One of the hardest tasks for a speaker to develop is a masterful introduction. I remember the first time I was asked to give a speech. I thought, “I can’t say too much about myself. I’ll sound arrogant.” So I left it up to the introducer to say something brilliant about me. It went something like this. “I would now like to introduce our speaker for today. She is a fantastic speaker who I am sure you will enjoy thoroughly. She is one of the best speakers I have ever heard. I’m not sure what she will be talking about today, but I’m sure you will enjoy it.” Not only did the introduction embarrass me, but also it failed to set up my subject matter. The audience was totally unprepared for what I was going to say. And worse of all, what if I did not perform as the best speaker they had ever heard? I learned that introductions are key in public speaking.

Mastering the art of creating a great introduction can mean the difference between giving a great speech to a receptive audience and facing an audience that is cold and unfriendly. Introductions are typically so bad that instead of a speaker being welcomed warmly, the speaker has to overcome the effects of a bad introduction. Therefore, it is necessary for any public speaker to learn how to create her own masterful introduction. When you write your introduction, you keep control of the situation. You tell the introducer what you want the audience to know about you.

Here are some of the reasons why you need a great introduction.
1. No matter how familiar you are with your audience, when giving a speech you need to separate yourself from your listeners. An introduction helps by creating a brief ceremony and formalizing the occasion. It establishes your authority.

2. Your introduction should set up your subject matter. The listeners will be more perceptive and appreciative if they understand what you are going to be talking about.

3. Even if your audience knows you well, they may not know why you have the ability to speak on a certain subject. You can tell them of your expertise or experience. This helps to establish your authority as an expert on the subject having something to say.

4. An introduction helps to transition the group from where they are to where you want them to go. It draws them into your mindset.

So how do you create the winning introduction? Your primary task is to inform the audience of four essential points:
1. Your name. Make sure that you include your name and if it is hard to pronounce, spell it phonetically so your introducer will be able to pronounce it correctly.

2. Your background. Include the parts of your background, experience, training and knowledge that give you the authority to speak on this particular subject. Be careful here and only give the information that relates to your subject matter. You want to give the introducer something solid to say about you and avoid saying things like, you are a “great speaker” or that you are especially “intelligent.” Hopefully, these things will become evident as you are giving your speech.

3. Title of Speech. The title of your speech can further help direct your listeners to a place where they are ready to hear what you have to say. Whet their appetites for the main course that you are about to serve.

4. Audience Participation. Let the audience know what to expect in terms of their participation. If you will invite questions, tell them when it is appropriate to ask them. Constructing a complete, impressive and relevant introduction can be very challenging. But once you’ve mastered the art of the introduction, you will have taken your speech making abilities yet another step forward and earned the respect of your listeners.

If you are ready to make that all-important step into being a professional speaker log on to Speaker Match to find speaking engagements.