| Imagine yourself at mission control; 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, | | | | 4. Occasion. Comment on the occasion - especially if |
| 4, 3, 2, 1 - Speak! | | | | it is an anniversary or awards night. "To speak to you |
| When the space shuttle blasts off - those first few | | | | on your 10th annual awards dinner is an honour." Or |
| seconds of lift are critical. It comprises a small portion | | | | uncover some information about the group that |
| of the total journey, yet if someone errors - they | | | | outsiders would not normally know. "Happy Birthday |
| crash and burn. The beginning of your speech is much | | | | to your founding president." This takes a little |
| the same. If you error in the opening your speech will | | | | research - and is worth it. |
| crash and burn. | | | | 3. Prop or visual. Catch their attention and set the |
| The mission of your opening is to 1. Grab their | | | | mood with a funny hat, uniform, or stuffed bear. |
| interest; 2. Establish rapport; 3. Introduce your topic. | | | | Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain), would blow a cloud of |
| Here are 10 techniques you can use to launch your | | | | smoke on stage before he made his entrance. It |
| successful speech. | | | | always got a laugh. You might roll a ball across the |
| 10. Startling statement. Use a strong attention | | | | stage or play with a yo-yo. What you do before you |
| grabbing statement - with facts, statistics or unusual | | | | speak can be powerful. |
| information. "The greatest fear is to speak in public. | | | | 2. Previous speaker. Pick up on something a previous |
| The second greatest fear is to die." | | | | speaker said or did - especially if that was the |
| 9. Suspense/ Surprise. Start with a suspense-building | | | | president or chairman of the board. Build on what |
| sentence or take them in one direction - then hit | | | | they said. It shows that you listened and gives you |
| them with surprise. "It was a dark and stormy night - | | | | more credibility if you agree with the boss. Before |
| it was my wedding night." | | | | you speak ask a participant, "What was the funniest |
| 8. Story/Anecdote. Tell a short story. Begin your | | | | thing that happened so far?" Try to build on this to |
| story with the word imagine. It is an engaging word. | | | | get a laugh. Comedians call this technique a call back. |
| "Imagine that we could travel back in time to witness | | | | 1. Engage the audience. Ask a question that requires |
| the Wright brothers at Kitty Hawk." | | | | the audience to answer, or one that is sure to make |
| 7. Quotation. When you use a quotation you tap into | | | | them laugh. "How many of the women in the |
| the credibility and power of the person who stated | | | | audience have had an affair with Bill Clinton? - - How |
| those words. "I have a dream, cried out Martin | | | | many of the men?" |
| Luther King Jr." Quote from people well known and | | | | Bonus tips:o Don't start with "My topic is..." or "Today |
| well liked by your audience. | | | | I am going to talk about..." Both of these are boring.o |
| 6. Challenging Question. Questions are always | | | | Never start with an apology. "I'm sorry we are |
| powerful and engaging. This could be a rhetorical | | | | running late." "I'm sorry the president couldn't be |
| question. "Are you ready for the millennium? When | | | | here." "I'm sorry about the meal."o Once you take |
| the clock ticks over to January 1, 2000, will planes be | | | | your position on stage, enjoy a long pause before |
| falling and computers crashing?" | | | | you speak. Silently count "1 Mississippi, 2 Mississippi".o |
| 5. Compliment the audience. Be sincere - don't say, | | | | Smile as you first look around the audience. Look like |
| "You are the most beautiful audience I have ever | | | | you are happy to be there even if you don't feel |
| seen." Instead say something that impressed you | | | | that way.o Get them to laugh early. You'll feel better |
| about the group, 'I am very impressed with the | | | | and they will decide to like you sooner. |
| hospitality shown to me by you today. This lives up | | | | We return to Mission Control. |
| to the reputation I have heard about your | | | | 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 - Close - and that's another |
| community work.' | | | | story. |