whether you'll be interesting or not).
(3) This is when you introduce your message and tell the audience why they should listen.
Sound like a tall order? It isn't, if you use the seven key components of successful presentations . Your audience needs to be both fully engaged and predisposed favorably toward you and your message. Neither will happen unless you can grab their attention, so they're onboard when you spin your verbal magic. Keep reading to learn how that's done.
Ready to boost your influence with stakeholders? Grab your copy of my book, Speak for Leadership . Learn an executive speech coach's secrets! Get it today here or on Amazon .
Achieving the objective of a 'grabbing' opening takes thought, a bit of imagination, and yes, a little creativity. The good news is that since you know your topic well and you're psyched up for the big game (it's an audience of decision-makers, remember?), you should be well positioned to succeed.
Primacy won't have much of a chance to operate, though, if you use what I call the 'Today, I'm going to talk about . . .' opening. This is boring! Be on the lookout instead for something that will pique the interest of your listeners, and perhaps surprise them. And here's something else you absolutely need to know: 20 ways to connect with an audience for lasting influence .
A few minutes of focused thinking should be all you need to know how to come up with an effective opening. And remember to avoid that I call introducing your introduction. That sounds like this: 'Let me start out with a story . . .', or, 'I heard a very funny joke the other day . . . ' Or even the inexplicable 'Before I begin . . . ' since you've already begun!
Just tell us the story, the joke, or the in-the-know reference that will delight your listeners. But if you signal your effect beforehand, you water down its potency and its power to surprise.
So how can you be completely focused and on your game?
As a springboard to launching your presentation with verve and originality, here are a dozen rhetorical devices you can use. Each of them is an effective 'speech hook that you can use to start any speech or presentation:
You could literally think of dozens more from your own experience or that of your audience. Remember, the best grabbers engage an audience immediately, both intellectually and emotionally. Interestingly, these same devices can be used to conclude in a way that keeps your audience thinking about what you said. It's all part of my six rules for effective public speaking .
Coming up with an exciting grabber and clincher involves some work on your part. But the rewards if you're successful more than justify the effort.
How about a few examples? Here are four great openings that illustrate some of the grabbers listed above:
Jesus , Sermon on the Mount: "Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." — Startling statement.
Bill Clinton , 1993 speech in Memphis to ministers (after having heard himself introduced as "Bishop Clinton"): "You know, in the last ten months, I've been called a lot of things, but nobody's called me a bishop yet. When I was about nine years old, my beloved and now departed grandmother, who was a very wise woman, looked at me and she said, 'You know, I believe you could be a preacher if you were just a little better boy.'" — Humor
Jane Fonda in her TED Talk "Life's Third Act": "There have been many revolutions over the last century, but perhaps none as significant as the longevity revolution. We are living on average today 34 years longer than our great-grandparents did. Think about that: that's an entire second adult lifetime that's been added to our lifespan." — Statistic.
Steve Jobs , 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University: "Truth be told, I never graduated from college, and this is the closest I've ever gotten to a college graduation. Today, I want to tell you three stories from my life. That's it, no big deal—just three stories. The first story is about connecting the dots. I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another eighteen months or so before I really quit. So why'd I drop out? It started before I was born." — Story, with a seamless transition into his speech.
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Gary Genard is an actor, author, and expert in public speaking and overcoming speaking fear. His company, The Genard Method offers live 1:1 Zoom executive coaching and corporate group training worldwide. He was named for nine consecutive years as One of the World’s Top 30 Communication Professionals , and also named as One of America's Top 5 Speech Coaches . He is the author of the Amazon Best-Sellers How to Give a Speech and Speak for Leadership: An Executive Speech Coach's Secrets for Developing Leadership Presence . His book, Fearless Speaking , was named in 2019 as "One of the 100 Best Confidence Books of All Time." He is also the author of the Dr. William Scarlet Mysteries . Contact Gary here.
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Maybe you know this: you may or must give a speech, but how do you start? Whether you’re giving a speech as an employer or to your colleagues, or you’re an external keynote speaker, the principles are always the same. Likewise, your preparation is not much different: whether it’s a keynote at a kick-off event , the festive speech at the company Christmas party , a motivational speech at a team event or even a laudatory speech at an awards ceremony – the search for the right begining should not be left to chance.
How do you get your audience’s attention so that they want to listen and can follow you easily? How do you sound interesting? In this article you will get the necessary tips for your ideal start for your next speech to inspire your audience. I have collected these speech introductions and examples in my work in the field of public speaking as a presenter and keynote speaker in front of over 5 million people.
Why is the beginning, i.e. the first few minutes of a presentation, so important? This is where the first impression is being made. Your audience intuitively decides within a few seconds whether they like the speaker and want to follow. After that, you still have up to three minutes to pick up your audience with the content of your speech.
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There’s a saying that goes, “ There’s no second chance for a first impression. ” It takes between 100 milliseconds and 7 seconds for your audience to get the same impression of you. If you as a speaker fail to make that first impression, no matter how impressive your speech, it will be very difficult to pick up your audience.
US comedian Jerry Seinfeld , one of the most famous American comedians of the 90s, said that his fame only gives him a starting bonus for the first three minutes – at the latest then he has to deliver. If you don’t enjoy the celebrity bonus in your speeches, that means you have to deliver right from the get go to win over your audience.
Before you can wow people as a speaker and give any thought to content, you need to set the stage. If you want to give a good speech and move your audience from A to B, two things are essential: you need to know where you want to go and where your audience is coming from .
If you don’t know in which direction you want to move your audience, then no amount of tips will get you there. So before you tinker with the ideal introduction, you need to be clear about what your outcome is .
What feeling do you want the audience to have when you leave the stage? What impression do you want to convey as a speaker? Even more public speaking tips you can find here.
If you want to catch a fish, you have to use a bait that tastes good to the fish, not to the fisherman . The same applies to presentations: who decides what is a top speech? That is, of course, in the eye of your audience. Therefore, it is all the more important to know who the people are, listening to your speech.
An American proverb says that your audience doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Your audience won’t pay attention to you until they see that your speech is relevant to them. As a speaker, do you bring examples and tips and answer questions in your main points that matter to the audience? Do your main ideas strike a cord?
Tip: Try to find out as much as possible to know in advance what moves your audience and why people are here today. If you have the opportunity, use the time for successful networking and listen to their needs.
Only after you know your outcome and your audience you can focus on how to start your presentation, because now you know as a speaker in which direction your ship should sail. If you want to give a speech, you need to get your audience interested in you and your main points. For this to happen, you need the attention of your audience.
Speaker Tip: First create attention , then develop interest in your message and your main points to make it worth listening for your audience.
Now let’s look at tips and examples of how you as a speaker can inspire your audience. These tips should give you a guideline from where you can successfully transition from your chosen introduction to the main part and final part of your speech.
An elegant way to begin a speech is with a question . The goal is to engage your listener directly in your opening and generate interest. In order for the question to be effective, it must be tailored to your target audience. The question may be provocative, surprising or even make you smile, but it must be relevant.
For example, if you’re speaking to a group of retirees, a question like “Which one of you went to a disco last weekend?” would be just as out of place as asking a group of Wall street brokers “Which one of you has been involved in stocks?”. Your audience needs to feel like you know who you’re dealing with.
“Who remembers what they did last Saturday night?” was an opening I chose many years ago when giving a speech. Of course, after that, there was a story about my Saturday night that fit right in with the theme of my speech. People were immediately involved and everyone was thinking. Because just about everybody did something last Saturday and so it was relevant… even if many didn’t even remember it.
With questions that fit the topics, you are sure to get the attention of the participants. However, always pay attention to what you trigger in your audience with a question and, if requested, also provide the appropriate answer.
Another speaking tip: When you ask a question, give your audience time to respond . Whether out loud, with a show of hands, or silently, people need time for what you say to have an impact. Of course, questions can also be used during your speech.
Using the words of another person in your speech is a proven way. The art of building a good speech is to pick up your audience where they are. A pointed quote that gets to the heart of your ideas or the occasion is the basic premise for choosing someone else’s statement as your lead-in. If people are familiar with the name of the person you are quoting, it gives you added credibility as a speaker.
Very similar to a quote is using a proverb to start your speech. Again, there is often a deeper wisdom behind it. Link this to the idea of your speech and you have a great introduction.
Again, I’ll give you an example from my own experience when I was asked to give a presentation on the topic of corporate mission statements many years ago. I decided to start with a quote, but the number of quotes on this topic are manageable. However, the corporate mission statement compares very well with the soul for people, and so on this occasion I found a quote on the subject of the soul and then drew the analogy with the corporate mission statement. “Outside the box” solutions are also the speaker’s friend.
A particularly powerful way to start is to share a story or personal real life experience with your audience at the beginning of your presentation. With a personal story, you create compelling moments and build an emotional connection with your audience. However, this is also where the biggest danger lies: your story must absolutely correspond to the facts and at the same time should have a connection to the topic of the event. The audience has a good nose for it, if you serve them a “suitably made” story.
Of course, storytelling is not limited to stories you have experienced yourself. You can also draw on a current or even historical event. Important, as mentioned above, is the connection to the goal of your presentation. Also, make sure that you start right in the relevant event and do not begin with Adam and Eve. Especially extroverted people like to get into narration and then it can happen that you lose the drive to your actual presentation and your audience is no longer on the point.
One of my stage coaching clients, for example, took his audience into a situation right at the beginning of his speech when he was at the start of his first triathlon. He immediately built up a tension, because he put his audience directly into it instead of talking about preparation and planning for the triathlon. Because he also found the right tone, the speech went down great. Bonus tip for your speech: Stories absolutely need to be rehearsed and tailored to your audience and the occasion. This does not mean, as already mentioned, that you add things, but that you leave out unnecessary things. Don’t just tell from memory, but really practice.
Starting with an open loop is something like the supreme discipline. Here, you start with a story, but don’t finish telling it until the end of your speech . This type of introduction is certainly a bit unusual and, in my opinion, more suitable for experienced speakers, especially to keep the tension high.
You start with the open loop in the same way as with storytelling and take your audience along until the point where the tension is at its highest. Instead of the resolution, you lead into the topic of your speech and then come to the main part, where the content is presented with further examples. Only at the end do you pick up the ball of your introductory story again and close the open loop.
As an example, I start one of my keynote speeches with such an open loop: I take the audience on my experience at the New York City Marathon. Since my preparation for it was far from ideal due to injuries, I wasn’t sure until the start how far I would run that day. My speech started with the thoughts going through my head at the start, with my uncertainty but also anticipation. The start of the marathon was then the Open Loop, which I only resolved at the end of the speech.
A parable is a very short to short story which might not even have a plot of its own. While a parable can be told with action, as if something has actually taken place, it can also be about something hypothetical: “Imagine…” or “Suppose…”. In both cases, the point is that we want to make a connection to the content.
The purpose of parables is to pick up the audience as they enter your presentation and provide an emotional experience that immediately introduces them to the topic through your words.
The FFS introduction is particularly useful if you have facts, figures or statistics that are not familiar to your audience and are also unusual. In addition, it must of course fit your topic and possibly support your thesis. A personalized statistic works best to meet your audience’s needs.
When we were designing the outline for one of my Executive Legacy Coaching clients’ investor pitch, we made a conscious decision to start with a number that would probably come as a surprise to many listeners. To back up the pain point that his product solves, he asked the panel how much they thought that an unhappy employee costs a company per year. Starting with that number was so effective because the audience’s estimates were all substantially lower than the true number, creating an a-ha effect.
