Speaking of Success SpeakCorp.com

Posted By admin on September 15, 2009

The key element of an introduction may determine how attentive your audience may be.  Have you ever witnessed an audience tuning out because the speaker is jabbering on about himself.  Human nature being what it is….we all tend to want it all to be about us.  We want relevance for our life or business.

So, when preparing your introduction, have in mind the following objectives:
    (1) getting their attention, 
    (2) clearly identifying your subject,
    (3) why the subject is important to your audience.

If you can achieve all three simultaneously, that would be great. But you may need to give special attention to each objective in whatever order works for you.

How to Get the Attention of Your Audience
The fact that people have gathered to hear your speech or presentation does not mean that they are ready to give the subject their undivided attention. Why not? Let’s face it, people have a lot on their mind. They may have issues at home that concern them or some other type of problem like financial troubles. This presents a challenge to you as the speaker.  Your job is to capture and hold the attention of the audience. The good news is there are many ways you can do this. 

Use Questions
This can be an effective way to arouse interest, but they must be of the right kind of question. You don’t want to bore your audience by asking questions that they have heard before.  Try something fresh and new or from a new angle or perspective.  This will truly stimulate thinking. It is critical to pause be it ever so briefly after each question so that your listeners have time to answer the question in their mind without distraction. When they feel that they are engaging in a mental dialogue with you, then you have their attention.

Use of real life experiences
This is a great way to capture attention and make a lasting impression on your audience. If your story is remembered but the connection to its relevance if forgotten, it has lost all importance. When a story is used in the introduction, it should be paving the way towards linking main points you want to convey in your talk or speech and should be linked to your conclusion. While some details may be needed in order to make the narrative live, the shorter the better.   Every so often, you may find yourself speaking before an audience that is skeptical or even hostile. How might you get them to give you their attention?  R-E-S-P-E-C-T!  Try to bring out something mutually accepted and you may find they change their attitude.  Nothing can replace a genuine friendliness can help to create an atmosphere that is conducive to having a conversation. It is helpful to begin with something that directly relates to what is on the person’s mind.

Show Why the Subject Is Important to Your Audience
Whether you are speaking to just a few individuals or to a large audience from the stage, one of the best ways to grab the interest in a subject is to get your audience involved. Show the connection between their problems, needs, questions they may have correlate to the subject that you are talking about. If you make clear that you are going address what they are interested in and have helpful solutions, you will have them listening even more intently. All of this requires preparation.

The Way You Present It
What you say in your introduction is of primary importance, but how you say it can also catch the interest of the audience. For this reason your preparation ought to involve not only what you are going to say but also how you are going to say it. Choose your words carefully, so you might find it helpful to have firm in mind the first two or three sentences. Keep it short and simple. Delivering an effective introduction in a deliberate manner can help you to gain the composure you need to give the rest of your talk or presentation.

Category: Uncategorized, introduction
Tags: get the attention of your audience, introductions, real life experiences, use questions