How to start your speech. Beginning of public speaking

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How can you make it appear bright, powerful and memorable in front of a group of people? If you are interested in the answer to this question, then we offer some tips on how to capture the attention of your audience, which can serve as an excellent help in your activities. If you follow our recommendations, you will be able to demonstrate to your listeners the best oratorical qualities, gain their trust and friendship and make the best impression, and here you are not far from leading masses of people and winning a huge number of fans.

Joke

If the situation is conducive to this, then you can start the speech with an anecdote (a good joke will also do, but only if it is really funny). However, you need to be absolutely sure that your listeners will perceive what you are saying as something comedic. For this reason, before you shoot a joke at a large group of people, test its “quality” on individual people. In addition, you can only use humor when you yourself think the story is funny and when you are confident that you have what it takes to tell it properly.

Conversation with a friend

You can retell a conversation that you recently had with someone you know or even with those present in the room. For example, you can start like this: “Literally before the start of the seminar, I talked with Kirill Petrovich. He told me that now is the moment in his life when he urgently needs to change something in his life. This is what I mean...”

Current Event

To start your speech, you can use something from the latest news, and then move on to the main topic of your speech or characterize your position on any issue. You can take the latest issue of a news newspaper with you and show everyone the headline when you refer to the story during your introductory remarks. When you stand on stage and hold a newspaper in your hands as you begin your speech, the audience will automatically try to see what you have in your hands and hear what you are saying.

Shocking statement

An effective way to start a speech is with a statement that can cause shock. You can, for example, say something like: “The latest research conducted by our specialists has shown that big changes await us this year. As a result, it turned out that approximately 60% of those sitting in this audience today will receive a salary three times higher than what they receive now in a year and a half.”

Pun

The best way to start a performance is to amuse the audience. An example is American Speaker Bill Gove. Often, after his official presentation to the audience, he went on stage, as if a second ago some backstage conversation had been interrupted so that he could start a new conversation - this time with the audience. Those sitting in the hall had the feeling that he had no intention of making a speech at all, but only wanted to talk to them.

So, Bill would come closer to the audience and encourage them with gestures to move closer to him, and then barely audibly say something like: “Listen, I have something to tell you.” It seemed as if he intended to tell everyone present together some secret.

The result of all this was that people in the audience actually leaned forward to hear the “secret.” But after that, at some point they realized what they were actually doing and began to laugh. Having done this, Gove could already do whatever he wanted with the public. Think, maybe you can do something unusual and funny on stage.

A story about yourself

Often the most effective speeches begin with the presenter talking about himself. You can start your speech something like this: “I have worked very long and hard to get to where I am now. I didn't have a mentor or even an assistant. I had to achieve everything in my life myself. But this is what became the best school for me.”

Most likely, after your speech, people will begin to approach you who will claim that their situation is exactly similar to yours and express their respect for you. And here there is one psychological factor that says that when one person talks about his life, others automatically identify themselves with him.

That is why a speaker’s story about his life can attract the attention of the public as much as possible: they will begin to listen to him carefully, because he is most accurately able to convey the details of the situation, give some food for the mind, make them listen, reflect and then act. Essentially, the life story is a bridge between the presenter and the listeners, and it is very useful to use.

Question or survey

Among other things, you can start your speech with a short statement and a follow-up question that requires an answer with raised hands. You can try the following - say: “Currently, each of us has a great opportunity to live and earn money without going to work every day. By the way, how many of you are already working remotely?”

Experienced presenters quite often begin their speeches this way, and after someone from the audience raises their hand, they ask the one closest to the stage: “How many of you actually work remotely?”

Someone will most likely say: “We all do!” or “Yes, everyone is here!” After this, you can confirm this answer: “Yes, I agree, each of those who came here is doing work remotely, because otherwise you simply would not be here,” etc.

Positive affirmation

You can also make a positive statement to the audience, such as saying that they will enjoy today's performance. Say something like, “You're really going to like what you're about to hear. In today's conversation, I will tell you some unique secrets about...”

