How To Write Your Introduction For Your Speech

If you are a leader who struggles writing introductions for your speeches, try these tips from Quick Study Academic (BarCharts, Inc.):

Prepare the audience to listen to your speech.
Start with a statement that will grab your audience's attention to draw them into your speech.

Ask a rhetorical question that does not require an answer. Or, tell a good story. Or, state something that will surprise your audience. Perhaps surprise them with an amazing statistic.

Be sure your speech will be significant. Motivate them to listen by telling them the reason the topic is relevant to their lives.
Tell the audience why you are qualified to give the speech to build your credibility.
State a thesis statement; a single declarative statement capsuling the central idea of the specific purpose of your speech.
Provide a preview by listing each of the main points you will cover in your speech. Your preview can be combined with your thesis statement if you wish.

Memorize your introduction so you can maintain eye contact with your audience your entire introduction.

And, then, once into the body of your speech and if you use graphics or charts, remember that:

Bar charts compare one item to another
Line graphs show change over time
Pie charts compare percentages

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Eric Jacobson On Management And Leadership

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