How to start a compelling speech? The beginning of the speech may affect the perception of the entire speech. How to start a speech well?
Intriguing data
Starting your speech off with an intriguing statistic, in the form of a small or large number, about the topic of your presentation, can help captivate the audience’s attention. As a barista, you can say, for example: 2 million cups of coffee are consumed in Switzerland every day. If you want to speak to the audience more vividly, it is a good practice to compare the number to something more tangible, e.g. we produce as many burgers per day as there are residents of Bern.
Interesting facts
Alternatively, you can start your speech with a comparison that provides some interesting facts to the audience. This often require a lot of research in various sources, and sometimes mathematical calculations. An example of such an interesting fact may be how many cellphone calls were made in particular years in specific age groups or what impact individual cryptocurrencies have on the environment. Another option might be to deal with some common myth that may surprise your audience.
Quote
The Internet is full of all kinds of websites where quotes are posted. It is worth making sure that it is not a quote from our neighbor (even a favorite;)), but from a person who is an authority in a given field. By the way, you will use here the effect known in social psychology as the authority effect.
Meme
A meme uses two good strategies, humor and picture, thanks to which there is a double coding that makes it easier to remember the content. A successful meme will amuse your audience and build a positive relationship in the beginning.
Performance
You can also start your presentation with a performance. This can be a very expressive act intended to throw viewers out of their comfort zone, or you can choose more subtle forms.
Anecdote
The anecdote, like the meme, will allow us to put the audience in a good mood. Humor can help us relieve tension during the presentation, because hearing the laughter of the audience gives us positive feedback and reduces our stress.
A thrilling story
Depending on the type of speech you are giving, you can use your story of how you found yourself at this point in your life. You can also use the biography of famous people or a loved one. In the case of such an introduction, it is about arousing curiosity and emotions in the audience, thanks to which you will attract their attention and let them identify with a given character.
Metaphor / Comparison
Comparisons or metaphors are good for both speaking and motivating teams. Using the phrase, for example, “life is like a boat trip”, everyone will relate it to himself in a way that will be adequate to his life situation.
Rhetorical question
Who among you has ever worked overtime?
Have you wondered about the end of the world?
What is the most important thing in your life?
A brilliant definition
A brilliant definition can be a great solution for difficult and complicated concepts that we need to convey to the public in a simple way.
A request for action
We can activate the audience by asking for action, e.g. raising a hand or standing up for everyone who woke up before 7.00 today. Being limited only to the stage, we are also limited in how we interact with the audience. The presented methods will be a good solution to this problem.