Story

A story is also a great way to start a speech. Indeed, perhaps, you cannot find more magical words to capture the attention of the audience than “Once upon a time a very strange story happened to me,” etc.

The fact is that even from childhood, people really like all kinds of stories. As soon as the story begins, the audience suddenly falls silent and begins to listen to every word of the speaker, like a group of children. This technique is also very convenient to use after a lunch or coffee break.

Statement or question

You can start your speech with a stunning statement, followed by asking the audience a question. Then you need to answer this question and ask a new one. This trick will instantly involve people in the discussion, and they will listen to you very carefully.

This is explained by another human one. From childhood, people are determined to give answers to questions asked of them. Every time a question is posed and there is a pause for people to process it, the presenter is able to completely control the audience. And even if people do not answer out loud, they always answer mentally.

So, we looked at ten ways to start a speech that can make your speech impressive and memorable. But, no matter what method you choose, it is always important to remember one condition that unites all methods in general.

Bridge between presenter and audience

One of the most important parts of starting a speech is for the presenter to build a bridge between him and the audience, because... the result of all further performance depends on how strong it is and whether it is built at all.

You can start with something that unites you and your listeners. For example, from the fact that you were once in their place or in their situation. Perhaps you lived in their city or area; perhaps you, like them, have a son and daughter; perhaps you are involved in the same sport; Perhaps your problems and concerns at the present time are similar to the same problems and concerns as theirs, etc.

Remember: if you take a couple of minutes to create this invisible bridge between you and your audience, the audience will automatically take your side. People will understand that you belong to their “circle”, and therefore will become much more receptive to your ideas and words, and will also become more forgiving and generous towards the mistakes you may make.

It is important to be not only for your listeners, but also accessible to them. You need to let them know that you and them have a lot in common. And even if the beginning of your speech turns out to be “blurred”, the bridge that you build will nullify any shortcomings and errors.

We hope our tips will help you make your performances even better. But we still want to recommend ours, after completing which you will learn to make not only the beginning of a speech literate, but also its other components.

We wish you success!

The worst thing is to start speaking in front of a large number of people. There are several tricks to get you off to an intriguing start.

Tell an interesting, exciting story. As a rule, if the talk starts with such a narrative and the audience is interested in the first 60 seconds, it will be easier to maintain attention. Perhaps you need to talk about some interesting historical event or remember ancient wisdom related to the topic of your report. A short introduction in the form of a story should last no more than 90 seconds.

Ask a rhetorical question. It helps convince the bulk of the public. For example, “To be or not to be, that is the question,” “Rus, where are you rushing?” etc. However, the questions need to be thought through and presented in a form in which they will reflect the essence of the report.

Start your report with statistics. As a rule, statistical data attracts listeners.

Come up with a catchy title, thanks to which the audience will become interested in the topic from the first seconds.

Start your report with a wise quote or statement from a famous person. to add attractiveness and special style to the presentation. However, all wise words should relate exclusively to the topic of the report.

Show an illustration or short presentation. This approach will add understanding, and listeners will probably remember the report only from the positive side. When showing slides, you need to remember that for one illustration there should be one thought, put into two, maximum three sentences. Large font looks better on slides, and animation effects should be in moderation.

Add a short video to your report which will cause an emotional reaction. Plus, this way the essence of the topic is conveyed faster.

Don't spend too much time performing. It's best to try to keep it to 20 minutes. During this time, listeners will not get tired and will actively discuss this report.

Don't drawl or speak too quickly. Imagine that you are telling your audience an interesting story.

Answer questions quickly. This way, you will emphasize your professionalism in this topic.

Do you want to be listened to and heard? Then you need to constantly be in sight, maintain visual contact with the audience and speak clearly and intelligibly. Also, watch your gestures, that is, do not wave your arms too much, but also do not hide them in your pockets.

Answer yourself the questions: “why am I speaking?”, “what target audience is listening to me?” After the answers, you will clearly make a plan for yourself and you will understand which style of presentation is more acceptable.