Another way to start your speech is with a look back . This variant is particularly suitable if you are to give a speech on the occasion of an anniversary or birthday. In your preparation, you should pay special attention to who is sitting in your audience: what connection do they have to the person or the company or the occasion and, above all, have they experienced the period themselves.
Some time ago, I had the privilege of being on stage at a company’s 20th anniversary. In order to give the audience as emotional an experience as possible, I first had to find out who was in the audience. Have people lived through these last 20 years, and are they likely to remember the moment from 20 years ago? Since my audience was mostly over 35 years old I assumed that was the case. Thus I dove into the world of 20 years ago: how did the world look and what moved people at the time? Immediately the people were in the emotions of the memories and from that I could then draw a bow to the company anniversary: “much has changed, but one thing has remained the same…”.
Jokes are for comedians.
There are talented joke tellers and there are those who always flub the punch line. If you feel uncomfortable in the role of the joker, don’t do it. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t spice up the introduction with a little humor. Humor arouses positive emotions and loosens the atmosphere. A humorous introduction, which also works without a joke, signals to the participants that the event will not be dry as dust and that it is worth staying for.
Bonus tip: Humor is different in different regions and works best when you approach your audience with respect and humility.
A provocative introduction is like riding on a razor blade: very dangerous. You have to have an incredible ace up your sleeve to win your audience back. As a rule, I would strongly advise you not to use provocative introductions. If your audience perceives you as an unsympathetic person, no matter how ingenious the content of your speech, it will not bring the desired success.
Some insecure speaker starts his speech with an apology for his insecurity or God knows what else. Please don’t do that. For one thing, the audience usually doesn’t notice it anyway, and for another, it immediately takes something away from your first impression. You might get sympathy for it, but in the rarest cases you will get the attention for your speech.
One of the most important tips I once received was that your audience wants you to win . That’s right, you read that correctly. Your audience wants you to be good. No one sits in the audience hoping for a boring speaker to come on now. Your audience wants you to do your job well. If you feel anxiety on the way to the stage, keep reading.
The key to a perfect introduction lies not only in the preparation for your speech, but also in the emotional preparation in the moments before public speaking. Especially if you are nervous or even feel speech anxiety , it is even more important that you, to present convincingly, are in an ideal state.
Take a deep breath just before your performance, send positive emotions to your audience and off you go. Many speakers also like to take index cards with their notes to be prepared in case of an emergency. The phrase for the introduction as well as for the conclusion I would always write in full. For the main points, keywords are enough here.
When you finally arrive on stage, at first be aware of your audience . Before you begin, start with eye contact and confident body language to radiate stage presence . Only then, when you feel the attention of your audience, you start to talk. This confidence will automatically boost your credibility.
Bonus tip: if you’re unsure about your voice, a little voice training will help.
Of course, the principles for your ideal start also apply at virtual events. So if you hold a webinar or a virtual presentation or are on stage at a hybrid event , nothing will change in the structure of your preparation. The main point in the virtual space is that you have to speak in front of the camera and this should be practiced. The specific elements of structuring your presentation stay the same.
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In this article you have learned how to start your speech in an ideal way. Do you already have an idea which structure you like best? Remember that you always start with your outcome and your audience before you create a thread for your presentation.
The tone makes the music. Former American writer Maya Angelou summed it up this way: “Your audience won’t remember exactly what you said, but they’ll always remember how it made them feel.” Whatever the occasion, take your audience on an emotional journey.
If you feel that you still need help for your next speech or keynote , feel free to contact me or just write me an e-mail ! Together many things are easier.
Which introduction appeals to you the most? Which start to a speech have you learned about here and would like to try out for your next performance? Please leave a comment below and share this article with someone who you think will profit from it. All the best for your next speeches.
There is no second chance for a first impression . The first impression is created in the first few seconds of perception and is crucial to whether your audience perceives you as likeable or unlikeable. If you mess up the first impression, the next few minutes will be a steep uphill climb to get the audience back on your side.
First, take three deep breaths and consciously put a smile on your face. Stand up straight, shoulders back, head up and visualize your audience and your goal. The important thing here is to move as quickly as possible from an internal focus (thinking about you) to an external focus (thinking about your audience). Imagine how your audience will benefit from your speech. For even more tips, I recommend you read my blog post Persuasive presentations: 3 Steps to Your Ideal State in Front of an Audience.
Ideally, you were introduced by a presenter who has also given some interesting background information about you to the audience. However, it always makes sense to leave nothing to chance here and, on the one hand, to discuss your introduction with the presenter upfront and, on the other hand, to include the most important points in your speech. I would always start with an introduction into the topic to get the audience interested and then introduce myself. The best way to find the right introduction is to read this article.
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When you’re giving a speech, it goes without saying that you want your audience to be attentive and engaged.
You’ve probably spent a lot of time crafting what you have to say. And, you want participants to listen and really understand your message.
As you can appreciate, your opening few lines can make or break your presentation. You’ll either have people sitting quietly and paying attention or already beginning to zone out.
So, what’s the key to starting a speech well? The good new is that there are quite a number of great ways to begin.
Your aim is to create interest and set the tone for the rest of your presentation.
Some openers might fit better with certain types of speeches . For example, if you’re seeking to inspire your audience, a motivational quote might be the best method to use.
Having said that, many of these tips can be applied to a variety of different kinds of speeches. Read on for some great advice!
Kick off with a quote.
Quoting someone is a great way to start off.
A quote can be motivational, thought-provoking, humorous or lead to some other reaction entirely.
People love quotes. They’re short succent capsules of ways of looking at the world, often infused with considerable wisdom.
If you can quote a well-known person , this will suggest that your speech has real credibility. Your audience will want to know how the quote supports what you have to say.
Look for something that best introduces your speech topic . Then, expand on the idea behind the quote and show its relevance to the information you’re presenting to the audience, reflecting back on the message in the quote along the way.
Another take on this is to recite a short poem. A few rhyming lines, or a haiku, can pique your audience’s curiosity.
Either way, those listening to you will be very attuned to what comes next!
How many times have your ears perked up when you overhear a fragment of conversation in a coffee shop or restaurant?
Telling and retelling personal stories is a powerful way that humans relate to one another. We gauge our own experience by that of others, and offer comfort or congratulations, as appropriate.
Starting your speech with a tale comes in a few flavours. Here they are:
Each of these approaches can be very effective in drawing participants in. They’ll want to know how the story unfolds, and ponder its relevance to them.
What’s more, participants may be reciting your tale to others and, with each repeating of the story, they’ll remember your speech for years to come.
When people come to hear your talk, they’ll be preparing to listen – not respond.
So, when you begin by asking a question you’ve turned the tables on them, so to speak. This unexpected move gets their immediate attention.
Participants don’t want to be left behind, so they’ll be compelled to listen up to find out how to respond. Here are a several ways you can do this:
For added emphasis, you can follow up any of these types of questions with a second one. Your audience will be captivated and want to know how your talk expands on these questions.
Take your listeners on a journey with you by asking them to visualize being in a situation. This is all the more powerful if you request that they close their eyes for a few minutes .
Begin by asking them to take a few breaths and clear their minds. Then, describe the circumstance you want them to place themselves in.
For instance, if you’re speaking about the importance of environmental sustainability you could have them see a beautiful beach in their mind’s eye with clear water and abundant sea creatures.
Taking this example further, you can then offer a big idea.
Encourage listeners to think about a huge related goal or the ability to have personal influence. A possible question is: “What if you could save every endangered species in the ocean?”.
One impactful way to have them use their imagination is with fairy tale language . Words like “Long ago and far away, there lived . . .” or “Once upon a time . . .” can put participants in the mood to dream about another reality.
The reason this works is that it’s both entertaining and inspiring. People will perceive that they’re in for a unique speech that’s worth their investment of time.
You might also like: How to Tell a Tall Tale Speech
Make a powerful statement of some sort. Better yet, repeat your assertion for effect and pause to let your audience digest what you’ve said.
You could be exposing a problem . For instance, if you’re giving a talk on mental health you might open with a statement about how stigma around mental illness can lead to suicide.
Alternatively, you can declare your opinion . This approach is particularly effective if you’re able to back your opinion up with your expertise.
For instance, if your topic and professional background relate to global warming you might say “As a climate scientist . . .”
Busting a myth is another way to go. Intrigue your audience by giving them factual information that runs counter to what they assume about a given topic.
You can also make a claim about your speech itself.
Tell observers up front how they’ll benefit from your talk. Are they going to be moved to tears? Will they be entertained, or better informed?
Support your claim with a fascinating fact, or statistic, can leave your listeners wanting to learn more.
Beginning your speech this way will let your listeners know immediately that you feel strongly about your topic, and they’ll be eager to hear why.
This idea is somewhat similar to asking a question. It’s an ‘out of the blue’ way to request that listeners pay attention.
Your demand might be as easy as having people introduce themselves to the person sitting next to them, or as difficult as requesting them to make a commitment to stop using disposable plastics.
People may feel a little uncomfortable with what you’re asking, or they might be ready to jump to action.
Whatever their initial response, you’ll certainly have you audience thinking about what you’re saying and trying to anticipate what comes next!
Here’s a simple yet impactful way to begin your talk.
Starting off with silence might seem counterintuitive. After all, you’re anxious to have people hear your speech.
Rather than rushing in, it can be quite effective to not talk right away. Standing confidently on the stage without uttering a word has the impact of quietening the audience.
In simple terms, it lets them know that your speech is about to begin and their attention is needed.
Sure, people may shift in their seats and exchange a few quiet comments. But, give it time and slowly all eyes will be on you.
Strive for about 10 to 15 seconds so it isn’t interpreted as nervousness.
We talk about this in our impromptu speaking guide as well.
Try opening by revealing your personality a little.
This lets others see you as a real person, like them, and not just a talking head. Therefore, they’ll be more ready to give you their ear.
Here are a couple of things to experiment with:
Using a visual aid is a tried-and-true method that you can apply at the beginning of your talk.
It’s well-known that people will connect more to an idea when it’s paired with something tangible that they can see. Basically, using more of our senses reinforces the information we’re receiving.
If your subject is about wellness, for example, you could hold a gift-wrapped box and explain that improving one’s well-being is like giving ourselves a gift.
Here’s another way to use visuals − demonstrate an action .
Maybe you want to speak about winning a golf tournament and all the work that went into preparing for it. Showing off your beautiful golf swing to introduce your speech might help get participants on board.
Take further advantage of visual aids and demonstrations by referring back to them as you proceed with your talk.
Position your presentation with a reference to time and place. Following are a few possibilities:
This method creates interest. People will begin to relive a memory, or travel with you to an imagined point in time.
To make a spectacular splash with your introductory comments, take the time to ensure that you’ve committed them to memory. That includes practicing how you’ll use any props or visual aids.
Don’t forget to pause for effect after your opening. If you’ve had the impact that you’re looking for and people are laughing uncontrollably or so quiet that you can hear a pin drop, take a few breaths before you continue.
Try not to let their reaction take you off course.
A final tip is to make sure to write an amazing speech title . When you’re introduced, the presentation title alone can ignite interest.
Develop a compelling or unorthodox title that you can build on with the opening few lines of your talk.
With so many approaches to choose from, you’re bound to find one that’s a good fit with how you want to engage your audience .
