How to Create Anticpation and Excitement with Your Audience

Where your speaker bio is more about your history, your speaker introduction is more about getting the audience excited, on the edge of their seat, and ready to hear you present. Writing your own introduction and getting it to your introducer before your presentation will help to guarantee that they will be excited to get the audience ready for you. Let’s look at what is in a great speaker introduction.
To be very clear, do not include info about yourself that is not relevant to building your credibility for the particular topic or isn’t of interest to this particular audience. Your introduction is not a long list of your accomplishments, awards and experiences. It also shouldn’t be a summary of your presentation. And most importantly, it should not be a dreaded word-for-word reading of your bio that is probably already written in the program booklet. Your speaker intro should be a sincere, warm, and energetic description of why your audience should be excited about your presentation.
You are most qualified to determine what to include in your introduction. You know best what information makes you uniquely qualified on that particular topic for this particular audience. Professional speakers spend hours crafting just the right introduction for each event. You can have a general introduction and customize it for each topic and audience. Who better than you is able to explain why this audience should be excited about your presentation.
That’s why it is so important to analyze the audience beforehand, so you understand what will get and keep their attention. Be sure to ask the person who invited you many questions about the audience (demographics: men vs. women, age, education level, executives, employees). You need to know these facts to gear your presentation and your introduction to the audience. You would present the same presentation to an audience of teenagers than you would to corporate executives. Likewise, with your intro.
By the way, be sure to bring your introduction with you in printed form in a bold large font that is easy to read from stage. Many times, the original person who hired you is not the person who introduces you. It’s always good to be prepared.
How long should your speaker intro be?
It’s your responsibility to keep it short and sweet. You just need enough to build credibility and anticipation. 30 seconds to one minute is typical. An extremely accomplished professional and in a very formal setting, the intro may be a little longer (two to three minutes max). Keep in mind the longer the intro, the less time you get to present.
What should be included in your intro?
It needs to be only a paragraph.
1) What does the audience want or need? Use either with a compelling question or an enticing fact.
2) Why are you qualified to speak on the topic?
3) Instruct the audience to welcome the speaker (you) and end with your name. That’s your cue to take over and speak.
Keep your introduction short and crisp. The audience is there to hear you, not the introducer.
Remember, the Engaging Speakers Mentors would love to help you craft a stellar introduction. Learn more at https://engagingspeakers.com/ .
Gail Brown, Founder of Engaging Speakers, gail@engagingspeakers.com