opening a program speech

[2024] Samples Of Welcoming And Short Opening Remarks For A Program

Short opening remarks for a program.

If you’ve ever been to a corporate program, you know that everyone pays close attention to the welcome speech.

The opening remarks are what entice the audience to listen with interest or not want to participate at all.

Given this, short opening remarks for a program are quite significant and should be both lengthy enough to appropriately address everyone in the room and concise enough to avoid boring anyone.

A compelling first line and introduction can quickly grab the audience’s attention. Therefore, making a good first impression is crucial to maintain their interest and excitement throughout the entire event.

Using short speeches is useful when the speaker wants to keep it straightforward, succinct, and impactful without detracting from the main event.

1. You are welcome to [program name]. We’re so happy you could be here with us today.

2. We appreciate your attendance at [program name] and wish you a good [morning/afternoon/evening].

5. I’m glad you could join us for [program name]. We are eager to get started since we have a fantastic program of events planned.

8. Here you are at [program name]. We’re so happy you could join us today to take part and learn.

9. Thank you for attending [program name] this today. We are eager to share with you ideas that will transform your life.

Opening Speech For An Event

Here is an example of an opening speech for an event that you can use as a model or template if you’re unsure of what makes a opening speech.

2. Welcome to our award show. I am _. We feel honoured to kickstart our prestigious ceremony. We have a special guest who will be unveiled soon. Meanwhile, sit back and have fun.

3. I _ welcome everyone to our 11 biannual event in our department. It’s wonderful seeing how many people chose to be here. Your enthusiasm is contagious. We have a lineup of events that will surely tickle your toes. Please stay tuned as the events unfold. Enjoy!

Welcome Speech For Party

1. You are welcome to [party name]. We are very happy that you could share in our celebration.

4. We’ve got a wonderful [party/celebration] planned for you today, and we can’t wait to unveil them to you.

5. We appreciate your attendance at [party name]. For you, we have a fun schedule of events and surprises planned.

7. Welcome to [name of party]. We are looking forward to celebrating with you and having a terrific time.

10. Welcome to [party name] and good morning. We’re so happy you could join us in our celebration. Let’s make this a celebration to remember!

Welcome Speech For Conference

2. Welcome to the conference this year! We join together to exchange ideas, insights, and experiences with tremendous excitement and enthusiasm. We’re all here because [conference topic] is something we’re passionate about, and I do not doubt that the coming days will be full of insightful conversations, new connections, and lots of motivation. I appreciate your presence and wish you a wonderful time.

4. Welcome to the conference this year! We are honored to have you all here with us, and we can’t wait to exchange ideas and experiences, as well as to learn from one another. We’re all here because [conference topic] is something we’re all enthusiastic about, and I do not doubt that the coming days will be full of insightful conversations and fresh connections. I appreciate your coming, and I hope you have a great time.

5. Welcome to the conference this year! We are incredibly appreciative of those who put this program together. Thank you for making time for this. Have a blast!

Welcome Speech For Virtual Event

2. Welcome everyone! We are really happy to have the chance to collaborate online and share knowledge. Feel free to ask questions, share ideas and more importantly, network.

3. Welcome to the online event for this year, everyone! We appreciate having you all here with us (virtually, of course), and we can’t wait to share our knowledge and experiences with you all. We’re all here because [event topic] is close to our hearts, and I do not doubt that the coming hours will be full of fascinating conversations and new connections. So let’s make sure to leave this gathering with a sense of empowerment! Thank you again for coming.

Short Welcome Speech For New Students

Make every new students feel at home in your school with these short welcome speech for new students:

3. Welcome! We are overjoyed to have you here with us and are eager to get to know you all. We wish you the best of luck and hope you study and develop as much as you can while you are at [school/university]. Please inquire if you need assistance and ask plenty of questions. We’re here to encourage yo your success. Welcome again to school/university!

Welcome Speech For Students By Teacher

As a teacher, it makes a big difference when your students warm up to you. It makes learning a breeze for both of you. Get started with one welcome speech for students by teacher from this list.

2. Hello, pupils! I’m glad to have you all in my class today. This year, I’m thrilled to be your teacher, and I’m also eager to learn from you. We’ll be working twice as hard. No room for laziness. Ask if you need anything or if you have any questions. I promise to be your biggest support.

3. Greetings, students! I feel privileged to be your teacher this year. Tell me your name and what you do in the comments. We have a lot to learn and do together, and I am sure we can accomplish a lot. If you have questions or reservations, feel free to spill. Have a nice day.

Welcome Speech For Religious Gathering

If you feel overwhelmed writing a welcome speech for religious gathering, check the following for ideas:

1. Good morning everyone. Welcome to _. We feel blessed to have you hear today. Thank you for choosing to honor God. If you’re worshiping with us for the first time, you’re welcome to this big family. Enjoy the service.

3. It’s a wonderful thing to be alive, and it’s more wonderful to behold your lovely faces. If you’re just joining us, welcome to this part of the Kingdom. You are loved.

6. Hello and welcome again to God’s house. As we’ve gathered, let God’s spirit dwell within us. Allow yourself to enjoy God. If there’s a new person beside you, tell them welcome to church.

9. It makes my heart glad that you’re all here. To the newbies, you have a special place in our hearts. I pray that God’s love overwhelms you in worship today.

Short Welcome Speech For Church

A short welcome speech for church can be a great way to make your church me

1. A big welcome to church. Thank you for choosing to worship God in this place. We hope you have a great time here.

Opening Remarks Sample For Different Purposes

At times, there will be need to make opening remarks sample for different purposes. You don’t want to be stuck when those periods come.

Prepare ahead with these samples below:

3. Welcome to this year’s charity event, everyone! We are incredibly appreciative of the chance to band together and help [cause/charity]. We are all present because we value the value of giving back and the strength of the community. We appreciate your presence; let’s work together to change the world.

5. Welcome to this year’s graduation ceremony, graduates, family members, and friends! We are thrilled to have the chance to recognize the accomplishments of our graduates. This is a unique event, one on which we should reflect on all that we have accomplished and look ahead to all that we will accomplish in the future. Thank you for coming, and on this historic occasion, congrats to our graduates!

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How to write a welcome speech in 3 steps

With a printable welcome speech planner, outline and a sample welcome speech

By:  Susan Dugdale  

So, you've been asked to give a short welcome speech for an event. Congratulations! And now you want to be doubly sure you get it right. The right content. The right tone. Plus, the right length!

You'll find everything here you need to do that easily, from start to finish. 

Jump in. You are just three steps away from a completed welcome speech. Shall we start?

The fastest and best way to get your speech done is to:

• skim read this page to get an overview of the speech writing process, ( the welcome speech template and the planner you're going to use), to  read the example welcome speech , and to find out more about the function of a welcome speech and the importance of its tone .
• then download, print and complete the welcome speech planner .
• and lastly, use the notes you made in the planner to write your welcome speech . To help with that, you can download and print the outline of my example welcome speech to use.  Edit, and add your information to make the speech your own.

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The welcome speech template

To be effective your welcome speech needs to meet expected, as well as any specific, requirements dictated by the occasion.

The 6 standard welcome speech content ingredients

There are six common or standard content items in a good welcome speech.

• Greetings to welcome everyone and thanking them for coming along.
• Acknowledgement of special guests, if there are any.
• An introduction of the event itself and a brief overview of special highlights the audience will want to know about.
• Any important housekeeping information, for instance: where the bathrooms are, where lunch will be served and when...
• An introduction for the next speaker, if there is one.
• Thanking everyone for coming once more and then concluding having made everybody feel at ease, eagerly anticipating what is to come.

Numbers 1, 3, and 6 are basic essentials you cannot do without. Numbers 2, 4 and 5 may, or may not, be applicable. Pick what you need from them to fit your occasion.

Short sample welcome speech for a conference 

Now let's put all six ingredients into an example of a short welcome speech to open a conference that you can adapt for your own speech.

* (This speech is pure fiction! I made it up to show you how it's done. You'll see its tone is formal rather than informal to fit the occasion. I don't think there is a group called Parents United. However, there are others with a similar mission: 10 Inspiring Organizations that Promote Literacy and Education .)  

Example welcome speech - "Readers by Right"

"Sue-Ellen Thomas, Jim Smith, Jane Brown and all of our guests, good morning!

My name is April Molloy, and it's my privilege and great pleasure on behalf of Parents United to welcome you all here today.

We are delighted to have you with us to participate and share in this special occasion, our 5th annual Children's Day Conference. Thank you for coming. That many of you have willingly traveled long distances to be here serves as a reminder to us all just how important our work is.

Parents United is committed to actively raising the quality of life for every child. We want all children, regardless of race, creed or circumstance to achieve their full potential. Our task is to make it possible. Our mission is to provide practical, step by step assistance.

This year our theme is literacy. We've named the day 'Readers by Right'.

Thanks to the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, we are aware of 'rights' in many spheres, including education.  Article 26 declared it should be compulsory and free for children.

That goal is as pertinent today as it was then. And it's a goal I know we all share - the full development of every child. As a body, Parents United recognizes good reading skills established in childhood as the foundation of fulfilling, and ongoing education.

We are honored to have Sue-Ellen Thomas, Jim Smith and Jane Brown with us today. All three are esteemed specialists in teaching young children to read.

Sue-Ellen has worked for a long time with educational authorities to establish programs putting in place necessary pre-reading skills. Her hard work needs no introduction. The results speak for themselves.

Jim and Jane bring their passion, and knowledge of how to reach those in our communities who are frequently overlooked or bypassed. Their work among disadvantaged English-as-a-second-language families has bridged gaps that were deep dark chasms.

Prepare yourself to be challenged, excited and inspired.

And before I handover to Lesley Watts, our coordinator for 'Readers by Right', who will outline the day's various events, I want to say once more on behalf of the Parents United organizing committee, welcome. It's wonderful to see so many of you here." 

Get your welcome speech started

To shortcut wondering, "Should I say this?" or "Maybe I should say that?" and "Then again there's also ...", I have a very simple solution for you.

Get yourself a printable welcome speech planner

Download and print my  special greeting address planner .

It covers ALL the necessary ingredients that go into preparing a successful welcome speech. It's simple to use and easily filled out. Once it's done, writing your speech will be a lot less hassle as you'll have the core content ready to work with.

Writing your welcome speech

Tips to help you get your speech right.

When you're entering information into your speech planner:

• ensure you've got all the names of individuals or special guests you need to mention specifically and, that you know how to pronounce each of them. Also check that you know and use their preferred pronouns: them/they, she/her, he/him...
• double check the remarks you're going to make about them, or anything else, are factually correct.

Use your introduction of your guests/or the event, as a "teaser" for what is going to come. It will help create anticipation in the audience. Don't ruin it by giving too much away! Just enough to tempt and no more.

Keep it brief. One to two minutes is generally sufficient.

(The word count of my sample welcome speech is 357. It will take approximately 2 minutes to say .) 

Use the S-S-S formula for success: Short, Simple and Sincere. Your listeners will appreciate it.

Get a printable welcome speech outline

If you would like to use and adapt the structure I used in my sample speech as the foundation for your welcome speech, click the link to download the printable: welcome speech outline .

Then edit; delete, amend and add, until you are done.

Get a hand with vocabulary

If you're stuck for words, here's a large selection of  adaptable welcoming phrases with example s entences.  Reading through them could help you to find exactly what you want.

What does a good welcome speech do?

An effective welcome speech has three important functions. It:

• signals the official beginning of an event . It says to the audience, hush, sit down, stop talking and listen. What you came for is starting!
• sets the tone for the occasion through the choice of language used . For example, using light-hearted and informal words to welcome guests to a dear friend's birthday party may be completely appropriate.  However, the same type of language to welcome family and friends to a memorial service is unlikely to be. In that setting, people generally expect a more solemn and formal word choice. They could be deeply offended and think the use of casual language is disrespectful.  Understanding and getting tone right is a key element in the overall success of your welcome speech.  
• unites the audience . It draws everyone together in the common purpose at the heart of the occasion. For example, at a birthday party, the welcome speech invites everyone to join in celebrating the person whose birthday it is. The welcome speech opening a specialist conference will affirm its principal purpose: the coming together of people with mutual interests to meet and share new knowledge. Or if a welcome speech is given to newcomers in a workplace, club or educational setting, its purpose is to give an introductory overview of how things work to help them feel more at ease in their new situation - to help them develop a sense of belonging.

Getting the tone right for an event

What is tone.

Tone is the combined impact of the words chosen to express something, with how they are structured and, delivered.  All three elements come together to create tone * . 

Get tone wrong, and your welcome speech is a disaster.

Get it right, and it's a triumph!

(Yes, that's hyperbole but I'm sure you get the idea. ☺)

* Tone - a mood, quality or feeling

How to choose the right words

The beginning of getting tone right is to think about your audience and the event itself. Your goal is to unite and bring them together in the main purpose at the core of the occasion. What type of language will do that most appropriately and easily?

To answer that question, think about the common interest everybody shares - the principal reason behind them getting together.  It will help guide your language choice.

Is it a fun event like a birthday party for close friends and family? If so, then informal language is likely to be the most apt.

You might hear something along the lines of: "Well, here we all are! The big day has finally arrived. Jean-Marie is 50! Half a century! How on earth did that happen?"

If it's a remembrance service for someone who has recently died, the language you're likely to hear is more formal.

For example: "Friends, family, colleagues, thank you for joining us today to celebrate and give thanks for our dear Jean-Marie. Your presence is gratefully appreciated." 

What is appropriate? What is expected?  Do spend some time thinking tone through. Misunderstanding and getting it wrong can be very embarrassing for everyone. If in doubt, ask someone whose opinion you trust.

Related helpful pages

Help rehearsing your welcome speech.

Get  step by step instructions on how to rehearse  including how to make and use cue cards.

And please do rehearse. It makes a huge difference! You'll sound, and look better. Taking the time to rehearse shows respect for yourself, the audience and the event. Truly.

Help to manage pre-speech jitters

Nervous? If you're shaking in your boots at the thought of having to speak in front of an audience, click  overcoming public speaking fear  for assistance. Take your time. The page has 14 tried and tested suggestions to consider.

Help with other types of welcome speeches

Or perhaps you need  welcome to the family speeches   or a  church welcome speech sample ? Click the links to find easily adaptable examples.

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How to Start a Speech: 7 Tips and Examples for a Captivating Opening

By Status.net Editorial Team on December 12, 2023 — 10 minutes to read

1. Choosing the Right Opening Line

Finding the perfect opening line for your speech is important in grabbing your audience’s attention. A strong opening line sets the stage for the points you want to make and helps you establish a connection with your listeners.

1. Start with a question

Engage your audience from the very beginning by asking them a thought-provoking question related to your topic. This approach encourages them to think, and it can create a sense of anticipation about what’s coming next.

• “Have you ever wondered how much time we spend on our phones every day?”

2. Share a personal story

A relatable personal story can create an emotional connection with your audience. Make sure your story is short, relevant to your speech, and ends with a clear point.

• “When I was a child, my grandmother used to tell me that every kind deed we do plants a seed of goodness in the world. It was this philosophy that inspired me to start volunteering.”

3. Use a quote or a statistic

Incorporate a powerful quote or an intriguing statistic at the outset of your speech to engage your audience and provide context for your topic.

• “As the great Maya Angelou once said, ‘People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.'”

4. Make them laugh

Injecting a little humor into your opening line puts everyone at ease and makes your speech more memorable. Just make sure your joke is relevant and doesn’t offend your audience.

• “They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but if the doctor is cute, forget the fruit!”

5. Paint a mental picture

Draw your audience in by describing a vivid scene or painting an illustration in their minds. This creates an immersive experience that makes it easier for your audience to follow your speech.

• “Picture this: you’re walking down the beach, and you look out on the horizon. The sun is setting, and the sky is a breathtaking canvas of reds, oranges, and pinks.”

2. Using a Personal Story

Sharing a personal story can be a highly effective way to engage your audience from the very beginning of your speech. When you open your talk with a powerful, relatable story, it helps create an emotional connection with your listeners, making them more invested in what you have to say.

Think about an experience from your life that is relevant to the topic of your speech. Your story doesn’t have to be grand or dramatic, but it should be clear and vivid. Include enough detail to paint a picture in your audience’s minds, but keep it concise and on point.

The key to successfully using a personal story is to make it relatable. Choose a situation that your audience can empathize with or easily understand. For example, if you’re giving a speech about overcoming adversity, you could talk about a time where you faced a seemingly insurmountable challenge and overcame it.

Make sure to connect your story to the main point or theme of your speech. After sharing your experience, explain how it relates to the topic at hand, and let your audience see the relevance to their own lives. This will make your speech more impactful and show your listeners why your personal story holds meaning.

3. Making a Shocking Statement

Starting your speech with a shocking statement can instantly grab your audience’s attention. This technique works especially well when your speech topic relates to a hot-button issue or a controversial subject. Just make sure that the statement is relevant and true, as false claims may damage your credibility.

For example, “Believe it or not, 90% of startups fail during their first five years in the market.” This statement might surprise your listeners and make them more receptive to your ideas on how to avoid pitfalls and foster a successful business.

So next time you’re crafting a speech, consider opening with a powerful shocking statement. It could be just the thing to get your audience sitting up and paying full attention. (Try to keep your shocking statement relevant to your speech topic and factual to enhance your credibility.)

4. Using Humor

Humor can be an excellent way to break the ice and grab your audience’s attention. Opening your speech with a funny story or a joke can make a memorable first impression. Just be sure to keep it relevant to your topic and audience.

A good joke can set a light-hearted tone, lead into the importance of effective time management, and get your audience engaged from the start.

When using humor in your speech, here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Be relatable: Choose a story or joke that your audience can easily relate to. It will be more engaging and connect your listeners to your message.
• Keep it appropriate: Make sure the humor fits the occasion and audience. Stay away from controversial topics and avoid offending any particular group.
• Practice your delivery: Timing and delivery are essential when telling a joke. Practice saying it out loud and adjust your pacing and tone of voice to ensure your audience gets the joke.
• Go with the flow: If your joke flops or doesn’t get the reaction you were hoping for, don’t panic or apologize. Simply move on to the next part of your speech smoothly, and don’t let it shake your confidence.
• Don’t overdo it: While humor can be useful in capturing your audience’s attention, remember that you’re not a stand-up comedian. Use it sparingly and focus on getting your message across clearly and effectively.

5. Incorporating a Quote

When you want to start your speech with a powerful quote, ensure that the quote is relevant to your topic. Choose a quote from a credible source, such as a famous historical figure, a well-known author, or a respected expert in your field. This will not only grab your audience’s attention but also establish your speech’s credibility.

For example, if you’re giving a speech about resilience, you might use this quote by Nelson Mandela: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

Once you’ve found the perfect quote, integrate it smoothly into your speech’s introduction. You can briefly introduce the source of the quote, providing context for why their words are significant. For example:

Nelson Mandela, an inspirational leader known for his perseverance, once said: “The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall.”

When you’re incorporating a quote in your speech, practice your delivery to ensure it has the intended impact. Focus on your tone, pace, and pronunciation. By doing so, you can convey the quote’s meaning effectively and connect with your audience emotionally.

Connect the quote to your main points by briefly explaining how it relates to the subject matter of your speech. By creating a natural transition from the quote to your topic, you can maintain your audience’s interest and set the stage for a compelling speech.

In our resilience example, this could look like:

“This quote by Mandela beautifully illustrates the power of resilience. Today, I want to share with you some stories of remarkable individuals who, like Mandela, overcame obstacles and rose every time they fell. Through their experiences, we might learn how to cultivate our own resilience and make the most of life’s challenges.”

6. Starting with a Question

Opening your speech with a question can be a great way to engage your audience from the start. This strategy encourages your listeners to think and become active participants in your presentation. Your opening question should be related to your core message, sparking their curiosity, and setting the stage for the following content. Here are a few examples:

• For a motivational speech : “Have you ever wondered what you would do if you couldn’t fail?”
• For a business presentation : “What’s the biggest challenge your team faces daily, and how can we overcome it?”
• For an educational talk : “How does the way we use technology today impact the future of our society?”

When choosing the right starting question, consider your audience. You want to ask something that is relevant to their experiences and interests. The question should be interesting enough to draw their attention and resonate with their emotions. For instance, if you’re presenting to a group of entrepreneurs, gear your question towards entrepreneurship, and so on.

To boost your question’s impact, consider using rhetorical questions. These don’t require a verbal response, but get your audience thinking about their experiences or opinions. Here’s an example:

• For an environmental speech : “What kind of world do we want to leave for our children?”

After posing your question, take a moment to let it sink in, and gauge the audience’s reaction. You can also use a brief pause to give the listeners time to think about their answers before moving on with your speech.

7. Acknowledging the Occasion

When starting a speech, you can acknowledge the occasion that brought everyone together. This helps create a connection with your audience and sets the stage for the rest of your speech. Make sure to mention the event name, its purpose, and any relevant individuals or groups you would like to thank for organizing it. For example:

“Hello everyone, and welcome to the 10th annual Charity Gala Dinner. I’m truly grateful to the fundraising committee for inviting me to speak tonight.”

After addressing the event itself, include a brief personal touch to show your connection with the topic or the audience. This helps the audience relate to you and gain interest in what you have to say. Here’s an example:

“As a long-time supporter of this cause, I am honored to share my thoughts on how we can continue making a difference in our community.”

Next, give a brief overview of your speech so the audience knows what to expect. This sets the context and helps them follow your points. You could say something like:

“Tonight, I’ll be sharing my experiences volunteering at the local food bank and discussing the impact of your generous donations.”

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some effective opening lines for speeches.

A powerful opening line will grab your audience’s attention and set the stage for the rest of your speech. Some effective opening lines include:

• Start with a bold statement: “The world needs your creativity now more than ever.”
• Share a surprising fact: “Did you know that the average person spends (…) years of their life at work?”
• Pose a thought-provoking question: “What would you attempt to do if you knew you could not fail?”
• Tell a short, engaging story: “When I was 10 years old, I discovered my passion for baking in my grandmother’s kitchen.”

Can you provide examples of engaging introductions for speeches?

• Use humor: “As a kid, I believed that 7 pm bedtime was a form of torture. Now, as an adult, I find myself dreaming of 7 pm bedtime.”
• Share a personal experience: “On a trip to Italy, I found myself lost in the winding streets of a small village. It was there, amidst my confusion, that I stumbled upon the best gelato I’d ever tasted.”
• Use an analogy: “Starting a new business is like taking a journey into the unknown. There will be challenges to overcome, and you’ll need resilience, determination, and a strong compass.”

Which speech styles can make a powerful impact on the audience?

Different speech styles will resonate with different audiences. Some styles to consider include:

• Inspirational: Motivate your audience to take action or overcome challenges.
• Storytelling: Share personal experiences or anecdotes to illustrate your points and keep listeners engaged.
• Educational: Provide useful information and insights to help your audience learn or grow.
• Persuasive: Present a compelling argument to convince your audience to adopt a particular perspective or take specific action.

How do successful speakers establish a connection with their listeners?

