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?
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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.
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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Jun 9, 2021 | Advanced Vocabulary , Business Professional English , English Conversation
Among other things, 2020 was the year of Zoom and that phrase we all love to hate, “You’re on mute.” 😬 And 2021 seems to be the same.
So it’s no surprise that you may be curious about how to lead or participate in an online meeting effectively in English.
Of course, some things are the same as a traditional face-to-face meeting, like starting with a greeting. But not everything translates to an online video platform.
When you need to lead a meeting on Zoom, want to join an online book club, or participate in an English conversation class, with today’s Confident English you’ll learn must-have English phrases for online meetings to help you:
Below you’ll find a summary of the key points.
Keep Intros Simple & Concise
As a leader and participant, Apply Active Listening Skills (to a Virtual Setting)
For more on Active Listening, checking our SCE Lesson titled: Signs of Powerful Listening in English (and Why It’s Important)
Maintain Clear, Respectful Communication
For more examples, check out the Confident English lesson titled, “ 11 Ways to Interrupt Someone Politely in English .”
You know what’s next. It’s time to practice!
If you consistently lead or participate in online meetings, is there a phrase you always use? What is it? Share it with me in the comments.
And if you know someone else who would love some must-have English phrases for online meetings, be sure to share this lesson with them. You can email it directly or share it on social media.
Have a fantastic Confident English Wednesday!
~ Annemarie
Follow my 3-step solution to speak English with clarity, fluency, and freedom so you can say what you want with confidence.
You'll also get my Confident English lessons delivered by email every Wednesday and occasional information about available courses. You can unsubscribe any time.
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This is an excellent outline. Thank you so much for your eloquence and the very helpful phrases
I am so glad you shared this information. It is very helpful for me.
Hi Annemarie, Thank you in advance for the helpful lesson of today. I’m still having an important work since the beggining of April and with weekly call conferences with international people. Very funny but the most interested suggetion that I know today is about when we need to interrupt and ask to say or suggest somethig the physical movement of our body toward the screen and rise the finger give immediately the sense that you are asking something. Visual sign of the body explainore than a high voice!!!
Thank you Annemarie, I’m your fun! Very best Gianna
You’re so welcome, Gianna! I’m glad this was helpful to you.
Hi Annemarie! Thank you very much for this interesting lesson! It’s really helpful because I’ve been coping with long and recurring on line meetings over the last two years . I’ve never been so skilled at technological stuffs, but I had to put myself in the game, to suit to the situation and seized the opportunity of learning something new. I will certainly follow your suggestions right away!! I look forward to listening to your new lesson tomorrow. Regards, Vania
Hi Vania, thanks so much for the comment. Doing something new and getting comfortable with conducting meetings online certainly is scary at the beginning. Even though you’ve been doing it for 2 years now, sometimes it’s hard to know how to lead a successful meeting online. I’m so glad to know this was helpful!!
Thank you for sharing the information. As always it was crisp and to the point.
Thank you for the comment, Pramod! We’re glad you liked the lesson.
Thank you for the information about online discussions or meetings Annemarie. This was really helpful. I have been seeing a lot of something like “Dudu is waiting in the lobby”. I would appreciate it if you can explain that.
You’re very welcome, Dudu. Can you tell me the context of the sentence you’re asking about?
Thank you very much, Anamarie, for sharing this video. I have an online meeting with international students tonight, and what you have shared today gave me a lot of confidence to handle the activity. God bless.
Hi Mar, oh, that’s fantastic! I’m glad the lesson was good timing and I hope the meeting went well!
Very nice and very helpful though I can only say that one who proper manner use the tools he can any society can move. I’m Md Shahidul Haque enjoy every Wednesday given speech. So I am feeling a bit proud for the lerling English. May God bless you and your family. I hope you long leave and give service 3 world countries. Thank a lot form Bangladesh.
Hi Md Shahidul Haque, thank you for your comment. We’re thrilled to know you enjoy Wednesday’s lessons, and they are helpful to you.
Hrideep barot.
An Opening Remark is the first sentence, phrase, or paragraph you utter at the beginning of your speech or presentation. Opening Remarks determine whether or not the audience will be intrigued enough to sit through the rest of your talk . The main purposes of opening remarks can be summed up as follows:
Here’s the game plan for this article:
2. audience expectations from opening remarks.
2. props and placards, 3. the potential of a promise, 4. sing a song, 5. strike the minds with a startling statement, 6. influence with imagination.
9. the strength of storytelling, 10. propose a problem, 1. writing opening remarks for meetings/seminars, 2. writing opening remarks for virtual meetings, 3. writing opening remarks for ceremony/event, in conclusion.
Even after reading this, you might wonder, ‘Why is it important for me to focus upon opening remarks?’ After all, it’s just a part of the overall structure of your talk, right?
Now, let me ask you something!
Have you ever found yourself in a situation where the moment a speaker started delivering his talk, you immediately felt disconnected and just couldn’t pay attention to it?
Soon, you began to yawn and decided to check up on the people sitting beside you but surprisingly, you found them staring at their wristwatches waiting for the talk to get over.
Most likely the reason is that the speaker forgot to pay attention to his/her opening remarks and because of this very reason, failed at capturing the audience’s attention. So, ask yourself, ‘Do you wish to be that speaker?’ NO, right?
Before I dive into the Complete Guide on ‘What to Say in Opening Remarks?’ , let’s first discuss a few guidelines that you must keep in mind while crafting your introductory remarks!
