Page 20 - 2016 July voices

Allow Me to Introduce…

by Michael (Mick) Taylor, CC, CL

The old maxim me when this turkey is done.” But what if I had

that we only get started by setting a hypothetical scene? “You are

one chance to helping Grandma clean out her attic and you

make a good first come upon a trunk of old postcards. Because

impression may you’re in a hurry to go to the Duck’s game, you

be true of most social situations, but when throw them out.” Then, I end with the punch

it comes to public speaking, we get that line, “Congratulations! You’ve just thrown

opportunity every time we deliver a speech. away a new car!” Would this be the right bait to

Nevertheless, we want to do everything we hook you? Even when we use other attention-

can to make the most effec- getting devices, we should

tive introduction that we can. ALWAYS relate our topic to

First impressions are just as Normally, the our audience. It challenges
important in speech making our ingenuity at times, but
audience will give
as in social situations, but for you their attention. always pays off in dividends.
different reasons. Getting off State the importance
on the right foot is critical to
of your topic – You think

a speaker’s self-confidence. However, keeping your speech is important,
The speaker may not be able their attention once right? Tell your audience
to recover if a poor begin- why they should think so,
ning distracts or alienates the you start talking too. One way is with statis-
audience. On the other hand, tics. I personally like to give

what’s more encouraging can be more of a speeches on social issues,
to a speaker than watching challenge. and I like to use stats in those
the interest, attention, and speeches, but with a little
pleasure register on listeners’ thought, they work in the

faces? Even though it can other types of speeches, too.

be the hardest part of any Even in subjects as disparate

presentation, a good introduction is an excel- as BMX racing or keeping tropical fish, stats can

lent confidence booster. tell people why these things are important.

One of our primary aims in a good intro- Arouse their curiosity – People are

duction is to get the attention and interest of curious. By making progressive statements

the audience. It’s easy to get their attention about a subject, you can whet the audience’s

initially – you are introduced and you step to curiosity about your main point. For example, if

the lectern. Normally, the audience will give I describe an ultra-sleek, sexy, high-performance

you their attention. However, keeping their automobile that produces 700 horsepower, has

attention once you start talking can be more a top speed of over 200 mph, and goes from

of a challenge. The following methods, used 0-60 mph in under 3 seconds, and then tell you

singly or in combination, can be used to help the car doesn’t have an internal combustion

get the audience ‘caught up’ in your speech: engine, you’re going to ask, “How can that be?”

Relate the topic to the audience – People Now I’ve got you interested in hearing about

pay attention to things that affect them directly. alternative technologies and energies.

For example: I may possibly start a speech by Question the audience – Ask rhetorical ques-

saying, “Tonight I’m going to talk about post- tions, or a series of them to draw the audience

cards, a hobby that’s fascinating and potentially deeper into the speech. For example, “Have you

financially rewarding.” If I did that, you may ever considered what it’s like to be transgender

possibly be thinking, “Somebody please wake in America?” Or “What would happen if we had

20 Volume 3 Issue 1 - JULY 2016