Establishing a connection with your listeners is key to delivering an impactful speech. Some ways to connect with your audience include:

• Show empathy: Demonstrating understanding and concern for your audience’s feelings and experiences will generate a sense of trust and connection.
• Be relatable: Share personal stories or examples that allow your audience to see themselves in your experiences, thus making your speech more relatable.
• Keep it genuine: Avoid overrehearsing or coming across as scripted. Instead, strive for authenticity and flexibility in your delivery.
• Encourage participation: Engaging your audience through questions, activities, or conversation can help build rapport and make them feel more involved.

What are some techniques for maintaining a friendly and professional tone in speeches?

To maintain a friendly and professional tone in your speeches, consider these tips:

• Balance humor and seriousness: Use humor to lighten the mood and engage your audience, but make sure to also cover the serious points in your speech.
• Speak naturally: Use your everyday vocabulary and avoid jargon or overly formal language when possible.
• Show respect: Acknowledge differing opinions and experiences, and treat your audience with courtesy and fairness.
• Provide useful information: Offer valuable insights and solutions to your audience’s concerns, ensuring they leave your speech feeling more informed and empowered.
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How to Write a Welcome Speech

Last Updated: July 29, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,706,609 times.

Are you on welcome speech duty for an upcoming program or event? You’ve got nothing to worry about—with the right format and tone, it’s super easy to write and present a welcome speech for just about any occasion. We’ve outlined everything you need to know, from your opening greetings and acknowledgments, to establishing the right tone and nailing your closing remarks. You’ve got this in the bag!

Greeting the Audience

• Keep the tone more serious if it's an important occasion. Use more formal language and don't crack any inappropriate jokes. For example, at a wake, you might say, "We're so glad to have you all here tonight. We appreciate your presence at this difficult time."

• For an event with close friends and family, more informal language might be appropriate. Include a few jokes and keep your speech more lighthearted.

Patrick Muñoz

Grab your audience's attention with a strong opening. Start with a loud voice and a strong presence that welcomes everyone and gets them involved. Ask a question they can respond to or tell a joke — anything to connect with the audience. Do something that grabs their attention and excites them and makes them thrilled about the event.

• Special guests include any people of honor, those that may play a particularly important part in the event, or those who have traveled a long way to be there.
• Make sure that you practice all of names, titles, and pronunciations of the special guests before your speech.
• For example you could say, "We'd like to extend a special welcome to our guest of honor, Judge McHenry, who will be speaking later tonight."
• Alternatively to welcome a group of people you might say, "While we're excited to have you all here tonight, we'd especially like to say welcome to the students from Johnson Middle School."

• For an informal event such as a birthday party, you could say, "We're so happy to have you here tonight to eat, drink, and celebrate another year of Jessica's life. Now, let's get to it."
• For a more formal event such as one run by an organisation, you could say, “We are so excited to have you all here to participate in our 10th annual pet’s day, organised by the Animal Rescue Group.”

Forming the Body of the Speech

• An example of acknowledging individual people is saying, “We couldn’t have pulled off this fundraiser without the hard work and dedication of Grace and Sally, who worked tirelessly from day 1 to make today a reality.”
• Avoid reading off a long list of people or sponsors, as your audience will begin to get bored. Stick to just a handful of highlights.

• For instance, at a conference, you might point out when the dinner will be held, or where particular sessions will take place.
• At a wedding reception, you might note when dancing will start or when the cake will be served.

• Alternatively, you could end the body of your speech during an informal gathering by saying, “I can't wait to see you all out on the dancefloor!”

Ending the Speech

• You could also say that you hope that the audience takes something away from the event. For example, “I hope that today inspires ideas and discussions around the ways that we can make our city a better place!”

• At a formal event, you might say, "Now, for our speaker. Rebecca Roberts comes here from Montreal, Canada, and she is a leading expert in the study of the human brain. She'll be speaking tonight on what drives humans to make decisions. Let's welcome her."
• For a more informal event such as a party, you could say, “Next up is Sam, who has been Kyle’s best friend for 10 years strong. He has a decade of embarrassing stories about Kyle to share with us tonight!"

• Alternatively you might say, “Thank you again to everyone for being here tonight to celebrate Joe and Kathleen’s 50th wedding anniversary! Let the celebrations begin!”

• If you are unsure, ask the organiser or host what an appropriate length of time for your speech will be.

Writing Help

Community Q&A

• Practice your speech in front of trusted friends and family in the days leading up to the event. [12] X Research source Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 1

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.yourdictionary.com/articles/effective-welcome-speech
• ↑ https://www.examples.com/education/speech/welcome-speech-for-conference.html
• ↑ https://penandthepad.com/how-5574707-write-welcome-speech.html
• ↑ https://penandthepad.com/write-after-dinner-speech-8035341.html
• ↑ https://uark.pressbooks.pub/speaking/chapter/closing-a-speech/
• ↑ https://www.unr.edu/writing-speaking-center/student-resources/writing-speaking-resources/speech-delivery

About This Article

To write a welcome speech, start with a greeting to your audience that’s appropriate to the situation. For example, you could try “Good evening ladies and gentlemen” if you’re introducing a formal event, or “Thank you everyone for coming on this sunny day” for a more relaxed occasion. After you’ve finished the greeting, introduce the event by talking about who organized it and what its purpose is. In the main body of your speech, acknowledge 2 or 3 people who played important parts in organizing the event. You should also emphasize special parts of the event that people should pay attention to, such as where dinner will be or where a conference session will take place. When you’re ready to conclude your speech, tell the audience to enjoy the event by saying something like “I hope you all enjoy the exciting speakers to come.” Finish your speech by thanking the audience for attending. For tips on how to introduce people at a special occasion, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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Welcome Speech in English: Best Samples, Examples & Tips

Why are Welcome Speeches Necessary?

Most of the gatherings and ceremonies are held with a purpose. They are either planned events or spontaneous gatherings. In both cases, it is important to know how to organize such events. We must prepare ourselves to conduct the event properly.

Let us imagine that you are hosting a gathering. You have prepared everything, including food, drinks, decorations, etc., and even set up the stage. However, you forgot one thing – a welcome speech. What happens next? Do you start talking immediately without waiting for everyone to arrive? Of course not!

The same goes for a meeting. How many times did you attend meetings where people didn’t introduce themselves? Or worse, they talked about themselves too much during the meeting. In addition, some speakers talk directly to the audience without introducing themselves. This makes it difficult for the attendees to comprehend the event’s process and connect with its objectives.

So why is a welcome speech in English needed? To begin with, it is necessary to give a brief overview of the topic. Secondly, it helps to provide information about the organization and its history. Thirdly, it allows us to highlight our achievements. And finally, it creates a good impression on guests. Otherwise, they might ask questions like “Where is this event going?”.

Significance of welcome speech

The significance of the welcome speech won’t be apparent without understanding what makes up the history of an event. An event can be defined as a sequence of activities carried out over a period of time. These activities are usually organized into stages, each with a specific purpose. For example, an event may start with opening remarks, followed by a keynote address, and finally concluded with closing remarks. Each stage of an event has a different set of responsibilities.

In the case of a welcoming ceremony, the welcome speech is considered to be one of the most important parts of the whole gathering. In fact, it is the most crucial aspect of the entire event. This is because the welcome speech serves several purposes.

First, it introduces the guests to the host. Second, it provides information regarding the upcoming program. Third, it creates a positive impression among the attendees. Fourth, it helps in creating a sense of unity among the participants. Fifth, it helps in establishing good relations between the hosts and the guests. And finally, it ensures that the guest feels comfortable during the occasion.

Objectives of a Welcome Speech in English

The objective of a welcome speech in English is to introduce yourself and the rest of the attendees at the event. This is done through a short introduction about who you are, what you do, why you’re attending, etc. The following are the objectives of a welcome speech:

• Introduce yourself
• Provide Information regarding the event
• Create a positive impression among attendees
• Establish good relations between hosts and guests
• Ensure guests feel comfortable during the event
• Help build unity among participants
• Explain the purpose of the meeting/event
• Set up the agenda for the meeting/event
• Make introductions
• Give background info about the organization
• Highlight achievements (if any)

Welcome Speech Samples in the Education Field

There is a number of school gatherings that require welcome speeches, be it an official school gathering or an informal event. In this segment, we’ve sorted samples according to the typical events organized in schools. Take note of each paragraph and determine its purpose. You’ll be able to create a workable framework or basis for your current and future speech requirements.

Welcome Address in English For Students

It’s natural for attendees of any event to expect an introductory speech, which sets the tone for the occasion. A host can easily command attention with an effective welcome. Even the longest speeches have the capacity to hold an audience’s interest when delivered in a catchy and impressive manner.

A short opening speech for a commencement ceremony

To everyone present, good morning. A very warm welcome to our respected faculty, our remarkable parents, and our dear students. Special recognition is due for our Chief Guest (name of chief guest). It’s a true honor to have such a successful alumnus (or state the chief guest’s job title). We express our biggest gratitude for accepting our invitation to deliver today’s keynote speech.

I’m standing here as a lucky witness to our dear students’ academic journey. Our school is very proud of everything you have accomplished and your small but not minor contributions to society. You’ve brought prestige to our name and deserve the title of one of our school’s most successful and dedicated batch of students.

With your teachers’ guidance and parents’ support, you’ve reached remarkable heights. I’d like to take this time to extend my gratitude to our faculty and our parents, for understanding, encouraging, and nurturing our students.

Graduates, you are about to start another chapter in your life. An exciting yet scary period. From now on, you will face more challenges, but I am confident that you’re adequately equipped to face any tribulation that comes your way. Remember that with conviction and self-belief, no mountain is too high to climb. The laurels you’ve brought back to our school are only the beginning. I am genuinely excited to see the astonishing feats that your futures hold.

A long opening speech for a commencement ceremony

Good morning everyone! I would like to extend a very warm welcome to our esteemed faculty, astounding parents, and our dear students. I’m honored to open our commencement ceremony and stand here where many of our accomplished alumni who I look up to once stood.

I extend a particularly warm welcome to our Chief Guest (name of chief guest), who as one of our outstanding alumni, has really set the standard for exemplary accomplishments.

(enumerate key achievements of chief guest)

Her/his professional and philanthropic endeavors attest to their upbringing and the values she/he lives by. We want to thank you for responding positively to our invitation to be the keynote speaker on today’s auspicious occasion.

As another academic year reaches its end, I’m sure that our dear students are anxious and also filled with hope and excitement. This is their final school event in our renowned school/college/university (name of school). But hopefully, it won’t be their last awarding ceremony.

We are extremely fortunate to have such a talented and passionate group of graduates who have earned laurels in honor of our school, adding to its distinction and great reputation. The amazing encouragement and unconditional support of our parents throughout the school year have been extraordinary. They have stood by their children in every school event. Our teachers and staff are truly thankful for the trust you’ve given us. Your children’s journey wouldn’t have been a huge success without your guidance and nurture.

It’s been a remarkable experience to witness the passion and commitment our students have exhibited in all their undertakings. I am filled with certitude that you will achieve whatever goal you’ve set your mind on. Adulthood is going to be jammed with more trials you’ve never imagined before. I am kidding. Maybe. Joking aside, you will win as long as you work hard and believe in yourself.

Remember that you are valuable and take every challenge you face as an opportunity to prove your worth and get better. Also, surround yourselves with people who are good for your well-being and treat them the way you’d like to be treated.

Maintain your sense of humor because not much else will get you through when the going gets rough. Life can be very special and you can truly make a mark, which doesn’t always need to have global proportions. Be accountable for your mistakes and learn from them. Keep nurturing your passions and remain as driven, bright, and astonishing as you are today. You are all wonderful and I can’t wait to see your future accomplishments, because they will be great.

Thank you and do us proud!

Welcome Speech for a College Function

(General greeting, i.e. good morning/afternoon/evening) to all (the audience attending the event, e.g. the parents, teachers, students, etc.) and our respected Principal (name of principal). It’s with great pleasure that I welcome everyone to (name of school)’s (name of event or ceremony).

Our college nurtures the ideologies of discipline and pride in one’s work and aims to hone our students as responsible and productive members of society. It is in this spirit that we celebrate today.

To commence our festivities, allow me to introduce one of our most esteemed alumni. Our Chief Guest (title and name of chief guest) has embodied the values fostered by our prominent and respected college. (Enumerate the main accomplishments of the chief guest). We honor you for your contributions to society and our city, most especially, which future generations will surely benefit from. With your hard work, dedication, and charitable spirit, you have set the goalposts we aspire to reach in order to make the world a much better place than we’ve found it.

(Initiate a round of applause)

Welcome Speech for a Yearly Function

(General greeting, i.e. good morning/afternoon/evening to all)

Honorable Chief Guest (name of guest), our beloved Principal (name of principal), our amazing faculty and staff members, our dearest parents and fellow students, and to everyone present, I welcome you all to (name of school/college/university)’s annual function.

My name is Lakshmi Gupta, a student of the Information Technology Department, and also the president of our school’s Cultural Exchange Organization and founder of the Languages Club.

It is with tremendous pride that I announce our prestigious school’s Silver Jubilee anniversary. We’re gathered today to celebrate 25 years of estimable service and success. The remarkable accomplishments of our elite school since its foundation won’t be possible without its long history of dedicated and respected teachers and passionate students, its tireless staff, and the unconditional support from our parents.

It’s also a great honor to introduce our Chief guest and keynote speaker. Any introduction won’t do justice to the extraordinary achievements she/he has attained throughout her/his career. (Enumerate the main accomplishments of the chief guest). She/he is truly one of the most treasured and incredible alumni our school has produced. Without further ado, let’s give a round of applause to (title and name of chief guest).

Welcome Speech for the School Principal

Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning!

I’m truly pleased and honored to welcome our new principal (title and name of principal). He has previously worked for 5 years at Lumos International as principal and has succeeded in revitalizing their academic standing and programs, especially in English and Cultural Studies.

I have gotten to know her/him over the last few days during the transition phase and found her/him to be a brave and progressive intellectual, with a great ideology and vision for the future of (name of school), our beloved school.

On behalf of the current administration, our board of trustees, the faculty, the staff, and our student body, we wholeheartedly extend a great welcome to you (title and name of principal).

We hope that with your leadership, energy, and enthusiasm, we shall start a new era of learning and reach greater excellence.

Congratulations and welcome!

Welcome Speech for Teachers Day

Good morning! We welcome everyone today who is here to celebrate this annual event for their beloved teachers. We don’t always get to thank our teachers, but on this day, we pay tribute to our second parents.

They have provided guidance and given their light to educate and lead us to a journey of wonder, discovery, and knowledge. For their efforts, they deserve the greatest of honors and our utmost respect.

Our steadfast yet affectionate teachers should be our role models. They inspire us daily and motivate us to reach our greatest potential. They impart wisdom so that we don’t only excel academically, but as good people and responsible members of our society.

So on Teacher’s Day, it’s all about them and giving them the honor that many take for granted. Thank you, dear teachers!

Welcome Speech for Children’s Day

Good morning everybody!

Today we extend our appreciation and the warmest embrace to our beloved students to celebrate Children’s Day!

It’s been a blessing to be a part of nurturing children’s sense of wonder and imagination. These are qualities we often lose as we grow up, and it’s awesome to witness them happen every day.

Children’s innocence and love are incomparable and difficult to resist. Their smile is the closest thing to heaven that we can glimpse in the world.

School is your children’s second home, and we teachers are their second parents. We thank you for the opportunity to take care of and guide your little angels.

Join us to celebrate our students and make this day as eventful and fun as it can be!

Welcome Speech for Freshers Party

Welcome everyone to our Fresher’s party!

We’ve all gathered here today to celebrate the gift of possibilities and commence the experience of a new beginning.

It’s of utmost pleasure to welcome everyone, especially all my freshers to today’s festivities. I extend my deepest gratitude to all my teachers and everyone who helped make this event a reality. Look at this place, it’s amazing!

University or school life isn’t just about getting a higher education – brace yourself for the adventure of a lifetime! This is the period to create good memories and meet people who can be a permanent part of your academic and later professional lives. May you develop the relationships and acquire the necessary skills to succeed in life.

But for now, let’s leave our worries and cares out in the hall. Let’s celebrate your wise decision to matriculate in our institution. Our college has prepared special events and an entertainment program highlighting some of our talented students.

The next few hours will be memorable and exciting! Thank you for listening and let’s get on with it!

Have a good time!

Welcome Speech Samples for Business

Much like in academic settings, there are more formal events that happen in professional contexts. Some may need a welcome address to introduce special guests or welcome the attendees of a conference. Some are informal events that welcome those who are invited to special occasions at the office and the people they’re honoring. Note down the key phrases and objectives of the samples below and use the same structure in your own welcome or introduction speech in English.

Sample of Welcome Speech for a Goodbye Get-together

Good evening everyone!

Welcome to my farewell party. I know, I know. You all said you’re sorry to see me go, but that you all would need food and entertainment first to deal with your sadness. So here we are. I shall deliver.

As the Semisonic song goes “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” And so it is with great gratitude that the VP in Japan decided to retire early, so the end of his role can mark the beginning of mine. To Toni Takitani, thanks for deciding you’ve had enough!

Kidding aside, I’d like to thank my friends who made this very corporate event a huge success. Look at this, my goodness!

Most importantly, I want to impart my profound gratitude to my boss (name of the boss). Without you, this party won’t have a band. I couldn’t ask for a better mentor. Or I could, but none of them would have changed my life as positively as you have. It saddens me to leave you the most, but it comforts me that you were my biggest source of encouragement to go. Or it may have been your plan all along. Genius!

So to everyone who came, thank you. I’ll have time to thank you properly later, but for now, let’s eat!

Welcome Speech Sample for a Business Conference

Good morning to everyone who came out to join us here today. My name is Julius Kaizer and I’ll be hosting today’s events.

Before anything else, I’d like to take this moment to thank Merville & Posque Inc., their CEO Mr. Hyori Asano and his team for putting this event together in record time. It won’t be possible without your tireless dedication and contributions. I also want to thank everyone who came, our remarkable associates from Osaka, Chiang Rai, and Quezon, our wonderful clients who have stuck with us through thick and thin, and our amazing consultants in various fields of energy conservation. Your interest and patronage are very much appreciated.

A great welcome to all our extraordinary employees and staff members, some of whom have worked and grown along our company’s 23-year history. A big welcome, too, to our interns who have recently joined and brightened our corporate offices.

Today marks the 15th annual MPBC and it’s an honor to be a host in this glorious congress. I myself will be staying for the conference’s entirety to learn what I can about sustainable energy systems and their various implications and impact on the future of our planet.

The activities today will include an overview of all the forums, seminars, and exhibits around the MPBC complex. Second, we will have the inauguration of the new bio-dome on the grounds where we will also honor this year’s retirees. The afternoon’s seminars will kick off after lunch, and I encourage you to attend the discussions and learn about our future plans and projects. Finally, I’d like to encourage everyone to help yourselves to the snack stations in the hallway. Refreshments and sandwiches are on us for the duration of the conference.

I won’t keep you long and let’s begin the day. I wish all of you a valuable and wonderful time! Thank you.

Welcome Speech for a Business Workshop

Good afternoon everyone!

I am so pleased to see you all here. Welcome to my workshop, or should I say “our” workshop. I am truly overjoyed and excited about learning together and helping you reach a breakthrough in industry-scale coding practices.

This workshop aims to cover new software and the importance of earning certificates in several computer applications such as VM Suite, Landscape 5.0, and NF Tech.

I hope you’ll learn a lot in the next few hours and I promise to try to make our activities as engaging and hands-on as possible. Good luck and thanks again for participating in our workshop.

Welcome Speech for Office Events

My name is (your name), the (position in the company), and your host for this meeting. To our CEO (title and name of the CEO), (next are the dignitaries for the company hierarchy if any), all the staff members and their loved ones, and our beloved employees. I welcome you all to the (name of the event) of (name of company).

We are here today to honor our employees’ achievements in their respective fields and departments. Your efforts to attain and sustain the standards we keep aren’t unnoticed. This awarding ceremony seeks to remind us about the value and pride we should have in our accomplishments, and the significance of collaboration and teamwork. It is our spirit of community and faith in our abilities that represent the vision of (name of company). May we continue to grow through hard work, accountability, and cooperation.

To start off with our first award, let’s call up (title and position of the presenter), (name of the presenter).

Welcome Speech Samples for Family Functions

Huge family events often have speeches: weddings, birthdays, farewell parties, funerals, anniversaries, and so on. Some of these events normally have hosts and esteemed guests. Here are some tips and samples to inspire you.

Tips on Welcoming the Chief Guest?

If you’re searching for tips on how to make a welcome speech for guest, here are some things you can do:

• When drafting your speech, do the research.
• Highlight the key qualities that are worth mentioning in an opening welcome speech for event.
• Take note of the welcome address speech sample in this article and create a framework from them.
• Look up welcome speech quotes and choose the best one to use somewhere in your speech.
• Greet the chief guest at the event personally and introduce yourself if you don’t know each other.
• Extend your hard for a handshake and smile to express that they are honored and welcome to the event.
• Smile and suggest they are being welcomed.
• Address them formally with the usual Miss or Mr.
• Escort the chief guest before you assume host duties.

Welcoming the Chief Guest with a Short Speech

It’s a great honor to welcome our Chief guest and tonight’s keynote speaker. I was worried at first about how to introduce (title and name of Chief guest) because any introduction would pale in comparison to the reality and immensity of her/his accomplishments.

(Enumerate the main accomplishments of the chief guest).

She/he is the ultimate inspiration for young professionals everywhere who want to succeed in the field of international trade. Here to inspire us with her career journey and all the experiences she accumulated along the day, join me in giving a round of applause to (title and name of chief guest).

Welcoming the Chief Guest (Longer Version of the Speech)

Introducing our next attendee is a great pleasure of mine. When she/he accepted our invitation to be tonight’s Chief guest and keynote speaker, I almost jumped for joy. Then I realized I would naturally receive the task of introducing her/him. At first, this gave me great anxiety. How would I be able to pull it off and deliver an introduction that would give her background justice? Then I thought, no introduction would ever compare, so it was foolish to aim for success when failure is guaranteed. So I decided to just do it. Our chief guest has accomplished the following, to name a few:

As I looked at her/his professional and personal successes, I realized here is a woman/man who was faced many times with the certainty of failure but had given her circumstances a grad twist by attaining success against all odds. Then I thought, perhaps I should aim for success in this speech, after all.

She/he is an inspiration to many, not only for all the fields of expertise she has earned and the extreme success that went with the process, but she/he has also set the benchmark for philanthropy and good deeds. She/he has done this quietly, too, and she/he might strangle me for revealing it to the public. I didn’t even know half of the wonderful things she/he has done for our community before my research.

Without further ado, and here to inspire us with her wisdom and grand skill, join me in welcoming our Chief guest (title and name of chief guest).

Welcome Speech for Parents

Hi everyone!

As host and brother of the groom, I’d like to take this time to introduce the parents of the bride. Without them, my brother wouldn’t be the lucky and happy man he is today. More than that, I have witnessed how they accepted my brother and treated him as a son long before the engagement. I often tag along on family trips and have spent hours of wonderful conversations with them. Apart from my own parents, they are two of the most affectionate and hospitable people I’ve ever met. If I could meet a woman whose parents are just like them, I’d consider myself half as lucky as my brother.

Let’s give a round of applause for (names of the bride’s parents). Thank you for embracing my brother into the fold.