Experiment with a few of these ideas, and see what works best for you!
Related: 12 Ways to End a Speech with a Bang!
What you’ll learn:
“ Well begun is half done” – Mary Poppins.
A killer speech opener will make the difference between a presentation that makes you soar or your audience snore .
I’ve researched the whole web to find nine killer speech openers to make your audience lean in and listen rather than tune out and daydream.
You’ll see how masters of the craft have used them, and how you can too.
Number seven takes hutzpah to pull off. Ready for the whole list of killer speech openers?
One of the best ways to open your speech with a buzz is to startle or shock them.
You can shock an audience in many ways, but they all rest on the major senses of VAKS:
We don’t want your audience tasting your talk, but it should leave a good taste in their mouths.
Changing Minds suggests asking if the audience is awake after appearing from a flashbang and a cloud of smoke, and this might work for you if you’re a magician or playing some kind of character for your speech like a genie.
Suppose you aren’t going for the magic angle.
In that case, you can shock them on a psychological level instead, as Conor Neill recommends, and tell your audience a surprising fact or statistic that makes them question their thinking or beliefs.
“Did you know that half the water on earth is older than the sun?”
Questions like these will shake an audience awake and turn on their critical thinking nervous-system.
Don’t take my word for it; you can see an incredible demonstration of the shock opener in Mohammed Qahtani’s speech, The Power of Words .
Qahtani opens by taking out a cigarette and placing it into his mouth before trying to light it. The audience is so shocked that they gasp and tell him to stop.
Remember, if your audience is shocked, they are listening.
Your audience doesn’t always have to be jolted to attention with a shock opener, though you can use a more subtle approach to grab their focus.
The story opener.
You can set the tone of your speech instantly with a story .
In Hollywood, filmmakers and directors use an ‘establishing shot’ to set the tone and theme of the entire film.
When creating your speech, think of a short story that sums up your talk.
Maybe you tell half the story to begin with, and then the other half at the end.
The important thing is your tale must be relatable . If your audience can’t imagine themselves in the story, they won’t be engaged.
We all experience very similar things in life:
We are all cut from the same cloth, so it’s good to be reminded that others are going through what we face or think as we do.
Bryan Stevenson does a stellar job of recounting his mischievous grandmother in his TED talk, We need to talk about an injustice .
The best thing is, you can combine a story-opener with any other speech opener in this list.
It’s truly versatile.
One of my favourite speech openers is next, though.
I love this speech opener.
What better way to hook your audience than to intrigue them with mystery or a juicy secret?
Take a look at Daniel Pink’s TED Talk The puzzle of motivation . After he begins, Pink, looking like a guilty man sent to the gallows tells his audience:
“I need to confess something, at the outset here. A little over 20 years ago, I did something I regret. Something I’m not particularly proud of”.
Wow. How intriguing, right?
You have to admit; you want to know what he’s about to confess.
Choose every sentence, every word, and every mark of punctuation to increase the tantalisation temperature.
Whether it’s a secret or confession, the Intrigue Opener piques just enough curiosity in your audience to keep them from checking Whatsapp.
As humans, we need closure.
We do not like open loops.
That’s why it is both enthralling and aggravating when someone plays on our need to be sure.
Just as we cannot stand an open loop, we are instantly engaged when someone gives us a puzzle to solve.
I’ve always liked the way Malcolm Gladwell writes his non-fiction books because they contain puzzles that you solve as a reader.
This puzzle needs to be related to the speech or presentation you’re delivering, of course. It cannot be a random puzzle and will ideally be impossible or extremely difficult to solve at first.
After the speech begins and the puzzle is revealed, you should slowly drop hints on how to solve the mystery.
Up next, speech openers that use a physical object to create curiosity in the audience’s mind.
One of the most potent ways you will captivate your audience is to use a powerful prop in your opening address.
What better way to capture an audience’s imagination than to show them a mysterious or beautiful object?
If you’ve never seen the Prop Opener done well, then take a look at one of the greatest speeches of all time:
Dananjaya Hettiarachchi’s, See Something .
Danajaya enters with a simple rose in his breast pocket, takes it out, gazes at it nostalgically, smells it and then begins to speak.
This same prop appears again right at the end of his speech to end his talk with a flourish.
There are many different props you can use.
JJ Abrams used a Mystery Box to absorb the audience’s attention and used the box as a metaphor for his entire career.
If you think the prop opener is just for TED Talks and Toastmasters Final Speeches, remember that most company product launch centre around one or more props.
Steve Jobs revealed his new products in ever-innovative ways.
Still, while the last two speeches I’ve mentioned opened with physical items, most of Jobs’s presentations built intrigue through the sight of the product.
So remember, you can use an object, or tease your audience with the absence of a prop, but make that prop integral to your talk.
You don’t always have to use a prop, of course.
A more minimalist approach to opening your speech uses the best audience reaction a speaker can receive: laughter.
Using laughter to win over your audience is the golden ticket to immediate rapport with your audience.
Jack Schafer, PhD at Psychology Today, said that People Will Like You If You Make Them Laugh , which seems obvious, but at least you know we have scientists on the case.
He also mentions that constructing humour requires and projects a high level of intelligence .
Of course, laughter is subjective, but it is also infectious, and if you get enough members of your audience to titter, it will spread across the whole group.
If you want to see just how quickly you can win an audience over with humour, take a look at Ken Robinson’s subtle but delightful ability to raise a chuckle in his speech Do Schools Kill Creativity?
Ken’s ability to speak conversationally to an audience of thousands is genuinely remarkable.
If you break down his humour, it is easy to see how you could include similar content in your presentations.
Whether you can pull it off as well as Ken is another story.
Not everyone feels like they can be a comedian, though; I get that.
Well, that’s alright because there are other ways to open your talk that play on other strong emotions.
You can inspire your audience too.
One of my favourite ways to help beginner speakers to open their presentation is with a quote.
A quote acts like a story in that it sets the tone and theme of your speech, but it takes much less effort and even less skill.
An effective quote is usually only one line long and supported by the credibility of the original author who uttered those words.
Watch the way Clint Smith opens his TED Talk The Danger of Silence .
Using Martin Luther King’s voice to start his speech gives Clint what psychologists call the transference effect .
Just by citing someone else, especially someone admired and famous, you redirect the emotions an audience have towards that person onto yourself.
One caveat to using quotes, though:
Fact check them . I cringe whenever I see someone incorrectly quoting someone.
Have you ever heard the quote by Albert Einstein:
“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results”?
A great quote, isn’t it?
But Albert Einstein never said those words .
A quick check on Reuters will help you add more credibility to your inspirational opener.
Finally, try to use a quote few people have ever heard. Inspiring words have been filling the archives of history for millennia, so seek out something that has been left dusty on the shelf rather than the same recycled iterations.
Next, let’s look at a type of bold speech opener that take real hutzpah to land well.
A powerful speech opener that will take confidence is the perspective shift opener.
This opener will lead the audience in one direction before changing direction and setting a new pace for the speech.
Cameron Russel does a fantastic job of controlling the frame in her TED Talk Looks aren’t everything. Believe me; I’m a model.
Russel takes to the stage dressed in a skimpy dress and begins to tell the audience about her career, but then does a rapid wardrobe change on stage in front of the entire audience.
This change of dress sets a new tone, feel, and direction for the speech.
If you can change the audience’s perspective or frame of reality, you are in the driving seat.
One of the best things you can hope for as a speaker is moving hearts and changing minds.
If you aren’t a confident speaker, start small.
Vanessa Van Edwards suggests never mentioning how nervous you are.
It’s distracting and makes the audience pick up on all the subtle nervous energy and cues you give off. Control the frame instead and act cool and confident: they will buy into it.
Another great way to hold frame control over an audience is by using the power of silence .
Silence is a valuable commodity in today’s noisy and distracting digital world.
Creating silence at the beginning of your talk can profoundly affect your audience and their focus.
Did you ever have a teacher at school who used silence effectively?
When my English classmates were noisy, our teacher Mr Rylance would hold up his hand in silence.
Slowly we would settle down and focus on his raised hand.
A few would giggle, but that would peter out until we all wrapt in a hypnotic stillness.
If you want to see an example of how to use silence, then look at Neal Glitterman’s speech The Power of Silence .
You can see how much gravity silence can have , especially as a speech opener.
The final killer opener I want to introduce you to is the big promise opener.
I believe that all speeches and presentations should contain a big promise as it tells your audience why they should keep on listening.
Ideally, your big promise will be your speech title or phrase that pays which is a recurring foundational phrase you will use throughout your presentation.
A big promise is your way of making a deal with the audience : you listen to me, and you’ll get something in return.
Creating a big promise at the beginning of your speech is like adding a teaser trailer to the beginning of a TV show. It suggests a reason you should stick around.
When Arthur Benjamin introduces his talk Faster than a calculator by announcing:
“I am a human calculator!”
You know that proof is on the way.
Remember the essential rule of the Big Promise Opener: make it big and keep your promise.
I hope you feel that I kept my promise of sharing nine killer speech openers to start a presentation.
Did you notice any other speech openers at the beginning of this article?
Don’t forget; these openers can be mixed and matched.
You can include a number of these speech openers in the same presentation to create more impact.
Let me know which of these killer openers was your favourite, and let me know if you have any more you’d like to share.
– Danny Riley
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Imagine standing in front of an eager audience, every pair of eyes on you. You only have a moment to capture their attention with your speech, or you’ll lose them. If you begin it well, your words have the potential to get the crowd buzzing and inspire your audience to action. Yet, to do this, the beginning of a speech needs to be captivating, which is not always easy to pull off, even for experienced speakers. For this reason, it’s crucial leaders know how to start a speech, as it’s an asset used throughout their entire careers.
1. don’t wing it, 2. create an imaginary scenario, 3. use a quote, check out these quotes to get some ideas:, 4. use humor.
You can always start your speech out with a joke. Admittedly, this can be tricky to pull off since humor is subjective, but a joke can immediately put the audience at ease. Pick a joke that’s tasteful and relevant to the topic at hand. For obvious reasons, you should avoid starting with a joke if the subject of your speech is serious or sad.
If you’re struggling with a way to begin your speech, why not try asking a question? The question you choose can be a literal question, such as, “How many people here run their own business?” Or you can go the rhetorical route by asking a “what if” question. A “what if” question is a great way to get people thinking about possible scenarios. For example, think about a speech that started by saying, “What kind of world would it be if every leader fulfilled their full potential?” The audience would immediately begin coming up with ideas and imagining what such a world would look like.
7. shock the audience.
In another popular TED Talk, Pamela Meyer begins by making a shocking announcement : “Okay, now I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room, but it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar.” Think of what a compelling way that is to get people to put down their phones and look at the speaker. It also ties nicely into the subject of her speech, “How to Spot a Liar.” With a shocking statement, you too can capture people’s attention in just a few seconds.
9. share a story, bonus tips for starting a speech, the one thing you should not do.
If there’s a surefire way to lose your audience right at the start, it’s by simply introducing yourself. First off, in most speech settings, someone will likely have introduced you anyway, so it would be a waste of time. Secondly, most people in the audience will already know who you are and why you are there. Introducing yourself treats your audience like children and may even lead to some people zoning out immediately. Don’t dawdle or play schoolteacher with the people in front of you. Launch right into your speech with the skills discussed earlier. The results will speak for themselves.
