Introduction
Every Introduction Serves Two Functions
- Secures your audience's attention and interest
- Prepares audience intellectually and psychologically for the body of your speech
Ways To Get Attention
- Relate a story that is relevant to central idea
- Ask a question. There are two kinds
- Rhetorical—you do not want or expect audience to answer
- Overt-Response—you want audience to respond by raising hands or speaking out loud
Dangers of asking questions
- Embarrassing or personal questions
- "Loaded" questions
- Overt-response may not be best for situation
To avoid these dangers, alert your audience to the type of question(s) you are asking
- Cite a quotation
Keep them short. Pause at end. If quotation is too short, repeat it - Arouse curiosity
- Provide a visual aid or demonstration relevant to central idea
- Give your audience an incentive to listen
Show them how the topic relates to their personal lives, needs, wants, etc.
Ways To Orient Your Audience
- Preview the body of your speech
State the central idea, state the main points. Giving a preview reassures your audience - Give background information
Provide definitions, explanations, etc.
Explain limitations of your speech, over come objections - Establish credibility
Help audience appreciate your credentials; help them evaluate what you have to say
Guidelines
- Don't prepare your introduction first; it may change after you develop body of speech
- Make your introduction simple and easy to follow, but avoid making it to brief; allow audience a chance to "get into the groove" of your speech
- Make sure that your introduction has direct and obvious tie-in with the body of your speech; introduction should relate to body of speech