Welcome Speech Samples for National Holidays

Below is a sample of a welcome speech typically delivered during Annual Day. Substitute the appropriate details to match your information and use the framework in other speeches reserved for national holidays.

Welcome Speech for Annual Day

I am overjoyed to have this chance to welcome all of you to our elite institution’s 25th Annual Day. Today’s children are the hope of the next generation. All these graduates we see today, receiving awards for their achievements will go on to lead successful lives. Let them live up to the expectations set before them.

I am very happy to be a member of such an elite school where we learned from such great professors who teach us beyond the boundaries of the ordinary classroom. They’re also the minds and hands behind such a big event every year. I’d like to use this chance to organize such a wonderful event this year. It’s also a great pleasure of mine to introduce our Chief Guest.

Welcome speeches are necessary at events. They usually set the tone or expectations of the people who attended or participated in the occasion. There are many ways in going about delivering a welcome address speech. Review the samples in this article and do your due diligence to craft an outline, framework, or skeleton from the contents that you can use in welcome speeches of your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

A good welcome speech has the following qualities: * It is sincere. * It can hold the attention of the audience. * The ideas don’t ramble. * Welcome address quotes are used. One for a short welcome speech, and 2 for a longer one. Never 3, unless the speaker is trying to be funny. * The contents are relevant to the event. * It has an impressive anecdote. * The length doesn’t exceed 5 minutes.

The last segment of this article contains tips on welcoming chief guests, esteemed guests, or guests of honor. The tips contained here can be divided into things to consider while drafting the welcome speech, and things to do at the event itself when meeting the chief guest.

A simple thank you would suffice. Make sure you reiterate your gratitude. Some welcome speeches can end with a line that welcomes the guest of honor.

Depending on the context, a welcome speech doesn’t always need to be impressive. In some situations, a straightforward introduction is all you need. However, in some circumstances like commencement ceremonies, farewell parties, dinners, and some others, the audience is prepared to listen to long speeches. In this case, the speech needs to catch the attention of the attendees and maintain their interest. An impressive welcome speech often has an emotional element. Not just parroting big words to describe a person’s achievements or flatter them. Try to use humor if you’re funny by nature or if you can deliver the punchline well. Use popular quotes in your speech. Tell anecdotes relevant to the attendees. Or reveal an epiphany. These are how you should draft a welcome speech set to impress.

Make sure that it is relevant to the content of your welcome speech or the point you’re making. You can use phrases such as the following: * According to… * As the old saying goes… * There’s a quote that has always stuck with me… * Events like this always remind me of one of my favorite quotes… Try to find quotes that are unique and not cliche. You can find some in the lyrics of contemporary music, or lines and dialogues from books and movies, and so on.

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How to Start a Welcome Speech in English with a Sample

Are you going to host an event soon? You might be nervous about a lot of things including the welcome speech. The welcome speech is one of the most important parts of an anchoring script because it helps you set the tone for the rest of the event. Therefore, you have to be doubly sure that you get it right. So, read the article below to learn how to start a welcome speech in English. Besides, we have a sample in the end as well.

How to Start a Welcome Speech in English

A welcome speech is a speech given by a host at the beginning of an event, gathering, celebration, meeting, or program. The purpose of a welcome is speech is to greet everyone in the audience including the chief guest, delegates, and participants. A good welcome speech is always full of optimistic and encouraging words and feedback.

If we put it in simple words, a welcome speech is to start an event or a program and to welcome the audience. Thus, follow the steps below to learn how to write a welcome speech in English.

Comparing Script for Annual Function

Step 1: locate your guests.

Before you do anything, you need to locate your audience. So, when you are behind the podium, take a look around in the audience and check who is sitting where. Especially, you need to know where are the chief guests and the delegates are sitting because you will need to address them during your event.

This is a very simple but unavoidable step. Because knowing who is in the audience and where they are sitting may help you be more confident and aware.

Step 2: Introduction

Next, you have to set the tone for the welcome speech. So, think about how you can set the tone for the welcome speech. This usually depends upon factors such as the theme of the event, demographics, audience, and others. So, once you have the right mood, you can start the first part of your welcome speech, the introduction part. It usually consists of the following elements.

• Greeting: Greetings are similar to saltuations in a letter. For incetance, you can begin with “Good morning, laides and genetlemen”.
• A thank you to the contributors: When an event is hosted, it is always sponsered by an orgarniation or people. So, in the introduction part of your welcome speech, it is also important to thank te contirbutors for their contribution.
• A What statement: In the introduction part of your event, you also need to remind your audeince what is the purpose of your event. Besides, you can also mention how previliged you are for hosting the event.

Step 3: Acknowledgments

A thank you statement is not enough actually. The sponsors of your events deserve to be appreciated because they are the people who helped you turn this into reality. However, just reading the names of the sponsors out of a piece of paper may become boring for your audience. Therefore, we suggest you cut down the list and mention the highlights.

Here are some examples to help you with this section:

• “A special thank to …”
• “We could not have done this without …”
• “Here is a short tale of how it all came together …”

Step 4: The goal of the event

In this section, explain what your event is all about. However, you should avoid talking about the potential benefits of attending the event. Because people who are attending your event already why they should be there and what they can get from your event. Besides, you do not need to thoroughly tell the goal of every session. So, focus on one primary two objectives that may indeed help you define the objective of your event.

Step 5: Wrap-up and What’s next

The final step is to wrap up the welcome speech and tell your audience what they can expect. You can also wrap up the welcome speech by telling a joke or by adding a little touch of fun.

Next, let your audience know what they should expect coming to the event. Besides, you can also ask someone else to brief your audience about the event’s coming sections. You can do so in the following way.

“Thank you for your attention. Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to invite _____ (name of the speaker) who will brief you more about …”

Otherwise, you can briefly mention what is next and wrap up the welcome speech.

Comparing Script for Welcome Party

Welcome speech sample for chief guest.

A warm welcome to everyone to this beautiful evening, ladies and gentlemen. Today we have gathered here to celebrate the 13th annual function of ______ (name of the school). And we are pleased to have our chief guest _____ (name of the chief guest). It is an honor for me ______ (name of the chief guest) to welcome to our today’s event.

He is a well-known businessman and an accomplished writer. Several of his books are widely read across the country. His books have motivated us to not only dream big but also guide us on how to turn them into reality. This is not just that. He is also a social worker and spends his spare time solving social issues. He has been working hard day and night to put children to school and diminish child labor from our society. We can’t thank you enough, Mr. ______ (name of the chief guest).

Thus, it is a pleasure for all of us to have such an honorable personality among us today. We are excited to hear from you, sir, about your journey and success. Once again thank you, sir, for giving us your precious time and I warmly welcome you to the function on the behalf of our director, teachers, and everyone in the _____ (name of the school).

Welcome Speech Sample for College Function

Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Honorable chief guest, Mr. director, respected teachers, and my dear school fellows, I welcome you to our 25th annual college function. It has been a long and beautiful journey since 1996 and _____ (name of the college) has earned it a prestigious place in our society. Besides, ______ (name of the college) has been successful in providing young college students with quality education in the best way possible. Today we are proud to be part of ______ (name of the college).

Moving ahead, we have ____ (name of the chief guest). I warmly welcome ____ (name of the chief guest) to our today’s event on behalf of everyone in the school. He is a well-known social worker working hard day and night to beat child labor. We are honored to have you, sir.

Today I want to congratulate all the parents who have invested in their children as well as in our school. Moving forwards, I would like to call ______ (name of the speaker) who will brief you about today’s function.

Thank you all!

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• Event Emcee

How To Write A Professional Emcee Opening Script In 10 Minutes: The WAVE Framework

Emceeing  .  9 Min. Read . By: Devon Brown

S taring at a blank page, with the clock ticking and your event just around the corner, can feel like standing on the edge of a high dive — terrifying.

This is especially true when you're grappling with how to write an emcee opening script , a task that can seem daunting even to the most experienced speakers.

You know you need to make a splash with your opening words, but the fear of falling flat feels heavy. Welcome to the all-too-familiar world of what I call 'The Opening Script Limbo,' where your best intentions for a powerful speech opener are trapped in feelings of doubt and anxiety.

You're not alone in this. 

The struggle to script an engaging, timely, and effective opening is a common struggle for thousands of emcees and public speakers. 

The weight of creating that perfect start can be overwhelming. 

Get it wrong, and you risk not just a momentary hiccup but a ripple effect that could dampen the entire event — and your confidence as a speaker.

But what if you could turn that apprehension into anticipation?

What if you could transform those nerves into a confident, commanding presence the moment you step up to the microphone? 

Well, that's exactly what my WAVE framework is designed to do. 

It's your lifeline out of 'The Opening Script Limbo.'

With this 4-step framework, you're about to discover a straightforward path to crafting an opening script that not only engages your audience but also makes sure you’re the event emcee everyone remembers!

Better yet, you can use it to write your script in less than 10 minutes!

Here are the 4-steps to writing your next opening script fast.

Step 1: Welcome… The Gateway To Your Introduction

The first step of the W AVE framework is the W elcome. 

Now, let me be clear, this is more than just a greeting; it's your golden opportunity to create a connection with every single person in the room.

Imagine walking into two different events. 

At the first event, you're met with a generic, monotone 'Good evening, everyone' from the emcee. It's bland and forgettable, and you blend into the crowd, feeling more like a ticket number than a valued attendee.

Now, picture the second event.

As you enter, the emcee glows, saying something like, ' Welcome, friends! Whether it’s your first time joining us, or you’re a familiar face in our community, we’re thrilled to have each of you here. Together, we're about to embark on a remarkable journey where you’’ discover…. ’

This time, you feel seen, acknowledged, and part of something special.

That’s the power of a well-scripted welcome.

When you script the welcome for your next event, do:

1. Be Inclusive:  Recognize the diversity of your audience. Whether they are seasoned attendees or first-timers, local guests, or international delegates, make sure each person feels specifically addressed and welcomed.

2. Show Genuine Enthusiasm: Your energy sets the event's energy. A warm, enthusiastic welcome can energize the audience and build anticipation for what's to come. Let your tone convey your excitement about the event and its value to attendees.

3. Create a Sense of Belonging: Use your welcome to foster a community feeling. Phrases like "We're thrilled to have you here," or "We're in this together" can go a long way in making your audience feel like they're part of something special.

Step 2: Appreciation… Show Heart By Acknowledging Those Behind The Event

After your warm welcome, it's time for the 'Show A ppreciation' step of the W A VE framework. This is where you acknowledge those unsung heroes who've worked tirelessly to bring the event to life.

This not only creates a positive atmosphere but also demonstrates your leadership and gratitude, qualities that resonate strongly with both your audience and your event team, right?

When you script the appreciation, do:

Be Specific and Personal: Mention individuals or teams by name, if possible. For example, "A big thank you to our event planner, Jane, and the entire catering team for their exceptional work."

Highlight Their Efforts: Briefly describe what they've done. This helps the audience understand the magnitude of their contributions. "For the past seven months, these incredible people have been planning, organizing, and ensuring everything you see tonight comes together seamlessly."

Encourage Audience Participation : Invite the audience to show their appreciation. A round of applause or a moment of acknowledgment can create a strong sense of community.

Step 3: Visualization… Clarify the Theme/Purpose of The Event and Set the Stage

Now, let's focus on V isualization, the third vital step in the WA V E framework. This is where you bring the event's purpose to the forefront, showing your audience the journey they're about to go on.

More than anything, you’re showing them “ what’s in it for them ”.

No one attends an event just for the sake of it; they come with specific goals in mind, like boosting their revenue or scaling their tech business. 

Your job is to vividly paint a picture of how this event will help them achieve those goals and ignite their enthusiasm for the journey ahead.

When you script the theme discussion, do:

• Be Clear and Concise: Tailor the theme into a straightforward, compelling message. For instance, "Today, we're diving into Strategies to 10x Your Tech Business in 2024' – giving you a roadmap for unprecedented growth and success."
• Relate to the Audience: Connect the theme to your audience's aspirations and business objectives. "You, as tech entrepreneurs and innovators, are here to discover and implement strategies that will catapult your businesses into new heights and successes."
• Build Anticipation: Highlight what they can look forward to throughout the event. "Prepare to learn from industry giants who will unveil their little known secrets you need to instantly drive more leads, customers, and profits into your business, 24/7, like clockwork!”

Step 4: Exit… Transition From Your Opening Speech with Passion and Purpose

The final part of your opening speech is the ' E xit,' a pivotal step in the WAV E framework. This is where you transition from your introduction to introducing your first speaker, with enthusiasm, energy and passion. 

When crafting your exit, do:

• Build the Excitement: Use your closing words to build the audience's anticipation. Imagine ending with a burst of energy, "So, are you pumped up!? Are you ready to discover how to add hundreds more customers to your business in the next 30 days, without spending an extra dollar on advertising?! Give me a “HELL YES!” if you’re ready for that!"
• Introduce with Impact: Seamlessly introduce the next speaker in a way that maintains the momentum. Picture yourself saying, "Because our very first speaker is a true game-changer in the tech industry, and now, they're about to reveal strategies that will skyrocket your business revenue in 2024! Get ready to have your mind blown and your bank account swollen with strategies never revealed before on stage – please welcome…"

This Exit strategy isn't just a mere transition.

It's your job to make sure the audience is on the edge of their seats!

In summary, the WAVE opening speech framework looks like this:

• A ppreciate  
• E xit 

This is the fastest, easiest, and most stress-free way for you to write an opening speech that captivates your audience from the get-go and sets you up as the unforgettable emcee they'll be talking about for years.

And better yet, with WAVE, you can write an opening speech in minutes. 

No more staring at a blank page for hours, no more doubts about hitting the right note; with WAVE you can script a powerful opening speech fast.

But don’t just take my word for it…

Let me show you, with a sample opening speech, using WAVE.

Sample Opening Speech Using The WAVE Framework

Scenario: Imagine you're about to open a tech conference. The auditorium is packed with eager entrepreneurs, investors, and tech enthusiasts. Now you need an opening script to set the stage.

Let’s try that with the WAVE framework:

{W} "Good evening, visionaries, innovators, and trailblazers of the tech world! Welcome to the 2024 Tech Titan Summit, where the brightest minds converge to redefine the future! Whether it's your first time here or you're a seasoned attendee, know that your presence is what transforms this event from ordinary to extraordinary.

{A} I want to take a moment to express my profound gratitude to those who've made this event possible – the tireless team, our dedicated sponsors, and every one of you here today. Your passion and commitment bring this vision to life. Let's give them all a thunderous round of applause!

{V} Now, let’s dive into why we're all here. This isn't just another tech conference; it's a launchpad for exponential growth. The theme for this summit, '10x Your Tech,' is not just a catchy phrase – it's a commitment, a challenge to each of us to push beyond the boundaries, to not just grow, but to multiply our impact, our reach, our revenue! Today, we're not just sharing ideas but sparking a revolution in the tech industry.

{E} So, are you ready to be part of this extraordinary journey? Let's set this stage on fire with our first speaker, a true maverick in tech innovation, someone who’s reshaped the industry as we know it. Get ready to learn exactly how our first speaker has taken her start-up from a humble home office to a global tech empire, growing their revenue from $1 million to $50 million, without any external funding... and how you can do the same… Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the stage…"

Is this script perfect? 

No, of course not – but it's highly effective, incredibly engaging, and it took less than 8 minutes to put together. 

This is the power of the WAVE framework. 

It’s designed to help you quickly craft an opening that resonates with your audience's aspirations and sets the tone for a successful event.

Never Get Stuck In “Opening Script Limbo” Again

Say goodbye to the dread of scripting your event's opening. 

No more second-guessing what to say, worrying if it’s good enough, or wondering how to keep your audience captivated.

Not when you have the WAVE framework in your toolkit:

• Welcome: Create a genuine connection right from the start.
• Appreciate : Acknowledge the team and audience, fostering a sense of community.
• Visualize: Set the stage for the event's theme, aligning it with audience goals and aspirations.
• Exit : Seamlessly transition with energy and purpose, leaving the audience desperate for more.

With WAVE, you’ll not only be able to write an opening speech script in minutes, but you’ll write one that has your audience engaged from the first word, and your event organizers begging you to be their host again!

Take Your Public Speaking to the Next Level

Just mastered the art of the WAVE Framework and you’re confident with writing an emcee opening script like a pro? 

Now, step up your entire public speaking game with the world’s #1 course on public speaking

"Be Awesome On Stage: The Masterclass "  

This course is your golden ticket to becoming a public speaking pro, boosting your confidence, and engaging any audience with ease.  It contains everything I’ve learned in becoming the world’s #1 emcee .

And it’s guaranteed to help you overcome any stage fright   and absolutely crush it the next time you have to speak or present in public.

Read Next:   12 Benefits of Public Speaking for Professional & Personal Life

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Devon Brown  (“Duh-Von” not “Dev-in”) is a speaker, author, entrepreneur, former hip-hop dancer, and World's #1 Event Emcee. Once described as a sort-of ‘MC Hammer meets Tony Robbins’; his style is 50% education, 50% entertainment, and 100% must-experience. Be sure to connect with Devon on social media.

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Perfect Opening Ceremony Script: Tips and Examples

• March 8, 2023
• Education , Eskwela , Goodness , Program , School , Scripts

Table of Contents

Opening ceremony script.

Are you looking for an amazing opening ceremony script for your next event? If so, you’ve come to the right place! Having a good opening ceremony script is essential when it comes to setting the tone for any event. It’s the perfect way to get everyone excited and ready to make lasting memories. Still, trying to figure out where to start? Don’t worry – we’ve got you covered!

In this article, we’ll provide some tips on how to write an amazing opening ceremony script. We’ll discuss essential elements that should be included in any opening ceremony speech, as well as provide some examples of great scripts that you can use as inspiration for crafting your own. We’ll also answer some frequently asked questions about writing an opening ceremony script, so you can feel confident in creating the perfect one for your special event!

So, if you’re ready to learn more about crafting an awesome opening ceremony script, let’s get started!

Event Planning

When planning any event, there are several important steps that need to be taken. Before anything else, the goal for the event needs to be established. What is it that the event is meant to accomplish? Once this has been determined, it’s then time to move on to planning logistics. Questions like how many people will be attending, what space will work best, and what materials or supplies may be necessary should all be taken into account. It’s also important to figure out a budget and timeline so that the event can stay within these confines.

Next, a team of people must be assembled if there still needs to be one in place. This team should have members who specialize in different areas so that each aspect of the event can receive attention from an expert. This could include someone responsible for setting up decorations, someone in charge of food services, and someone dedicated to making sure guests feel welcome upon arrival.

Finally, once all these pieces have come together and everything has been arranged according to plan, it’s time for the opening ceremony script itself. This should include welcoming remarks from whoever is hosting the event as well as any additional messages they want to share with their guests. After this part is complete, additional ceremonies can then take place before finally allowing everyone to enjoy themselves throughout the rest of the night!

Creating A Timetable

Creating a timetable for the event is a great way to ensure that it runs smoothly and according to plan. The first step in this process is to determine how long the event will last, as this will be the basis for the entire schedule. It’s also important to take into consideration any breaks or pauses that might be necessary throughout the evening. These can include intermissions for performances or even just moments of rest for guests.

Once these parts of the schedule are laid out, then it’s time to fill in specific details. This could include assigning times for speeches and other presentations, scheduling meals or snacks if they are being served, and making sure everyone knows when activities and entertainment options start and end. Additionally, it’s important to factor in setup time before guests arrive so that everything is ready for them when they do arrive.

Overall, having a detailed timetable helps keep everyone on track during the event and ensures that there aren’t any unexpected surprises along the way. With a clear timeline established beforehand, both hosts and guests alike can look forward to an enjoyable evening with no worry about running behind schedule.

Choosing Speakers And Performers

Once the schedule is set, the next step is to select speakers and performers for the event. Choosing the right people to deliver speeches or provide entertainment can make all the difference in setting the tone of a ceremony. It’s important to consider who will be attending, as well as what theme or message you wish to convey with your choices.

When selecting speakers, it’s also helpful to think about their backgrounds and experiences. This can help emphasize why they are being included in the ceremony and give guests a more personal connection with them. If there are any special guests of honor, it may be beneficial to have them speak at some point during the night. The same goes for performers; it’s nice to have something that resonates with everyone, but if there are any specific genres that fit particularly well with your event’s message or theme then those should be given priority.

In order for everything to run smoothly, it’s also important to consider how long each speaker or performer will be on stage. Allowing enough time for everyone involved ensures that no one is rushed through their part and that there aren’t any awkward pauses between performances or speeches. With careful consideration of who speaks and performs at an event, hosts can create an atmosphere full of meaningful conversations and enjoyable entertainment for all involved.

Crafting The Theme Of The Event

Crafting the theme of your event is an important step in creating a memorable and cohesive experience for guests. While selecting speakers and performers can help set the tone, having a central theme binds it all together. It’s important to consider what message you want to convey with your event and how that can be communicated through the various elements.

One way to do this is by incorporating visuals into your event’s decor. This could include anything from banners or flags, to streamers or balloons, depending on the type of ceremony you are hosting. A good rule of thumb is to choose decorations that are simple but effective in conveying your message. Additionally, having a signature color scheme throughout can also help create a unified look and make everything feel more connected.

In addition to visuals, music helps bring an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation to an opening ceremony. Choosing music that reflects the tone of the event or its theme is essential; it should be upbeat enough to keep guests engaged yet subtle enough as not to overwhelm them. You may also opt for traditional tunes if it fits better with the event’s overall concept or cultural heritage. No matter what direction you take, picking out the right music will make all the difference in bringing your event’s theme to life.

Ultimately, crafting a theme for your event requires a great deal of thought and preparation beforehand. Through careful consideration of visual elements, speakers, performers, and music featured at the ceremony, you can create an engaging atmosphere that captures everyone’s attention from start to finish.

Developing The Script

Once the theme has been established and decorations have been selected, it’s time to start thinking about the script for the opening ceremony. This is where you can use your creativity and storytelling skills to bring your vision to life in an exciting way. A well-crafted script should include an introduction, a few key points that highlight the event’s purpose, and a conclusion that ties everything together.

When writing an opening ceremony script, it’s important to consider who will be speaking at the event. If you’re introducing any special guests or speakers, make sure they are addressed in a respectful manner and given appropriate acknowledgements. Additionally, if there are any performances or demonstrations planned during the ceremony, they should be mentioned as well.

Finally, when crafting your speech or presentation for the opening ceremony, keep it concise yet engaging. It’s important not to overwhelm guests with too much information; instead focus on delivering clear messages in an impactful way. Remember that this is your chance to make a lasting impression; take advantage of every opportunity to let your event shine!

Rehearsals And Practice Sessions

Now that the script is complete, it’s time to start rehearsing for your opening ceremony. Before the event, make sure to hold several practice sessions with all of the participants involved. This will allow everyone to become familiar with their roles and ensure that everyone is comfortable with their delivery. Additionally, if there are any performances or demonstrations that need to be practiced ahead of time, they should be addressed in these practice sessions as well.

During these rehearsals, be sure to provide feedback and constructive criticism when necessary. This will help each individual understand what changes need to be made in order to create a successful performance on the day of the event. Furthermore, if any last minute changes need to be made due to unforeseen circumstances, these should also be addressed during rehearsals so everyone can stay on the same page.