Don't know how to give a good presentation? This is not difficult to do, the main thing is not to be afraid to speak in front of an audience. Therefore, you need to first overcome fear, and then perform. Minimize fear first:

Be the first to speak in front of the audience. As a rule, the longer you wait in line, the worse it gets. It may be worth performing in the front row so that after 20 minutes you can breathe freely.

Imagine that you are reading a report to your friends and family. Then it will be easier for you to focus on your topic.

Before the performance, be positive. Enter the room with a smile and start with an interesting phrase that will hook the listeners. You will see that the audience is not scary, but friendly, and as soon as you say a few words (sentences), the fear will go away on its own.

Before speaking, read the report to your colleagues or classmates. This way you will overcome your fear faster and it will be easier to speak in front of an audience.

Be confident. Confidence is the key to success. If you know the topic well and understand it, then you shouldn’t be afraid. You can prepare yourself a cheat sheet where you can see what’s next on your plan.

Before speaking, think about the consequences. After all, you need to earn a high rating.

Important! The listeners are ordinary people who understand your fear, and they, for their part, try to cheer you up. Think about this and everything will be fine.

What mistakes are made most often during a presentation?

Now you know how to give a presentation correctly. However, it is worth considering that mistakes may also occur during the presentation. To prevent this from happening, read what not to do.

Error 1. Give a presentation without preparation. Many outgoing students believe that they can present a topic well without reading the paper first. And this is one of the big mistakes. After all, a person who speaks without preparation will begin to stutter and say a lot of empty and florid phrases.

Error 3. Answer questions during the presentation. Of course, it’s good when listeners are interested in the topic, but it’s better to warn the audience in advance that questions should be asked after the report. Otherwise, there is a risk of getting lost and confused, which may affect the time and quality of the performance.

Error 4. Read quickly or slowly. Speed ​​is not always good, especially during a performance. If listeners do not understand the topic, then it is difficult for them to understand the speaker's train of thought. Too slow a pace leads to monotony, making the report boring and uninteresting.

Error 5. Use too long sentences (more than 13 words). This kind of presentation is hard to understand.

In this article, we figured out how to give a report in order to interest listeners, what techniques to use and what mistakes should not be made. These tips will help you perform well, overcome fear and become more confident.

How to give a presentation correctly - 10 tips for success updated: September 2, 2019 by: Scientific Articles.Ru

How to come up with a powerful, bright beginning for a speech in front of an audience? Here are some ways to give your speech an effective start. If you can figure out how to show your audience how warm and friendly you are while impressing them, within 30 seconds of starting your speech they will be ready to follow you to the ends of the earth.

Mention a current event. Use a recent newspaper editorial as a bridge to get to the topic of your conversation or to prove or illustrate your point. You can bring a copy of the newspaper with you and unfold it in front of everyone when you refer to what is written in it during your opening statements. Such a picture - you standing on stage with a newspaper in your hands and reading or reciting important thoughts by heart - will attract the audience's attention to you and make people lean forward so as not to miss a single word of yours.

Retell a recent conversation. Start by recounting a recent conversation you had with someone present. For example, say this: “I was talking to Tom Robinson in the lobby a few minutes ago. He told me that now is one of the best times to do business in this industry. And I agree with him."

Make a shocking statement. You can start your speech with a statement that will cause some shock. For example, you might say something like, “The latest indications are that next year, competition in this industry will not only increase, but will lead to changes and new opportunities that were unimaginable in the past. As a result of all the upheavals, 72 percent of the people sitting in the hall now will be working in another field in two years if they cannot adapt quickly enough to the changed environment.”

Start with an anecdote—if appropriate. You can start a speech with a joke, but only if it is actually funny. You must be 100 percent sure that the audience will perceive your statement or story as comical. Therefore, you should first test your joke several times on other people to ensure its effect. Use humor only if you yourself think the story or joke is funny, and also if you are convinced that you can tell it well and it will actually be adequately perceived by the audience.

