How to Introduce Yourself in a Speech

You never have a second chance at a first impression, the saying goes. This is doubly true when giving a speech. You may already feel nervous, and added to that are those nagging thoughts – why should they care what I have to say? Who am I anyway? Am I even worth listening to?

The answer is that yes, you are worth listening to. You have many worthwhile things to say, and that crowd needs to hear them from you. They just need to know that what you have to say is incredibly valuable to them. And you convey all this information in your introduction.

When you introduce yourself, don’t come apologetically. A lot of speakers start out timidly, and the audience can sense that. Here’s a little secret – your audience wants you to be confident. They want to know that you are here to share valuable information. Don’t apologize for your presence, announce it.

One of the best ways to begin a speech is not to introduce yourself at first. Instead, introduce the reason your speech matters. Ask a question that your audience may want answered. “Have you ever wondered...?” “Would you like to know the secret to...?” Ask that question immediately and your audience is engaged. Within the first few moments of the speech your audience knows that this speech will address something that they care about and need to know.

That’s when you tell them your name and explain what exactly you’re going to share with them. What questions you’ll answer and what valuable secrets you will spill. By introducing yourself with this technique, is not only engages the audience, it makes you sound, and feel, more confident.

Now the audience knows why you are here, why listening to you is worth their time, and why you are the most important person in the room. In a matter of a few seconds you have made a powerful first impression.

Next time you have to give a speech, think about this technique when crafting your introduction. You will start off strong and your audience will be eager for more.