An opening remark can cover 10-15% of the total duration of your talk. For example, if you are delivering a 7-minute long talk, your opening remark must last for at least a minute.
Let’s face it- every single time, we listen to a strong introduction, we ponder ‘How did the speaker do it effortlessly?’
Well, my friend, the secret lies in thinking from the audience’s perspective ! (a crucial step that most of the speakers skip)
This is the only way to figure out what will work in your opening remarks. So, ask yourself,
While each situation/issue is different, there are certain Do’s and Don’t’s of opening remarks that you need to keep in mind to not make your audience snooze on you! Because come on, we don’t wish to be those boring monotonous speakers!
Serve a sneak-peek.
Remember how the trailer of any movie gives you an idea of what the movie is about but doesn’t give all the information to make you curious enough for the remainder of the movie? That’s exactly what we need to do here!
At the beginning of your speech, provide the audience an idea about the theme of your talk but don’t give it all in!
Give them questions to ponder over! After listening to your opening remarks, your audience should go like, ‘Umm, that’s interesting! Tell me more about it!’ But how do you do that? Keep an eye out for the section in this article where we talk about interesting ways to begin your speech.
Now that you have your audience’s attention, your mission now is to make them trust you!
Because admit it, for the audience to truly believe your arguments, they must first trust you!
Consider thinking from your audience’s perspective and ask yourself, ‘What aspect of my life would relate the most with my audience and the theme of my talk?’ Once you have got your answer, narrate that personal anecdote! (Don’t go on blabbering, keep it short and sweet!)
This is pretty self-explanatory! You would any day prefer a speaker who is smiling and seems confident as opposed to someone who has a serious face on with a monotonous voice.
So, remember to maintain eye contact (but not stare at them!) to make your audience feel like you are talking to them and not at them. But if you are afraid of maintaining eye contact, here a few things that you can try out:
Lastly, put on a smile if your speech topic calls for it (If it’s a sad topic, don’t smile, obviously!).
Bid ‘goodbye’ to a bland ‘good morning’.
Starting your speech with a plain ‘Good Morning’ is by far the most mundane way and doesn’t really add to the listening experience of your audience.
After listening to a bland ‘Good Morning’, they would most likely go like, ‘Ah, here we go again!’ and we don’t want our audience members to think that way! So, put on your creativity hat and make your introductory remarks interesting!
As discussed in the previous section, we wish to be creative but not too creative. Let me tell you why! We focus so much on making our introduction creative that we incorporate too many interesting elements, adjectives, and idioms-all of these together confuse the audience. We need to strike a balance between creativity and simplicity.
For example, if you are talking about ‘Why more people are watching dark content these days?’ Don’t start your speech narrating the emergence of OTT Platforms, it’s too broad! Instead, prefer narrating a personalized story of binge-watching dark content.
Avoid crafting an opening remark which is too long, stick to the time limit guidelines we discussed in one of the previous sections of this article. Keeping our opening remarks too long can bore our audience members to sleep and as a result, they might lose all their interest!
We’ve made an in-depth video of things we should NOT do when it comes to opening our speech. Check it out for deeper insights:
A strong speech introduction serves two purposes:
Below-mentioned is the list of 10 best ways to write a strong introduction without sounding boring:
Starting your speech by throwing in some statistics, be it positive or negative, can help you capture your audience’s attention. Here’s how:
In this TED Talk, Dr. Tharoor uses statistics to arise the curiosity of his audience members using the exact method that I stated above. Check out the video to understand it better!
Opening Remark :
How many of you here are under 35? Okay, that seems pretty representative of the country; 65% of India is under 35. How many of you are under 25? Okay. Then you are not so representative because we have half of the Indian population pretty much under 25. We are an amazingly young country!
Now, this is just one way of presenting the fact in an interesting way. Well, we have written an entire article on ’11 Unique Ways to Present Facts Without Sounding Boring’ . So, make sure you check it out!
Instead of simply coming on to the stage and start speaking, shock your audience by doing something different. We all love surprises and with the right props and placards, you can get your audience interested for the entire duration of your speech.
No technical rules here! Put on your creativity hat and think ‘What Prop can you bring onto the stage which will relate to the theme of your talk?’ Once you have got your potential answers, ask yourself, ‘Which prop is the most convenient yet effective?’ Then, bring that prop onto the stage.
Hold on, don’t just present your prop! Use it as a guiding light to present the theme of your talk in a really engaging manner.
Let’s assume that you are delivering a talk on ‘Walking the Pathways of Sustainability with Old Modes of Transportation.’ This time, instead of simply starting to talk, you can enter the stage riding a bicycle!
Sounds interesting, right? (I’m sure your audience would find this to be intriguing too!)
Now, get off that bicycle, and speak about the theme of your talk by building a connection with that bicycle. This way, the audience would remember your theme nicely and be intrigued for the rest of your talk as well.
To witness the application of this technique in action, watch this TEDTalk by Hans Rosling on ‘The Magic Washing Machine’. Hans Rosling brings a washing machine on stage to illustrate his point. Here’s how:
Opening Remarks:
I was only a four years old when I saw my mother load a washing machine for the very first time in her life…
An irresistible promise would lure the audience in towards your speech in the hope of wanting to know more and that’s what you aim for, right?
But while you are at it, please make a point not to overpromise or exaggerate because this will hurt your credibility as a speaker and make the audience lose all their interest.
Step 1: Keep your opening statement something as simple like ‘Today, I’m about to tell you the secret to…’
Step 2: As a continuation of this statement, tell your audience what your secret is all about? For example, ‘Today, I’m about to tell you the secret to maintaining a healthy diet without losing out on junk food.’
