Public Speaking Courses

The Art of Public Speaking
Our Public Speaking training courses are designed for both the inexperienced presenter or as a refresher for more experienced members of your company or organization. Our training courses are offered in most major cities across the United States and Canada. All public speaking skills training courses are small which will give you all the face to face time you need with our training team.

Our public speaking training courses (presentation training) will eliminate your fear or inexperience in public speaking and dramatically improve your speaking skills whether you are persuading, educating, or informing. Our highly interactive courses focus on professional business communication including preparation, structure, delivery, and strategy, use of visual aids, and handling questions & answers. Contact us today by phone at 713-627-7700 or via email: service@publicspeakingtraining.net

Public Speaking Skills Training: Effective Public Speaking - Outstanding Introductions

 

During the recent National Football Association Hall of Fame ceremonies, I had an opportunity to listen to many heart-felt, insightful, and funny speeches, excellent examples of effective public speaking. However, what stood out was one speaker's introduction of an inductee - and not in a good way.

The introduction took away attention from the inductee and effectively stole his thunder. The introduction speech was actually more about the speaker than the inductee. The introducer's speech was twice as long as the award winner's speech, and I could see audience members growing weary of the introducer as he sapped the energy from the ceremony before the hall of fame inductee even said the first word of his speech.

Whether you are introducing an award winner or introducing the next presenter in a series, the following five secrets to effective public speaking introductions will get the audience interested:

  • Keep Your Speaker Introduction Short: Your introduction of the speaker should never be longer than the speaker's actual presentation. Keep your introductions from thirty seconds to two minutes depending on the situation. Remember, your job is get the audience excited about the next speaker in the shortest amount of time possible. If you must tell a story, keep it short.
     
  • Work With the Speaker: Communicate with the speaker you are introducing to find out if they have a basic introduction they want you to follow. If they do, take time to familiarize yourself with the introduction so that it sounds natural when you read it. Unless authorized by the speaker, do not ad lib and add something into the introduction that could possibly embarrass the speaker or take away from their presentation. I remember seeing the horror on a speaker's face as his introducer deviated from the planned introduction and started to tell a story in the introduction that the presenter was well known for giving in his presentation! Stick with the planned introduction if there is one. If the presenter whom you are introducing doesn't have a standard introduction they use, ask them what their goals are for their speech, what they want covered in the introduction, what subjects they might want to stay away from, and how to pronounce names and/or places pertaining to the speaker or the speech.
     
  • Don't Tell Secrets: You may know the presenter on a personal basis and would like to tell the audience a funny story of personal embarrassment to the presenter. Don't do it unless the speaker approves the story. What you find funny may take away the presenter's credibility with the audience, which isn't effective public speaking or a good introduction.
     
  • Sell the Speaker: Sell the speaker to the audience. Talk about the speaker's experience and credentials, and the benefits the audience will receive by listening to them speak. Your speaker introduction should answer the following question for the audience: "How will it benefit me to listen to this speaker?"
     
  • Don't Steal the Speaker's Thunder: Remember, it's not about the introducer. It's about the speaker. I have seen some introducers, who know that they will be introducing a dynamic speaker, try to be more dynamic than them. Your job as the introducer is to get the audience excited about the speaker without taking away the speaker's thunder. Once you know the style of the speaker, work to complement the speaker so that they are the star of the show.


Remember, giving a speaker introduction is never about you as an introducer, it's about setting the stage for the speaker so that they can deliver a successful and effective public speaking performance. Follow the five effective public speaking secrets to giving outstanding speaker introductions and you will create motivated audience members while making your presenters happy.

Ed Sykes: link

Subject: Public Speaking Skills Training