The key is to make sure every individual involved in the ceremony is fully prepared and confident in their presentation before showtime arrives. Rehearsing will allow you to fine-tune all aspects of your opening ceremony and ensure that everything goes off without a hitch! With careful planning and attention to detail, you’ll have an unforgettable event that will leave a lasting impression on your guests.

Decorations And Props

Once all of the participants have been rehearsed, it’s time to turn your attention to decorations and props. If you want your opening ceremony to be visually appealing and memorable, you’ll need to make sure that it is properly decorated with appropriate materials. This could include banners, flags, posters, or anything else that will add a unique flair to the event.

In addition to decorations, any props needed for performances should also be prepared before the day of the event. Make sure that all props are organized and easily accessible; this way they can be accessed quickly when needed without disrupting the flow of the ceremony. Additionally, if there are any large pieces of equipment that need to be set up ahead of time (such as a stage), make sure it is done well in advance so there is enough time for any last-minute adjustments.

With all of these elements in place, you can rest assured that your opening ceremony will look great and run smoothly. Don’t forget to take pictures throughout the event as well; this way you can remember every moment from your special day!

Welcoming Guests And Opening Remarks

With all of the decorations and props in place, it’s time to welcome your guests and get the opening ceremony started. The first thing you’ll want to do is make a few introductory remarks that will set the tone for the event. This could include thanking everyone for coming, sharing an inspiring message, or reiterating why you are all gathered together. These remarks should be brief yet meaningful — this way, they will help everyone get in the right mindset for what lies ahead.

Once these remarks have been made, it’s time to introduce each participant one by one. Make sure to pause between each introduction so that everyone can show their appreciation and support. Additionally, if possible, ask someone to provide a short description of each participant’s role in the event so that everyone knows who they are and why they are here.

At this point, you can now officially declare the opening ceremony open! Be sure to energize the crowd with some words of encouragement as you make this announcement; this will ensure that everyone is excited and ready for what’s next. With that done, it’s time to start celebrating!

Closing Words And Final Performance

Now that everyone has had a chance to celebrate and enjoy the festivities, it is time to wrap up the opening ceremony. As you bring the event to a close, ensure that all of your guests have had an enjoyable experience and feel inspired to continue with the rest of the event.

Begin by thanking each participant for their involvement in making this event possible. Show your appreciation for all of their hard work and dedication. Ask everyone to join you in giving them a round of applause!

After this, use your closing words to leave your audience feeling energized and excited for what lies ahead. Paint a picture of what they can expect from the rest of the event and encourage them to make the most out of it! Finally, if you have one prepared, top off your closing remarks with an inspiring performance — this could be anything from a dance routine or song. Everyone will appreciate being able to end on a high note!

Post-Event Follow-Up

Now that the opening ceremony is complete, it’s time to start planning for the post-event follow-up. This is a crucial part of any event and ensuring that all participants feel appreciated and valued is important.

First and foremost, be sure to send out thank you notes to everyone who attended. A personalized message of gratitude will go a long way in showing appreciation for their participation. Additionally, consider providing feedback forms or surveys so you can get a better understanding of how everyone experienced the event.

Finally, use social media or other online outlets to stay connected with your guests — this can help you maintain relationships with those involved and keep them engaged in the future. Additionally, share photos and videos from the event on these platforms so that even those who couldn’t attend can get an idea of what they missed!

These are sample Opening Ceremony Scripts

Sample opening ceremony script related to business.

Good evening, everyone! I am pleased to welcome you all to this special event – the opening ceremony of the 2023 International Conference on Business and Economics. My name is [Emcee’s Name], and I will be your host tonight.

Before we begin, I would like to express our deepest gratitude to our sponsors and partners, who have made this conference possible. Without their generous support, we would not be here today.

Let’s start the ceremony with the national anthem of [Host Country] . Please stand for the anthem.

[Emcee pauses while the national anthem is played.]

Thank you. Please take your seats.

We have a great lineup of speakers and activities for this conference, but first, we will hear from our distinguished guests. Please join me in welcoming [Name of VIP Guest] , [Title or Affiliation of VIP Guest] , who will deliver the keynote address.

[Emcee pauses while VIP Guest takes the stage.]

Thank you, [VIP Guest ], for your inspiring words. We are honored to have you with us today.

Now, we would like to recognize the hard work and dedication of our organizing committee. Please join me in giving a round of applause to [Names of Organizing Committee Members].

[Emcee pauses while the audience applauds.]

We have a lot of exciting sessions and workshops lined up for the next few days, but before we get to that, let’s take a moment to network and get to know each other. Please enjoy the refreshments and take this opportunity to meet and connect with fellow conference attendees.

Thank you again for joining us for the opening ceremony of the 2023 International Conference on Business and Economics. We hope you have a great time and that you leave this conference feeling inspired, informed, and energized.

Let’s make this conference a success!

Sample Opening Ceremony Script related to School

Good morning, students, parents, and faculty members! It is my pleasure to welcome you all to this special event – the opening ceremony of the [School Name] Annual Sports Meet. My name is [Emcee’s Name], and I will be your host today.

Before we begin, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to our principal, teachers, coaches, and volunteers, who have worked tirelessly to organize this sports meet. Without their hard work and dedication, this event would not be possible.

Now, let us start the ceremony with the national anthem of [Country Name] . Please stand for the anthem.

We have a great lineup of sports events and activities for this sports meet, but first, we will hear from our distinguished guests. Please join me in welcoming [Name of Chief Guest] , [Title or Affiliation of Chief Guest] , who will deliver the inaugural address.

[Emcee pauses while the Chief Guest takes the stage.]

Thank you, [Chief Guest] , for your inspiring words. We are honored to have you with us today.

Now, we would like to recognize the outstanding achievements of our students in various sports activities. Please join me in congratulating the winners of the [Name of Sports] championship.

[Emcee pauses while the winners are announced and come forward to receive their medals.]

Congratulations, winners! You are an inspiration to us all.

We have a lot of exciting sports events lined up for the next few days, but before we get to that, let’s take a moment to warm up and get ready. Please enjoy the refreshments and take this opportunity to meet and connect with fellow athletes.

Thank you again for joining us for the opening ceremony of the [School Name] Annual Sports Meet. We hope you have a great time and that you leave this sports meet feeling inspired, informed, and energized.

Let the games begin!

Frequently Asked Questions

How can i make sure my event is memorable.

How can I make sure my event is memorable? It’s a question that all event planners have asked themselves at least once. To ensure your event is not quickly forgotten, it’s important to provide attendees with an unforgettable experience. Whether it’s a corporate presentation, a fundraising gala, or a wedding reception, there are several ways to make sure that the occasion stands out.

The first step is to craft an engaging program. Try to create something that attendees can look forward to and be excited about. Ensure that the event runs smoothly by having plenty of volunteers and resources available. Include activities and entertainment that will keep everyone engaged throughout the duration of the event. Most importantly, make sure to start off your program on a strong note with an attention-grabbing opening ceremony script.

To truly capture people’s attention and make them feel connected to the occasion, try to personalize as much as possible. For example, you could create custom digital invitations so each guest knows their presence is appreciated and valued. You could also opt for personalized favors or gifts for guests as mementos of the event itself. Additionally, consider providing interactive opportunities such as games or a photo booth where guests can take photos with props or even customize their own custom frames! These little touches will help make your event stand out in people’s memories long after it’s over.

No matter what type of event you’re hosting, put yourself in your attendees’ shoes and think about what would make them feel special and connected to the occasion. Doing this will help you come up with creative ideas that will turn your event into one they won’t soon forget!

What Is The Best Way To Promote My Event?

Promoting an event can be a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many ways to effectively market your event and make sure it reaches the right people. With some creativity and strategy, you can ensure your event is well-attended and memorable.

One of the most effective ways to promote an event is through social media marketing. Utilizing platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube can help you reach a broad audience quickly and efficiently. By creating eye-catching content that appeals to your target demographic, you can increase engagement and get more people interested in attending your event. Additionally, using influencers or other companies in your field can help spread the word even further.

Another great way to promote an event is through direct outreach. Contacting members of the media or local organizations that may be interested in attending or covering the event is a great way to get more attention for your event. You could also look into sending out press releases with information about the event and what it has to offer. Furthermore, creating physical promotional materials such as flyers or posters can help advertise your event to a wider audience in the local community.

No matter which method you choose for promotion, it’s important to plan ahead and stay organized throughout the process. Make sure you have all of the necessary details about your event ready before you start promoting it so that potential attendees know exactly what they should expect from your gathering. Additionally, don’t forget to track how successful each promotional tactic was so that you can adjust accordingly when planning future events!

What Should I Consider When Creating An Event Budget?

Creating an event budget is an important step in planning a successful gathering. It ensures that the necessary resources are available to provide an enjoyable experience for all attendees. Budgeting should account for both expected and unexpected expenses, as well as additional funds to cover any sudden costs.

When crafting a budget, consider the type of event being hosted, the venue’s capacity, and the estimated size of the crowd. Allocate enough funds to cover catering needs such as food, beverages, plates, utensils and decorations. Additionally, plan ahead for any audio/visual equipment rentals or setup fees that may be required.

Any labor costs associated with running the event should also be incorporated into the total budget; this includes staffing fees for food service and other essential personnel. Finally, it is advisable to include some extra funds in case of any unforeseen expenses or last minute changes that may arise before or during the event itself.

By taking these considerations into account when creating a budget for an event, planners can ensure their special occasion runs smoothly without any costly surprises along the way.

How Can I Ensure My Event Runs Smoothly?

Ensuring that an event runs smoothly requires careful planning and attention to detail. It is important to consider all possible scenarios, as well as how participants will move through the event space. This includes having a timeline of events, understanding the layout of the venue or location, and knowing who is responsible for each task throughout the day.

When creating a timeline for an event, make sure to include time for setup, check-in, activities, breaks, closing remarks, and cleanup. When mapping out tasks for the day, assign specific people to certain roles such as greeter or host so that everyone has clear expectations of their responsibilities. Additionally, plan ahead in case something goes wrong or someone can’t attend – have back-up plans and alternative solutions ready just in case.

Finally, it’s essential to communicate clearly with all involved parties before the event takes place. Ensure that everyone knows when they should arrive and what their duties involve so that there are no surprises on the day of the event. This will help ensure that everything runs according to plan and make your job much easier!

What Is The Best Way To Collect Feedback From Guests After The Event?

Collecting feedback from guests after an event is an important step to understand what worked and what didn’t. It’s also a great way to create a lasting connection with attendees and gain valuable insight for future events. There are several methods that can be used to collect feedback, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages.

One popular method of collecting feedback is to ask guests directly in person or by email. This approach allows the event organiser to get individualised responses, which can be quite detailed and give a good understanding of the overall experience. However, this method may require more time than other methods, as it usually takes longer to collect responses from individuals than from larger groups.

Another option is to use surveys or questionnaires given out during or shortly after the event. Surveys are generally quick and easy for guests to complete, as they can often be done online without having to write anything down. They also allow organisers to gather feedback from a large number of people quickly and easily. The downside is that it can be hard to get participants engaged enough in the survey process for them to provide meaningful answers or even bother filling them out at all.

It’s important for event organisers to find a balance between collecting detailed feedback from individual guests and gathering general impressions from a larger group of attendees quickly and efficiently. This will ensure that useful insights are obtained without taking up too much time or resources. To achieve this, organisers should consider using both direct approaches such as asking questions in person, as well as more automated methods like surveys or questionnaires.

When it comes to planning an event, there are many things to consider. From making sure the event is memorable and promoting it correctly to budgeting and ensuring everything runs smoothly, success depends on being prepared. If you’ve taken the time to plan ahead, you can focus on enjoying your event as much as your guests do.

Once the event is over, collecting feedback from guests is a great way to determine how successful it was and what could be improved for next time. Surveys, questionnaires, or simply talking with attendees are all good ways of gathering valuable information from those who attended. This can help you make adjustments and even improve the experience for future events.

Ultimately, running a successful event requires a lot of work and dedication but can be very rewarding in the end. With careful planning and preparation, you can create an unforgettable experience that will leave both yourself and your guests with memories that will last for years to come.

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• August 3, 2023

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How to Open a Speech or Presentation

by Matt Eventoff

The audience is seated.  The lights dim and the room quiets.  All eyes are on the dais.  All too often, this is what is heard to open the speech or presentation:

“Hi, thank you for having me.  It is an honor to be here with you today.   My name is ____ _______, and I am going to be speaking to you today about_______.”

Looking around, here is what I tend to see:

1) People reviewing a physical copy of the program, their notes, even the labeling on the sugar on the table;

2) T-U-T/T-O-T – Typing under table/typing on table. The smartphones are out in force; it is not unusual to see laptops, netbooks or tablets out and being utilized as well;

3) Eyes looking up.  Eyes looking down;

4) Eyes looking everywhere but at the speaker.

So how do you effectively open a speech or presentation?

There are a number of effective ways to open a speech or presentation.  Here are four:

1) A Quote – Name a topic, and more often than not there is a great quote or saying that suits your subject matter perfectly. An example – one that I often use to open a presentation dealing with public speaking:

“It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” – Mark Twain

2) A “What If” Scenario – Drawing your audience into your presentation is important and doing it immediately works wonders.  Getting your audience thinking right away by painting a scenario is very effective.

3) An “Imagine” Scenario – Same thought process.  Putting your audience members directly into the presentation by allowing each member to visualize a scenario is a great tool

4) A Question – Rhetorical or literal; When someone is posed with a question, whether an answer is called for or not, that person intuitively answers, even if just in his or her mind, and now that person is involved.

I will be periodically adding more opening tips. Stay tuned…

13 thoughts on “ How to Open a Speech or Presentation ”

Excellent information. I would love to hear your thoughts for best strategies on closings. Thanks Matt.

Good Points, Matt.

The Law of Primacy and Recency applies here. http://www.nosweatpublicspeaking.com/the-law-of-primacy-and-recency/

The First and Last things you say will be remembered by the audience. That’s why we need a Strong Opening and Strong Closing.

Thanks for the Post!

We have been trained as children to want a type of start to a speech that is not mentioned in your list…

When I read my daughter a story, it begins always the same way.

When a teacher reads a story to her class, it always begins the same way…

“Once upon a time…”

There is a business version of this start…

Moment in time, situation, aha moment…

“Three weeks ago i was at dinner with John and Mary. Over dessert, Mary said something to me that has changed the way I look at [topic of speech]…”

Nothing gets a crowd leaning in than a simple story about everyday life.

• Pingback: Beginning a Speech or Presentation - Four More Tips | Matt Eventoff

Another way to open a speech is to just dive right in to a story. No pleasantries, no introductions, just start telling a story. This immediately commands the audience’s attention.

the advic eof starting the speech was great…..it really worked…thanks!!

Great points……they were great help for me…thanx!!

• Pingback: Closing A Speech or Presentation, Part I | Matt Eventoff

Great post. A strong start makes a strong presentation, and these are good ideas to get the show on the road

• Pingback: Public Speaking: Five Great Ways To End A Speech | Mr. Media Training

that was the best thsnk you so much!  

it was very nice and a easy one for the students.thanks  

nice information matt i like so much..

Comments are closed.

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Welcome Speech

Welcome speech generator.

Creating an engaging Welcome Speech sets the tone for any event. In this resource, we offer a variety of speech examples to guide you in crafting a warm and impactful greeting. Whether it’s for a formal gathering, a corporate event, or a casual meet-up, our examples provide a framework for delivering a message that resonates with your audience. Learn how to start your event on a positive note, making every attendee feel valued and excited about what’s to come.

What Is a Welcome Speech? A welcome speech is a statement that signifies a beginning of any particular event, meeting, assembly, or celebration. It is used in order to cordially greet all participants in a gathering. In addition to that, it also contains important information about a special highlight in the event.

Just like any other speech, it follows a structure. Welcome speeches are intended to raise excitement, delight, and anticipation to every person in the crowd. Its very nature is to address an audience and deliver a message that is suitable for the special occasion speech .

Download Welcome Speech Bundle

There are different kinds of speeches according to the nature of its functionality. There is persuasive speech , retirement speech , and keynote speech. All of these requires skills and confidence to be delivered in the most convincing and appealing way. Adding to the list is the welcome speech which is important to mark a beginning of an event. A speech introduction has to be brief and energetic in order not to bore the audience. The speaker needs to be lively and high-spirited as well when delivering the speech. All these are but additives and factors to create a good welcome speech.

Welcome Speech Format

Greeting : Begin with a warm greeting to the audience. Example: “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen.” Introduction : Briefly introduce yourself, mentioning your name and role or connection to the event.

Acknowledgment

Gratitude : Express gratitude to the attendees for their presence. Example: “Thank you all for being here today.” Special Guests : If applicable, acknowledge any special guests, dignitaries, or significant participants by name or title. Organizers and Sponsors : Recognize the efforts of the event organizers, sponsors, and volunteers.

Purpose of the Event

Event Significance : Highlight the importance and purpose of the event. This can be a brief statement that encapsulates the essence of the gathering. Expectations : Share what the attendees can expect from the event, such as key speakers, activities, or outcomes.

Agenda Overview

Schedule Highlight : Provide a concise overview of the event’s agenda or key highlights without going into too much detail.

Encouragement for Participation

Engagement Request : Encourage attendees to participate actively in the event, whether through listening, asking questions, or partaking in activities. Networking Encouragement : If relevant, motivate attendees to network with each other, fostering a sense of community and collaboration.

Concluding Remarks

Warm Wishes : Conclude with warm wishes for an enjoyable and successful event. Example: “I hope you find today’s event both enlightening and enjoyable.” Closing : End with a polite closing remark. Example: “Thank you, and let’s have a wonderful time together.”

Example of Welcome Speech in English

Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, It is my absolute pleasure to welcome each and every one of you to the annual Gala Night of [Organization’s Name]. My name is [Your Name], and I am thrilled to be your host for this enchanting evening. First and foremost, I would like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to all of you for joining us tonight. Your presence adds a special warmth to our gathering and makes this event even more memorable. A special welcome goes out to our distinguished guests, [Names of Special Guests], whose support and dedication to our cause have been nothing short of remarkable. I would also like to acknowledge the incredible effort of our event organizers, volunteers, and sponsors. Without your tireless work and generous contributions, tonight’s celebration would not have been possible. Your commitment to excellence is what brings our community closer and makes events like these a resounding success. Tonight, we are gathered here not just to celebrate, but to reaffirm our commitment to [Organization’s Mission/Objective]. Through this evening’s activities, speeches, and performances, we hope to shed light on the impact of our collective efforts and the continuing need for support. As we move through the evening, I encourage you all to engage with one another, share stories, and enjoy the array of performances we have lined up for you. Let this night be a testament to the strength and unity of our community, as we work together towards a brighter, more promising future. Before I conclude, let me remind you to make the most of tonight. Let’s cherish these moments of joy, celebrate our achievements, and look forward to the new opportunities that lie ahead. Thank you once again for being here. I hope you have a wonderful time and leave tonight feeling inspired and uplifted. Let the celebration begin! Thank you, and enjoy your evening.

1. Welcome Speech

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2. Welcome Speech for Students

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3. Welcome Speech for Event

4. Welcome Speech at School Example

5. Short Welcome Speech for an Event Example

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6. Formal Welcome Speech Example

7. Opening Welcome Speech for Event Examples

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8. Welcome Speech in English Examples

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9. Welcome Address Speech Examples

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10. College Welcome Speech Examples

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11. Welcome Speech for Students Examples

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12. Welcome Speech For Church Examples

13. Welcome Speech For Meeting Examples

14. Welcome Speech to Conference

15. Wedding Welcome Speech Example

16. Sample Welcome Speech Example

17. Graduation Welcome Example

18. Event Speech Example

How to Write a Welcome Speech

A welcome speech is a key component of any event, setting the tone and making attendees feel valued and excited for what’s to come. Here’s a guide on crafting an engaging and warm welcome speech:

• Understand the Purpose: Recognize that the primary goal is to greet guests, make them feel valued, and set a positive tone for the event.
• Know Your Audience: Tailor your speech to the interests and demographics of your audience. Understanding who they are will help you connect more effectively.
• Start with a Greeting: Open with a warm and enthusiastic greeting. Use phrases like “Good morning,” “Welcome,” or “Thank you for being here.”
• Introduce Yourself: Briefly introduce yourself, including your name and role, to establish your connection to the event or organization.
• Express Gratitude: Thank attendees for their presence. Acknowledge any special guests and express appreciation for everyone’s effort to attend.
• Highlight the Purpose of the Event: Explain the significance of the event and what attendees can expect. This gives the audience a clear understanding of the event’s objectives.
• Mention the Agenda: Briefly outline the event’s schedule or highlight key segments. This helps set expectations for the audience.
• Recognize Contributions: Acknowledge the work of organizers, sponsors, and volunteers. Highlighting their contributions fosters a sense of community and appreciation.
• Encourage Participation: Motivate the audience to engage with the event. Whether it’s listening attentively, participating in discussions, or enjoying the entertainment, encourage active participation.
• Conclude with a Warm Note: End your speech on a positive note, expressing hope for an enjoyable and meaningful experience for all attendees.

Tips for a Welcome Speech

Your welcome speech doesn’t have to be four or five pages long like some graduation speeches . Here are a few tips to write one

• Keep it short and simple: You have to make sure your audience doesn’t spend too much time listening to your words or else they will get bored. Be brief with your simple statements .
• Use proper language: Knowing your audience is very important. If the occasion is business, be formal. Be careful with your words.
• Check your vocabulary: It is a must that your words are exactly how it should be used. Never confuse the crowd. You may also see presentation speech .

Importance of Welcome Speech

Most of us have probably read or listened to a hundred or maybe thousands of speeches. That includes welcome speech outline. Maybe we can all agree here that the welcome speech sets the tone of the event. Welcome speech can be useful in many ways such as welcome speech for students , welcome speech for an event and many.

In reality, we always judge a thing by its first appearance. In the same way as in an event, we can tell how it goes by the welcoming or introductory rights. It is very important that the welcome speech template is prepared and well-versed in order to set the right expectations to the audience.

What are some lines for welcome speech?

• “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, a very warm welcome to [event/occasion].”
• “I’m delighted to see so many familiar faces and new ones in the audience today.”
• “Thank you all for joining us on this special day.”
• “It’s a pleasure to stand before you and extend a hearty welcome.”
• “I extend my warmest greetings to our distinguished guests, colleagues, and friends.”
• “We’re gathered here today to celebrate [occasion] and share in the joy of this moment.”
• “Welcome to this exciting journey that lies ahead.”
• “As we begin this [event/occasion], let’s embark on a journey of [purpose].”
• “I would like to express my deep gratitude for your presence and support.”
• “Our [event/occasion] would not be complete without each of you here.”
• “Let’s make this [event/occasion] a memorable and enjoyable experience for everyone.”
• “I hope you’re all as excited as I am for what’s in store today.”
• “The energy and enthusiasm in this room are truly contagious.”
• “To our first-time attendees, welcome to our [event/occasion] family.”
• “Get ready for a day filled with [highlights/activities] that will leave you inspired.”
• “Our goal today is to [purpose], and we couldn’t have asked for a better group to do it with.”
• “As we come together, let’s celebrate our unity and diversity.”
• “Let’s create memories that we will cherish for years to come.”
• “It’s not just an event; it’s an experience we’ll treasure.”
• “Without further ado, let’s officially kick off [event/occasion].”