Entertain your audience. One of the best American speakers, Bill Gove, after he was formally introduced to the audience, usually took the stage as if he had just interrupted one conversation backstage to now move on to another - with a group of people sitting in the audience. The listeners got the feeling that he was not going to give a speech, but just wanted to talk to them.

Beal often walked to the very edge of the stage, gave himself a conspiratorial look, used his hands to encourage the audience to move closer to him and said in a half-whisper: “Come closer, I need to tell you something.” One got the impression that he was going to reveal some great secret - at the same time to everyone present.

The most amazing thing is that people in the audience actually leaned forward to hear the “secret.” And then suddenly they realized what they were doing and burst out laughing. After this “trick,” Gove could already, as they say, twist ropes out of them.

Ask a question, conduct a survey. You can also start by making a positive statement and then ask a question that requires a show of hands. Try this option: “Today is a great time for us to live and do business. By the way, how many of you have your own business?”

I often start a conversation this way and, after a certain number of people in the audience have raised their hands, I ask one of them sitting closer to the stage: “How many people are really doing their job?”

Invariably someone answers: “We all do!” After that, I give confirmation to this answer: “You are right! We all do our own thing, from the moment we get our first job until we retire. We all work for ourselves, regardless of who pays us."

Make a statement and ask a question. You can start with an impressive statement and follow it up with a question. Then give an answer and ask the next question. This technique instantly draws people into the topic, and they will eagerly hang on your every word. Here's an example:

“Twenty percent of the people in our society make 80 percent of the money. Are you in that top 20 percent? So, over the next few minutes, I'm going to introduce you to some ideas that will help you become one of the highest paid members of our society. Do you think it was worth coming to the seminar today for this?”

There is one interesting psychological phenomenon that manifests itself in people from childhood: they are determined to answer questions posed. Every time you ask a question and then pause to give people time to process it, you gain complete control over the audience. Even if people don't answer out loud, they can't bring themselves not to answer at all.

Start with history. You can start your speech with history. It is difficult to come up with more powerful words that instantly capture the attention of the audience than the words “Once upon a time, once upon a time...”.

Ever since infancy and early childhood, people love all kinds of stories and fairy tales. The listeners instantly calm down, fall silent and lean forward, like children sitting around a fire. When I conduct all-day seminars and want the participants to quickly take their seats after the coffee break, I say loudly: “Once upon a time, there lived in a city, right in this very city, a man...” Having heard These words, the seminar participants quickly sit down and fall silent, waiting for the continuation of the story.

Build a bridge between yourself and the audience. One of the most important tasks of the introductory part of a speech is to establish contact with the audience, to build a bridge between you. Start with something that connects you with your audience. For example, from the fact that today - or some time in the past - you worked in the same industry. Maybe you have children just like them. Maybe you're familiar with their city, or maybe you're a fan of the local football or basketball team. Or you have some kind of problem or concern that is in many ways similar to the problems and concerns that listeners face in their work or life.

If you spend a few minutes building this bridge between you and your listeners, they will immediately come over to your side. They will see that you are one of them and will be more receptive to your words and ideas, and will also become more generous and forgiving of your possible mistakes. They will feel that you are knowledgeable and approachable because you have a lot in common with them.

Tell the audience about yourself. Very often I begin my speeches to businessmen, entrepreneurs and sales representatives with the words: “I went into business without graduating from high school. My family had no money. Everything I have achieved in life, I had to achieve on my own. If anyone helped me, it was only a little.”

It's amazing how many people come up to me after talks like this to confirm that they've been through the same journey. And, according to them, they immediately began to identify with me, because they themselves, like most people, started with bad grades at school and little financial opportunity. Therefore, they listened to my speech with great interest and felt: everything I say describes their current situation much more accurately and is much more useful for their future than what a person with a “high start” in life could say in my place. It is very useful to build such bridges between yourself and your listeners: they will definitely come over to your side.

