Speech Introduction Examples

A practical speech introduction is a critical component of any presentation. It can make or break the entire production, so it is worth taking your time and effort to ensure that it is crafted to perfection. Identifying the primary goal of your speech is essential for crafting a well-developed introduction. Choosing a topic that is both unique and relevant to your audience will help you achieve this.

The Hook

A hook is a presentation-opening tactic that immediately captures your audience’s imagination. This is important because your first 30 seconds are all that matter.

The best hooks are brief, catchy and pertinent to the topic. You can use a question, quote, statistic or anecdote to grab your audience’s attention.

One of the most effective hooks for a speech introduction is to start with an image. This will help establish suspense, and your audience will be more likely to stay engaged as you uncover your message step-by-step.

Another excellent hook is to start with a captivating story. This can be emotional or shocking and will set up your audience for anticipation throughout the rest of the speech.

The Thesis Statement

A thesis statement tells the reader what your paper’s overall subject will be. It also provides them with a sense of your perspective on that topic.

It can be simple or complex, but a strong thesis is essential for structure and clarity.

The thesis statement should establish the purpose of the essay or research paper and set expectations for the comments and supporting research to follow.

An example of a strong thesis statement is, “The internet is the best social media platform because it fosters new friendships and exchanges ideas.”

The thesis statement needs to be precise and connect with the reasons that will support your argument. A more complex thesis statement might be, “For political, economic, social and cultural reasons, communism collapsed in Eastern Europe.”

The Preview

A practical introduction includes a preview of the main ideas presented in the speech. It enables the audience to anticipate what they hear and remember the information.

A preview statement may be included at the end of the introduction, near the thesis statement, or it can come first. A preview statement should be short and direct, regardless of place.

Attention-getting techniques such as humour, anecdotes, quotes and references can also be used in a speech introduction to quickly grab the audience’s attention. These techniques can be effective for various audiences, topics and occasions.

A good speech introduction establishes your credibility and authority as a speaker on your topic. It links your subject matter to the audience, sets reasons to listen, shows you are a competent and trustworthy speaker, and identifies why your case is essential.

The Body

The body is the speech portion, where you provide arguments and evidence to support your main points. It is also where you respond to potential objections your listeners may have.

The introduction of a speech serves four primary functions: to secure the audience’s attention and interest, orient the audience to the topic and plan of the lesson, establish the speaker’s credibility and preview the body of the speech (O’Hair, Rubenstein, & Stewart, 2007). Use attention-grabbing strategies like quotations, stories, questions, anecdotes or startling facts or statistics to do this effectively.

The conclusion accomplishes two purposes: to summarize and re-focus the main ideas in the speech and to give the audience a sense of closure and completion. Sound decisions refer to the introduction, offer an analogy or metaphor that captures the main idea, or leave the audience with a question or challenge.