Step 3: Now, don’t reveal your secret in the opening remarks itself. Wait till the body of your talk to reveal your secret!
Opening Remark:
So, I know the secret to getting anything you want in life.
Allow me to ask you, ‘Are you intrigued after listening to her statement?’ (At least I am) But your task as a speaker doesn’t get over here, look at this video to see how she presents this secret and structure her talk to be all the more persuasive.
No, I’m not kidding! I mean it. Public Speaking is not just about simply speaking, your task as an orator is to inform as well as engage your audience.
And what’s a better way to engage your audience than singing a song?
Now, if you are not at all confident about your singing skills, don’t go for it! Go for any of the remaining 9 techniques but if you are a decent singer, I’d suggest that you go for it! After all, no one’s judging you, all you need to do is present your idea effectively!
Step 1: Pick a song, yes! There are two ways here: Either you can go for a song which you can disagree with while presenting the theme of your talk or you can go choose a song to agree with.
Step 2: Once you have a song that resonates with your theme in one way or the other, pick up a stanza (Don’t go for more than 2-4 lines here). Ideally, prefer picking the lines which you can directly relate with your theme and at the same time, the lines are popular enough for the audience to recall the song.
Step 3: Sing the song, tell if you agree or disagree, and then, present your theme in the follow-up statement
The stars in the sky remind me why I live by love and I dream the future is bright as I look towards the sky. I live by love and I dream…
In this TED Talk, Kamica sings a song that talks about how music heals a soul and acts as a therapist. This, by the way, was also the theme of the talk she delivered. Check out this video to know in detail how exactly she effectively conveyed her theme in the opening remark- all because of a song!
What do I mean by this, you ask? You need to present an unpopular thought as our opening sentence , something that stands in opposition to the general belief of the public.
When you do this right, your audience will be intrigued to know more about how you defend this thought and that’s all what you are looking for- their undivided attention!
While deciding on this startling opening remark, ask yourself the following questions:
Hi, my name is Frank and I collect secrets.
Intriguing, isn’t it? That’s how Frank Warrren started his TEDTalk, ‘Half A Million Secrets’. Look at it!
We all love day-dreaming! So, why not use it to our advantage?
Present a step-by-step chain of thoughts for the audience to follow and let them immerse in that reality. For this to truly work, make sure that your description is vivid to control your audience’s thoughts.
Step 1: First things first, decide on the emotion you wish to channel- Is it positive or negative? My suggestion would be to go for negative emotion since it is comparatively more powerful. Having mentioned this, present a scenario of “ what will happen if the audience chooses not to listen to you? ” Tell them what they have in store to lose.
Step 2: Next, present a series of thoughts (in the order of progression) for the audience to follow.
Step 3: Throw in a question at the audience. If you are channeling the negative emotion, ask something scary like, “Would you prefer being in such a scary situation? No, right?” Similarly, while channeling the positive emotion, ask something optimistic like, “You enjoyed that, didn’t you? So, how can we sustain this in reality?”
Let’s take an example of Ric Elias TED Talk where he channels the negative emotion with the help of his powerful imagination by narrating a story of a plane crash. Look at how he builds up this piece of imagination.
Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.
Present an opportunity towards the audience to think with you and not think for you .
This ‘What if’ hook will bring both you and your audience on the same page. Once this is done, with the help of powerful storytelling as the next step, you can make the audience buy your thoughts in a structured manner.
Open up your talk with the phrase ‘what if’ and follow it up with a question.
One thing to keep in mind here is that your question should not reflect an existing reality but present a conflicting thought that challenges the existing perception of the public.
This way, the audience would truly ponder over your question and when they do, wait for some time and then, answer that question by yourself. Trust me, the audience will be more inclined to believe you!
To witness this technique in action, watch this TED Talk where Cynthia Thurlow asks her audience a thought-provoking question regarding our daily meals.
What if I told that breakfast being ‘the most important meal of the day’ was wrong?
There’s no rocket science here! If your topic is closely related to a culture or even a place for that matter, the best bet is to wear that representative outfit to stand out.
Before you dive into this method, cross-check with the event administration regarding dress code specifications. If no specifics are given and you have a theme wherein you can pull off a unique outfit, GO FOR IT!
While representing Bhutan’s steps towards sustainability, Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay decided to wear a traditional outfit to represent his country in its truest essence. Watch this TED Talk to know how he connects his outfit with the overall theme of the talk.
In case you are wondering, No, I’m not wearing a dress and no, I’m not saying what I’m wearing underneath. This is a gho. This is my national dress.
Be it real or fictional- we all love listening to gripping stories. Do you have a personal anecdote to share? Awesome! If not, there’s nothing to worry about.
You can craft your own story as well or narrate a friend’s story too. But one thing to remember here is that our stories should hold realism. Don’t go too overboard because if the audience gets a hint of exaggeration, they might not believe you!
Mountain Curve is by far one of the most popular techniques to narrate a gripping story! Here’s how:
Begin with establishing the setting and then, slowly work linearly towards the climax of the story (the key challenge/problem). Once you have reached the stage of climax, focus on the step-by-step resolution of that conflict (solution).
Want to know about more ways of effective storytelling? We have written an entire article on ‘9 Storytelling Methods for your Upcoming Presentation’. Go check it out!
Watch this TED Talk as the orator Michael narrates a camping story and relates it with the theme of his talk, ‘Why renewables can’t save the planet?’.