Giving a speech is an art form that often relies on what happens at the start. Try out the above tips the next time you need to give a speech. Using assertive communication is another way to establish a connection with your audience. With the right beginning, you’ll have people following you every step of the way until you’ve finished.
Want more great quotes for starting a speech? Check out the following:
50+ Success Quotes to Inspire Leaders
Using great speech opening lines is your greatest opportunity to captivate your audience. It’s the moment you get attention, spark curiosity, and set the tone for a powerful message.
But crafting that opening line can be daunting. Should it be a funny opening ? Thought-provoking? Relatable? The answer depends on your audience, topic, and overall goal.
That’s where this guide comes in. We’ve prepared 32 great speech opening lines that you can use for a wide range of situations. Whether you’re a student delivering a presentation or a seasoned speaker addressing a conference, these lines will help you make a great first impression.
We’ll also answer the most common questions people ask about speech openings. So, let’s dive in and discover the power of speech openings!
Here are the answers to some common questions people ask about great speech opening lines:
To create a truly impactful speech, consider exploring our comprehensive guide on speech structure , where you’ll learn how to craft a great speech that resonates from start to finish, whether you’re a student giving a presentation or a keynote speaker at a conference.
Watch this video. It provides tips and examples for crafting effective opening lines for speeches.
Remember, your opening line is your golden opportunity to forge a connection with your audience. It’s the bridge between you and your listeners, the first step in a shared journey of ideas and emotions.
Think of the thought-provoking openers as seeds of curiosity, planting questions in your audience’s minds that your speech will answer. Use storytelling openers to create emotional resonance, making your message unforgettable. Employ humorous openers to break the ice and build rapport. Quote openers can add gravitas and wisdom to your words, while question openers invite active participation and critical thinking.
Whether you’re a student seeking to impress your classmates or a professional addressing a conference, the right opening line can transform a good speech into a great one. It’s not just about the words you choose; it’s about the impact you create.
So, take these great speech opening lines, make them your own, and let your voice be heard! Remember, a powerful opening is just the first step.
Your initial impression has a lasting impact. In English, a welcome speech should capture the audience's interest in the opening few sentences. Using the opening few phrases to pique the listener's interest keeps them engaged through to the very end. Top goals for the most effective speakers are grabbing the audience's attention right away and making a lasting impact. Before you talk, try to learn about the issue, the audience, and the location. Speak casually if it's a young or well-known audience. If the opposite is true, one needs to use a more formal terminology. These are some suggestions for speech openings. Your introduction could have a big impression on the audience.
While giving a speech, there are a few easy tips that one can use. They captivate and assist the audience find relatability, all while having a beneficial effect on them. Let's examine a few of the helpful advice:
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Famous people's quotes can be great speech openers if the speech's topic is familiar with the quote. Quotations lend the speech a certain authority.
Look at one such example -
Steve Jobs once said, "Don't waste your time living someone else's life; your time is valuable." Avoid being bound by dogma, which entails accepting the conclusions of other people's perspectives. Sentences such as these may be a great way to start a speech and improve your reputation as a speaker. You may also reference current affairs or studies from any source. It's not need to be a quotation from a well-known person. As an illustration, consider this: "According to Forbes, people who are knowledgeable about personal finance are wealthier."
An inspiring story about a well-known person could be utilized to begin a speech . When someone shares the experiences, setbacks, and triumphs of someone who was once just another everyday person, the audience usually connects on some level.
We have learned a great deal from our varied historical experiences, and these lessons have enabled us to make significant progress and adaptation. Starting a speech by discussing historical events can be a terrific idea, particularly in a cultural setting.
Everyone likes to laugh heartily. It swiftly elevates people's emotions. Comedies can be utilized to energize the audience and help them understand the topic. A funny story to start your speech off is a terrific way to get the audience interested. Here's an example of what Ellen DeGeneres' once said: "Life is short. Ask a butterfly if you have any doubts. They only live for five to fourteen days on average". "Life is short" feels like a tired saying. Conversely, Ellen softens the tone and adds a lighthearted touch to the entire discourse. That's a fantastic example of incorporating humor into public speaking.
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Not every incident is humorous or typical. One must utilize stronger language in the beginning remark when expressing a serious issue. When Greta Thunberg, an environmental activist, exclaimed, "This is all wrong," during the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit, she raised awareness to the subject of climate change. "This is not my place to be. I should be back across the ocean at school." "How dare you! But you all turn to us young people for hope."
A statistical fact used at the start of a speech conveys that the speaker has done their research and is well-informed. Statistical data is also used to make the speech less repetitive and easier to recall. For instance, if delivering a presentation on "How to be a better speaker," one may begin with some thoroughly investigated speaking statistics, like this one: "According to studies, 61% of individuals get worried before giving a presentation."
Opening a speech with a personal tale allows you to establish an immediate connection with the audience. It leaves a greater impression and piques interest in further information. It's one of the best methods to get your audience interested, and if they can relate to the narrative, they'll be more open to what you have to say. A personal story like, "When I was 16, a high school student, my parents merely had the money to afford school, but I was a good student and worked really hard," might be a nice way to begin a speech. Make it a point to provide personal stories to draw in and increase the familiarity of the audience.
A skilled storyteller will ask the audience to picture a particular scene. It creates pleasant anticipation for the speaker's remarks by assisting listeners in visualizing the speech's content. For instance, "Imagine you get excellent grades and perform well at school, all because of the work you put in and follow a disciplined routine ..." This comment will help the listeners see and connect to the speech's context .
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Telling a funny story regarding the subject at the beginning of your speech will make the audience more engaged. Starting the story with "Let me tell you a story of a man who had no limbs, yet..." is superfluous. The narrative regarding the circumstance may be kept brief and direct. A better way to start may be, "In 1965, Joey was one of the first mountaineers with no limbs to conquer the summit of Mt. Everest." In only the speech's opening two sentences, extra context is added.
Sentimental sentences are used at the beginning of the speech to establish the topic and tone. Make a more thoughtful first impression if you want to leave an impact on the audience. As the cliché goes, first impressions matter most. Make the greatest initial impression imaginable. Our classes concentrate specifically on the practice and composure that are necessary for the art of public speaking. Learn more about it here " 98thPercentile's Public Speaking Program ".
1. 10 ways in which children can overcome stage fear 2. 5 reasons why is public speaking important 3. importance of public speaking in this communicative world 4. body language & nonverbal communication in public speaking.
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Hrideep barot.
Schools and their love for speeches is an affair we are all quite aware of. Now if you are looking to move beyond the mundane way of delivering speeches in school and are in search of some amazing speech openings for students, you are at the right place!
Speeches are the most common form of public speaking that is encouraged in schools . Be it for a competition, assignment, presentation, or even as a punishment (oops), speeches are everywhere in a student’s life.
To get a quick idea on speech opening lines for students , don’t forget to check out our video on 3 speech opening lines for students!
But before we dive into understanding how to go about your speeches, it is important to first understand why educational institutes focus so much on speeches or public speaking in general that they begin introducing us to speeches as early as primary sections.
It is a common practice to give the students a little idea about giving speeches as early as primary school. Part of the reason is that these are the foundational years and form as a stepping stone for the students to get a little more used to public speaking as they move to higher classes .
A couple of ways students in primary schools may be asked to give speeches would be to introduce themselves or at competitions like fancy dress competitions.
In high school, as students gain more understanding about the world at large and develop their opinions, giving speeches is encouraged in school to help them navigate their thoughts to their peers. Further, speeches as a form of public speaking also help build the student’s soft skills .
1. critical thinking.
Speeches aren’t about blurting out your ideas or opinions, rather it requires you to research and find evidence to back your point of view, or to think critically to deliver a speech that effectively reaches the other students.
Speeches could be framed around a popular or controversial issue that the student wishes to provide their insight into. This would encourage them to come up with solutions. Apart from that, even coming up with a speech can be a task sometimes, and overcoming those challenges too can be counted in as a way of problem-solving
With a huge number of students in high school, speeches are almost always time-bound. This also means that the students have to structure their speeches in a way that fits the time given, further inculcating time management skills in them.
Speeches are not only about delivering or conveying your ideas or findings but also about listening carefully to what others have to say in terms of questions that may ask.
Speeches in college have an entirely different goal than the one that schools have.
In college, it isn’t always mandatory to give speeches or to participate in public speaking. However, a few reasons why giving speeches or public speaking is encouraged in colleges is because:
As we just discussed that the purpose of giving speeches changes as we progress in our school. However, there are a couple of situations where mostly all students are expected to present their speech. And they are:
Classroom or section speeches are the ones you give in front of your classmates or people from your age group. Generally, the presentation of assignments and competitions comes under this category.
Students may also be expected to present a graduation speech . However, the big difference here is that not everyone gets the opportunity to present a graduation speech or commencement address as it is known.
Graduation speeches or commencement speeches are parting speeches wherein the focus is on reflecting on the good times in the institute and motivating others for their bright future ahead. Depending on the purpose as selected by the speaker, these speeches could be persuasive, informative, or entertaining in nature .
Giving speeches as a student, even if you have been doing it for the past few years can still end up being a little challenging. But rather than giving you tons of tips on things you can focus on while coming up with your speech or speech openings for students, we have got one ultimate tip . If you follow that, you should ideally be able to reach your audience more effectively.
Write how you speak, not how you write.
When I came across this tip, I was surprised too. Because is indeed true that we write very differently when we have to show the speech to someone in written form but if asked honestly, do we speak in such a highly polished, extra professional vocabulary?
The idea is not to write the speech or speech opening riddled with slang but rather in a way that you’d feel comfortable listening to and understanding easily had you been the listener.
So in short, prepare the speech with the listener in mind, not the reader .
Most opening lines for speech in school begin with a good morning. We usually follow it with greetings or addressing the audience and the guests.
Here is a list of ways you can begin with a simple good morning:
Now it is a good practice to begin your speech with your usual greetings. However, in this blog, we are trying to look beyond the usual.
It doesn’t mean that you will not be saying good morning or your basic greetings; the only difference is that you’ll not be opening your speech with it but addressing these basic formalities later in the speech.
There are a couple of ways you can start a speech without saying good morning. Here are some of the ways we will take a look at in this blog:
Quotes are phrases or things spoken by someone influential . Quotes as speech openings for students can not only help them go beyond the widely popular way of beginning any speech but will also help them establish credibility right in the very beginning!
Now if you have ever wondered,
Here are a couple of examples of using quotes as speech openings for students:
Lon Watters had said that “A school is a building with four walls, with tomorrow inside.” And it would be wrong if I said that I didn’t agree with every bit of what he said. As we come to an end of our journey with this school that has provided us with tons of opportunities to learn, grow, interact and make memories we sure will cherish forever…
“If you don’t have a plan for your life, somebody else does.” This is a quote given by Michael Hyatt and isn’t it something we have all been experiencing all these years of growing up as our parents or guardians make plans for us right from the way we dress to the school we go to and sometimes even the careers we choose. Good morning everyone, I am Myra, a student of XYZ school standing here to voice my opinion on “Factors that influence your career decisions.”
This happens to be a personal favorite of mine when it comes to speech openings for students. A very simple yet beautiful way to engage your audience right at the beginning of your speech while at the same time allowing them to relate to what you’ll be saying next is what the image” scenarios are all about.
