6th Issue of Newsletter

Free Your Voice from Speaking Anxiety

Reader

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Attract Audience's Attention with One or Many of These 4 Ways to Start Your Next Presentation or Talk.

Take a look at this intro to a talk or presentation:

"Good morning, everyone!

My name is Waqas. I am from Denver, Colorado.

I recently graduated from the University of Missouri with a Ph.D. Degree and moved to Colorado for a job in a leading research and development company.

I now work as a Lead Engineer in XYZ company.

I am a public speaker and today's topic of my presentation is blah blah blah.

Thank you for coming to this presentation and listening to me and ..."

If I were in the audience, this is how I would've felt during this intro 😉.

Here's why such intros are boring:

People don't care ...

What my name is, where I came from, what degrees and awards have I collected in the past, what I do for a living, and what my job title is.

Simply put, they don't care about me ...

only I do.

So enough with the conventional intros, it's a surefire recipe to put the audience to sleep—right in the beginning.

It is also true for content creation.

Note - The only exception to starting your presentation with a conventional intro could be when you are specifically asked to introduce yourself.

IMMEDIATELY ATTRACT ATTENTION [4 WAYS TO START YOUR NEXT PRESENTATION OR TALK]

Try any of the following 4 ways to start your talk and seize their attention right off the bat.

1 - Ask an enrolling question

This is by far my favorite way to start.

I ask enrolling questions not only at the start but also during my talks. It keeps my audience awake 😄.

An enrolling question is a simple "yes" or "no" question that you ask your audience, and they can respond by a show of hands.

For example ...

If the topic of my talk is public speaking anxiety, this is how I may begin:

"Have you ever blanked out on stage during a public speaking situation?"

And then you comment on their response.

This is an important step to acknowledge your audience's response to the enrolling question.

For instance, you may comment like this:

"I see some of you have gone through this ordeal. You are not alone; it happens to most of us ".

Asking an enrolling question offers me 2 major benefits:

• It calms my nerves
• It makes the audience engage with my talk

When asked in the beginning ...

An enrolling question is like passing the hot potato to the audience, and somehow it helps calm my nerves.

You are encouraged to ask enrolling questions throughout the speaking engagement to keep the audience engaged and awake.

2 - Tell a relevant story

Storytelling is the most effective way to keep the audience's attention.

Oftentimes, I start with an enrolling question which is followed by a story.

When you start with a story, something almost magical happens.

The surreal sound of these four words "once upon a time" awakens the inner child in us who instantly gets hooked on your content.

The facts, numbers, opinions, arguments, deepest convictions, and values don't hold any weight unless put into perspective.

Storytelling does exactly that.

It gives our unique take, meaning, and perspective to the content of our talk.

3 - Start with a surprising fact or statistic

How is this for a start of a talk on public speaking anxiety?

"According to studies and surveys, people's number 1 fear is public speaking.

Number 2 is Death. Death is number 2!!

Does that sound right?

To an average person, it means if you are at a funeral, you would be better off in the casket than doing the eulogy.

That's what it means.

Crazy! right?"

This is based on a comedy act from the TV series Seinfeld.

I think it's way better start than the conventional My-Name-blah-blah-blah intros.

What do you think?

4 - Promise the value of your talk

Promise your audience upfront what value they are going to get out of your talk or presentation.

For instance ...

"If you stay with me for the next 10 minutes—both physically and mentally 😉—you will know the 4 ways in to start your next talk"

By promising them, they will know what to expect from your talk and give you their full attention.

Remember - you can always mix and match.

For example ...

You can begin by asking an enrolling question and then tell a relevant story.

You can promise the value of your talk before or after asking an enrolling question.

You get the point.

Bonus Tip:

Do not apologize to start your talk.

It doesn't matter what the apology is:

Whether you haven't prepared the talk, you came late to the venue, and whatnot.

Never start your talk or presentation with an excuse or apology.

Chances are that your audience will take it as a token of disrespect.

For instance ...

Apologizing for being unprepared may be interpreted as you don't care for that speaking engagement, for that audience, and for that occasion.

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BRINGING IT HOME

TL; DR

Ditch the boring conventional intros and use one or many of the following ways to begin your next talk or presentation:

1. Ask an enrolling question
2. Tell a relevant story
3. Start with a surprising statistic or fact
4. Promise the value of your talk upfront

That's a wrap.

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Feedback: If you have any thoughts, I mean ANY THOUGHT, or any questions about this week's issue, do not hesitate to reply to this email [waqas@denverspeakup.com]. I will be happy to read and respond 😀.

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TWO MORE WAYS I CAN HELP YOU

1 - Free live webinar - I will host a Live FREE Webinar on Friday (@12:00 PM MT, 11:00 AM PST, 01:00 PM CST, 02:00 PM EST) in which you will learn three secrets to overcoming your public speaking anxiety.​

2 - Social media - I regularly share practical tips and insights on public speaking and communication skills. If you are active on Youtube, Instagram, or ​Threads, let's connect.

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P.S. ​If you know someone who could benefit from this newsletter, I’d love to have them join our community of public speakers. They can subscribe here. Thanks!

Best,

Waqas, Founder & Speaking Coach

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