When I was a boy, my parents would sometimes take me camping in California…
Remember how every movie begins with introducing a problem and focusing the entire narrative towards solving that one problem? That’s exactly what needs to be done here!
What’s that one related problem that you are addressing in the theme of your talk? Once you have identified this problem, use the call and response technique to prove the viability of that problem in front of your audience.
But hold on, ‘What is the call and response method?’ Here’s how it works:
Once you have got your desired response through the show of hands, mold your rest of the talk towards solving that problem and give your audience a key takeaway!
While delivering a TEDTalk on ‘What makes a good life?’, Robert Waldinger begins his talk by proposing a problem. Here’s how!
What keeps us healthy and life as we go through life? If you were going to invest, in your future self, where would you put your time and energy?
Looking out for some more examples and inspiration to craft a strong opening remark? We have written an article highlighting 15 Best Speech Opening Examples and How to Use Them? Do check it out.
Even after reading about all these tips, I’m sure you must be wondering, ‘How do I decide on which technique to use?’
Don’t worry! I’m listing down a few scenarios along with the techniques which work the best there. So, let’s dive in!
Since meetings and seminars demand you to act professionally, you should not really go overboard with creativity and try incorporating fun and engaging elements.
Keeping the opening remark precise, minimalist, and to-the-point is what will work the best here.
Here are a few techniques that you can swear by in such a situation:
With the digitization stepping into our lives, virtual meetings have become an inescapable reality.
Since the attention span is really less in these online settings, you must strive towards making your talk engaging yet informative.
Here are a few techniques that can help you craft a suitable opening remark in this case:
But all these techniques won’t work until and unless you are comfortable talking to a camera. If you are not, make sure you check this article on ‘How to Speak (Well) on Camera? ‘
With an interesting line of order already at your disposal, your work as an orator is comparatively a lot easier in this case.
Since the tone of ceremonies and events tend to be either semi-formal or informal, you can afford to be a little creative by employing the following techniques to use:
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Be wary of the fact that the opening remarks can make or break your talk!
I hope that this article provided you with some valuable insight into crafting a strong introduction for your speech. Remember not to use too many techniques at once as it will confuse and disinterest your audience.
Use one or a combination of two complementary techniques at the maximum to craft an effective opening remark and you will be good to go!
The next step now is to start working on your closing remarks. Don’t worry, we’ve written an article on ‘ 10 of the Best Things to Say in Closing Remarks ‘ for you to refer.
Schedule a call with our expert communication coach to know if this program would be the right fit for you
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A guide for first-time managers.
Leading productive meetings is an essential skill for first-time managers, especially while managing a remote or hybrid team. If you find yourself in the situation, here are some strategies to follow:
“Shyamli, I’m sorry, but we have to ask you to drop this assignment. The clients found you very wooden. They said you have no presence.”
By: Grace He | Updated: December 01, 2023
Here is our list of the best conference opening remarks examples.
Conference opening remarks examples are statements that introduce your meeting to attendees. Examples include serious opening conference remarks, funny opening conference remarks, and inspirational opening conference remarks. The purpose of these remarks is to set the tone for your conference while welcoming attendees to the meeting and introducing your topics for discussion.
These ideas are similar to examples of opening and closing remarks for meetings , check-in questions for team meetings , and team building programs .
This list includes:
Let’s get to it!
From short messages to inspirational remarks, here are our top opening statements for conferences.
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Conference opening remarks are crucial in setting the tone for your meeting. For example, positive remarks can motivate attendees to engage more actively with the material. Serious remarks, on the other hand, can signal to attendees that the conference’s subject matter is more somber or significant in tone.
We recommend using your opening remarks to alert attendees to your conference’s main topic or theme. You can also share your meeting agenda and encourage participants to follow along throughout the event. Opening remarks create the perfect opportunity to give team members a warm welcome and introduction to start your event on the right foot.
Next, check out team building quotes for work and team building activities for conference calls . You can also check out our team building meeting guide .
Here are answers to common questions about conference opening remarks examples.
Conference opening remarks are opening statements, introductions, and sayings to welcome attendees to your event. These remarks can add an element of organization to your event by giving participants an idea of the topics and themes you will cover.
Conference opening remarks are important in setting the tone for your meeting while keeping participants engaged. The best conference opening remarks should motivate and inspire attendees to pay close attention and participate in your event.
For example, your conference opening remarks can include an overview of the event’s agenda, motivational quotes, or reasons for your meeting.
Writing a good opening address for a conference can be difficult. To simplify the process, we recommend restating critical information and reminding attendees of the event’s agenda. Your opening remarks should give participants a better understanding of the goal and purpose of your event.
Author: Grace He
People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.
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People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.
Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.
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by Allison Shapira | May 12, 2016 | Writing Tips | 0 comments
The first and last sentences are the most important sentences in your speech. The first sentence grabs your audience’s attention and sets the tone for the entire event. In fact, the audience forms its first impressions of you as soon as you walk on stage – or, in a meeting, when you walk into the room. The first sentence can make the audience sit up and take notice or, as commonly happens, finish up those last few emails on their digital device.
Before you write your opening sentence, you have a few things to do:
Identify the context of your speech. What time of day will it start? What will be the audience’s state of mind? Who will speak before you? The answers give you valuable data as you decide on your speech opener.
Identify the emotion of your speech . How do you want people to feel after your speech: Inspired? Outraged? Excited? Your opening should build towards that feeling.
Leave the Thank You’s to the end. Many people start with acknowledgements, which may be a generally accepted practice in your organization, but it’s not a good way to capture people’s attention. I like to include my acknowledgements toward the end so that I can start with content rather than formalities. Of course, you can always thank the person introducing you.