Before we begin, I’d like you to take a moment and imagine walking through a trail. You see the lush greens and pretty sky above you, the most dynamic clouds following everyone you go. Try sniffing the smell of wet soil and a hint of flowery fragrance as you walk towards the edge of the hill expecting to take a glimpse of the utter beauty that these hours of walking would lead you to, but you find something else. You see something that sends chills down your spine. There are some strange men performing rituals right in the very heart of these dense greens. You wonder what it is all about until it hits you; you have just uncovered a cult.
For the next example, I’d like you to take a look at the video below and check for yourself how wonderfully the speaker (although not a student) has made use of the “imagine” scenario to share his tragic experience with his audience.
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.
What if I told you that the best speech openings for students are actually the ones wherein they come up with an opening that best represents their style and comfort at delivering speeches, be it with a joke or a story?
Do you see what I did there?
That is an example of a “what if” scenario. It is similar to the imagination scenario we discussed above but the only difference here is that “what if” speech openings for students focus on providing an alternative idea to the audience while the imagined scenarios provide the audience an opportunity to relate to the speaker.
Rhetorical questions are questions the speaker includes in his/her/their speech that doesn’t necessarily require the audience to come up with an answer but are posed to get the audience thinking on the same.
Using rhetorical questions as speech openings for students can work wonders especially when you are looking for either a very quick speech opening or have very little time to deliver the speech.
An example of using rhetorical questions for speech opening is given below:
Talking about the new policy that makes it illegal to check the gender of the child before birth, do you think that it will curb the issue of female foeticide? Or will it simply take the activity underground?
The art of silence is phenomenal. Opening your speech in silence can help enhance your speech in two ways.
First, it will give the audience some time to settle in , post which you can expect to grab their dedicated attention. And secondly, silence would give you some time to understand the room and calm your pre-stage anxiousness .
Want to begin your speech on a hard-hitting and eye-opening note?
Show the numbers, the figures, and any statistics that serve your purpose for giving the speech.
It is very common to overlook the seriousness of any situation when you aren’t aware of the real extent of its seriousness. But when we have numbers in front of us, there is no more room for being in denial.
Examples of using Statistics or figures as speech openings for students
Powerful statements are statements that try to break any common ideologies held by the public. Another example of a powerful statement is stating a fact or idea that isn’t openly spoken .
The video below is one such example of how the speaker tries to break a perception generally held by the people.
How often have we been told to include stories in our speech?
Almost every time isn’t it? So here we are to bombard you yet again by saying that stories are extremely fun and engaging forms of speech openings for students.
You can either share your experience or someone else’s story.
You can also refer to a Recent Conversation by starting your speech with something like “Just the other day as I was walking out of my Philosophy lecture, I asked Mr.Dee about his philosophy on life, and what he said was so eye-opening that I could not wait to share with all of you.”
An adorable example of how to begin a speech with a story is given below to help you get a clearer idea.
Speech opening lines for public speaking competitions.
When it comes to public speaking competitions like elocutions, speech competitions, or even presentations, it is almost always recommended to begin with self-introduction . The reason is quite simple; there is a high chance that your audience might not know you .
But if you don’t want to begin with a self-introduction, you can start by using any of the alternatives we discussed earlier. Click here to go back and take another peek at it.
Speech openings for self-introductions need to be simple, to the point yet descriptive.
Wait a minute? Wasn’t I contradicting myself in that line?
Yes, but that is how opening lines for self-introductions would ideally work. As people expect you to talk about yourself in depth in the rest of your speech, your opening lines would just be a teaser about yourself.
Other things that you can talk about in these opening lines include:
Good morning, I am Reini. I recently graduated from BMU college and have since been working as a Design intern at Desgynopedia.
Hello and good evening everyone. I am Nicole and this is my team, Alina, Tim, Harold, and Noman. We are in our senior year majoring in Organizational psychology. Today we would like to talk about the 5 main Psychological factors that impact any organization’s overall performance.
Hey, I am Nizan. I am a nerd for Political Science and Greek Philosophy and am currently majoring in the same. My love for the subjects is also the reason why I am here to present a topic I found very intriguing “The injustice behind socrates’ death.”
If you are giving a speech for a competition, one of the most fun ways of opening your speech could be to say “Good morning to the faculty, my friends, and (look at the opponents) others.”
Other funny opening line examples:
1. chase dahl.
In one of the funniest speech opening lines by students, Chase Dahl opens up by saying “You know I have never understood how imagining the audience naked was supposed to make you less nervous. Honestly, I’m just uncomfortable right now.”
Yet another Valedictorian speech that has caught our eye is the one given by Kyle Martin. The reason we would suggest you take a look into the opening lines of his speech is so that you can take notes on how beautifully he has described the efforts taken by every department of the institute as he tries to thank them for their efforts.
Presentation speeches are a little different compared to your usual speeches and the major reason for that is because now you have access to visuals or your PPT.
Besides some of the ways already discussed above, you can begin the presentation by pointing out a particular slide. You can show your audience a graph, table, pictures, or any other creative and eye-catching ideas that can also turn out to be an amazing presentation opening.
A few common ways you can open your speech are:
For more examples of opening lines check out 50 Speech Opening Lines .
How to start a speech for the student council.
Speeches for student council are usually persuasive. They are your pitch to convince your fellow students to vote for you and help you get the position you are looking for.
So ideally, you should start by addressing everyone in the room . Then make a point to introduce yourself. Once you have introduced yourself, remind the audience why you are speaking which means let them know the position you are campaigning for. Bring up at least 1-2 issues that the students are most concerned about and tell them how if elected you’ll provide solutions to their issues.
Try to end it on a high note and don’t forget to add your campaign slogan .
You can also begin by stating your campaign slogan .
Yet another way to begin your speech for the student council is by challenging your opponent’s point of view or campaign . However, this would work only f you have a better strategy or solutions to the issues raised by your opponents.
Lastly, do something that no one expects from you . Let me share a story here to help you understand this point better. During one of the student council speeches, one candidate asked the audience to stand up, move a step in the front then go back to their seats and settle down. Following this, she said, “My parents told me if I could move the audience, I’d win.” And so she did win!
A speech class in high school or college is usually a short course or 1-semester course wherein the student is expected to improve on their public speaking skills along with critical thinking and active listening skills.
It essentially enhances their oral communication skills.
This also reminds me to introduce you to our courses that help enhance your public speaking and communication skills. If you are interested, head to Frantically Speaking .
But if your appetite for learning more about opening speeches isn’t satiated yet, we suggest you go check out our Video on the Powerful speech opening lines.
There are tons of ways to get creative with speech openings for students. From saying a simple good morning to adding stories, quotes, statistics, rhetorical questions, and even silence!
Get creative with your speech openings. As we always say, there are no right or wrong ways of public speaking as such, only a way that suits perfectly for you is the one that is right for you.
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Last updated on June 7th, 2024
These days, most of the audience prefers an informal approach in presentations, but at the same time, it must sound professional. When people prepare for any type of presentation, they often face this dilemma: how to start a presentation? What should be the opening speech? How much time should we take for the introduction part?
The first three minutes of your presentations are crucial to get to your audience with an engaging message and make the overall presentation effective. With the proper opening speech for your presentation, you can hook your audience, win the audience’s attention and get them audience interested in what you have to say. Check out some speech introduction examples to get familiar with this topic. Undoubtedly, if the beginning of your presentation is solid and exciting, the chances of success of your presentation increase. Opening your persuasive speech entirely depends upon your style and choice because when you are giving a presentation, you are required to be yourself and avoid putting artistic elements. So, choose something with which you are entirely comfortable.
If you are looking on how to start a speech then this article can help you to get some ideas. Here is a list of opening speech examples that you can use to prepare your presentations with a persuasive speech that convinces the audience. Find useful starting lines of speech, phrases and strategies to make your presentation a success:
This is the very basic, common and important step in which you need to greet your audience by wish them good morning/afternoon or evening (as per the time of session in which you are giving presentation). How to start a speech? Check out some of the examples below including a simple but effective speech introduction greeting example.
Example of Opening Greetings
Hello, everyone. I’d like, first of all, to thank the organizers of this meeting for inviting me here today.
Another example of opening Greeting speech.
Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. I am honored to have the opportunity to address such a distinguished audience.
Secondly, just after wishing greeting to your audience give them compliment and choose some words which show that you are delighted to see them there.
Example:
It’s great to see you all, Thank you for coming here today.
How you introduce yourself during a presentation is important. There are many ways to introduce yourself. Here we will see some examples on how to introduce yourself in a presentation. First of all, give your introduction start from telling your name. You can show some casual attitude by telling your short name or nick name, and then tell the audience more about your background and what you do.
For example, a good way to start introducing yourself could be:
My name is Louis Taylor, friends call me Lee sometimes.
Then introduce yourself professionally and give quite information about what you do and why are here today. For Example:
I am a software engineer by profession and working in ABC Corp. Today, I am here to provide you some exciting information about new technology, which is going to be very beneficial for you in future.
Another example of self-introduction speech:
For those of you who don’t know me already, my name is Louis Taylor, and I’m responsible for the software department at ABC Corp.
Using a self-introduction template and slide in your presentation, you can support your speech while presenting the information about you in the projection. You can also visit self introduction speech examples to find out some examples on how to introduce yourself and download self-introduction templates for PowerPoint & Google Slides.
Next is the part where you introduce the topic of your presentation or speech. Here are some examples of good opening speech for presentations examples on a specific topic.
What I’d like to present to you today is…
Or here is a simplified example of a good introduction for presentation in which we try to get the audience’s attention over the screen where you are presenting the content of your PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation.
As you can see on the screen, our topic today is…
Put all your information in front of them and then put your proposal and its related information and key point by which you can implement and utilize that idea effectively. Now let collect these points to make a summary and concise illustration. Here is an example of presentation starting speech that you can use:
“Good afternoon every one, it’s great to see you all here, thank you for coming. My name is Louis Taylor, friends call me Lee sometimes. I am a software engineer by profession and working with ABC Ltd. Today we are here to know about new software so that we can take most of it. Firstly, we will look how it work, next we will discuss where can we use it, then we will learn what are its advantages and finally we will discuss what precautions are required to kept in mind while implementing it.”
An effective opening speech is not just about presenting information or stating facts; it’s about forging an emotional connection with your audience. Building this connection can make your presentation more engaging, relatable, and memorable. Here are some strategies to achieve this:
Storytelling: One of the most powerful ways to establish an emotional connection is through storytelling. Sharing a personal anecdote or a relevant story can evoke emotions and draw your audience into your presentation. Make sure your story aligns with the overall theme of your presentation and adds value to your message.
Example of speech opening:
“Good morning, everyone. When I was a little boy, I used to watch my grandfather work tirelessly on his old typewriter. The clacking of the keys was a lullaby that lulled me into dreams of creating something impactful. Today, I am here to talk about the evolution of technology and its effect on communication, from typewriters of old to the smartphones of today.”
Relatability: Find common ground with your audience. This could be based on shared experiences, values, or aspirations. Doing so helps to humanize you, making it easier for your audience to relate to your message.
“Like many of you, I too struggle with maintaining a work-life balance in this fast-paced digital world. Today, I’ll share some strategies I’ve discovered that have significantly improved my quality of life.”
Utilizing Emotions: Use emotions like humor, surprise, curiosity, or inspiration to engage your audience. Different emotions can be used depending on the tone and purpose of your presentation.
