“Hi, my name is Eddie O’Hanlon…”
“Thank you for having me here today…”
“Hello there...”
Be honest, this is how most people open their speeches, right? This kind of opening is referred to as the Gratuity. There is nothing wrong with it. It’s perfectly friendly to begin by introducing yourself (if you haven’t already been introduced). It’s perfectly polite to thank people for allowing you to speak. Yes, this opening is perfectly friendly, perfectly polite… and perfectly ordinary… in other words, utterly forgettable.
You want to do better than that, don’t you?
Good. Welcome to the first part of a 3 part series on how to open your presentations with impact. In this part I want to lay the foundations for what we call the World Class opening. It can be adapted to any kind of presentation… AND… it’s so easy to learn.
By the way, why is the opening of a speech so important? The simple and stark answer is that your audience will form a decisive impression of you within 7 seconds! After that, depending on how those precious seconds pan out, you just might buy yourself more listening time… another 10 seconds… which may lead to another 30 seconds… and so on.
Let’s start by understanding what every opening should achieve:
Here is the essential World Class Speech Opening Checklist that successfully achieves all of the above (listed in the order that they should be written and delivered):
Did you notice how the Gratuity comes after the Opening Hook? Why? Let’s take an example where a presenter called Mary Jane wants to pitch her Internet Broadband Services to a group of business owners who are looking for a more reliable Internet service…
Opening 1: “Hi my name is Mary Jane, and I am here today to offer you fast and reliable broadband service for your business… Raise your hand if you are happy with your broadband speed...”
Opening 2: “Raise your hand if you are happy with your broadband speed… Hi, my name is Mary Jane, and I am here today to offer you a fast and reliable broadband service for your business…”
To choose between Opening 1 and 2, I would go for 2 for the following reasons:
Note that the Gratuity and/or Road Map can include special instructions for the audience (this is particularly important for longer speeches and seminars). For example, if you want to explain to your audience how long you will be speaking for, whether or not they can ask questions during the speech... even where the bathroom is... whatever they need to know... the middle of the opening (after your Opening Hook and before the Big Promise) is the place to do it.
So... what are the secrets that make a great Opening Hook?
In part 2 of this blog we are going to watch the openings of a small selection of real-life speeches, and we are going to use them to discover the answer to that very question. Yes, we are going to find out the most powerful first things you you can possibly say or do to grab a hold of your audience’s minds and hearts, to set the stage for a memorable experience.
Stay tuned!
Author: Eddie O'Hanlon
“Thank you for having me here today…”
“Hello there...”
Be honest, this is how most people open their speeches, right? This kind of opening is referred to as the Gratuity. There is nothing wrong with it. It’s perfectly friendly to begin by introducing yourself (if you haven’t already been introduced). It’s perfectly polite to thank people for allowing you to speak. Yes, this opening is perfectly friendly, perfectly polite… and perfectly ordinary… in other words, utterly forgettable.
You want to do better than that, don’t you?
Good. Welcome to the first part of a 3 part series on how to open your presentations with impact. In this part I want to lay the foundations for what we call the World Class opening. It can be adapted to any kind of presentation… AND… it’s so easy to learn.
By the way, why is the opening of a speech so important? The simple and stark answer is that your audience will form a decisive impression of you within 7 seconds! After that, depending on how those precious seconds pan out, you just might buy yourself more listening time… another 10 seconds… which may lead to another 30 seconds… and so on.
Let’s start by understanding what every opening should achieve:
- Build a relationship with your audience (i.e. build rapport and trust)
- Give your audience a clear understanding of what’s coming in the speech, and why it should matter to them (or at least tease them about what’s coming)
- Set the stage for a memorable experience (i.e. avoid being unoriginal and forgettable)
Here is the essential World Class Speech Opening Checklist that successfully achieves all of the above (listed in the order that they should be written and delivered):
- The Opening Hook – something that grabs your audience and hints at your overall purpose and/or message
- The Gratuity – the pleasantries and special instructions (if appropriate)
- The Road-Map – the agenda (what’s coming in the body of the speech)
- The Big Promise – a statement about what your audience will be able to think, feel or do after your speech
Did you notice how the Gratuity comes after the Opening Hook? Why? Let’s take an example where a presenter called Mary Jane wants to pitch her Internet Broadband Services to a group of business owners who are looking for a more reliable Internet service…
Opening 1: “Hi my name is Mary Jane, and I am here today to offer you fast and reliable broadband service for your business… Raise your hand if you are happy with your broadband speed...”
Opening 2: “Raise your hand if you are happy with your broadband speed… Hi, my name is Mary Jane, and I am here today to offer you a fast and reliable broadband service for your business…”
To choose between Opening 1 and 2, I would go for 2 for the following reasons:
- Opening 2 immediately cuts to a highly relevant issue for your audience.
- Opening 2 is more immediately interactive and engaging.
- Opening 2 is more original and therefore more memorable.
Note that the Gratuity and/or Road Map can include special instructions for the audience (this is particularly important for longer speeches and seminars). For example, if you want to explain to your audience how long you will be speaking for, whether or not they can ask questions during the speech... even where the bathroom is... whatever they need to know... the middle of the opening (after your Opening Hook and before the Big Promise) is the place to do it.
So... what are the secrets that make a great Opening Hook?
In part 2 of this blog we are going to watch the openings of a small selection of real-life speeches, and we are going to use them to discover the answer to that very question. Yes, we are going to find out the most powerful first things you you can possibly say or do to grab a hold of your audience’s minds and hearts, to set the stage for a memorable experience.
Stay tuned!
Author: Eddie O'Hanlon