FAQ’s

What do you say when welcoming guests.

When welcoming guests, express gratitude for their presence, extend a warm greeting, and convey excitement about their participation in the event. Make them feel valued and appreciated.

What do you say in a grand opening speech?

In a grand opening speech, acknowledge the significance of the occasion, thank attendees, share the purpose of the event, and express enthusiasm for the new venture or establishment.

What is a welcome address speech?

A welcome address speech is a formal or informal presentation given to greet and acknowledge the audience at the beginning of an event or gathering, expressing hospitality, gratitude, and enthusiasm.

How do you give a warm welcome speech?

To give a warm welcome speech, use a friendly and inviting tone, express gratitude for the audience’s presence, acknowledge the significance of the occasion, and convey genuine enthusiasm.

Crafting a captivating welcome speech is an art that involves understanding your audience and the purpose of the event. For additional resources on writing and delivering effective speeches, the University of Nevada, Reno’s Writing & Speaking Center offers valuable tips on speech introductions, which can be found here. These resources provide insights into creating impactful openings that capture the audience’s attention and set the stage for a successful event.

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Creating a warm Welcome Speech for a community event

How to draft a Welcome Speech for new employees

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38 Top Opening and Closing Remarks for Meetings

By: Grace He | Updated: March 18, 2024

You found our list of opening and closing remarks for meetings .

Opening and closing remarks for meetings are statements that introduce and wrap up workplace get-togethers. The purpose of these remarks is to set the tone of the subject matter and summarize topics covered during the meeting. Examples of opening and closing remarks for meetings include quick welcomes to attendees, announcements explaining the reason for the meeting, and conclusions that wrap up the content covered.

Utilizing opening and closing remarks is among the top public speaking tips for employees . You can use conference jokes or conference quotes as your opening or closing remarks. These icebreaker jokes are a great addition to your conference agenda .

This list includes:

• short opening remarks for a meeting
• opening remarks for a virtual meeting
• chairman opening remarks in a meeting
• opening remarks for a seminar
• sample closing remarks for a meeting
• sample closing remarks for an event
• simple closing remarks

Here we go!

Short opening remarks for a meeting

• Welcome, everyone. Thank you for taking the time to attend our meeting this morning. This meeting will address some announcements we think you will find interesting. We have a lot to cover, so we will get started without further ado.
• Good morning, folks. We appreciate you blocking out your calendar so we can discuss some important topics with you. We promise to get through this as quickly as possible so you can get back to your day.
• Hey, everyone! Great to see so many shining faces in the room, especially for the early hour! Apologies for calling this meeting on such short notice. We have some significant announcements to make, so we will get right to it.
• Hi, team. Thank you for making an effort to be here today. Some serious developments occurred over the weekend, and we wanted to inform you of the details before you heard any worrisome rumors. Here is everything we can tell you so far.
• Hello, all! Glad you could make it on such short notice. We have some exciting news to share, and we just could not wait to spill the beans! Rather than wasting any time, we can get right to the good stuff.
• Good afternoon. Thanks for making time to be here today. As you know, we hit some important milestones this week. We thought sharing the success and discussing what comes next would be helpful. Away we go!
• Greetings, everybody! Here we are at another super exciting monthly meeting, our chance to share the highs and lows we all have been through since the last time we met. Would anyone like to get things started for us?
• Well, hey there! It has been a long time since our last meeting. We have all been quite busy, as you know. We have a lot to catch up on, so how about we jump right in and get started?

Opening remarks for a virtual meeting

• Good morning to everyone on our video call today. We have participants joining today from locations all over the world. Before we get started, we would like to take a moment to share our appreciation for everyone lining up their schedules across the time zones in this way. We understand how difficult it was to coordinate this meeting so all major stakeholders could attend. We promise to make it worth your while. If anyone on the call knows of a colleague who cannot attend, please feel free to share our discussion with them when you can. You should have a meeting deck in your email to help you follow along. Feel free to open it, and we will get started.
• Cyberteam: Assemble! Cheers to our remote crew, tuning in from the various workspaces around town and throughout the country. It is truly incredible that technology allows us to get together, even if only in digital form. You may have heard about some developments across several departments. We will address those topics and field any questions or concerns you may have. We will also discuss future developments in as much detail as possible. Much of what we will cover is still in the works, so we do not have as much information for you as we would like. However, we promise to do our best to get you up to speed and keep you informed as we learn more.
• Good afternoon, team. You may have seen the email announcing our new project calendar. This timeline includes tasks spanning multiple teams, so we have a coordinated effort. We wanted to get everyone on a call to brainstorm ways to approach our rollout of various tasks. Depending on the needs, you may find your name on multiple lists, or you may not appear on any lists. Our hope is to distribute the work as fairly as possible among the team to minimize potential overload. Because you are the players involved, we want you to have a say in how we assemble the list.
• Hello, everyone. Thank you for firing up your cameras and getting online this morning. We have a few special announcements to go over as well as updates on items we left in limbo during our last meeting. We also have a special guest joining us today. This guest speaker has information about making the most of your remote work experience. I know we have discussed workplace wellness in the past, and I thought we should hear from an expert on the subject. They will hop on for the last 30 minutes, which gives us the first 30 minutes to cover everything else. I will dive right in so we can have time for Q&A before our guest appears.
• Hey, crew! We have gotten away from our meeting schedule as of late, and for a good reason. Great job on catching up on the backlog! Now that we are ahead of the curve again, I would like us to pick back up on our semi-monthly schedule to stay informed in a more unified setting. I think it is also a good idea for us to see one another’s shining faces every so often so we can remember what we all look like! More sincerely, our remote team needs face-to-face interaction, which is what these meetings are all about. I will put new items on our calendars to keep us on track through the end of the year.

Chairman opening remarks in a meeting

• I am pleased to be speaking to all of you today. As the leader of this board, it is my duty to bring us together when necessary. This task can be challenging, considering our other obligations. I would like us to take this opportunity to review developments that occurred since our last meeting and cover several lingering action items.
• Good morning, fellow board members. It is a privilege to address you all this afternoon for such a fortunate occasion. It is not often that the board has the opportunity to honor the accomplishments of its own members. Today, we will celebrate the successes of a long-standing trustee who has reached the pinnacle of personal and professional achievement. Before we start, please join me in welcoming our esteemed member with a round of applause.
• Thank you all for attending. As chairman, I would like to begin this meeting by reviewing the minutes from our last session before covering our new agenda. You all know how quickly the new corporate strategy is unfolding. We have a growing list of issues to address, so we should get started.
• I would like to extend a warm welcome to all in attendance today. As your newly appointed chairman, I think it best to begin this meeting by introducing myself and explaining my background before having each member do the same. Once introductions are complete, we will review the charter and attend to any new business.

Opening remarks for a seminar

• Welcome, everyone, and thank you for being with us today. For those who may not know, this seminar is our opportunity to share our latest developments and explain how this progress will lead us into our next phase. We have laid out a roadmap that puts us on solid footing the whole way through. We are eager to share the details and get your input on what improvements we can make. As key stakeholders in the business, your viewpoints count as much as anyone on the team. We hope you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts.
• There are few moments in which our group can assemble for a subject as important as improving our culture. We feel the need is critical enough to halt operations and bring us all together. This company remains dedicated to the well-being of every employee, but dedication means nothing without action. We have created a seminar-style meeting that presents information intended to help make the most of your experience in the workplace. This is your space, after all, and we will do all we can to create an enriching culture for all of us.
• I can think of few workplace developments less stressful than learning new software. Unfortunately, we have outgrown our old platform and have no choice but to move to a bigger and better model. After a great deal of deliberation, we have chosen a package that will make your current work much easier while also accommodating future growth. To get a head start on learning, we have put together this seminar with a representative from the software company. This speaker will provide an overview of the system and its functions before going into detail about how each feature fits in with our current system. Please feel free to ask questions and share your insight as we proceed.

Sample closing remarks for a meeting

• We have covered a lot of material in a short time. If you need more details, you can schedule one-on-one time with your supervisors, who will have additional information shortly. Please write down any questions that arise so you can get answers and feel settled about our next steps.
• I hope you enjoyed our brainstorming session. We are off to a great start and should have a great second meeting. I will add an item to the calendar to continue with our planning phase. If everyone will kindly send me their notes, then I will create a master folder we can all access. I will also email today’s meeting minutes out so we can create a living document as we go. More to come!
• As you can understand, this meeting is only a first step. We will continue business as usual until we receive further word about new developments. Once we know more about the acquisition, we will put together another meeting for updates. You may have questions and concerns before then, which you may discuss with your manager, of course. To avoid creating unnecessary anxiety, we would ask that you refrain from speculating on details we have yet to disclose. I appreciate your cooperation.
• I hope you can all agree that it is important for our team to spend quality time together outside of our usual tasks. These team building meetings are a perfect forum for showing off other sides of our personalities and connecting in fun and exciting ways. This meeting is the first of many! To ensure everyone feels a sense of ownership, I would like you all to send me your ideas for events we can include in future meetings. If you know of any games or icebreaker activities we should include, please send me a note or drop by my office to chat. The more input we have, the better variety of activities we can draw from.

Sample closing remarks for an event

• We hope you enjoyed attending our event as much as we enjoyed putting it together. As always, we are ready to assist our clients in any way possible. If you have concerns after you head out, please get in touch with your account manager or a supervisor and let us know how we can help. We truly appreciate serving you and cannot wait to see where we go together next. Thank you for coming!
• Thank you for coming to our get-together. We know breaking away from your busy day can be challenging, and we do not take it for granted. That said, it is always great to see our team come together for time away from the daily grind! We would not be able to do what we do without you. You are all integral to this organization’s success, and we are grateful to have you.
• We have come a long way since the last time we were all together. The organization has grown considerably, and we know more growth will come. We hope we have clarified what comes next for this company and how we intend to achieve our goals. The agenda may seem ambitious, but we have no doubt that the people in this room are the right people to make the effort successful. Thank you, as always, for your continued support and dedication to our cause. We hope to see you again next time.
• Before we all head out, I would like to thank everyone who showed up tonight. You really came through and made this event a smashing success! I would also like to give a shout-out to our event team, who put together everything from decorations to catering without falling behind on their daily tasks. This team is phenomenal, and the credit for such a winning event goes to them. Please join me in showing our appreciation for all they have done.

Simple closing remarks

• Thank you all for coming. Enjoy the rest of your day!
• This meeting went quicker than expected, so I will give you 30 minutes back.
• Apologies for this meeting taking longer than scheduled. I appreciate you taking the extra time needed to finish up.
• If you have any questions after the meeting, please feel free to come to my office.
• Anyone needing more information can reach out to the contacts listed on the calendar item for this meeting.
• We have much more to discuss, so I will schedule a follow-up meeting for a week from now.
• As you can see, we have some serious challenges ahead of us. But I know that our usual team spirit will help us rise to the occasion.
• This topic is highly sensitive, so we ask that you treat it with the proper discretion.
• As a thank-you for your time and attention, there are treats in the breakroom. Feel free to drop by and grab a few!
• You all put the “dream” in “dream team.” Thank you for your incredible effort and amazing output during such a demanding time!

Preparing opening and closing remarks will provide definitive starting and ending points for your meetings. You can set the tone while alerting attendees to the main topic as well as sharing a list of agenda items. These remarks also create an opportunity to open your meeting with a warm welcome and close on a note of gratitude and encouragement.

Next, read about virtual workshop ideas and virtual brainstorming ideas , and team meeting tips .

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FAQ: Opening and closing remarks for meetings

Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about opening and closing remarks for meetings.

What are opening and closing remarks for meetings?

Opening and closing remarks for meetings are introductions and conclusions that bring a sense of organization to your agenda. You can use opening remarks to announce the topic of your meeting, while closing remarks will provide a wrap-up and alert attendees to any follow-up meetings or actions needed.

Why are good opening and closing remarks important?

Good opening remarks are important because they set the tone for the meeting, set goalposts, and keep listeners engaged. Similarly, good closing statements summarize essential topics, establish goals for future sessions, and provide calls to action.

What are some good opening statements for meetings?

Some options for good opening remarks include quick reasons for the meeting and brief rundowns of topics you will cover. Choosing an opener that matches the tone of the topics you want to address is essential.

How do you create good closing remarks for meetings?

Preparing good closing remarks can be as simple as reiterating information already covered and assigning the next steps. Additionally, these remarks should leave meeting attendees with a sense of understanding and accomplishment. Examples of some good closing remarks include thank yous to workers for attending, confirmations of the following steps, and reminders of follow-up items.

Author: Grace He

People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com. Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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People & Culture Director at teambuilding.com.

Grace is the Director of People & Culture at teambuilding.com. She studied Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University, Information Science at East China Normal University and earned an MBA at Washington State University.

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Practical Media Training and Public Speaking Tips

How to Open a Speech – 25 Ways & Ideas

We don’t want to break it to you, but you don’t really have all that much time. As a public speaker or presenter, you have but a scant few moments to open a speech or presentation with a powerful hook. Here, we offer 25 great ways on how to open a speech.

But first, a quick note about the two elements any speech opening should possess: it must be engaging and on message . The way you open a speech gets them in the door and your main point, or message, keeps them in their seats.

Notice that we said engaging and on message. A funny opening joke may engage the audience, but if it’s not directly related to your presentation’s main message , your audience may only remember the joke. There’s nothing funny about that.

What does it mean to be on message? First, you need one. As part of our public speaking workshops , we encourage our clients to themselves a simple question: What is the one thing, more than anything else, I want this audience to remember from my presentation six months from now? That one thing typically is your overarching message .

Some examples:

“Our nonprofit organization’s donations are surging and have more than made up for the dip in last year’s contributions.” “This program for at-risk youth is as beneficial for the overall community as it is for the actual participants. “ “My new product may look like many others, but what it delivers is unlike anything else on the shelf.”

Your messages are meaningful, but they become memorable when you frame them within the context of your open.

Understanding the Importance of the Speech Greeting and Opener

Just as a storefront business owner draws customers with their window display, or a publisher gets a sale because of an eye-catching book cover, your speech opening hooks your audience and keeps them in their seats.

The first few moments of your presentation are vital for its success.

For that reason, your presentation opening speech needs to be as engaging as possible. Niceties, such as introductions or thank-yous, or relevant (but uninteresting) logistical information are impediments to getting your audience immediately invested in your topic. We show you all about the three parts you should have in your presentation open here .

The opens that follow allow you to leap directly into the heart of your message and convey your main takeaway points quickly, creatively, and effectively. Your audience’s attention is precious. Give them an open that convinces them their investment of time will be worth it.

25 Ways to Open a Speech

These opens, from our book 101 Ways to Open a Speech , represent a mix of styles and methods. You can open your presentation speech with a third-person anecdote or share your own story. You can be persuasive or utilize the element of surprise. Some speech openers tell a story, others frame a topic, and a couple rely on modern technology. There’s a way to open a speech that is right for you, that reflects your personality, and that serves your specific goals and topics.

1. The Common Ground Open – Is there a gap between you and the audience? Perhaps you’re a 70-something speaking to some high school students, or a conservative Republican addressing a group of left-leaning advocates. If you have any chance of succeeding in sharing your message, you’ll need to close the gap quickly. Opening with a shared story, statistic, goal, or interest, and doing so with humility and grace, is an excellent way to bring the audience closer to you and to show them they have something to gain by listening to you. Imagine that a CEO of a large investment company is about to talk finances to a group of entry-level employees at one of your many locations. Here’s how she could start:

“You may not think I know what it is like to struggle, but at your age I was scraping for pennies, working two jobs, and still barely managing to pay my rent. It got easier when I learned to make my money work as hard as I was. It’s a lesson I plan to share with you today .”

2. Descriptive Open – A school administrator is talking to teachers about a new approach to student test prep. He could say:

“With your help, we are going to implement new lessons that reduce the rate of failure by increasing students’ opportunities to experience success.”

Are you still awake? Abstract concepts like “rate of failure,” “opportunities,” and “success” don’t exactly rouse an audience. When words are vivid, messages gain power and pop. Concrete and descriptive words, as opposed to abstract concepts, put the audience in the middle of the action. This version would be better:

“No one wants to see that big red ‘F’ on a test – not a student, not a teacher, and not a parent. With our new approach, and your help, we’ll be able to hand out a lot more ‘A’s’ and ‘B’s’—and the students would have worked hard to earn them.”

4. The Third-Person Anecdote Open – Stories are great ways to communicate the human condition. Therefore, choose a story or anecdote you’ve heard along the way – or pick one out of the local newspaper or online news story – and use it to reinforce your presentation’s main message. However, don’t start by saying, “I’d like to begin with a story.” Just start with the action:

“Three years ago, Walt Harris had his dream job, dream spouse, and dream home. He worked out five days a week, ate well, and mediated on weekends. Then he received a diagnosis from his doctor that changed his life. In the past three years, Walt lost his job, lost his home, and is close to facing divorce. Unfortunately, almost all of this was preventable.”

5. The Show of Hands Open – How many of you think this way to open a speech is overdone? How many of you think it could be done better? The question you pose should challenge conventional thinking, lead to a counterintuitive conclusion, or add a dose of unexpected humor. Likewise, this strategy works well if you are trying to sway the audience to reconsider previously held positions or beliefs. You must be quick on your feet to transition from the audience’s answers to the point you are trying to make:

“So, you think the sky is blue? Well, I’m going to tell you what happens on those days when it appears to be green.”

6. The Fable Open – Do you have something to preach but don’t want to sound preachy? If you lead off with a fable, or one of its literary cousins (allegories and parables), you can delve into moral lessons and insights about human behavior, all without sounding too heavy. In her book, “The Story Factor,” Annette Simmons writes that stories provide a more accessible route. A story, she says, is a “more dynamic tool of influence. Story gives people enough space to think for themselves.”

7. The Contrast Open – If speeches were boxing matches, you’d use the contrast open every time. This technique showcases the difference between diametrically opposed concepts, positions, ideas, or words. As a result, this approach is useful if you want to persuade others to change their perspective or embrace something new. Here are some of the themes that work well:

• Needs vs. Wants
• Obstacles vs. Opportunity
• Problem vs. Solution
• Possible vs. Impossible

8. The Information Gap – You know you will be facing a crowd of people who are quite knowledgeable about your subject. That’s OK. As it turns out, people who know a lot about a topic are still just as interested in learning about the parts of the topic they don’t know, according to American educator and economist George Loewenstein . If you can find a kernel of knowledge that exposes the gap or looks at the topic in a different way, you’ve given your audience ample reason to stick around to the end.

9. The Unexpected Definition Open – Dictionaries obviously do their jobs and do them well. However, there are times when a word gains more power when it is redefined. Say you are a valedictorian and you want to share how much your fellow students mean to you. Here’s a start:

“The dictionary defines classmate as a member of your class, but I define you all as so much more than that. We were each other’s friends, confidants, mentors, and guides. As worthy opponents, we challenged one other on the field and in the classroom. We were each other’s keepers and cheerleaders. And, we now can define ourselves as fellow graduates.”

10. “This Day in History” Open – This day in history you learned there were 25 ways to open a speech. That is a historical fact, but not a great citation. Fortunately, there are plenty of worthy, significant, thought-provoking, and interesting events you can find – a simple online search yields thousands – to illustrate your main point.

11. The Incorrect (or Ironic) Quote – Back in 2004, Microsoft’s Bill Gates told the world, “Two years from now, spam will be solved.” Oh yeah? Hindsight is 20/20, but that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from the trove of ill-considered observations and incorrect assumptions about the future. Leading a presentation with an incorrect quote can help you transition to many powerful points, including the risks of false assumptions, the dangers of being slow to change, and the speed of evolution.

“We’re going to go on a dive to the deep sea. Anyone that’s had that lovely opportunity knows that for about two-and-a-half hours on the way down, it’s a perfectly, positively pitch-black world.”

When combined with a series of video images featuring bioluminescent sea creatures, the open transported the audience deep into the world of ocean exploration all from the comfort of their hotel meeting room.

13. The Bookend Open – Like the inseparable friends that they are, the Bookend Open must go with the Bookend Close, no ifs, ands or buts about it. Consequently, the theme, story, example, joke, theme, or fact that you offer in the open must return – in some fashion – for a visit in the end.

14. Rapid-Fire Statistics Open – A dietician wants to warn her audience about the dangers of gaining weight on a diet rich in fast food meals. She could start like this:

“Between 2013 and 2016, more than 1 in 3 American adults took a turn through the drive-thru or approached the counter to grab a fast food meal on any given day. For children and teens, a fast food diet has been associated with higher caloric intake and poor diet quality. That double whammy is a reality that more young people face, as studies have found caloric intake from fast food on the rise for children aged 2 to 18. The industry itself shows no signs of slowing. The fast food industry is a $198.9 billion business in the United States. It’s expected to grow by more than $20 billion by 2020.”

This data stacking is less about individual numbers and more about the broader point she is trying to convey. The main takeaway is this: Society’s propensity for fast food is growing and affecting the health of children and teens.

15. The Mystery Open – They fill bookshelves and dominate television listings. What are they? Those mysteries, psychological thrillers, and police procedurals readers and viewers can’t seem to get enough of. A mystery works fine for an open, too. Here’s one way to do it: Pose a single question at the start of your talk and then answer it piece by piece during your presentation – leaving the big reveal for the close.

16. The Multiple Choice – It’s better than the tests you remembered as a student or the online surveys you are asked to take. That’s because it’s your multiple-choice test and it’s the way you can draw your audience to your topic. This open is tailor-made for a talk with multiple perspectives about an issue or different solutions for the same problem. Here’s an example:

“As a company, we have several directions we can take in terms of growth and increased sales. We could a.) buy up smaller companies to diversify our portfolio of services, b.) cull some of our services and move resources to focus on only a few or, c.) we could opt to franchise. I’m going to spend some time on each and then offer the option that I think is the way for us to go.”

17. The Challenge Open – Challenges spur audiences to act or deliver on a goal. You could open a speech with a challenge if you are seeking legislative change, raising money for a project, looking to increase sales, or asking for volunteers. The main objective is motivation. The audience not only needs to buy-in to your message but take the actions to manifest it. Here’s one way to do that:

“Dreamers see possibilities where others see obstacles. I am here today to call upon my fellow dreamers to encourage those who are hesitant about the project to look past the stumbling blocks we face in the construction of this community playground and consider giving kids a chance to play.”

18. The Skeptical Audience Open – A doubting audience is a difficult audience – there is no getting around it. They may be untrusting of your ideas or against what you are proposing. Perhaps they have been disappointed in the past or are simply stuck in their ways. The more “hostile” the crowd, the faster you need to address the gap. While every open needs to be a blend of your goals and audience needs, this one requires careful consideration. Here’s the formula:

• Anticipate the major objections.
• Have a sense of divided loyalties – the intractable, the undecided, and the supportive. Identify which of those most needs to hear your message and adjust accordingly.
• Frame the message around their concerns, not yours.
• Avoid defensiveness.
• Acknowledge obvious truths early.

19. The Rhetorical Question Open – Do you think opening with a question engages audience members? Yes, it does. This method engages the audience from the get-go. A CEO might pose this question:

“We offer great services. We have a loyal customer base. And, we make improvements every year. So, why are we not No. 1 in our market?”