“Did you know that the average person spends two weeks of their life waiting for traffic lights to change? That certainly puts our daily commute in a new light, doesn’t it?”
Remember, authenticity is crucial in building an emotional connection. Be yourself, share your experiences, and speak from the heart. This helps to gain your audience’s trust and keeps them engaged throughout your presentation.
Visual aids are a potent tool in any presentation, particularly in your opening speech. They can grab your audience’s attention with a visually appealing cover slide, support your message, and make a lasting impression. Here are some ways you can utilize visual aids in your opening speech.
Images: An image is worth a thousand words, they say, and it’s true. An impactful or relevant image can pique the curiosity of your audience and set the tone for your presentation. Ensure the image aligns with your topic and contributes to your overall message.
“As you can see on the screen, this is an image of a barren desert. It may surprise you to learn that this was once a thriving forest. Today, I’ll be talking about climate change and its irreversible effects.”
Short Videos: A short video can be a great way to engage your audience. This could be a brief clip that illustrates your topic, a short animation, or even a quick introductory video about you or your organization.
Example of a presentation opening statement:
“Before we start, let’s watch this brief video about the incredible journey of a raindrop.”
Infographics and Charts: If you are sharing statistical data or complex information, infographic slides or charts can simplify and clarify your message. They are visually engaging and can help your audience understand and remember the information.
“Take a look at this chart. It shows the exponential increase in cybercrime over the last five years, a topic that we will delve into further today.”
Slides: A well-designed slide can provide a visual structure for your opening speech. It should be clean, easy to read, and should not distract from your speech. Avoid cluttering your slides with too much text or complex graphics.
“According to the infographic on the screen, we can see the three core areas we’ll be focusing on in today’s presentation.”
Remember, the goal of using visual slides is to enhance your message, not overshadow it. They should complement your speech and provide visual interest for your audience. Always test your visual aids beforehand to ensure they work properly during your presentation.
A rhetorical question is a powerful tool you can use in your opening speech to provoke thought and engage your audience. By posing a question that doesn’t require an answer, you can pique your audience’s interest, make them think, and steer their focus towards your presentation’s key points. Here’s how to use rhetorical questions effectively in your opening speech:
Spark Curiosity: Use a rhetorical question to spark curiosity about your topic. This question should be thought-provoking and relevant to your presentation.
“Have you ever stopped to wonder how much of your life is influenced by social media?”
Highlight Key Issues: A rhetorical question can help highlight the key issues or problems that your presentation aims to address. This will help your audience understand the importance of your topic.
“What would happen if our natural resources were to run out tomorrow?”
Encourage Reflection: Encourage your audience to reflect on their personal experiences or beliefs. This will make your presentation more relatable and engaging.
“How many of us truly understand the value of our mental health?”
Set the Tone: You can also use a rhetorical question to set the tone of your presentation, whether it’s serious, humorous, or contemplative.
“Is there anyone here who doesn’t love pizza?”
Remember, rhetorical questions are meant to stimulate thought, not to put anyone on the spot. Make sure your questions are relevant to your topic and are appropriate for your audience. With the right questions, you can grab your audience’s attention, keep them engaged, and guide their thinking throughout your presentation.
Using statistical data in your opening speech is a powerful way to capture the audience’s attention and lend credibility to your message. Surprising or impactful statistics related to your presentation’s topic can instantly make your audience sit up and take notice. Here’s how you can incorporate statistical data effectively in your opening speech:
Relevant and Interesting Data: Choose statistics that are directly relevant to your topic and are likely to pique your audience’s interest. This data should enhance your message and provide valuable context for your presentation.
“Do you know that according to the World Health Organization, depression is the leading cause of disability worldwide, affecting over 264 million people?”
Simplify Complex Data: If you’re presenting complex or dense data, make sure to simplify it for your audience. Use percentages, comparisons, or visual aids like infographics or charts to make the data easily understandable.
“Look at this chart. It represents the staggering 80% increase in cybercrime incidents over the past five years.”
Credible Sources: Always ensure your data comes from credible and reputable sources. This not only adds legitimacy to your presentation, but it also boosts your credibility as a speaker.
“According to a recent study published in the Journal of Environmental Science, air pollution contributes to 1 in 8 deaths worldwide.”
Shocking or Surprising Data: If you have statistics that are surprising or counter-intuitive, they can be an excellent way to grab your audience’s attention and spark curiosity about your presentation.
“Can you believe that, according to the United Nations, we waste approximately 1.3 billion tons of food every year, while one in nine people worldwide go hungry?”
Using statistical data in your opening speech can help to highlight the significance of your topic, draw your audience in, and lay a solid foundation for the rest of your presentation. Remember to present your data in a clear, accessible way, and always cite your sources to maintain credibility.
Anecdotes and quotations can be a powerful tool in your opening speech, serving as hooks that draw your audience into your presentation. They can provide a human element to your topic, connect with your audience on an emotional level, and add depth to your message. Here’s how you can effectively incorporate anecdotes and quotations in your opening speech:
Relevant Anecdotes: Sharing a relevant anecdote, whether personal or related to your topic, can make your presentation more relatable and engaging. Your anecdote should be brief, interesting, and serve to illustrate a point related to your topic.
“When I was a teenager, my family’s home was destroyed by a fire. That experience ignited in me a passion for safety measures and awareness, which brings us to today’s topic: fire safety in residential areas.”
Inspiring Quotations: A well-chosen quote can add depth and perspective to your topic. It can inspire, provoke thought, or set the tone for your presentation. Presenting it with a visually appealing quote slide increases the chances to make a lasting impression. Make sure the quote is relevant to your topic and from a credible source.
“Albert Einstein once said, ‘The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.’ This leads us into our discussion today on the importance of mindset in personal development.”
Humorous Anecdotes or Quotations: Depending on the formality of the setting and the topic of your presentation, a funny anecdote or quote can help to relax the audience, making them more receptive to your message.
“Mark Twain once said, ‘I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.’ As a fellow writer, I can relate to this sentiment, which brings us to our topic today: the art of concise writing.”
Remember, your anecdote or quote should serve to enhance your message, not distract from it. It should be interesting, relevant, and appropriately timed. With the right anecdote or quote, you can create a powerful hook that engages your audience from the outset.
Storytelling is a compelling method to make your opening speech memorable and engaging. A well-told story can create a strong emotional connection with your audience, making your presentation more impactful. Here’s how to effectively weave storytelling into your opening speech:
Choosing the Right Story: The story you tell should be relevant to your topic and capable of illustrating the point you’re trying to make. It could be a personal experience, a case study, or a historical event.
“Years ago, I worked on a project that, at the outset, seemed destined for success. But due to a lack of clear communication within the team, the project failed. Today, we will be discussing the importance of effective communication within teams.”
Creating Suspense: Build suspense in your story to hold your audience’s attention. You can do this by posing a problem or a conflict at the beginning of your story, which gets resolved by the end of your presentation.
“One day, as I was walking through a remote village in Africa, I came across a scene that profoundly changed my perspective. But before I reveal what it was, let’s discuss the issue of clean drinking water in underdeveloped countries.”
Showing, Not Telling: Make your story more vivid and engaging by showing, not telling. Use descriptive language and paint a picture with your words to make your audience feel like they’re part of the story.
“As the sun rose over the bustling city of Tokyo, I found myself in a small sushi shop tucked away in a quiet alley, experiencing what would become a pivotal moment in my culinary journey.”
Relatable Characters: If your story involves characters, make them relatable. Your audience should be able to see themselves in your characters, or at least understand their motivations and challenges.
“Meet Sarah, a single mother of two, working two jobs just to make ends meet. Her struggle is the reason we’re here today, to discuss the issue of minimum wage in our country.”
Storytelling is a powerful tool that can bring your presentation to life. A well-told story can captivate your audience, making your message more memorable and impactful. Be sure to select a story that aligns with your overall message and is appropriate for your audience.
Involving your audience from the get-go can make your presentation more engaging and memorable. By integrating interactive elements into your opening speech, you can foster a sense of participation and connection among your listeners. Here’s how you can do it:
Audience Polling: Modern presentation software often includes real-time polling features. You can ask your audience a question related to your topic and display the results instantly.
“To start, I’d like to ask you all a question. (Show poll on screen) How many of you think that Artificial Intelligence will significantly change our lives in the next ten years?”
Questions for Thought: Pose a thought-provoking question to your audience at the beginning of your speech. It can stimulate curiosity and get your listeners thinking about your topic.
“Before we delve into today’s topic, I want you to ponder this: what would you do if you had only 24 hours left to live? Keep that in mind as we discuss the importance of time management.”
Physical Engagement: Depending on the formality and size of your audience, you can incorporate physical engagement. This can range from a simple show of hands to engaging activities.
“By a show of hands, how many of you have ever felt overwhelmed by the amount of information available on the internet? That’s what we’ll be discussing today: information overload in the digital age.”
Interactive Quizzes: Quizzes can be a fun and interactive way to engage your audience and test their knowledge on your topic. It can also serve as a hook to introduce your topic. You can use a free Quiz PowerPoint template to ease the job of creating a quiz for your presentation.
“I have a quick quiz for you all (show quiz on screen). Let’s see who can guess the most common fear among adults. The answer will lead us into our topic of discussion today: overcoming fear.”
Remember, the goal of incorporating interactive elements is to engage your audience, so it should be relevant and add value to your presentation. Tailor your interactive elements to suit the needs and preferences of your audience, and you’ll have a winning opening speech.
As we mentioned earlier, the first minutes of your presentation are crucial to hook the audience and let them pay attention to the message you want to convey. This will depend on the type of presentation (if it is persuasive presentation, informative presentation or a presentation for entertaining the audience), but in general terms, when presenting we need to:
Barack Obama started his speech in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner saying: “You can’t say it, but you know it’s true.”
In same cases, humour can be a great companion for your speech. If you can use humour in a positive way, then getting a laugh in the first seconds of a presentation can get your audience hooked. It is a great way to open your speech.
Try to make habit of starting your presentation this way, it will sound great. You may come across several more opening speech examples for presentation but, once you implement this you yourself will realize that this is the best one. Alternatively you can learn more on quotes for presentations & speech topics to use during your presentation in PowerPoint, learn how to close your presentation , or find other relevant speech introduction greeting examples.
thank you very much
Hi Kavishki, we hope the article was useful for you. Will be great to learn more about how you have used the speech examples. If you need more speech ideas, I’d recommend you free Persuasive Speech topics .
hi,good morning all of you.i’m shadi.now i’m going to do a panel discussion.we want some informations from you we believe all will support us.
Hi Kavishki, good morning. Can please provide more information about the Panel Discussion needs and if it involves a PowerPoint presentation? We’d be happy to be of help!
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Opening speech generator.
Whether you are opening for a small gathering such as minor events or a big one like global conferences, public speaking always gives people stage fright. If you are nervous, you have all the reasons to feel that way. You must already know it since you are here, but one helpful tip to combat nervousness is preparation. That said, turn on your gears and practice your speech writing skills as you compose your opening speech.
1. general opening speech.
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An opening speech is a talk that people give to welcome guests and give a brief overview of what will happen in an event. People give this type of speech during formal and informal gatherings. Just as the name states, the purpose of an opening speech is to open programs.
Giving an opening statement means giving the people something to measure for their first impression. When you get on that stage and give your speech, you are doing the first performance of the event itinerary . It is your responsibility to set the vibe for the entirety of the gathering. That said, you should ensure to give a grand opening speech.