Write your speech first . I write the opening and closing sentences only after I’ve written (or drafted bullet points for) the speech itself. That way, I make sure that the opening/closing sentences reflect the content of the speech.
With that in mind, here are some powerful speech openers. You’ll notice they are similar to the speech closers I recommended last month.
A few other tips:
Connect with your “Why you?” before you begin. When you are passionate and authentic, you are fulfilling your potential as a powerful speaker. Before you begin, ask yourself “Why you? Why is this subject important to you?” That sense of purpose will naturally infuse your energy, presence, and intensity throughout the speech.
You are “on” before you walk on stage. Don’t wait to get on stage to look at the audience and smile. Put yourself in the speaker’s frame of mind before you get up out of your chair or before you walk into the room. Before you enter the room, do some breathing and stretching techniques to center yourself and give your voice strength and resonance.
Smile, pause, and breathe before you begin. You can take a moment to look at your audience and smile before starting to speak. Silence at the beginning of a speech is better than trying to “fill” the silence with filler words. Avoid phrases like, “So…yeah” or, “Um, OK;” these words detract from your message and credibility.
By using the above techniques, you will create a powerful first impression from the moment you step on stage, into the boardroom, or even right before you speak up on a conference call. You will capture people’s attention and they will listen.
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If you are new to running meetings or if you are looking for some more expressions to help you better open a meeting in English, then today I have got you covered.
Running a meeting can be difficult, especially so if English is not your native language. If you are the chairperson for a meeting, then you are responsible for opening a meeting and ensuring that it stays on track.
As with most things in business, there are both formal and informal ways to go about doing business. Sometimes we need to run a small team meeting in an informal setting, while other times we need to host formal meetings with important clients or contractors.
I myself have faced this challenge when working in Spanish. I found it difficult to set the right tone using the Spanish expressions I “thought” I knew would be effective for opening a meeting. Just like I am sure you have worried, I too worried about leaving a good impression with my colleagues and with whoever else was attending the meeting. If you have felt uncomfortable at times with running a meeting in English then I know exactly how you feel.
With this is mind, today I am going to share with you some tips for opening a meeting as well as both formal and informal expressions to help you open your next meeting.
Before we go any further, let’s start by looking at some quick ideas and tips for opening a meeting. As we discussed in last week’s episode, all important meetings require planning and preparation. Therefore, one of the first things you should do before your meeting starts is to ensure that you have all of the relevant information with you. Additionally, you should test any technical equipment and makes sure your slides and PC work, especially if you are giving a presentation. The next thing that we should be aware of is “small talk”. We should try and engage in small talk right at the beginning of a meeting, even if everybody has not arrived. Small talk can help your guests or other colleagues to feel comfortable and help everyone start to relax before the meeting officially starts.
A Step-By-Step Guide To Participating Confidently in English in Your Next Business Meeting. Do you get embarrassed when you need to attend a meeting in English? Maybe you feel frustrated when you can't express yourself clearly. Do you want to be invisible in a meeting, hoping that you won't need to answer any questions? Learn how to confidently participate in meetings that lead to successful outcomes and more business for you and your company, on my course for English language learners
Firstly, we should then consider some expressions for small talk. The golden rule is to keep it light and make sure the questions are easy to answer. You should avoid talking about religion or politics. Below I have included some of the types of questions you could use to engage in small talk.
The phrases below are great if you already know the person that you are chatting to at the beginning of the meeting. You will notice that they are less formal and suggest that you know aspects about their life.
Have you been to the Sydney Film Festival before? | Are you interested in the cricket/baseball/football? | |
How are you today? | How was your holiday/vacation? | How was the weekend? |
How are you going/doing? | How was your flight/journey? | Are you keeping up with...(insert a current world event)? |
How have you been? | How was the beach? | How´s the family? |
How are things? | How was the meeting? | How´s the (insert name) project coming along? |
I hear the Sydney Film Festival is on. | Did the meeting go well? | What is the latest in (insert village name)? |
I hear the Sydney Film Festival starts on Friday. | Are you watching the Olympics/World Cup? | Did you hear about (insert event)? |
Are you going to the Sydney Film Festival? | Are you keeping up with the Olympics/World Cup/football? | What about... (insert event or persons name)? |
The follow sentences should be used when you are small talking with a customer or someone you have not had a long relationship with. These expressions are more polite and express correct forms for asking people questions, without being too personal..
Have you been to the Sydney Film Festival before? | Are you interested in the cricket/baseball/football? | |
How are you today? | How was your flight? | Can I offer you some recommendations on places to eat? |
How are you going/doing? | Did you find us OK? | Are you keeping up with...(insert a current world event)? |
How are you finding Sydney? | Have you seen much of Sydney yet? | Are you watching the Olympics/World Cup? |
Is this your first time to Sydney? | Are you enjoying your stay at the hotel? | I’m told you are from Wales. What’s it like this time of year? |
Did you know the Sydney Film Festival is on? | Would you be interested in going to the Sydney Film Festival? | Do you have anything you would like to see while you are in Sydney? |
Now that we have aspects of small talk covered, let’s move on to the next part where we cover formal and informal expressions for opening a meeting.
Take a look at the following expressions, they can be used to open a meeting. They set a formal tone and should be used when dealing with important external participants.
Now that we have the language for opening a formal meeting, we can now move on to the final part of today’s episode. In the following section I will provide you with some examples of the same steps using informal language.