• Ask a puzzling question you promise to reveal in the end.
• Propose a riddle.
• Suggest that the audience complete a mathematical equation and promise to give the answer context during the speech.

21. The Activity Open – Of all the 25 ways to open, this one triggers the most immediate engagement. Use it during training sessions and workshops when you are trying to teach a specific skill. When an audience engages in an activity right from the start, they recognize the benefits of listening to the rest of what you have to say. Make sure the activity is challenging, however. If they breeze through it, they’ll spend the rest of the workshop twiddling their thumbs.

22. The Self-Effacing Open – Remember the speaker who offered a joke, only to have that become his message? Well, in this way to open a speech, humor also must be deftly handled. Modesty and humility are the hallmarks of people who can laugh at themselves – which are both traits that can attract an audience. If you are planning to laugh at your own expense, just make sure it’s not at a cost. Stay away from jokes that question your credibility or diminish the topic of your speech. And make sure your self-deprecating humor doesn’t sound too self-pitying (“I hope, like my receding hairline, you won’t similarly retreat for the exit before I am done.”). You don’t want the audience thinking about your weaknesses or paying undue attention to them.

• An audio testimony
• A recording of a song
• An oral account
• A snippet of a speech
• Sounds of nature

24. The PowerPoint Open – Ahh, the PowerPoint presentation … when used correctly it is a highly effective tool for the audience. When used incorrectly, it induces a snoozefest. Overly literal slides typically fall flat, while conceptual (and eye-catching) images make your words even more memorable. If you plan on using technology front and center, you should pick an image that captivates and intrigues, and forms a segue into the opening you want to tell. For instance, you are presenting a talk on how to create a stunning painting. You could begin with a slide that shows a big, bold, and colorful painting. You say:

“This painting is the manifestation of dozens of choices and decisions the artist made along the way from concept to completion. We only see the final product, but the real art is the way it all comes together.”

As you proceed, you show slides in reverse, moving from final product to blank canvas. Along the way, you bring the viewer through each step.

25. The Study Hall Open – Some presenters are faced with the dilemma of sharing data-heavy charts and graphs. To rely solely on PowerPoint is potentially ineffective – just too much data at once. So, take your audience back to school and to all those handouts. Edward Tufte , an expert in data visualization and a professor emeritus at Yale University, suggests using the “study hall” method. At the beginning of the session, distribute the handouts and ask the audience to read them. Following their review, you are off to the races. Your task is not to repeat what they have read but offer context and meaning. “

What’s Your Opening?

Back in 1973, a horse named Secretariat ran the Kentucky Derby in 1 minute and 59 seconds – breaking the two-minute mark for the first time in the then 99-year history of the race. His record still stands.

It doesn’t take a lot of time to do something great. The way you open a speech may not break any records, but it can have a long-standing effect on your audience. From the very start, you have an opportunity to influence others, establish rapport, and exhibit creativity. When done well, such effort is rewarded. Your audience not only connects with you during your talk but also remembers what you said long after your speech is done.

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Sample Welcome Speech for a Corporate Event

If you’ve ever attended a corporate event , then you know the welcome speech gets all of the attention. The welcome speech is what allures the attendees to either listen and take interest… or not want to participate at all. Given that, welcome speeches are really important and should be long enough to address everyone properly but short enough to not bore everyone in the room.

If you’re wondering what a great welcome speech looks like, here’s a sample you can use as a guide or template to help create your very own welcome speech:

Introduction

Good Morning/Afternoon/Evening,

Thank you to each and every one of you for being here with us today. We are very pleased to be able to welcome those of you that have been with us for a long time now as well as those who are new to the (group/community/association etc.)

Today marks our 10 th annual group meeting and we are proud to be able to host it today here at this wonderful place with all of you.

Acknowledgments

Before we get started, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to all of you who generously helped us make this event come together to become a success. (Include the names of the individuals you wish to thank here) We couldn’t have done it without you!

Purpose of the Event

In today’s gathering, I would like to focus on all our new volunteers who have joined us since (January 2013, for example).

You have all been chosen to be a part of our association due to a mutual passion for (company’s vision/mission). Your passions help us all to unite and the energy we create is what allows us to achieve our individual as well as group goals. We need you as much as you need us and that why we are grateful to have you join us here at (insert the name of the company).

During the next few months, you will be learning about the different initiatives through our planned activities, seminar, and special events where you will be able to join in and get hands on experiences. I hope these will help you grow to be more productive and smart.

Well, I don’t want to take too much of your time, I need to leave some time for (insert the name of the next person) to introduce himself to all of you and fill you in on some of our up coming activities/projects. Today will be fun and full of learning.

So a very warm welcome to each and every one of you, if youhave nay questions, suggestions, clarifications, or just want to say “hi”, you can find me in the lobby.

What’s next

Thank you very much for listening and let us welcome, (insert the name of the speaker or guest). Thank you!

If you need help planning your next corporate event, give us a call at (516) 354.7797 .

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How to Write a Powerful Opening

by Allison Shapira | May 12, 2016 | Writing Tips | 0 comments

The first and last sentences are the most important sentences in your speech. The first sentence grabs your audience’s attention and sets the tone for the entire event. In fact, the audience forms its first impressions of you as soon as you walk on stage – or, in a meeting, when you walk into the room. The first sentence can make the audience sit up and take notice or, as commonly happens, finish up those last few emails on their digital device.

Before you write your opening sentence, you have a few things to do:

Identify the context of your speech.  What time of day will it start? What will be the audience’s state of mind? Who will speak before you? The answers give you valuable data as you decide on your speech opener.

Identify the emotion of your speech . How do you want people to feel after your speech: Inspired? Outraged? Excited? Your opening should build towards that feeling.

Leave the Thank You’s to the end.  Many people start with acknowledgements, which may be a generally accepted practice in your organization, but it’s not a good way to capture people’s attention. I like to include my acknowledgements toward the end so that I can start with content rather than formalities. Of course, you can always thank the person introducing you.

Write your speech first . I write the opening and closing sentences only  after  I’ve written (or drafted bullet points for) the speech itself. That way, I make sure that the opening/closing sentences reflect the content of the speech.

With that in mind,  here are some powerful speech openers. You’ll notice they are similar to the speech closers I recommended last month.

• Surprising Statistic:  A terrific way to capture the audience’s attention is with a startling number or fact that makes the audience sit up and listen. For instance, Over 50% of our customers are unhappy with our customer service… .
• Story or Anecdote:  Tell a personal anecdote or client story to illustrate the importance of your subject. Don’t say,  I’m going to start with a story . Simply start the story,  The year was 2003, and it was my first day on the job…
• Inspiring Quotation:  Find a short quote that captures the feeling you want the audience to have and puts them in the right frame of mind.  Andre Gide said, “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore…”
• Prop:  In the film  Up in the Air , George Clooney employs a great speech opener when he opens a backpack on stage and asks,  How much does your life weigh?   Watch that speech here . It’s also a good example of visualization as an audience engagement technique.
• Match the closing sentence:  Ideally, the opening and closing sentences should relate to one another in meaning and intensity. I often write the two sentences at the same time to make sure they match. You could actually use the same quote in the beginning and at the end to emphasize your message.

A few other tips:

Connect with your “Why you?” before you begin.  When you are passionate and authentic, you are fulfilling your potential as a powerful speaker. Before you begin, ask yourself “Why you? Why is this subject important to you?” That sense of purpose will naturally infuse your energy, presence, and intensity throughout the speech.

You are “on” before you walk on stage.  Don’t wait to get on stage to look at the audience and smile. Put yourself in the speaker’s frame of mind before you get up out of your chair or before you walk into the room. Before you enter the room, do some  breathing and stretching techniques  to center yourself and give your voice strength and resonance.

Smile, pause, and breathe before you begin.  You can take a moment to look at your audience and smile before starting to speak. Silence at the beginning of a speech is better than trying to “fill” the silence with filler words. Avoid phrases like, “So…yeah” or, “Um, OK;” these words detract from your message and credibility.

By using the above techniques, you will create a powerful first impression from the moment you step on stage, into the boardroom, or even right before you speak up on a conference call. You will capture people’s attention and they will  listen. 

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How to write a Great Opening Speech – The Video

Writing a Great Opening Speech for an event is something all MC’s often have to do. Here is the exact 3 Phase Process I go through, the 7 Questions I always ask my client and the 5 Step Structure I always follow.

(If you would prefer to read the article click here – Opening Speech .)

Timothy Hyde

Widely acknowledged as one of Australia's busiest & best MC's and a global authority on the MC Industry, Timothy Hyde shares his expertise and insights into this fascinating Professional Speaking niche via this site and a dynamic YouTube channel. His best selling book The ExpertMC Toolkit and Resource Manual has helped thousands of people worldwide improve their Emcee skills and in many cases, start earning a living by taking on the role.

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50 Speech Opening Lines (& How to Create Your Own) l The Ultimate Guide

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Writing

Ask a million people how to start a speech with a bang and you will get a million different answers.

While some prefer to start their speech with the good old charm of a quote, others prefer to put on their hats of creativity to discover new ways to capture the attention of their audience.

So, yes! There’s not just one best way to start your speech with a bang but you have a whole spectrum of ways- each unique on its own!

Sit back, grab a cup of coffee, and relax as I highlight 50 Powerful Speech Opening Lines from some of the World’s Most Influential Speeches along with guidance on how to use each of these techniques in your next speech/presentation.

Alright, let’s dive in!

How to Start your Speech/Presentation?

The attention span of your audience is at its peak at the very beginning of your speech. Shouldn’t you use this to your advantage? Of course, yes!

A strong opening remark captures the attention of your audience, sets the theme of your speech, and most importantly, instills curiosity for the remainder of your speech in the minds of your audience.

Before we analyze each of these speech opening lines, let me provide you with a quick list of techniques (all of which we are going to discuss in great depth!) for you to start your speech/presentation:

• 1. Don't just "Say!" Sing A Song

2. Uniqueness of An Unpopular Opinion

3. the power of a prop, 4. quest of a question, 5. hint of humor, 6. share a story, 7. surprise, surprise, surprise, 8. foster interest with facts.

• 9. Let's Visualize with "Visuals"

10. Capture Interest with your Clothes

11. activity for the audience, 12. element of fear, 13. invite them into your imagination, 14. quintessential quality of a quote, 100 best speech opening lines (the ultimate resource), 1. don’t just “say” sing a song.

Now, you must be thinking that I’m crazy to even suggest this but hear me out.

Doing something entirely different on stage just makes you stand out from the usual crowd. Because let’s admit it, we expect the speaker to simply start talking and when the speaker does something different, it surprises us and makes us intrigued for the remainder of the talk.

Having said that, singing is any day a safer bet since we all love to swing by the music.

But, if you are not at all confident about your singing skills, don’t go for it! Instead, you can try channeling the power of poetry, something very similar to singing but still light on your vocal cords. Don’t be confused! We’ve written an entire article on Getting Your ‘Wordsworth’: Poetry in Public Speaking , just for you! Do check it out.

How to Use A Song as your Speech Opening?

Step 1: Pick a relevant yet famous song related to the theme of your speech/presentation

Step 2: Choose how you wish to use the song to present your point. Do you wish to agree with the lyrics? Or disagree with the lyrics?

Step 3: Pick a few lines (not more than 2-3 lines) that suits your theme the best

Step 4: Craft a statement to explain the connection of the song with the topic of your speech/presentation

Step 5: What are you waiting for? Go ahead, warm up your vocal cords, and start singing

Examples of Speeches that Used Songs as Speech Openings

1. it is okay not to have a plan by mithila palkar.

(Sings the Song) “Some of you must have seen the video of this song online, and I’ll tell you the story of how I made it.” Mithila Palkar

Budding Indian Actress and Singer, Mithila Palkar started her TED Talk by singing a Marathi Song, a song that went viral on the internet and made her famous.

Instead of simply talking about how she marked the transition from a viral singing star to a renowned actress, she made her audience live her journey by singing the exact same song.

Two things happened here:

• Most of the audience members were able to recognize the song, which in turn, established her credibility as a speaker
• The song hooked the audience from the very beginning of her talk

No matter how much we deny it, humans are judgemental beings!

We have expectations for every single thing on this planet and when someone challenges these expectations, we’re left shocked.

And as a result, they’ve all our attention. That is exactly my mantra here, “Shock the audience to get their attention!”

How to Use An Unpopular Opinion as your Speech Opening?

Step 1 : Ask yourself, “Who is my audience?” Look for the basic information on their average age, level of education, pre-conceived notions, and cultural background. Still confusing, right? The Importance of Knowing Your Audience When Delivering a Speech is an article that carries the step-by-step guide, just for you.

Step 2 : Based upon this audience analysis, figure out their set expectation regarding the topic you are about to deliver your speech on.

Step 3 : Shred that expectation by challenging that set expectation in your opening remark. Remember not to be offensive and play by the rule of your moral compass

Examples of Speeches that Used Unpopular Opinions As Opening Remarks

1. grit: the power of passion and perseverance by angela lee duckworth.

“ When I was 27 years old, I left a very demanding job in management consulting for a job that was even more demanding: teaching “ Angela Lee Duckworth

When using this strategy in your speech, it’s critical that you do your research so that you can come up with an unpopular viewpoint on the subject.

Present that unpopular viewpoint as your introductory words, and then gradually (it must be a progressive process) lead your audience to the realization, which is your speech’s main goal. Just like this speaker did!

Visuals overpower our auditory senses! Why not use it to the best of our advantage?

As our immediate reflex, we first see and then, listen. Bringing a unique prop/placard onto the stage would intrigue the audience even before you “actually” start speaking.

Without any further delay, let’s discuss the steps to use props/placards the right way.

How to Use A Prop/Placard as your Opening Remark?

Step 1: Prepare a list of props/placards that resonate the best with the theme of your speech/presentation. Don’t just bring anything on the stage!

Step 2: From this list, remove the generic options. For instance, if you are delivering a speech on environmental conservation, bringing a plastic bag on stage is too generic and won’t instill curiosity in the audience’s minds

Step 3: Now, out of all the relevant props/placards, which one do you think is the most convenient and affordable to bring on the stage? And, you have your answer!

Step 4: Once you have decided on the prop, craft a statement to establish the connection between the prop and the theme of your speech

Examples of Speeches that Used Props As Opening Remarks

1. why i live a zero waste life by lauren singer.

(brings a jar filled with waste and speaks) “This is all of the trash that I’ve produced in the past 3 years!” Lauren Singer

When you witness the speaker, Lauren, showcasing a jar filled with all of the trash that she has produced in the past three years, you can’t help wonder, “Is this for real?”

Because even the packaging of all the junk food items that we consume every week can easily overflood this jar.

Taking advantage of this embedded curiosity, Lauren structured the rest of her talk talking about all of the steps that she takes to lead a zero-waste life.

2. Plus-size? More Like My Size By Ashley Graham

(stands in front of a mirror and speaks) “You are bold, you are brilliant and you are beautiful. There is no other woman like you. You are capable…” Ashley Graham

Breaking the norms of a traditional speech, Ashley Graham, instead of staring at the audience, stares at a mirror and speaks a few lines on self-affirmation.

Let’s admit it, most of us are critical of our own bodies, and standing in front of a mirror, we tend to focus upon all the possible flaws.

To set an example of positive self-affirmation, Ashley Graham takes upon herself to set an example with the help of a live exercise.

3. 25 Chemistry Experiments in 15 Minutes By Andrew Szydlo

*does chemistry experiments* Andrew Szydlo

Watch this TED Talk and I’m sure you’ll find all the presence, of all those chemical equipment on stage, fascinating!

When the audience witnesses the efforts you are taking to deliver your talk, they are impressed and trust me, you are halfway there at capturing the attention of your audience.

Now, of course, it doesn’t mean that you put all your heart and soul into getting that perfect prop on stage.

If it’s not feasible, don’t! But if you can, that’s a great way to win your audience!

4. I See Something By Dananjaya Hettiarachchi

*smells flower* Dananjaya Hettiarachchi

In the previous example, we saw how bringing a grand prop captures the attention of our audience.

But the power of a prop goes WAY beyond this!

When a simple prop is connected with a meaningful yet unique message, the impact manifolds.

In this TED Talk, the speaker uses a rose to explain how each individual is unique in terms of his personality. A powerful message is delivered with the use of a simple prop.

A tried and tested trick that psychologists swear by to awaken the distracted minds is to “shoot a question”.

You could do that too in your next speech/presentation.

How to Use A Question As An Opening Remark?

Step 1: Think of all the questions that can help you to set the theme of your speech

Step 2: Make a point to not include close-ended questions and questions that are simply TOO GENERIC

Step 3: The last element that your question must include is the element of curiosity. The purpose is to make the audience curious enough to listen to your entire speech looking for answers to that question. But while you are at it, make sure you don’t overpromise and your speech does have the answers to that question.

Examples of Speeches that used Questions as Opening Remarks

1. every argument against veganism by ed winters.

“So, when I say the word ‘Vegan’ to you, what do you think of?” Ed Winters

Just by hearing this question, our first thought is to run all the possible definitions of veganism and the audience of this speech did the same.

This question is very clever and I’ll tell you why. So, every time a definition would come into the mind of any audience member, the speaker would be presenting his arguments against veganism forcing the audience to align their thoughts with his thought process.

Without any possible digression, the speaker Ed Winters presents his thoughts on Veganism in a convincing manner with the help of the rhetoric of questions.

Now, this type of question sends the audience on a possible quest for answers but that’s not the only purpose that this technique serves. Next in order, let’s look at how questions set the theme of a speech.

2. Why Do We Ask Questions? By Michael “Vsauce” Stevens

“What is the best type of cheese to use to catch a bear?” Michael “Vsauce” Stevens

In this TED Talk, the speaker uses this technique as a rhetorical question and answers this question with the help of a cheese pun.

Moving ahead, he goes on unearthing the science behind asking questions. So, it only made sense for him to begin his speech with a question too to set the overall vibe and theme of the topic.

3. Marriage Material By Nina Donovan

“So from a glance, do I look like marriage material?” Nina Donovan

In this TED Talk, we shall discover the strength of an interrogative remark in generating curiosity regarding the theme of your speech.

Since time immemorial, society has been setting “so-called” norms to determine if an individual is a potential marriage material (mostly, in the case of women).

To fit under this category of “marriage material”, one has to behave as per the so-called expectations of the society, and anything that defies the norm fails to fit in.

With the help of her powerful voice, the speaker here challenges the notion of this concept of “Marriage Material” and highlights the importance of individuality.

And by asking if the audience perceives her as marriage material, she surprises the audience while cultivating a sense of curiosity in them.

4. After watching this, your brain will not be the same By Lara Boyd

“So how do we learn? And why do some of us learn things more easily than others?” Lara Boyd

Admit it or not- we’ve always wondered why some people learn things better than us. What exactly is their secret?

And when you throw this question at the audience, they become intrigued to know this very secret with the help of your talk.

Curiosity is what makes us stick to the remainder of any talk. So, it’s high time we channelize it!

5. The Value of Asking Questions By Karen Maeyens

“Do you know the people that are asked the most questions? Have A Guess!” Karen Maeyens

An open-ended thought-provoking question like this forces the audience to activate their minds in the search for answers.

As they become more active, they listen better and focuses better on what you have to offer.

When Karen asked her audience who are the people that are asked the most questions, different minds pondered different answers and when she herself answered the question, those who thought of different answers were intrigued to listen to her justification and as a result of this, they stuck by!

6. Two Easily Remembered Questions that Silence Negative Thoughts By Anthony Metivier

“How would you like to completely silence your mind?” Anthony Metivier

We, humans, have restless minds- always pondering over something or the other.

So, what’s likely to happen when someone asks us if we would like to silence our minds? Ironically, we’ll be restless to know the answer. That’s what the speaker did through his TED Talk.

The next time you are giving a speech, you can consider opening it with a question that would result in a similar effect of restlessness in the minds of the audience.

For this to truly happen, make sure that your question is not generic. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain.

Ain’t we tired of listening to the phrase, “Laughter is the best medicine”?

I’m sure we all are but the reason why it’s still so prevalent is because of its universality.

Of course, laughter is the best medicine to an opening remark too. It makes your audience laugh and who doesn’t love a good laugh? We all do!

Humor puts the minds at ease and makes you sound more human, because of which, the audience perceives you as a credible speaker.

How to Use Humor In An Opening Remark?

Step 1: Know your audience well. Your joke must resonate with them so as to make the desired impact. For instance, if you are addressing a school crowd and you make a joke about workplace communication mistakes. It won’t make the audience chuckle, would it?

Step 2: Puns? Self-deprecating humor? Or Funny Anecdotes? Identify the types of humor and figure out which one suits your personality in the best way. If you are not sure what types of humor are there and wish to seek a step-by-step guide on including humor in your presentation, make sure you read A Guide To Using Humor In Your Speech . Remember to choose the type of humor in alignment with your personality otherwise, it will look forced and won’t result in the impact you desired

Step 3: Step out and do a pilot survey! Try out the opener on a few folks who are similar to your target audience. Examine their reaction and, if required, adjust the joke

Step 4: Keep in mind that once you begin your speech with a pinch of humor, your audience will be expecting a few moments of laughter throughout the rest of your speech too. So, make sure you save 2-3 jokes (not more than that) for the remainder of your speech to meet those expectations

Examples of Speeches that used Humor in Opening Remarks

1. thoughts on humanity, fame and love by shah rukh khan.

“I’m a movie star. I’m 51 years of age. And I don’t use Botox as of yet.” Shah Rukh Khan

This TED Talk right here is the perfect case in point for you to witness all the four steps to humor (as discussed in the previous section) in action.

Known for his great performance in doing justice to a number of family roles in Bollywood films, the actor Shah Rukh Khan, in his TED Talk used the power of humor to make himself sound more human to align his talk with his perceived personality.

A humorous take on the drug, Botox, not only relates to the speaker’s professional credibility but also established the relatability quotient.

2. Ellen DeGeneres’ 86th Oscars Opening

“It’s been a tough couple of days for us. It has been raining. We’re fine. Thank you for your prayers.” Ellen DeGeneres

Two lessons on humor can be perfectly drawn from this talk:

• Make sure you include humor when the event calls for it in its truest sense.

Since Ellen DeGeneres was hosting the Oscars Opening Ceremony, nobody expected her to be all serious in terms of her talk. The audience is expecting a more relaxed and chill vibe from the speaker.

So, starting her talk with a piece of humor not only sounded like a safer bet but also the most effective one.

• Humor must align with the personality of the orator

What’s the thought that comes to your mind when you listen to the name, “Ellen DeGeneres”? I’m sure for most of us, it’s someone who’s great at presenting her opinions in a convincing manner with the help of comedy.

And that’s what you expect from her personality: Humor!

3. How Indian Parents Make You Tougher By Hasan Minhaj

“Do you know when brown kids get slapped? Every brown birthday party.” Hasan Minhaj

The element of surprise won’t work if your audience is familiar with what you are about to tell them.

So, make sure that you are addressing the right element of surprise to the right audience to make them chuckle. And Hasan Minhaj did it absolutely right!

In this TED Talk, Hasan Minhaj told a piece of surprising cultural information about Indian teens to the American Audience and not the Indian Audience (because they will be familiar with it and it won’t be a shock).