The first words that come out of your mouth when you hold the microphone are a defining factor in the quality of your speech. In writing this segment, ensure to incorporate a hook. It should be effective enough to captivate and retain the attention of your audience throughout your whole speech. One method that will help you to devise your introduction is by conducting an audience analysis . Doing this will give you an idea of how to catch the attention of your listeners.
Of course, one of the purposes of giving an opening speech at every event is to welcome the guests. Convey how thankful the organizers are for their acceptance of the event invitation . Also, do not forget to thank them for sparing time for the program. If there are important people on your attendance list , you should show them your appreciation by giving them a special mention.
The next step is to write the part where you explain the reason for holding the event. To make things interesting, you can give a very brief history or a fascinating fact about the program. Ensure to compose this segment properly. This part is what will give the audience an idea of what to expect for the ceremony.
In giving a welcome speech for guests , you should not consume too much of the people’s time. That said, after the previous steps, you should now start coming up with a conclusion. In concluding your speech, you should once again thank the guests. After that, you should introduce the next speaker or performer.
Good speech openings are those that can rouse the emotions of the audience. Despite that, you should tailor your introduction based on the formality of the gathering you are attending. For example, giving an opening speech for an event should be something that would brighten the atmosphere. On the other hand, when giving a welcome speech for conference , you should try a more formal approach and include essential meeting details.
Aside from mentioning your name, there are other things you should include in your self-introduction speech . Before deciding what details to add to what you will say, you should first consider your audience and the formality of the setting. Despite that, one universal tip that is appropriate for multiple circumstances is to give a brief background of yourself and your accomplishments.
In giving a speech, it is always advisable to compose a speech outline and practice what you will say. Another necessary thing that you should consider is how you will establish a connection with your listeners. One way to do this is by maintaining eye contact with your audience. Also, during your speech, you should use appropriate hand gestures.
Giving opening speeches are a heavy responsibility. Knowing that you would be the first person to go up the podium can make a person’s heartbeat twice as fast as it usually would. That said, you should prepare ahead and secure to write a killer opening speech. That way, you can walk towards the mic with confident steps.
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Create an opening speech for a community event
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Nervous about making a speech life kit can help..
It can be anxiety-inducing to deliver a speech in front of an audience. NPR's Life Kit talks with a speechwriter and a speech coach to get their best tips for public speaking.
Copyright © 2024 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.
'this is america's dad': walz electrifies with introductory speech backed by powerful resume.
An MSNBC panel reacts to Minnesota Governor Tim Walz addressing an energized audience at a Democratic rally in Philadelphia, and discusses how his credentials and his persona combine to make him a powerful addition to the Harris ticket. Aug. 6, 2024
Analyst: ‘pop culture is intrinsically tied into youth culture.'.
This weekend’s Olympics closing ceremony is expected to include more than 100 acrobats and aerial performers, award the final Olympic champions their medals and include a sneak peak of what’s to come for the 2028 games in Los Angeles—which will reportedly feature an action movie-worthy stunt from Hollywood star Tom Cruise.
The Eiffel Tower and the Place Du Trocadero during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games Paris ... [+] 2024 on July 26, 2024.
On Thursday, Team USA announce that swimmer Katie Ledecky and rower Nick Mead will carry the American flags at the closing ceremony.
Grammy winning artist H.E.R. is set to perform the U.S. national anthem, multiple outlets confirmed, as part of the hand-off to the 2028 Los Angeles games, and rumors are flying about what other big-name acts will make an appearance.
Tony Estanguet, president of the Paris 2024 committee, said the ceremony will be "solemn and emotional, but it will also be a time for celebration... Innovative, surprising and brilliant, these ceremonies already promise to be very powerful."
Other than promises of a dazzling stage performance and hints about several pre-filmed Cruise stunts, most of the ceremony remains shrouded in mystery.
The closing ceremony will start at 3 p.m. EDT at the Stade de France, the country’s national stadium, where rugby sevens and track and field events have been hosted, and broadcast live on Peacock, with an edited version airing at 7 p.m. on NBC.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here .
Live coverage will start at 2 p.m. EDT on Sunday, Aug. 11 and the closing ceremony will start at 3 p.m. It will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock and re-broadcast during primetime coverage at 7 p.m. EDT on NBC and Peacock.
Thomas Jolly, the same creative director who managed the much-buzzed about opening ceremony, has named the closing show " Records ." Performers will include acrobats, circus artists, dancers, gymnasts and aerial ballet dancers who are expected to perform atop metal structures representing the Olympic rings. The ceremonies will also include the traditional parade of flags and athletes, speeches, a final medal ceremony and the extinguishing of the Olympic flame before the Olympic flag is ceremoniously handed over to Los Angeles, which will host the summer games in 2028. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass will attend the ceremony.
"World-renowned singers" will take the stage, according to the official Olympics website . American R&B singer H.E.R., an Oscar and five-time Grammy winner, is set to sing the American national anthem. Variety on Thursday reported —citing multiple anonymous sources—that Billie Eilish, Snoop Dogg and the Red Hot Chili Peppers are among those will will take the stage. The artists will be seen in a mix of live and pre-taped performances, according to the report.
This week it was reported that Cruise, who is filming “Mission: Impossible 8” in Europe, will perform a stunt at the closing ceremony. A clip of the movie star skydiving to the Hollywood sign is expected to play a role in the handoff to Los Angeles for the 2028 Olympics, according to The Hollywood Reporter , and Cruise was reportedly spotted filming a scene—possibly for the ceremony—in May that included a motorcycle and large flag.
There’s no evidence to support this rumor. Hosts of Britain's " This Morning ," Craig Doyle and Jordan North, said on-air Thursday that they'd heard Beyoncé may perform at the closing ceremony. "Don't quote me on that," North said, to which Doyle responded, "I can double up on that rumor, I did hear that as well." The claim has since circulated on social media, but no performers have been confirmed for the event. Rumors spread for weeks that Celine Dion or Lady Gaga were planning to perform at the opening ceremony in Paris before the pair dueted “L'Hymne à l'amour” by French singer Édith Piaf.
Ledecky hit major career milestones in Paris, winning gold in the 800m and 1500m freestyles, silver in the 4x200m relay and bronze in the 400m free. Along the way, she became the the most-decorated U.S. female Olympian ever and the second-most decorated U.S. Olympian of all time, behind Michael Phelps. Mead, a former Princeton rower, is a two-time Olympian who won his first gold medal in the men's four rowing competition in Paris this year.
Jimmy Fallon of "The Tonight Show" and longtime sports reporter Mike Tirico will co-host the ceremony. Former Olympians Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski—who have built a loyal fan base as commentators since they retired—and NBC Sports' Terry Gannon will be commentating .
The final medal ceremony is expected to award winners in the women’s marathon from earlier in the day.
Marcel Ciolacu said he will not attend the Olympic closing ceremony after a last-minute score change kept Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu from winning bronze in the women's floor exercise. Celebrating of the medalists had already begun Monday—Barbosu was proudly carrying a Romanian flag—when coaches for Jordan Chiles, an American, made an appeal to judges to raise her score. The judges did so, and the 0.1-point boost was enough to push Chiles to bronze and knock Barbosu off the podium. Ciolacu said the Romanian athlete was "treated in an absolutely dishonorable manner" and promised Romania would honor her as an Olympic medalist. “To withdraw a medal earned for honest work on the basis of an appeal … is totally unacceptable!” he said on Facebook .
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Editor's note: Follow the latest Olympics live results, medal count and updates for Saturday, July 27.
With an ambitious and unique opening ceremony , the 2024 Paris Olympics got under way when thousands of Olympians, including Team USA athletes , cruised along the Seine River on Friday night.
The city’s iconic landmarks provided a stunning backdrop for the parade of nations. Athletes from around the world, including Team USA flag bearers LeBron James and Coco Gauff , floated on boats for the six-kilometer route that traveled east to west across Paris from the Pont d’Austerlitz to the Trocadero.
USA TODAY Sports brought you live updates from Paris, highlights and more throughout the opening ceremony. (Follow NBC's replay of the opening ceremony in prime time.)
The Olympic Cauldron was lit by Teddy Riner, a three-time Olympic champion in judo, and Marie-Jose Perec, a three-time Olympic champion in track and field.
In an Olympics opening ceremony surprise, Rafael Nadal carried the Olympic torch once it reached the Eiffel Tower. Nadal might as well have honorary French residency after winning a record 14 French Opens. He won four in a row from 2005-2008, five in a row from 2010-2014, another four in a row from 2017-2020 and his final one in 2022. He is 112-4 all-time at Roland Garros. A statue of him was erected outside the stadium in 2021. Nadal has 22 Grand Slams total.
Nadal then passed the torch to fellow tennis legend Serena Williams. Three of her 23 Grand Slam titles came at the French Open. Carl Lewis, a four-time Olympic champion at the 1984 Games, and Romanian gymnast Nadia Comaneci, who scored the first perfect 10 in Olympic history at the 1976 Games, also were part of the torch’s final journey. — Nancy Armour
Boat of GOATs. 🐐🛳️ #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/8Plbfd0seX — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
The tennis theme in the Olympic torch relay continued when Amelie Mauresmo, the only French player to be No. 1 in the Open era, took the torch after it arrived off the boat. Tony Parker, who paved the way for French players in the NBA and won four titles with the San Antonio Spurs, took the handoff from Mauresmo. Parker and Carter continued running with the torch after they passed it over to a trio of French athletes. — Nancy Armour
The legendary singer Celine Dion performed at the opening ceremony after the Olympic Cauldron was lit. She also sang at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics opening ceremony.
CELINE! 🥹 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/87AqGnLJUi — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
Watch the iconic Paris landmark sparkle.
The #ParisOlympics are here‼️ 📺: @NBCOlympics & @peacock #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/5IPiPHTFqZ — Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 26, 2024
Pianist Sofianne Pamart and singer Juliette Armanet performed “Imagine,” the John Lennon and Yoko Ono song.
The rain wasn’t spoiling the party for LeBron James, Coco Gauff and the rest of the U.S. Olympic team.
“Representing the red, white and blue, there’s no better time,” James said during an interview with NBC’s Maria Taylor during the parade of nations. “We’re here for the USA and ready to go out and compete at a high level.”
The NBA superstar and the Grand Slam champion were selected as flagbearers by the rest of the U.S. team. Flagbearers held their country’s flags aloft as the team boats floated down the Seine while other athletes waved smaller flags. But Gauff and James also took time to pose for photos with others on the boat – including the captain – and take in the sights of Paris.
“Seeing a lot of water, first off,” Gauff said. “But also some amazing people, a lot of amazing athletes and we’re all excited to represent Team USA.”
Asked if the steady rain put a damper on their special moment, James said no.
“The rain can’t stop us,” he said. — Nancy Armour
Team USA cruising into the #ParisOlympics 🤩🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/gQDaRBrqXT — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
LeBron and Coco leading the way as Team USA cruises down the Seine. 🫡 📺 #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/JUBuL2It10 — NBC Sports (@NBCSports) July 26, 2024
On the roof of the Grand-Palais and wearing colors of the French flag, Axelle Saint-Cirel, the Choeur and the Maîtrise de Radio France performed the French national anthem, called The Marseillaise. It was composed in 1792 by Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, who was an officer for the French Engineers. It was declared the national anthem in 1795. As the national anthem was performed, the Republic Guard raised the flag at the Trocadéro. Composer Victor le Masne musically rearranged the national anthem for the opening ceremony.
