"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's exactly how I opened an educational speech on how to open a speech. If you grab the audience's attention from the beginning they will be more likely to listen to the rest of your speech.
"What is the best thing I can say at the beginning to make the audience listen to me?" is good question to ask yourself if you want to have a grate opening in your speech.
A good speech opening may include these 3 elements:
1) Topic introduction - In the same way a book has a contents so can your speech. Here you tell the audience what you are going to tell them. This gives your speech structure and grabs the audience's attention.
2) Startle your audience with a question - "Who wants to know how to make $100,000 in 90 days" When the audience hears a question like that they will wan to know the answer.
3) An historical quote - "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" - John F Kennedy. If you grab the audiences emotions you can grab their attention. When the audience hears something that once made them feel emotional hearing it again will be bring them back to that emotion.
A speech opening is a lot like a newspaper headline. Just as reader will read the headline of a newspaper to see if an article is worth reading. Your audience will listen to your opening to see if your speech is worth hearing. Just because they are in the room doesn't mean they are listening.
That's exactly how I opened an educational speech on how to open a speech. If you grab the audience's attention from the beginning they will be more likely to listen to the rest of your speech.
"What is the best thing I can say at the beginning to make the audience listen to me?" is good question to ask yourself if you want to have a grate opening in your speech.
A good speech opening may include these 3 elements:
1) Topic introduction - In the same way a book has a contents so can your speech. Here you tell the audience what you are going to tell them. This gives your speech structure and grabs the audience's attention.
2) Startle your audience with a question - "Who wants to know how to make $100,000 in 90 days" When the audience hears a question like that they will wan to know the answer.
3) An historical quote - "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country" - John F Kennedy. If you grab the audiences emotions you can grab their attention. When the audience hears something that once made them feel emotional hearing it again will be bring them back to that emotion.
A speech opening is a lot like a newspaper headline. Just as reader will read the headline of a newspaper to see if an article is worth reading. Your audience will listen to your opening to see if your speech is worth hearing. Just because they are in the room doesn't mean they are listening.
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If you would like to get more tips on great public speaking skills with video lessons go to Teach Your Kids Public Speaking
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