4. The Clues to A Great Story By Andrew Stanton

“A tourist is backpacking through the highlands of Scotland, and he stops at a pub to get a drink. And the only people in there is a bartender and an old man nursing a beer. And he orders a pint, and they sit in silence for a while. And suddenly, the old man turns to him and goes, “You see this bar? I built this bar with my bare hands from the finest wood in the county, gave it more care and love than my own child. But do they call me McGregor the Bar Builder? No.” Points out the window. “You see that stone wall out there? I built that stone wall with my bare hands. Found every stone, placed them just so through the rain and the cold. But do they call me McGregor the Stone Wall Builder? No” Points out the other window. “You see that pier on the lake out there? I built that pier with my bare hands, drove the pilings against the tide of the sand, plank by plank. But do they call me McGregor the pier builder? No. But you fuck one goat…” Andrew Stanton

When humor is combined with effective storytelling, a great laugh is expected from the intrigued minds sitting in the audience.

Remember how we used to tell small anecdotes as kids while telling any joke? That’s what needs to be done here.

Build up the curiosity with the help of a story and end that story by bringing in an element of surprise to make your audience chuckle. Unexpected humor is always welcome!

We’ve all grown up listening to bedtime stories.

As we approached our teenage years and adulthood, we switched to narrating anecdotes from our lives to our friends, family, and colleagues.

In a nutshell, it’s the stories that connect us and will continue to serve this very purpose.

Hence, it’s only fair for us to channel this magic of storytelling into our public speaking events as well.

How to Narrate A Story in An Opening Remark?

Step 1: Pick a story from your life or narrate something that happened to someone you know or simply form a gripping story. Whatever it might be, just make sure you are not exaggerating to come off as a relatable speaker. Most importantly, the story you choose has to be related to the theme of your speech

Step 2: Now that you have the story in mind, pick a narrative to design the structure of your story. Wait, don’t know what storytelling narrative structures are? Read 9 Storytelling Approaches For Your Next Speech or Presentation to know different ways to effectively narrate a story

Step 3: Use simple language while writing your story and be descriptive enough to help them imagine. Keep in mind that your audience should relate and it’s possible only when they can understand your story in its truest sense

Examples of Speeches that used Stories As Opening Remarks

1. life begins at the end of your comfort zone by yubing zhang.

“It’s a cold and foggy winter morning and I’m standing on the world’s tallest bungee platform. The platform I’m standing on is so tiny that I’ve to stand on my toes and balance myself against the wind…” Yubing Zhang

While highlighting how stepping out of one’s comfort zone is crucial, the speaker narrates a personal anecdote of her bungee-jumping experience.

To form a connection with the overall theme, she goes on to narrate how one bungee cord leap taught her the biggest lesson of her life.

Through the remainder of her talk, she then focuses upon sharing her lessons and guidance on how one can step out of his/her comfort zone to facilitate personal growth.

2. How to Figure Out What You Really Want By Ashley Stahl

“It was 2:45 pm on a rainy friday in Los Angeles. My dad was just brewing a cup of coffee in the kitchen when he answered a call from an unknown number…” Ashley Stahl

While the previous example on storytelling taught us to build a connection with the overall theme of our speech, this TED Talk by Ashley Stahl teaches the significance of body language and voice modulation in effective storytelling.

Observe how she narrates this story with effective pauses and uses inflection to create a sense of drama and suspense.

That’s something we all should keep in consideration while narrating any story.

Storytelling is only effective when conveyed properly with the help of facial expressions, body language, and vocal tonality. This is all done to appeal to the sentiments of the audience because eventually, it is what will make our talk all the more persuasive.

3. How “SHE” became an IAS Officer By Surabhi Gautam

“My story starts from a small, sleepy village of Madhya Pradesh with a population of barely a thousand people…” Surabhi Gautam

You don’t necessarily have to focus all your energy on writing your story with a proper build-up.

If you are using a story to build your credibility as a speaker as well as intrigue your audience, one simple way could be to just begin your speech with something as simple as, “My story starts from…”

Just like this speaker did!

Nothing fancy, nothing over the board but still manages to captivates the interest of the audience because of the following reasons:

• She communicates in the language of people by using simple words
• Starting with something like, “My story starts from…” sent an indication that she’s about to narrate the story of her life and as a matter of fact, we all are intrigued naturally to listen to different people’s life stories

4. Speaking Up Without Freaking Out By Matt Abrahams

“Panic. Embarassed. Exposed. No, that’s not how I’m feeling right now. Those are the feelings I had when I was a fourteen year old boy…” Matt Abrahams

Let’s be honest for a moment- we all have been through the feeling of “Panic, Embarrassed, Exposed” (just how Matt puts it) when asked to speak on stage.

By narrating a story that most of the audience members can relate to, Matt won the hearts of a majority of his audience members and established his credibility as a speaker.

5. The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything By Josh Kaufman

“Two years ago my life changed forever. My wife and I welcomed our daughter Lela in the world…” Josh Kaufman

“This has been the turning point of my life”

How do you feel when someone says something like this to you? Intrigued to know more?

This is the power that the speaker used here. He narrated a story of how being a parent changed his life and eventually, relates this experience to the topic of his speech, which to be honest, is fascinating to witness!

6. The Happy Secret to Better Work By Shawn Achor

“When I was seven years old and my sister was just five years old, we were playing on top of a bunk bed. I was two years older than my sister at the time — I mean, I’m two years older than her now — but at the time it meant she had to do everything that I wanted to do, and I wanted to play war. So we were up on top of our bunk beds. And on one side of the bunk bed, I had put out all of my G.I. Joe soldiers and weaponry. And on the other side were all my sister’s My Little Ponies ready for a cavalry charge. There are differing accounts of what actually happened that afternoon, but since my sister is not here with us today, let me tell you the true story –“ Shawn Achor

A descriptive story narrated using stylistic language has the strength to move the audience and immerse them into a fictional world.

In terms of storytelling, this technique is by far the most effective yet simplest way.

It’s commonly used while giving out persuasive speeches as it helps the speaker to align the audience’s thoughts with the speaker’s point of view. That’s what Shawn did through the help of his childhood story.

Of course, we all love surprises. Who doesn’t, right?

So, here’s a crazy idea! Why not surprise your audience with your opening remark?

Here’s how you can do so.

How to Surprise your Audience through your Opening Remark?

Option 1: Go up on that stage, say something totally unexpected and blow the minds! Now, your job doesn’t end here. Once you are done speaking your opening remark, provide your audience as to why you said what you said and what more are you going to offer through the rest of your content. Look at the first example in the next section to see its application.

Option 2: Another thing that you can do is to tell your audience something completely unknown related to the topic of your speech. Something that would make them go like, “Wait, what?” You can either present a shocking piece of information, an unknown taboo of that culture, or even a shocking habit of that cultural population.

Option 3: Tell something unknown not about the culture you are talking about but about yourself. We as humans are always attracted to gossip about other people’s lives. Of course, the audience would be interested in knowing something shocking about your life. But through the content of your speech, do remember to build that connection with your speech.

Examples of Speeches that Surprises its Audience through its Opening Remarks

1. how to start a speech by simon lancaster.

“Who wants to get high? Yeah, you up for some? Should we really get this party started?” Simon Lancaster

Who comes up on stage and asks the audience, “Who wants to get high?”

It’s purely unexpected and shocking!

But in this TED Talk, as the speaker focuses upon highlighting the steps to crafting a strong opening remark (just like we are discussing at this moment), he took it upon himself to use this very element of surprise to capture the audience’s attention.

2. Why I Don’t Use A Smart Phone By Ann Makosinski

“The last time I used a flip phone was 3 hours and 24 minutes ago.” Ann Makosinski

Now, after listening to her opening remark, do you want to know why is she still using a flip phone in the 21st Century? (At least, I do)

And that is the strength of a strong opening remark.

After generating this needed curiosity in the minds of her audience, the speaker focused the remainder of her talk telling these reasons to the audience, one by one.

So, yes! We can safely say that starting our speech with an unpopular opinion is an elegant yet simple way to kick-start our speech.

3. How to Control Emotion and Influence Behavior By Dawn Goldworm

“I can control your emotions and influence your behaviour without showing you anything, without touching you and without saying a word to you.” Dawn Goldworm

Hearing this opening remark is not just shocking but scary too!

I’m sure, just like me, you wish to unearth this secret to control and influence behavior so that you can control minds too.

It’s natural for you to listen to the remainder of the talk for this sole reason.

This way, capturing the attention of her audience was made easy for the speaker, Dawn Goldworm.

4. Get Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable By Luvvie Ajayi Jones

“I’m a professional troublemaker!” Luvvie Ajayi Jones

Listening to this opening remark, “what is your reaction?”

Are you thinking how exactly is she a troublemaker just like me? If yes, then the speaker has successfully inculcated this curiosity in us.

But what we all are also wondering is what does that have to do with the theme and the speaker does establish this connection in her follow-up statement right after her opening remark.

So, make sure the next time you are out there presenting a shocking remark, do follow it up with context, always.

5. How to Spot A Liar By Pamela Meyer

“Okay now, I don’t want to alarm anybody in this room, but it’s just come to my attention that the person to your right is a liar. Also, the person to your left is a liar.” Pamela Meyer

While delivering a TED Talk on “How to Spot A Liar”, Pamela begins by spotting a few liars from the audience itself making everyone think, “How did she do that?”

And naturally, with minimum efforts, she lured her audience in to listen to her entire talk as she unfolds different ways in which we all can spot a liar.

6. The Art of Being Yourself By Caroline McHugh

“So, the chances are you have looked in at least one mirror today. You’ve had a shave or you combed your hair or maybe you checked your teeth for spinach after lunch, but what you didn’t know is the face that you’re looking at is not the face that everyone sees.” Caroline McHugh

A shocking way to surprise your audience is to simply begin with some obvious observations and follow them up with a unique observation about the very same things- leaving them surprised by catching them completely off-guard.

To get better at this technique, draw some inspiration from this TED Talk by Caroline McHugh as she does a similar thing.

It is so far the easiest way to start your speech with a bang!

Present a fact to elicit the shock value in the minds- be it positive or negative.

But incorporating the right fact in the right way is an art in itself. Let’s dive right into it!

How to Use Facts as your Opening Remark?

First things first, make sure that your fact is not too generic. It has to be shocking in one way or the other to grip the audience’s attention.

Step 1: Present the fact using simple language. Avoid using technical terms here.

Step 2: Take a pause, give the audience a moment to ponder over it (But don’t wait for TOO LONG!). Next, present an extension of that fact, if you have any, or simply break down the fact by telling the audience how does this fact affects them. Give them the reasons.

Examples of Speeches that used Facts as its Opening Remarks

1. can we not let our breakups break us by tasha jackson.

“I want you all to know that you are loved because today we can be surrounded by so many people but feel profoundly alone. 68% of Gen Z feels like nobody knows them. An average American has only one close friend and one in four feels like no one.” Tasha Jackson

While presenting facts, it’s important that we go from covering a larger umbrella to the smaller one

This way, the audience knows the exact way in which they are getting affected by this piece of information.

That’s exactly how the speaker, Tasha, rolled her TED Talk.

Once the audience was aware of the intensity of how breakups are affecting each one of them, they were all the more intrigued to know how they can not let breakups affect them to such a drastic extent.

It is this incentive that made the listeners pay attention to her talk as she unfolded all the solutions to this, one by one.

2. How to Increase Love in Your Relationship By Jonathan Ljungqvist

“In Sweden, where I come from, we have 40 thousand marriages a year and each year we have around 20 thousand divorces.” Jonathan Ljungqvist

Create the illusion of an audience poll with your piece of fact, just like this speaker did in his TED Talk.

After highlighting the drastic extent of failed marriages in Sweden, Jonathan took a pause to let that information sink in and in his follow-up statement, he started shooting a few questions at the audience.

After waiting for a few seconds (2-3 seconds is the ideal time duration to wait), Jonathan answered and highlighted the problem at hand.

This made the audience respect and agree with his fact, all the way more.

Through the remainder of his talk, he then went on highlighting the steps to increase love in any relationship.

3. I See Dead People: Dreams and Visions of the Dying By Dr. Christopher Kerr

“I read a recent survey, and what Americans fear most is public speaking and dying.” Dr. Christopher Kerr

How do we perceive death as an individual? It’s a question that most of us have a unique answer to.

In an attempt to establish the relevance of his topic, the speaker uses a fact that highlights how feared death is.

It’s what capitalized the attention of the audience and forced them to listen to what different perspectives he had to offer on the topic from a medical standpoint.

4. Saudi Arabia: Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj

“Saudi Arabia has been engulfed in a massive diplomatic crisis over the gruesome killing of Washingto Post Journalist Jamal Khashoggi” Hasan Minhaj

Now, stating facts doesn’t mean that you just go on telling statistical figures. It also includes different pieces of information, particularly news events!

In this talk, Hasan Minhaj recalls one such news event to set the theme of his talk.

Recalling news events makes our talk relevant while establishing the context. It signifies that as a speaker you are up-to-date with the information that you have to offer. So, the audience looks forward to hearing a talk devoid of redundancies.

5. Can We Not Let Our Breakups Break Us By Tasha Jackson

We live in a world where dating is the equivalent of buying a new pair of shoes.

Very often, with each dating experience comes the trauma of heartbreaks. As the speaker in this TED Talk rightly said, “breakups break us”.

But how to overcome it has always been a flaming question, particularly among the teens.

But to bring to light the intensity and ever-increasing prevalence of the situation, the speaker took the help of the statistics.

6. Teach Every Child About Food By Jamie Oliver

“ Sadly, in the next 18 minutes when I do our chat, four Americans that are alive will be dead from the food that they eat. “ Jamie Oliver

Here, while throwing light upon an alarming issue (hunger), the speaker considered presenting harrowing stats to get that desired ‘concerned mood’.

Similarly, when you wish to highlight an opportunity (say, the positive side of social media), present positive stats showcasing the success of people through social media.

9. Let’s Visualize with “Visuals”

Visuals are always gripping and easy on our minds.

Show respect towards your audience by giving them a needed break from the monotony of “just listening”.

Be a respite and engage them through the power of visuals for a change. Here’s exactly how you can do this.

How to Connect Visuals with your Opening Remark?

Step 1: Get in touch with the tech team of your public speaking event and see if the needed technical support is there to facilitate the screening of an image/video.

Step 2: Now, find a visual interesting enough to arise the curiosity but not too generic to make it too predictable for the audience- all related to your theme.

Step 3: Craft a short, concise, and to-the-point follow-up statement to explain the relevance of that visual using simple language.

Examples of Speeches that used Visuals as Opening Remarks

1. don’t believe everything you think by lauren weinstein.

*shows picture of an elephant.* Lauren Weinstein

In this TED Talk, Lauren draws a beautiful comparison between elephants and the nature of humans by showcasing a few visuals.

She does this through the use of storytelling. Narrating how despite all the strength an elephant has, it doesn’t attempt to break its chains of captivity.

After establishing this, she goes on to connect this act with the thesis of her speech, that is, how one should not always believe everything they think.

What we can take away from this TED Talk is, when visuals are effectively supported by storytelling and the rhetoric of drawing comparison, the impact increases manifold.

2. The History of Our World in 18 Minutes By David Christian

*plays a video about scrambled eggs* David Christian

In this unique TED Talk, David Christian explains the origin of the history of our world through the video of a scrambled egg. Unique, isn’t it?

That is exactly what we need to learn here.

We don’t necessarily need to find a visual that directly relates to the theme of our speech. Instead, we can go for a visual that we can use as an aid to explain a similar topic, that is, the theme of our speech.

3. How Breathing and Metabolism are Interconnected By Ruben Meerman

*shows image of himself in the sea* Ruben Meerman

This TED Talk right here is an example of how you can establish a direct correlation between the visual and your topic- all through the use of storytelling.

Ruben Meerman began his speech by showing a few pictures of himself to talk about his health transformation.

When the audience witnessed the transformation right in front of their eyes, they were curious to know the secret behind it so that they can apply it to their respective lives.

That’s the power of a gripping visual!

YES! You read it right.

No matter how shallow it sounds but the outfit is the first thing we notice every time a speaker walks up that stage.

And if you are dressed differently than the rest of the speakers, you naturally capture the eyes of your audience.

By this, I don’t mean that you go to a branded store and buy the most expensive outfit from there and wear it for your event. What I mean is to put serious thought into deciding what to wear for your event.

Ideally, one should go for an outfit that is unique yet related to the theme of your speech but doesn’t hurt the dress code of the event too. Here’s how.

How to Connect Clothes with your Opening Remark?

Step 1: The most basic step is to check with the admin if there is any particular dress code that the speakers need to adhere to. If not, feel free to put on your hat of creativity by following the next steps

Step 2: Pick an outfit that connects with the theme of your speech but is still unique enough for the audience to go like, “Wait, what outfit is this?”

Step 3: Go on the stage wearing that outfit, take a pause, let the audience wonder. After a meaningful silence of 2-3 seconds, start speaking. Open up by telling the audience the significance of the outfit that you are wearing

Examples of Speeches that Connect Clothes with Opening Remarks

1. we are all different- and that’s awesome by cole blakeway.

(comes on stage weaing two different pair of socks and shoes) “Hi, my name is Cole and over the next few minutes, I’m going to teach you that it’s okay to be different. Since a young age, I’ve worn different colored socks and two different shoes.” Cole Blakeway

Fascinating opening remark, isn’t it?

Something as simple as wearing different pairs of socks can instill curiosity and help the speaker make his point, “we all are different”.

Since biblical times, we as humans try to fit in different situations. Be it a workplace, college, or even a social gathering for that matter.

In this TED Talk, Cole attempts to shed light on the lesson of embracing our true selves and how there’s nothing wrong with being different.

The tone of such a powerful talk was set just by wearing different pairs of socks.

2. Looks aren’t Everything. Believe me, I’m a Model By Cameron Russell

(switches to a different outfit and speaks) “This is the first outfit change on the TED Stage, so you guys are pretty lucky to witness it, I think.” Cameron Russell

Of course, the traditional way to pull this technique off is to come on stage wearing a unique outfit.

But Cameron Russell finds her very own unique way of a live outfit change wherein she brings a wrap-around skirt and wears over her dress to make a simple point that appearance is not everything, it goes way beyond that.

Seeing a model by profession mark this unlikely outfit transition made the audience trust her thesis all the way more.

They say that communication is a two-way street.

Yet, more often than not, we forget to keep this in mind during all the public speaking events.

We tend o go on speaking and speaking. While sometimes we manage to keep the audience interested, the rest of the time we simply bore the audience to sleep.

To save you here, an easy bet is to organize an activity for your audience towards the very beginning of your speech.

How to Connect An Audience Activity with your Opening Remark?

Step 1: Familiarize with your audience. What’s the average age of your audience? What’s their educational and work background? Getting these basic details will help you structure an activity that would ensure maximum participation from them. For instance, if you are addressing a bunch of school students, your activity can involve more physical exercises and less mental exercise. Also, ask yourself, “What is the size of my audience?” This will help you decide on the extent of interactivity.

Step 2: Find an activity that is not too basic. Your activity should make the audience curious about your content. Something that makes the audience wonder, “What does this activity have to do with the theme?” But then they are left amazed as soon as you begin to connect the relevance of the activity with your speech.

Step 3: Don’t make it TOO LONG! Keep it short and sweet.

Step 4: Write a vivid description of the steps involved in the activity so that the audience is not left confused about what to do.

Examples of Speeches that Used Audience Activities as Opening Remarks

1. are you a giver or a taker by adam grant.

“I want you to look around the room for a minute and try to find the most paranoid person here and then I want you to point that person out for me. (waits and then says) Okay, don’t actually do it.” Adam Grant

Given that Adam’s audience was comprised of more adults, he made them perform a mental exercise as it’s most likely for them to participate in a mental exercise rather than expecting them to move up their seats to do something.

And that’s what happened. The audience participated! Because all they had to do was simply move their heads around to find out a paranoid person.

Most importantly, the activity wasn’t too generic for the audience for them to predict its relevance. So, it made them curious enough to listen to the remainder of Adam’s TED Talk to witness him unravel its relevance.

2. Girl Up: The Secrets to an Extraordinary Life By Courtney Ferrell

“Okay, I need a favor. I need all the girls who are between the age of 17 and 24 to stand up.” Courtney Ferrell

Audience Matters! I know, I’ve been saying this A LOT but it’s the key to a great speech opening.

Even in this TED Talk, the speaker made all the girls between the age group of 17 to 24 stand up since she knew that more than 50% of her audience would stand up.

It’s a win-win situation, I’ll tell you how.

When Courtney confessed that she’s about to tell the secret to channel the creative spirit of women and how to empower them.

Those who stood up felt directly connected to the theme and the rest were curious enough to know the secret to see if it can benefit them or someone they know.

3. What It’s Like To Grow Up Desi in 2019 By Hasan Minhaj

“Alright, real quick- say your full name and then say the way white people say your name. So, my name is Hasan Minhaj. I would get a Ha-sen Min-haj-a” Hasan Minhaj

Two important lessons here, my friends!

• Interactivity is Influential

Since Hasan was addressing a comparatively smaller crowd of around 7 teens, he could incorporate an interactive activity, giving each of his audience members an opportunity to speak.

• Lead the Activity Ladder

Before asking each of his audience members to speakers, Hasan himself initiated the act of participation from his end.

This way, the audience was all the more thrilled to speak.

Because when you participate, your audience sees it as an incentive and feels more confident to participate seeing that you as a speaker are making an effort too.

4. How to Triple your Memory By Using This Trick By Ricardo Lieuw On

“So, I have a little test for you. Don’t panic, I’m not here to judge you…” Ricardo Lieuw On

“Awaken the competitive nature of your audience members!” This should be your motto here.

But first, make sure that you are clear with the explanation of the rules so that it’s easier for everyone to follow.

Look how the speaker has introduced a competitive activity here to awaken the minds.

This serves two purposes:

• Your audience is intrigued to listen to the rest of your talk
• Even if a few members are distracted, you can win them back

Do you remember all the times when your mom used to make you eat green vegetables by instilling some sort of fear?

Be it the fear of dull skin or even poor eyesight for that matter, it eventually made you take that action.

Isn’t this aim of public speeches too? To persuade the audience to take some action after your speech ends? A hundred percent, yes!

So, let’s jump into how we can incorporate fear in our speech opening to make our audience listen to us.

How to Use Fear as your Opening Remark?

Step 1: At the fear of reiterating myself, “Begin with analyzing your audience”. The Best Guide to Audience Analysis is an article for you to help you do just that.

Step 2: Done with analyzing your audience after reading the article? Now, make a list of their potential fears related to the theme of your speech.

Step 3: Figure out that one fear that is not too triggering. Here, ask yourself, “If I were to listen to this, would I be triggered to a huge extent?” If the answer is yes, leave that fear and choose one that is slightly less triggering but

Examples of Speeches that used Fear as its Opening Remarks

1. why the secret to sucess is setting the right goals by john doerr.

“We’re at a critical moment Our leaders, some of our great institutions are failing us.” John Doerr

While highlighting how important it is to set the right goals for development, John Doerr begins his speech by pointing at how the institutions are failing their citizens by setting the wrong objectives.