🇫🇷 La Marseillaise ! Vous l’attendiez, c’est Axelle Saint-Cirel qui l’interprète depuis le toit du Grand Palais. pic.twitter.com/Nvsx31VC0S — Info France 2 (@infofrance2) July 26, 2024
Women's basketball forward A'Ja Wilson looks to have added an extra piece of fashion to her Team USA Ralph Lauren outfit — thanks to the help of Steph Curry. The Golden State Warriors guard — who is making his Olympic debut with USA Basketball in Paris — gifted Wilson Olympics-themed sunglasses for Friday's opening ceremony.
thx @StephenCurry30 for the shades 🙂 pic.twitter.com/f3MaJA9iPq — A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) July 26, 2024
The 2028 Summer Olympics will be in Los Angeles. The city has hosted twice before: 1932 and 1984.
Here's a look the nails of Noah Lyles, who is the fastest man in the world so far this year.
He’s an ICON. He’s a legend. He is the moment. 📺 #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/8BzUdyEX03 — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
And here are Sha'Carri Richardson's nails from the opening ceremony.
She is HER. 💅 #ParisOlympics @itsshacarri pic.twitter.com/sXXxIMPf4R — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
There are 10,714 athletes from 206 different countries scheduled to take part in this year's Olympic Games. The United States will have the largest national delegation at the Summer Games in Paris with 593 athletes. Host nation France is second with 573, followed by Australia (460), Germany (427), Japan (404), Italy (403), China (388), Spain (382), Great Britain (327) and Canada (318) rounding out the top 10.
The sight of the Australian team coming after Zambia and Zimbabwe might have taken those who know their alphabet by surprise. But there was a reason for the Aussies being so far out of alphabetical order. Countries that are hosting upcoming Olympics come at the end of the Parade of Nations. Brisbane is hosting the 2032 Summer Games, so Australia was the third-to-last team. The United States was second-to-last, with the Olympics returning to Los Angeles in four years. And France, the host of these Paris Olympics, was the last country in the 85-boat flotilla. — Nancy Armour
The order of the parade of nations is determined by the French spelling of their country names. Germany is Allemagne in French, for example, so it goes with the As, not the Gs. The only exceptions are the United States, which is Etats-Unis in French but goes second-to-last because it is hosting the next Summer Games, and France, because it’s the host country.
The metal band Gojira , who performed at the Olympics opening ceremony, is made up of Joe Duplantier, Mario Duplantier, Christian Andreu and Jean-Michel La- badie. They performed at the Conciergerie, which was the residence of French kings in medieval times. It became a prison during the French revolution and Marie-Antoinette was one of its most famous prisoners. Gojira performed alongside singer Marina Viotti.
Aya Nakamura is one of France’s most famous pop stars, performing performed "Pookie, Djadja" and "For me formidable, La Bohéme" at the opening ceremony alongside 60 musicians from the Republican Guard and 36 choristers of the French Army. Nakamura mixes elements of R&B, Afropop and Parisian street slang, and her most famous song is “Djadja.” She’s been compared to Rihanna and Cardi B.
En même temps. pic.twitter.com/xDkT0Kdq6N — Emmanuel Macron (@EmmanuelMacron) July 26, 2024
Once again, Russia is technically banned from appearing at the Olympic Games . Yet once again, Russian athletes will compete under a different name − a handful of them, at least.
At the 2024 Paris Olympics , which begin this week, 15 athletes from Russia − and 18 from neighboring Belarus − are slated to compete as "Individual Neutral Athletes," or AINs for short, according to the most recent statistics released by the International Olympic Committee on Saturday . The AIN classification means that Russian and Belarusian flags, national anthems and uniforms will be absent from the Paris Games. This punishment was levied by the International Olympic Committee following its invasion of Ukraine. — Tom Schad
There are 593 American Olympians at the Paris Games. Meet Team USA .
Leading the stars and stripes 🇺🇸 📺: @NBCOlympics & @peacock #ParisOlympics | #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/Yxcgph2rsj — Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 26, 2024
More than 200 countries are competing in the 2024 Olympics , from Afghanistan to Zimbabwe.
Minions — of the "Despicable Me" franchise and its spinoff movie, "Minions" — made a digital appearance at the opening ceremony. In a video with the "unknown" athlete running with the Olympic torch, the Minions are seen acting out a scene in a submarine submerged in the Seine.
The Minions are trained and READY for the Olympic Games. 💪 @Minions 📺 #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/7vhtm5yxcw — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
Lady Gaga returned to music at the 2024 Paris Olympics during a performance at the opening ceremony and lit up the City of Lights. Alongside a fleet of dancers , the Grammy favorite performed a French-inspired set alongside the Seine river with a tribute to Zizi Jeanmaire's presentation of "Mon Truc En Plumes," translated to “My Thing with Feathers.” — Jay Stahl
Lady Gaga, metal band Gojira and French pop star Aya Nakamura were among those who have performed at the opening ceremony.
APPLAUSE to Lady Gaga for SLAYing this look 🩷 pic.twitter.com/arTVjG79lO — On Her Turf (@OnHerTurf) July 26, 2024
The Monnaie de Paris, which has been minting France’s coins since 864. The company also made the medals for the Athens Olympics in 1896, the first modern Olympic Games, and the two previous Summer Games in Paris, in 1900 and 1924.
Why does greece go first in the olympics.
Greece goes first at the opening ceremony every Olympics because it is the birthplace of the Olympic Games.
Bienvenue mesdames et messieurs 🤩 Welcome the delegations to this enchanted, playful and sparkling Paris. Lights up, the curtain is open and the show has begun. #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/rSZJdIg30f — The Olympic Games (@Olympics) July 26, 2024
NBC opening ceremony co-host Peyton Manning sported an arm band on his right forearm during the opening ceremony broadcast, much like he did during his playing days as an NFL quarterback. He joked he was wearing it because he had notes on all 200-plus countries in the opening ceremomny.
“That is an honor,” he said . “If I am the flag bearer, great. If I am not, OK. I am just happy that I have a good coaching staff and a good team, I am in the Olympics."
Η μεγαλύτερη τιμή 🇬🇷🇬🇷🧿 pic.twitter.com/xHAWs5SI8i — Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) July 26, 2024
Pierre de Coubertin, who is considered the founder of the modern Olympics, designed the rings in July 1913. The Olympics logo was first used on a flag in 1914. That original flag is now at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne. The IOC officially adopted the rings logo and flag in 1914.
Rachael Raskovich, Amanda Mason-Sekula and Kelly Holmes arrived at the opening ceremony wearing American flag themed hats, red white and blue glasses and sequin USA jackets with "Proud American" stitched on the back.
"Amazon," Raskovich said with a smile when asked about the gear.
The trio of friends met in law school and said they will spend the next week or so hopping around to events around the city. They have tickets to beach volleyball and equestrian, Raskovich said, among other sports. Their group was just one of the many clad in red, white and blue that lined the southern banks of the Seine River on Friday night. Doris Ng of Chicago was among the U.S. spectators who were still searching for a good spot from which to view the ceremony in the hour before it began.
"We thought we were going to be on time," she said. "I think everybody else beat us to the punch already."
Fortunately, she also has tickets to the closing ceremony, she said. — Tom Schad
One man saw my media credential and wanted to make sure — despite barely speaking English — that he was upset over a rumor Celine Dion had been paid 2 million Euros to perform one song at the opening ceremony. Another woman, an American who has lived in Paris for 15 years, said property taxes went up and yet Parisians were not given much access to events or even public spaces to watch the festivities despite the financial and social burden being put on them.
But even when the rain began falling, people did not scatter to look for shelter. Instead they powered through, trying to get a better look at the bleu, blanc and rouge streaks being left in the sky by an airplane flyover.
Restaurants, which don’t have televisions here, were generally not busy. If you were going out to eat Friday night, it’s because you didn’t care to watch the show live. But inside one of them in a residential area near the Eiffel Tower, you could hear the singing of La Marseillaise, the French National Anthem. For a few minutes, the din of conversation went completely silent. — Dan Wolken
Team USA’s opening ceremony outfit is a modern take on a tailored look. On top, a tailored single-breasted wool blazer with red and white tipping is worn over a striped oxford shirt. The bottom is a more casual tapered jean and classic suede buck shoe fit.
Ralph Lauren works closely with Team USA and the goal, as always, is to “do something graphic and uniquely American,” chief brand and innovation officer David Lauren said.
To account for the heat, the company constantly looks at different fabrics and layering systems to keep the athlete’s body temperature in check, Lauren said. All items in both the opening and closing ceremony outfits are manufactured in the United States.
The USA Basketball delegation departs for #Paris2024 #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/Hzdz7VtuYx — USA Basketball (@usabasketball) July 26, 2024
Coco Gauff is making her Olympic debut in Paris and she is one of two U.S. flag bearers . “(Competing) in the Olympics has always been up there with winning a Grand Slam, like top goals,” Gauff told USA TODAY Sports this summer. Read our full feature on Gauff .
On the opening ceremony red carpet, Serena Williams was asked about Gauff being the flag bearer. "Isn't that great. I'm so excited to see her tonight. I'm just so happy for her," the tennis legend said.
"I don't know if it's fun or if I'm a little jealous!" 😅 Serena Williams on enjoying the #ParisOlympics despite no longer being a competitor. 📺 #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/DLWoHJ1ppY — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
Basketball superstar LeBron James and tennis star Coco Gauff are the flag bearers for the Americans. Gauff is the first tennis player to serve in the role.
Our flag bearers are ready 🇺🇸 📺: @NBCOlympics & @peacock #ParisOlympics | #OpeningCeremony pic.twitter.com/xyJIz2w7Aa — Team USA (@TeamUSA) July 26, 2024
With his mind on the Olympics and the Olympics on his mind, Snoop Dogg is, indeed, back for the 2024 Paris Olympics . The rapper, who will carry the torch ahead of the opening ceremony , is primed for a bigger role three years after his reactions to the dressage competition with Kevin Hart went viral at the Tokyo Games.
Snoop will appear regularly on “Primetime in Paris,” serving as a “ special correspondent ” for NBC. During parts of the primetime show, Snoop Dogg will interact with Team USA athletes, their families, or explore Paris and share his experiences and insights with the night's audience. He's also carrying the Olympic torch .
Snoop Dogg is bringing the energy to the Opening Ceremony. 📺: #ParisOlympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock pic.twitter.com/W3bQHHcWoQ — NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) July 26, 2024
The 2024 Summer Games will hold the closing ceremony on Aug. 11
Paris has hosted the Summer Olympics three times: 1900, 1924 and 2024.
About 350 of Team USA’s 592 athletes will march – or rather, float – in today's opening ceremony, according to Nicole Deal, who oversees the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s security operations.
That means about 40% of the U.S. delegation will be absent, though that is not exactly unusual.
Many athletes and teams – especially those competing early in the Games – choose to pass on the opening ceremony because it often runs late into the night and requires them to spend several hours on their feet. U.S. gymnasts and swimmers, for example, regularly skip the ceremony to rest up for their competitions – which, in some cases, begin the next morning.
U.S. swimming star Katie Ledecky said earlier this week that she never planned on going to the Paris opening ceremony for this very reason. She swims the 400-meter freestyle Saturday morning. — Tom Schad
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