Leading a meeting in English can seem like a challenge, but with these expressions you should feel confident when opening a meeting. Remember, small talk is a great way to make people feel comfortable, so make sure you practice that. Once you have broken the ice and started with a few questions, things get much easier. Well, over to you my friends, let me know if there are any expressions that you like to use when opening a meeting. Take care and I will see you all next week.
Do you get embarrassed when you need to attend a meeting in English? Maybe you feel frustrated when you can't express yourself clearly. Do you want to be invisible in a meeting, hoping that you won't need to answer any questions? If you would like to learn how to confidently participate in meetings that lead to successful outcomes and more business for you and your company, then I've got the answer.
If you're serious about improving your English then take one of our online courses. The Art of Business English Academy offers a wide range of English language courses for all levels.
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How to manage a discussion when chairing a meeting, how to get the most out of your q&a, verbs of communication to help your express yourself better.
Andrew is the CEO and founder of the Art of Business English. Besides teaching and coaching native Spanish speakers in Business English, he is also passionate about mountain biking, sailing and healthy living. When He is not working, Andrew loves to spend time with his family and friends.
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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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Thomas Jolly poses Friday, July 19, 2024 in Paris. Thomas Jolly, a 40-year-old actor and stage director, was chosen by the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee to helm the artistic direction of the four grand ceremonies. He will be tasked with bringing to life Paris’ ambitious plan to hold the July 26, 2024, opening ceremony in the French capital’s city center, along the Seine River. (AP Photo/Tom Nouvian)
Tony Estanguet, President of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee, left, poses with Thomas Jolly Friday, July 19, 2024 in Paris. Thomas Jolly, a 40-year-old actor and stage director, was chosen by the Paris 2024 Organizing Committee to helm the artistic direction of the four grand ceremonies. He will be tasked with bringing to life Paris’ ambitious plan to hold the July 26, 2024, opening ceremony in the French capital’s city center, along the Seine River. (AP Photo/Tom Nouvian)
FILE - Drag queens prepare to perform on the Debilly Bridge in Paris, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024. A storm of outrage about the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony took a legal turn Tuesday July 30, 2024, with a DJ who performed at the show saying her lawyer is filing complaints over a torrent of threats and other abuse that the LGBTQ+ icon has suffered online in the ceremony’s wake. (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi, File)
DJ Barbara Butch poses for a photo before the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, France, Friday, July 26, 2024. (Berthon Flavien via AP)
PARIS (AP) — Paris prosecutors said Friday that police have opened a hate speech investigation following a complaint by Olympics opening ceremony artistic director Thomas Jolly over death threats.
The Paris prosecutors’ office said in a statement that Jolly filed a police complaint on Tuesday, four days after the opening ceremony , for death threats, “public insults” and “defamation.”
Jolly said he has been “the target of threatening messages and insults on social networks criticizing his sexual orientation and his wrongly-assumed Israeli roots,” the statement said. France’s Central Office for Combating Crimes Against Humanity and Hate Crimes has been charged with the investigation.
Jolly’s complaint comes after the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremony prompted a storm of outrage, including angry comments from Donald Trump, in the wake of a contentious scene featuring drag queens and other performers. Although Jolly has repeatedly said that he wasn’t inspired by “The Last Supper,” critics interpreted part of the show as a mockery of Leonardo Da Vinci’s painting showing Jesus Christ and his apostles.
French President Emmanuel Macron extended full support to Jolly and all performing artists who were part of the Olympics opening show.
“I am outraged and sad,” Macron said about threats and cyberbullying Jolly and others have suffered. “Nothing justifies threats against an artist,” Macron said.
“French people were very proud of the opening ceremony that presented France’s history, its adventurous spirit, its audacity and it was all done with artistic freedom, which is very important to us,” Macron said.
Jolly’s “daring art in the opening ceremony made many people happy,” he added.
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo also expressed “unwavering support” of Jolly in the face of the threats and harassment.
2024 Paris Olympics:
With his opening ceremony, “Jolly held our values high,” Hidalgo said in a statement Friday. “It was a pride and an honor for Paris to be able to count on his talent to magnify our city and tell the world who we are.”
Hidalgo added: “Paris will always be on the side of artists, of creation and therefore, on the side of freedom.”
Barbara Butch, a popular DJ and LGBTQ+ icon who performed in the show, also said she suffered a torrent of online threats. Butch has filed a complaint alleging online abuse and harassment, which police are also investigating.
For more coverage of the Paris Olympics, visit https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games .
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.
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The former president took questions from reporters for more than hour. We examined his claims, attacks and policy positions.
By The New York Times
Former President Donald J. Trump held an hourlong news conference with reporters on Thursday at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, during which he attacked Vice President Kamala Harris, his general election opponent, criticized the Biden administration’s policies and boasted of the crowd size at his rallies. We took a closer look at many of his claims.
“If you look at Martin Luther King, when he did his speech, his great speech. And you look at ours, same real estate, same everything, same number of people. If not, we had more.” — Former President Donald J. Trump
Mr. Trump was talking about the crowds gathered for his speech on Jan. 6, 2021, and for the “I Have a Dream” speech the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered during the March on Washington in 1963. While it is difficult to gauge exact crowd sizes, estimates counter Mr. Trump’s claim that the numbers gathered were comparable. Dr. King’s speech drew an estimated 250,000 people . The House Select Committee responsible for investigating the events of Jan. 6 estimated that Mr. Trump’s speech drew 53,000 people.