And 6 more ideas:

• Thank the organizers
• Praise your listeners
• Remember a historical event
• Quote the words of a famous person
• Provide the latest research data
• Start with the problem

Speaking in front of an audience causes unpleasant emotions in people. Not everyone is given this initially. But learning to speak in public is possible. 29 recommendations will help make you a speaker.

1. Understand the topic you will be covering. Poor preparation robs a person of confidence and instills fear.

2. Learn to control your body:

• do not fiddle with buttons with your hands;
• do not shift from foot to foot;
• don't touch your hair.

But you shouldn't stand at attention either, use gestures, but be careful not to overdo it. Rehearse your moves in advance.

3. Speak with your diaphragm. This will allow you to pronounce words loudly and clearly. To learn this, stand up straight and place your right hand on your stomach, exhale, hold your breath as long as you can. Increase the interval over time. In this position, the abdominal muscles relax. Talk in this relaxed state.

5. Practice. In life, speak clearly and not so quickly, highlight important places with pauses.

6. Work on your articulation.

7. Make sure you pronounce difficult words that appear in your report correctly.

8. If you have problems with pronunciation, start repeating the word slowly until you remember how to pronounce it correctly.

10. To give a great speech, make a detailed plan for your speech. Correctly determine the purpose of the speech in order to correctly convey information to the audience.

11. To make your speech better remembered, write it on paper several times.

12. It can be difficult to remember a speech in its entirety. Therefore, break it into small pieces and study each piece separately.

13. Know the audience you will be speaking to. The same speech can produce different impressions on different people.

14. Use humor to grab the audience's attention and lighten the mood.

15. Videotape your performance. Take into account the errors and make the necessary changes. Don't focus on shortcomings; even with speech impediments, a person can become an excellent speaker.

1. Decide on the type of speech. It happens:

• informative (transmission of factual information);
• persuasive (convincing the audience by using emotions, logic, personal experience and experiences, facts);
• entertaining (meeting the needs of those gathered).

Some performances combine several types.

2. The beginning of the speech should be interesting. You can start by communicating the main idea and a few points that you will cover later. The introductory part and conclusion are the most memorable, so give them due attention.

3. Avoid long sentences, complex words, and confusing wording.

4. To make your audience understand you better, use comparisons.

5. Repetition is a good way to remind listeners of an important point.

Performance

1. There are a dozen secrets that will help you calm down.

• Before going out to the audience, clench and unclench your palms several times;
• Breathe slowly and deeply;
• Stand in front of the mirror and repeat to yourself that you will succeed, you are calm and confident.

2. When speaking to the audience, smile. This will make the atmosphere warmer and win over the audience.

3. Try speaking as if you are sharing a story. Everyone likes stories, so they will be interested in listening to you.

4. Try to act casual. Don't read from a piece of paper. Don't be afraid to improvise.

5. Don't speak monotonously. Change your intonation, this will help keep the attention of the audience.

6. Involve those present in the discussion. Ask questions from the audience.

7. Bring water with you. If you start to feel nervous, take a sip of water. A pause will allow you to catch your breath and calm down so you can continue your performance again with renewed vigor.

8. End your speech with an appeal. If your words motivate your listeners to do something, then your goal has been achieved.

9. Do not eat dairy products before a performance. They provoke the formation of mucus in the throat. This makes it difficult to speak. It is also better to avoid garlic, fish and other foods with a strong odor.

A good start is always half the battle in public speaking. How to start so that we continue to be listened to and heard? We'll share some public speaking secrets to get you started.

First, let's decide what the speaker should do at the beginning of the speech. It’s simple: to win the listener’s attention, to make the audience trust, and of course to arouse interest in the topic. These are the main tasks. You ask: “Well, how to do this?”

Several basic techniques work for attention. You can choose one, you can combine techniques.

Pause. It really helps the speaker get ready before speaking. That is, you do not immediately run from the spot, but carefully, measuredly, start. When the audience stops making noise, stops moving, and looks at the speaker, then start. Don't let yourself get fussed: calmness at first always commands respect. But the pause should not be too long, as this may be an indicator of the speaker's fear.

