“Brains Over Bucks.”

Getting a Perfect Introduction

By Jeff Slutsky and Marc Slutsky

When you give a speech, your introduction, can help you launch into your speech with great momentum. Furthermore, since someone else gives your introduction, you can more easily have them "toot your horn" where it might appear arrogant or egotistical for you to mention certain elements about your talents.

Goals Of A Successful Introduction

1. Establish your credibility. Once the audience has heard your introduction, there should be no doubt that you bring the necessary credentials, experience and knowledge to address your subject.

2. Establish your intent. After hearing your introduction, the audience knows the reason for your speech and how you expect them to benefit from taking their time to hear it. In short, it helps "sell" the audience on why they need to pay attention to your presentation.

3. Establish your background. The audience learns, through your introduction, a little of how you got your credibility.

3 ELEMENTS OF A SUCCESSFUL INTRODUCTION

1. Provide A Written Introduction.
2. Review Your Written Introduction With Your Introducer.
3. Make Sure Your Introducer Gets All "House Keeping" Details Finished First .

WRITING YOUR INTRODUCTION

The first step of preparing your introduction is identifying all those experiences, credentials, and accomplishments that you feel would help your audience understand the reason you're qualified to give this presentation. Here are some suggestions to get you started:

Do a thorough inventory of all your strengths and weaknesses, simply listing them in no particular order.

• List all your accomplishments and honors. Prepare your personal resume.
• List all the reasons why any particular audience would want to hear from you. What makes you an expert on the topic and why?
• List all professional designations and educational achievements, again in no order of preference.
• List whatever personal facts about your background you feel are relevant. For example, we always mention that we owned several small businesses and the marketing dollars were coming out our own pockets. Involve this kind of information only if it is relevant to your presentation.
• List extracurricular activities including nonprofit organizations and charities in no particular order. For example, Jeff is on the board of the American Cancer Society so that is mentioned in his introduction.
• List your contributions in any area related to the group you are addressing.
• Decide how much personal information you want to share including your spouse, children, extended family and so on.
• Once you have gathered these facts, review your list and select the items in three categories:

  
  (a) must mention in every introduction;
  (b) could mention if time allowed;
  (c) should mention only to a particular group.

• When writing your basic, general introduction, include only items from an "a" category list.
• When writing customized introductions for specific clients, include appropriate items from all three categories.
• Keep it short. Try to limit your items to three paragraphs.

Street Fighter Action Plan

1. When giving a speech, provide your introducer with a written introduction.
2. Review the introduction with your introducer.
3. Ask your introducer to finish all “house-keeping” announcements first.
4. Write your introduction to provide the maximum credibility for your speech.

 

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