— Former President Donald J. Trump
Ms. Harris, in 2019, said she supports a gun buyback program for assault weapons, not all guns. Her campaign told The New York Times recently that she no longer supports a buyback program.
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Peter Baker
This is exaggerated..
President Biden has indeed tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to try to mitigate gasoline price increases , drawing it down by about 40 percent from when he took office, and it is currently at the lowest level since the 1980s. But it still has 375 million barrels in it now , which is not “virtually empty” nor is it at the lowest level ever.
Mr. Trump never won a majority of the popular vote in either of the elections he ran in and never had the approval of a majority of Americans in a single day of Gallup polling during his presidency. An average of polls by FiveThirtyEight.com shows that he is viewed favorably by just 43 percent of Americans today and has the same level of support in a matchup against Vice President Kamala Harris.
Alan Rappeport
President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have pledged not to make any cuts to America’s social safety net programs. Mr. Trump suggested this year that he was open to scaling back the programs when he said there was “a lot you can do in terms of entitlements in terms of cutting.” He later walked back those comments and pledged to protect the programs. But if changes to the programs are not made, the programs’ benefits will automatically be reduced eventually. Government reports released earlier this year projected that the Social Security and disability insurance programs, if combined, would not have enough money to pay all of their obligations in 2035. Medicare will be unable to pay all its hospital bills starting in 2036.
Coral Davenport
While the Biden administration has enacted regulations designed to ensure that the majority of new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States are all-electric or hybrids by 2032, the rules do not require consumers to buy electric vehicles.
The $1.5 trillion tax cut, enacted in December 2017, ranks below at least half a dozen others by several metrics. The 1981 tax cut enacted under President Ronald Reagan is the largest as a percentage of the economy and by its reduction to federal revenue. The 2012 cut enacted under President Barack Obama amounted to the largest cut in inflation-adjusted dollars: $321 billion a year.
The price of gasoline reached a low of $1.98 per gallon in April 2020, when Mr. Trump was president, chiefly as a result of the drop in driving in the first months of the Covid pandemic. It rose to a peak of $5 per gallon in June 2022, but has since steadily dropped to $3.60 per gallon in July 2024. The United States has steadily increased its oil production over the last decade, becoming the world’s largest producer of oil in 2018, a status it still holds today .
Mr. Trump spoke with a leader of the Taliban in March 2020. In the 18 months that followed, from April 2020 to October 2021, 13 soldiers died in hostile action in Afghanistan.
No state has passed a law allowing for the execution of a baby after it is born, which is infanticide. Moreover, abortions later in pregnancy are very rare: In 2021, less than 1 percent of abortions happened after 21 weeks’ gestation, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report based on data from state and other health agencies. More than 90 percent of abortions happened within 13 weeks of gestation.
Office of Government Information Services (OGIS)
Hello. This is Jackson. I would have liked to have participated contemporaneously in today’s discussions through the YouTube chat where my unfiltered and time-stamped comments would be preserved for the thousands who will view the YouTube video of this meeting, live and later. I cannot imagine how hearing and speech impaired citizens may participate at all. I would like to see more participation from FOIA requesters who qualify for the, quote all other FOIA requester fee category. And more opportunities for meetings devoted specifically to private citizen FOIA requesters. This Committee is doing an awesome job at great investment of your personal time. I hope that most of you will return for the 2024 – 2026 term. I am confused as to why OGIS has not conducted an annual open meeting to discuss OGIS’s 2023 Freedom of Information Act Ombudsman Report for Fiscal Year 2022 (Published in June 2023). The Freedom of Information Act Five U.S.C. at five fifty-two (h)(6) requires this. I am wondering if I missed that meeting. I have concerns about the dispute resolution figures reported each year, which appear absurdly overstated and do not align with statute. Such inaccurate overstatements work against efforts to obtain urgently needed funding for OGIS. If OGIS mediation were properly funded, countless disputes could be resolved without appeal or litigation. Global, unrelated matters may also be resolved through mediation, with professionally credentialed mediators having grade levels commensurate with their contacts and responsibilities. I have been reading some things about top-level line-item budgets for FOIA and records management for all agencies to elevate the service to our nation that our leaders contemplate. And to hold senior leaders accountable for properly funding FOIA personnel career path development, retention, and professional certifications and for technology enhancements. I have been reading about an America First Legal FOIA case concerning unauthorized records disposition cases involving the Archivist of the United States and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Case Number. 1:24-cv-1092 in the District Court of Columbia. It is very interesting. It would be great if cases like this one could be resolved through mediation. Once again, this Committee is doing an awesome job. Thank you.
IMAGES
COMMENTS
Opening and closing remarks for meetings are statements that introduce and wrap up workplace get-togethers. The purpose of these remarks is to set the tone of the subject matter and summarize topics covered during the meeting. Examples of opening and closing remarks for meetings include quick welcomes to attendees, announcements explaining the ...
Some examples of meeting ground rules are: State your name before you begin speaking. Stay 100% focused during the meeting by avoiding incoming emails, direct messages, and text messages. Never interrupt the individual who is speaking or sharing a point. Come prepared with action items to discuss with the team.
3. The Icebreaker. Break the ice with a light and relatable anecdote or trivia related to the meeting's topic. Icebreakers help create a friendly atmosphere and encourage engagement. 4. The Quote of Inspiration. Incorporate an inspiring quote that resonates with the meeting's theme or objectives.
1) Thank the Organizers and Audience. 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 ...
4. Make them laugh. Injecting a little humor into your opening line puts everyone at ease and makes your speech more memorable. Just make sure your joke is relevant and doesn't offend your audience. Example: "They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but if the doctor is cute, forget the fruit!". 5.