Be kind. Don't push, don't force, don't be aggressive at first. This is a mistake that inexperienced speakers often make, and it reveals their anxiety and uncertainty. Start with a friendly greeting, smile and say hello.

Talk about what feel, if you are worried. It's a great technique to simply say, "Hi, I'm a little nervous about the show." It helps to be close to the audience, to show that you are not above them, but with them, you are also a person. You will be forgiven for roughness, and you will also remove tension. By the way, for a relaxed atmosphere it will always be advantageous self-irony. For example: “Gentlemen, I can be very absent-minded. So distracted that I can forget where my glasses are, considering they are on my nose. But I always remember the importance of our meeting today. Let's get started." This shows that you are confident, but not overconfident.

Of course, it is very important to do the right thing greetings. And it’s better to say: “Good afternoon!” than just a banal “Hello!” At the same time, lower your tone and pause after the phrase “Good afternoon,” since raising your tone sounds like a question and shows your uncertainty.

The first phrase should not consist of complex, abstruse and long sentences. Otherwise, the attitude towards you will be “The smartest, or what?” To build trust, speak understandable, familiar the audience things that she will definitely believe in, or they will not annoy her.

It's very good to start with quotes. But not with the long one. The quote should be understandable and not abstruse, and must be relevant to the topic of your speech. By the way, in this case, it’s better to end with a quote.

A compliment from the audience is always nice. But it should not be trivial and very specific. For example: “I am very pleased that this topic has aroused interest among such a young audience.” Or: “I’m sure that each of those present ended up in this audience for a reason; I see that there are no indifferent or random people here.”

It’s great to grab the audience’s attention with unexpected phrase or action. For example: “I realized that no one needs me!” — these are the words with which many psychologists’ clients begin their stories. How to react to this? Let’s talk today about techniques in psychotherapy.”

Actions can also be different. I saw the speaker come into the hall with flowers and hand out carnations to the women. Just. And he tied it to the topic of the speech like this: “We so rarely do what we want, we so rarely just bring joy to those around us! I hope that my performance will evoke only positive emotions! And it did! But be careful: you also need to be able to shock the audience and not go to extremes. I witnessed an incident where the speaker jumped up on the table, turned the projector over, and then insisted on it for a long time and brought the audience to their senses. Any expression has its measure!

Begin with stories. But here it is very important to bring the story to the topic of your speech. For example: “Dear friends, when I went to see you today, I was surprised: everything turned out as if the world wanted me to come here to you, regardless of the circumstances. And they were! In fact, yesterday I was lying down with a fever, a shrunken voice and the assurance of my family: “Well, where are you going to go in this condition.” In the morning I found myself cheerful, cheerful and fresh. You won’t believe all the traffic lights were green, there was a parking space right away and even the sun came out, look! By the way, about the sun. The topic of our meeting today is also about our solar system: Is there life on Mars, or is it not so?”

When I was at university, one professor at a gala concert in honor of the first of September always told the same story from the stage for many years. About Diogenes, his barrel and his famous exclamation “Eureka!” The professor tied all this to the fact that a student should always focus on creativity, on discoveries and research, on learning about the world with the help of our outstanding university.

If you have a planning meeting or a meeting, then it’s good to start with the main thing, keeping in mind the structure “topic-goal-regulations”. For example: “Good morning, colleagues! The topic of our meeting is “Changes in safety regulations.” We need to discuss how best to convey this information to the company's employees. My message will take ten minutes, then within three minutes I will be ready to answer your questions, and we will devote another fifteen minutes to discussing the topic and developing proposals. Let's get started."

And remember, in the first 5-10 seconds the listener looks closely at you and reads what he can get from you as a speaker, whether he is interested in the presentation of information. Therefore, emphasis on the beginning is mandatory. How to keep the attention of the audience, read in our subsequent notes.