Public Speaking Tips - Opening Your Speech

"10 seconds is all you have to get the audience's attention. If you haven't got them by then it is much harder to get their attention back."

That is was how I started a speech on how to open speeches. Get the audience's attention at the beginning and they will listen to the rest of your speech more intently.

A great way to write a good opening is to ask yourself this question: "What is the best thing I can say at the beginning to make the audience listen to me?"

Here is a list of things you may want to include in your opening:

1) Introduce the topic - Tell the audience what you are going to tell them. If you think of your speech like a book this part of the speech would be the table of contents. Not only will this grab the audience's attention it is a great way to make sure your speech has structure

2) A question that startles - "Who would like to make $100,000 in 90 days?" That questions grabs the audience's attention immediately because they will want to know the answer.

3) A quotation from history - "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" - John F Kennedy. Using a quote from history can stir up your audience's emotions because they have heard the quote before and it takes them back to when they first heard the quote.

Think of a speech opening like the headline of a newspaper article. If they don't like the headline they wont read the article. If the don't like your speech's opening they will not listen to the rest of your speech, whether they are in the room or not. Have a look at the video.

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