2. Small Talk. In business, it is polite to make small talk while you wait for the meeting to start. Although the length of small talk varies depending on the culture and the context, a good rule of thumb is to allow between 3 and 7 minutes. Let people get into the feel of the meeting, see each other, and chat a bit before diving into the main ...
The Right Way to Start a Meeting. by. Liane Davey. March 02, 2017. We all know there's a price to pay for a making bad first impression: A limp handshake conveys low confidence; a wrinkled suit ...
Opening Lines of the Top 10 Greatest Speeches of All Time. #1: Socrates - "Apology". "How you, men of Athens, have been affected by my accusers. I do not know.". #2: Patrick Henry - "Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death". "Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope.".
On this "Quick Thinks" episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, podcast host Matt Abrahams offers the three ways to insert your ideas, either by paraphrasing, asking a question, or stating an emotion. He also outlines the "What, So What, Now What" framework and explains how to use this structure to communicate your ideas more effectively. 00: ...
Rule 1: Make sure everyone gets introduced. If someone is important enough to be invited, they must be introduced. Business introductions make sure the people in the meeting know who they're talking to. They provide critical context for the discussion, giving everyone a sense for the range of perspectives and experience in the room.
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: Visual. Auditory. Kinesthetic (touch) and Smell. We don't want your audience tasting your talk, but it should leave a good taste in their mouths.
Typical Patterns for Speech Openings. Get the audience's attention-called a hook or a grabber. Establish rapport and tell the audience why you care about the topic of why you are credible to speak on the topic. Introduce the speech thesis/preview/good idea. Tell the audience why they should care about this topic.
Suggest that the audience complete a mathematical equation and promise to give the answer context during the speech. 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.
Here are two simple formulas that work well in any meeting. For formal and professional introductions: Name + role + organization. Ex. Hi everyone, my name's Annemarie and I'm the Director of Speak Confident English. Ex. Hello, my name's Lina and I'm a Junior Analyst at KPMG.
Hello, everyone. Thank you for coming today. I think we'll begin now. First I'd like to welcome you all. Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I really appreciate you all for attending today. We have a lot to cover today, so we really should begin. Sample Welcome: Pierre: I think we'll begin now.
3. Do's and Don'ts of Opening Remarks. 10 Types of 'Interesting' Opening Remarks. 1. Shock them with Statistics. 2. Props and Placards. 3. The Potential of A Promise.
Start the call by checking in on everyone or introducing everyone. You can also use the first few minutes to set a clear protocol for how to speak up or share ideas. For instance, encourage people ...
The best conference opening remarks should motivate and inspire attendees to pay close attention and participate in your event. For example, your conference opening remarks can include an overview of the event's agenda, motivational quotes, or reasons for your meeting. How do you write a good opening address for a conference?
Smile, pause, and breathe before you begin. You can take a moment to look at your audience and smile before starting to speak. Silence at the beginning of a speech is better than trying to "fill" the silence with filler words. Avoid phrases like, "So…yeah" or, "Um, OK;" these words detract from your message and credibility.
in Training Videos. Writing a Great Opening Speech for an event is something all MC's often have to do. Here is the exact 3 Phase Process I go through, the 7 Questions I always ask my client and the 5 Step Structure I always follow. (If you would prefer to read the article click here - Opening Speech .) Master of Ceremony Opening Speech ...
The details of the welcome speech are basically the names of the people or the important people who are coming. This is the responsibility of the one who is assigned to make the welcome speech. Always make sure that all details needed are within your reach or that you already have them down as notes. 2. Write a Short Draft of Your Speech.
Leading a meeting in English can seem like a challenge, but with these expressions you should feel confident when opening a meeting. Remember, small talk is a great way to make people feel comfortable, so make sure you practice that. Once you have broken the ice and started with a few questions, things get much easier.
Doing this will give you an idea of how to catch the attention of your listeners. 2. Acknowledge The Guests. 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 ...
Hello, this is Jackson. The Archivist and OGIS Director impermissibly refuse to respond to requests for ADA reasonable accommodation to allow members of the public - including hearing and speech impaired persons - to participate contemporaneously in today's discussions through the YouTube chat, where unfiltered and time-stamped comments would be preserved for the thousands who will view ...
PARIS (AP) — Paris prosecutors said Friday that police have opened a hate speech investigation following a complaint by Olympics opening ceremony artistic director Thomas Jolly over death threats. The Paris prosecutors' office said in a statement that Jolly filed a police complaint on Tuesday, four days after the opening ceremony , for ...
Whether you write your speech word for word and read it from the page or from a screen, memorize it or use bullet points on 3 by 5 cards, find a system that works for you.
X owner Elon Musk claimed Monday that a distributed denial-of-service attack had overwhelmed the company's servers, preventing him from beginning his interview with former President Donald Trump ...
Critics say the vice president has been too cautious with the press. Her supporters think it's the right strategy at the right time. By Michael M. Grynbaum Michael Grynbaum has covered the ...
King's speech drew an estimated 250,000 people. The House Select Committee responsible for investigating the events of Jan. 6 estimated that Mr. Trump's speech drew 53,000 people.
Hello. This is Jackson. I would have liked to have participated contemporaneously in today's discussions through the YouTube chat where my unfiltered and time-stamped comments would be preserved for the thousands who will view the YouTube video of this meeting, live and later. I cannot imagine how hearing and speech impaired citizens may participate at all. I would like to see more ...