When you are told that someone is failing you, you feel a sense of disappointment, and you are naturally drawn to know the reason behind it to figure out if there’s something you can do to improve the situation.

This is the exact feeling that we are going for here!

In this technique, we are looking forward to getting our audience to daydream without boring them.

This art of imagination works the best for persuasive speeches. Here’s how!

While delivering a persuasive speech, our aim is to align the audience’s thoughts with our thought process but there needs to be a bridge, right? A bridge that the audience can take to step into your thought process.

This bridge is the art of imagination.

How to Use Imagination as your Opening Remark?

Step 1: Decide the emotion that you want your audience to feel. Do you wish to go for a negative emotion or a positive one? My suggestion for you would be to go for a negative one since negative emotions overpower the positive ones, psychologically speaking.

Step 2: Once you have decided on the type of emotion, craft a descriptive outline for the piece of imagination that is related to the theme of your speech.

Step 3: Using simple yet descriptive language, write down your piece of imagination. Remember to write in a chronological order detailing each and every step otherwise your audience won’t truly immerse in that imaginary world. To explain to you in simpler terms, if a few steps are missing from the bridge, you cannot walk to reach the other side, can you?

Step 4: Focus the rest of your speech telling the audience what to do to avoid the situation (in case of a negative imagination) and what to do to reach the situation (in case of a positive imagination).

Examples of Speeches that used Imagination as Opening Remarks

1. the barrier between us by tvisha bandhu.

“Picture this. You’re in the MRT, you’re scrolling through your phone, and you take notice of this lady walking through the cabin saying ‘hello, hello.'” Tvisha Bandhu

This speech is the perfect example of how one can kick start his speech through the power of closed imagination (one wherein you provided step-by-step details on what to imagine).

Look how the speaker, Tvisha Bandhu, uses her body posture and gestures to emote every sense of feeling encompassed within that imagination.

It works perfectly in sync with her descriptive writing. It’s so descriptive that she has even written the exact dialogues for the characters involved in her imagination such as “Hello, Hello” for the lady who walked through the cabin.

Descriptive writing backed by powerful body language and vocal tonality can increase the impact manifold.

2. Why Do We Fear Speaking On Stage? By Pratik Uppal

“If I ask you to come on the stage right now & deliver a speech, think what kind of excuses would you come up with.” Pratik Uppal

The second example is of an open imagination.

You don’t necessarily need to provide step-by-step details for the audience to make them imagine a situation

One easy way is to simply tell them to ponder over their reaction to a particular situation and then, go on providing a brief of what exact situation they are put in.

In this TED Talk, the speaker asked the audience to imagine all the excuses that they can come up with to dread a public speaking event. Now, pause! Even you think! I’m sure you too can come up with many without anyone telling you what to imagine exactly.

This is what we call open imagination. Widespread usage of this technique can be seen in movies with open endings wherein the end is treated as possibly the beginning.

3. The Surprising Secret that Solves your Problems Quickly By Collins Key

“Imagine if you could take your brain and turn it inside out and then have access to the information to be able to virtually solve any problem. It sounds pretty cool, right?” Collins Key

In the previous sections, we discussed the examples for two commonly-used types of imagination- open and closed.

Here, we shall discuss an example of how you can ask the audience to imagine something out of the world.

If you are a Potter-head, you know the strength that this technique entails. The entire series is based upon fiction encompassing a world where everything goes larger than life, even life itself but you still can’t seem to snap out of it because you are that engrossed.

In this TED Talk, Collins opened up his talk with one such piece of imagination wherein he asked the audience to imagine how would they feel if they could simply take their brain out and turn it inside out to find a solution in the blink of an eye instead of spending hours overthinking for it.

Fascinating, right? This intrigued the audience to listen to the rest of his speech in the search of a secret to solve their problems in the quickest way possible.

4. How to Present to Keep your Audience’s Attention By Mark Robinson

“Imagine it’s Wednesday 28th of August, 1963 & we’re in the United States Of American, specifically Washington DC.” Mark Robinson

Imagination is only effective if you catering the right piece of imagination to the right audience.

Now, take the example of this TED Talk. Had this TED Talk been delivered to an audience who is not aware of the significance of the person being spoken about, Martin Luther King Jr, his speech would have been totally ineffective.

So, make sure that whatever piece of imagination you have to offer is within the understanding of your audience.

This technique doesn’t require any fancy introduction.

For the longest time, great orators have been starting their respective speeches with one quote or the other to persuade their audience through the art of rhythm.

But the inclusion of this technique as an opening remark is easier said than done. Make sure you follow the steps in the next section.

How to Use A Quote as an Opening Remark?

Before we begin, remember not to use a quote that is too common. Use a quote that is less heard of!

Option 1: The easiest and safest bet is to use a famous quote related to the context of your speech. If the propounder of that quote is associated with the topic of your speech in one way or the other, it’s even better since it establishes the credibility of the quote.

Option 2: The other effective way is to make a quote of your own instead of relying upon someone else’s quote. It’s simpler than it sounds. An easier hack is to use alliteration (occurrence of similar sound at the beginning of adjacent words in a phrase) in the phrase you wish to highlight as your opening remark. For instance, even the title of this section, “Quintessential Quality of A Quote” uses this technique. Read Getting Your ‘Wordsworth’: Poetry in Public Speaking to know how exactly you can write a quote using alliteration and similar techniques.

Examples of Speeches that Used Quotes as Opening Remarks

1. increase your self-awareness with one simple fix by tasha eurich.

Tennessee Williams once told us, “There comes a time when you look into the mirror and you realize that what you see is what you’ll ever be. And then you accept it. Or you kill yourself. Or you stop looking in mirrors.” Tasha Eurich

To see the application of the first alternative in action, watch this TED Talk by Tasha Eurich.

While using someone else’s quote, attribution to the speaker is necessary. You can do so by simply saying something like, “As NAME OF THE SPEAKER rightly said…” Nothing too fancy, simplicity works the best.

Talking about the credibility of the original speaker of the quote, since this TED Talk is focused upon “Self-awareness”, it made Tennessee Williams who was a great playwright in Hollywood, a credible speaker to trust.

2. Mistakes Make the Man By Mathew George

“Man makes mistakes & mistakes make the man.” Mathew George

Now, let’s talk about making a quote on our own. Shall we?

The most basic step we discussed under the “how-to” section was alliteration and that’s what the speaker, Mathew George, used in the creation of his opening remark too.

Alliteration provides a rhythm to your speech opening line and makes you sound persuasive naturally.

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We hope that you have found some value here in your journey as a public speaker!

If you wish to know about more such amazing speech opening lines, make sure you check out 15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (& How to Create Your Own) .

Not just that! We’ve written a similar article on 50 Speech Closing Lines (& How to Create Your Own) l The Ultimate Guide . Make sure you read that to END YOUR SPEECH WITH A BANG!

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7 ways for opening a speech! The ideal speech introduction to grab your audience’s attention

Maybe you know this: you may or must give a speech, but how do you start? Whether you’re giving a speech as an employer or to your colleagues, or you’re an external keynote speaker, the principles are always the same. Likewise, your preparation is not much different: whether it’s a keynote at a kick-off event , the festive speech at the company Christmas party , a motivational speech at a team event or even a laudatory speech at an awards ceremony – the search for the right begining should not be left to chance.

How do you get your audience’s attention so that they want to listen and can follow you easily? How do you sound interesting? In this article you will get the necessary tips for your ideal start for your next speech to inspire your audience. I have collected these speech introductions and examples in my work in the field of public speaking as a presenter and keynote speaker in front of over 5 million people.

Why is the beginning, i.e. the first few minutes of a presentation, so important? This is where the first impression is being made. Your audience intuitively decides within a few seconds whether they like the speaker and want to follow. After that, you still have up to three minutes to pick up your audience with the content of your speech.

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The first impression is crucial for further success

There’s a saying that goes, “ There’s no second chance for a first impression. ” It takes between 100 milliseconds and 7 seconds for your audience to get the same impression of you. If you as a speaker fail to make that first impression, no matter how impressive your speech, it will be very difficult to pick up your audience. 

US comedian Jerry Seinfeld , one of the most famous American comedians of the 90s, said that his fame only gives him a starting bonus for the first three minutes – at the latest then he has to deliver. If you don’t enjoy the celebrity bonus in your speeches, that means you have to deliver right from the get go to win over your audience.

Requirements for the ideal introduction for your speech

Before you can wow people as a speaker and give any thought to content, you need to set the stage. If you want to give a good speech and move your audience from A to B, two things are essential: you need to know where you want to go and where your audience is coming from .

Know the outcome of your speech

If you don’t know in which direction you want to move your audience, then no amount of tips will get you there. So before you tinker with the ideal introduction, you need to be clear about what your outcome is .

 What feeling do you want the audience to have when you leave the stage? What impression do you want to convey as a speaker? Even more public speaking tips you can find here.

Know your audience members

If you want to catch a fish, you have to use a bait that tastes good to the fish, not to the fisherman . The same applies to presentations: who decides what is a top speech? That is, of course, in the eye of your audience. Therefore, it is all the more important to know who the people are, listening to your speech. 

An American proverb says that your audience doesn’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Your audience won’t pay attention to you until they see that your speech is relevant to them. As a speaker, do you bring examples and tips and answer questions in your main points that matter to the audience? Do your main ideas strike a cord?

Tip: Try to find out as much as possible to know in advance what moves your audience and why people are here today. If you have the opportunity, use the time for successful networking and listen to their needs.

The goal of an ideal introduction to your speech

Only after you know your outcome and your audience you can focus on how to start your presentation, because now you know as a speaker in which direction your ship should sail. If you want to give a speech, you need to get your audience interested in you and your main points. For this to happen, you need the attention of your audience.

Speaker Tip: First create attention , then develop interest in your message and your main points to make it worth listening for your audience.

Giving a speech: seven perfect speech introductions

Now let’s look at tips and examples of how you as a speaker can inspire your audience. These tips should give you a guideline from where you can successfully transition from your chosen introduction to the main part and final part of your speech.

1. He who asks, leads – starting with a question

An elegant way to begin a speech is with a question . The goal is to engage your listener directly in your opening and generate interest. In order for the question to be effective, it must be tailored to your target audience. The question may be provocative, surprising or even make you smile, but it must be relevant.

For example, if you’re speaking to a group of retirees, a question like “Which one of you went to a disco last weekend?” would be just as out of place as asking a group of Wall street brokers “Which one of you has been involved in stocks?”. Your audience needs to feel like you know who you’re dealing with.

“Who remembers what they did last Saturday night?” was an opening I chose many years ago when giving a speech. Of course, after that, there was a story about my Saturday night that fit right in with the theme of my speech. People were immediately involved and everyone was thinking. Because just about everybody did something last Saturday and so it was relevant… even if many didn’t even remember it. 

With questions that fit the topics, you are sure to get the attention of the participants. However, always pay attention to what you trigger in your audience with a question and, if requested, also provide the appropriate answer.

Another speaking tip: When you ask a question, give your audience time to respond . Whether out loud, with a show of hands, or silently, people need time for what you say to have an impact. Of course, questions can also be used during your speech.

2. Start your speech with a quote

Using the words of another person in your speech is a proven way. The art of building a good speech is to pick up your audience where they are. A pointed quote that gets to the heart of your ideas or the occasion is the basic premise for choosing someone else’s statement as your lead-in. If people are familiar with the name of the person you are quoting, it gives you added credibility as a speaker.

Very similar to a quote is using a proverb to start your speech. Again, there is often a deeper wisdom behind it. Link this to the idea of your speech and you have a great introduction.

Again, I’ll give you an example from my own experience when I was asked to give a presentation on the topic of corporate mission statements many years ago. I decided to start with a quote, but the number of quotes on this topic are manageable. However, the corporate mission statement compares very well with the soul for people, and so on this occasion I found a quote on the subject of the soul and then drew the analogy with the corporate mission statement. “Outside the box” solutions are also the speaker’s friend. 

3. Inspire your audience with storytelling

A particularly powerful way to start is to share a story or personal real life experience with your audience at the beginning of your presentation. With a personal story, you create compelling moments and build an emotional connection with your audience. However, this is also where the biggest danger lies: your story must absolutely correspond to the facts and at the same time should have a connection to the topic of the event. The audience has a good nose for it, if you serve them a “suitably made” story.

Of course, storytelling is not limited to stories you have experienced yourself. You can also draw on a current or even historical event. Important, as mentioned above, is the connection to the goal of your presentation. Also, make sure that you start right in the relevant event and do not begin with Adam and Eve. Especially extroverted people like to get into narration and then it can happen that you lose the drive to your actual presentation and your audience is no longer on the point.

One of my stage coaching clients, for example, took his audience into a situation right at the beginning of his speech when he was at the start of his first triathlon. He immediately built up a tension, because he put his audience directly into it instead of talking about preparation and planning for the triathlon. Because he also found the right tone, the speech went down great. Bonus tip for your speech: Stories absolutely need to be rehearsed and tailored to your audience and the occasion. This does not mean, as already mentioned, that you add things, but that you leave out unnecessary things. Don’t just tell from memory, but really practice.

4. Start with an open loop

Starting with an open loop is something like the supreme discipline. Here, you start with a story, but don’t finish telling it until the end of your speech . This type of introduction is certainly a bit unusual and, in my opinion, more suitable for experienced speakers, especially to keep the tension high.

You start with the open loop in the same way as with storytelling and take your audience along until the point where the tension is at its highest. Instead of the resolution, you lead into the topic of your speech and then come to the main part, where the content is presented with further examples. Only at the end do you pick up the ball of your introductory story again and close the open loop.

As an example, I start one of my keynote speeches with such an open loop: I take the audience on my experience at the New York City Marathon. Since my preparation for it was far from ideal due to injuries, I wasn’t sure until the start how far I would run that day. My speech started with the thoughts going through my head at the start, with my uncertainty but also anticipation. The start of the marathon was then the Open Loop, which I only resolved at the end of the speech.

5. Enchant the audience with parables

A parable is a very short to short story which might not even have a plot of its own. While a parable can be told with action, as if something has actually taken place, it can also be about something hypothetical: “Imagine…” or “Suppose…”. In both cases, the point is that we want to make a connection to the content. 

The purpose of parables is to pick up the audience as they enter your presentation and provide an emotional experience that immediately introduces them to the topic through your words.

6. Facts, figures and statistics as an introduction for the speech

The FFS introduction is particularly useful if you have facts, figures or statistics that are not familiar to your audience and are also unusual. In addition, it must of course fit your topic and possibly support your thesis. A personalized statistic works best to meet your audience’s needs.

When we were designing the outline for one of my Executive Legacy Coaching clients’ investor pitch, we made a conscious decision to start with a number that would probably come as a surprise to many listeners. To back up the pain point that his product solves, he asked the panel how much they thought that an unhappy employee costs a company per year. Starting with that number was so effective because the audience’s estimates were all substantially lower than the true number, creating an a-ha effect.

7. Looking back

Another way to start your speech is with a look back . This variant is particularly suitable if you are to give a speech on the occasion of an anniversary or birthday. In your preparation, you should pay special attention to who is sitting in your audience: what connection do they have to the person or the company or the occasion and, above all, have they experienced the period themselves.

Some time ago, I had the privilege of being on stage at a company’s 20th anniversary. In order to give the audience as emotional an experience as possible, I first had to find out who was in the audience. Have people lived through these last 20 years, and are they likely to remember the moment from 20 years ago? Since my audience was mostly over 35 years old I assumed that was the case. Thus I dove into the world of 20 years ago: how did the world look and what moved people at the time? Immediately the people were in the emotions of the memories and from that I could then draw a bow to the company anniversary: “much has changed, but one thing has remained the same…”.

Giving a speech: here’s what you should avoid when getting started

Jokes are for comedians.

There are talented joke tellers and there are those who always flub the punch line. If you feel uncomfortable in the role of the joker, don’t do it. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t spice up the introduction with a little humor. Humor arouses positive emotions and loosens the atmosphere. A humorous introduction, which also works without a joke, signals to the participants that the event will not be dry as dust and that it is worth staying for.

Bonus tip: Humor is different in different regions and works best when you approach your audience with respect and humility.

Stay away from provocative introductions

A provocative introduction is like riding on a razor blade: very dangerous. You have to have an incredible ace up your sleeve to win your audience back. As a rule, I would strongly advise you not to use provocative introductions. If your audience perceives you as an unsympathetic person, no matter how ingenious the content of your speech, it will not bring the desired success.

Start with an apology

Some insecure speaker starts his speech with an apology for his insecurity or God knows what else. Please don’t do that. For one thing, the audience usually doesn’t notice it anyway, and for another, it immediately takes something away from your first impression. You might get sympathy for it, but in the rarest cases you will get the attention for your speech.

One of the most important tips I once received was that your audience wants you to win . That’s right, you read that correctly. Your audience wants you to be good. No one sits in the audience hoping for a boring speaker to come on now. Your audience wants you to do your job well. If you feel anxiety on the way to the stage, keep reading.

The way to the stage and the first seconds

The key to a perfect introduction lies not only in the preparation for your speech, but also in the emotional preparation in the moments before public speaking. Especially if you are nervous or even feel speech anxiety , it is even more important that you, to present convincingly, are in an ideal state.

Take a deep breath just before your performance, send positive emotions to your audience and off you go. Many speakers also like to take index cards with their notes to be prepared in case of an emergency. The phrase for the introduction as well as for the conclusion I would always write in full. For the main points, keywords are enough here.

When you finally arrive on stage, at first be aware of your audience . Before you begin, start with eye contact and confident body language to radiate stage presence . Only then, when you feel the attention of your audience, you start to talk. This confidence will automatically boost your credibility.

Bonus tip: if you’re unsure about your voice, a little voice training will help.

The ideal start for your virtual speech

Of course, the principles for your ideal start also apply at virtual events. So if you hold a webinar or a virtual presentation or are on stage at a hybrid event , nothing will change in the structure of your preparation. The main point in the virtual space is that you have to speak in front of the camera and this should be practiced. The specific elements of structuring your presentation stay the same.

Ask Ronny to coach you for your next performance

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Feeling ready for your next speech?

In this article you have learned how to start your speech in an ideal way. Do you already have an idea which structure you like best? Remember that you always start with your outcome and your audience before you create a thread for your presentation.

The tone makes the music. Former American writer Maya Angelou summed it up this way: “Your audience won’t remember exactly what you said, but they’ll always remember how it made them feel.” Whatever the occasion, take your audience on an emotional journey.

If you feel that you still need help for your next speech or keynote , feel free to contact me  or just write me an e-mail ! Together many things are easier.

Which introduction appeals to you the most? Which start to a speech have you learned about here and would like to try out for your next performance? Please leave a comment below and share this article with someone who you think will profit from it. All the best for your next speeches.

There is no second chance for a first impression . The first impression is created in the first few seconds of perception and is crucial to whether your audience perceives you as likeable or unlikeable. If you mess up the first impression, the next few minutes will be a steep uphill climb to get the audience back on your side.

First, take three deep breaths and consciously put a smile on your face. Stand up straight, shoulders back, head up and visualize your audience and your goal. The important thing here is to move as quickly as possible from an internal focus (thinking about you) to an external focus (thinking about your audience). Imagine how your audience will benefit from your speech. For even more tips, I recommend you read my blog post Persuasive presentations: 3 Steps to Your Ideal State in Front of an Audience.

Ideally, you were introduced by a presenter who has also given some interesting background information about you to the audience. However, it always makes sense to leave nothing to chance here and, on the one hand, to discuss your introduction with the presenter upfront and, on the other hand, to include the most important points in your speech. I would always start with an introduction into the topic to get the audience interested and then introduce myself. The best way to find the right introduction is to read this article.

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One last jameis winston pre-game speech before the start of the regular season, share this article.

Backup quarterback Jameis Winston led the Cleveland Browns’ final pregame speech of the preseason as they take on the Seattle Seahawks. Winston is well known for his pregame speeches and the humorous turns they take. They are incredibly entertaining for fans, and hopefully, somewhat motivational for the players. 

Winston is starting against the Seattle Seahawks after Deshaun Watson was listed as a late scratch. 

another golden @Jaboowins pre-game speech that we'll remember for a long time 😄 https://t.co/VUaCqvGbAw pic.twitter.com/emK3ULaIBx — Cleveland Browns (@Browns) August 25, 2024

The players huddled next to Winston to hear his pregame message , many for the last time. Winston emphasized the finality of the preseason, reminding the players the preseason game against the Seahawks could be the last time the players wear a uniform and play for each other. Winston told the team he wanted to leave Seattle with a win. Thankfully, Winston didn’t try eating his fingers to prove the point

Winston has been a fantastic addition to the Cleveland Browns this offseason. The quarterback is dedicated to supporting Watson and the rest of the team. His personality has greatly improved the morale of the team.

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Biden begins long goodbye to half century in politics as he rallies Democrats around Harris in rousing speech

President revisits campaign themes and accomplishments in a historic moment that bridges family and political legacies, article bookmarked.

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President Joe Biden was supposed to have spent the evening watching the start of a convention built around propelling him to four more years in the White House.

Instead, he was on stage delivering an emotional address as an animated crowd inside Chicago ’s United Center poured out their gratitude at his decision to stand aside and pass the torch to Kamala Harris .

In remarks that revisited many of his campaign themes, and as Harris looked on from a box alongside running mate Tim Walz , Biden told the Democratic National Convention that despite the threats that inspired his 2020 presidential run, “democracy has prevailed” and “democracy has delivered.”

“And now, democracy must be preserved,” he said.

“Are you ready to vote for freedom?” Biden asked the audience. “Are you ready to vote for democracy and for America? Let me ask you, are you ready to elect Kamala Harris and Tim Walz?”

After an introduction by his daughter Ashley, Biden walked on stage and embraced her to the sounds of Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher” and deafening chants of “Thank you Joe!” He took a tissue from his pocket to wipe his eyes.

“Family is the beginning, the middle, and the end,” he said after praising his daughter and his “rock”, first lady Jill Biden. “And America, I love you.”

His remarks championed his support for labor unions, his major economic and infrastructure-boosting accomplishments, and the democratic advocacy that puts him in stark contrast to Donald Trump .

“Because of you, we’ve had one of the most extraordinary four years of progress ever, period,” he said. “And when I say ‘we,’ I mean Kamala and me.”

Biden raged at his Republican rival for his efforts to tank bipartisan legislation for US-Mexico border security, and for his false claims surrounding the 2020 election, which fueled political violence.

“You cannot say you love your country only when you win,” he said.

According to a source familiar with Biden’s plans, his remarks were crafted over the last week with the aid of Mike Donilon, his longtime aide and former White House counselor, as well as other close confidants.

In her remarks, first lady Jill Biden praised her husband of nearly 50 years. “Joe knows that our nation’s strength doesn’t come from intimidation,” she said. “It comes from the small acts of kindness that heal deep wounds, from service to the communities that make us who we are ... Kamala Harris knows that, too.”

Biden is not expected to attend any of the remaining three days of convention activities. Instead, he is set to travel to Santa Ynez, California, where he and his family will remain for a summer vacation.

It’s a remarkable exit from the stage for Biden, who has directed his White House staff to devote the remaining five months of his term — the home stretch of a full half-century in public life — to focus on completing his administration’s work and burnishing his legacy.

Two months ago, Biden appeared to be coasting towards his party’s nomination as an incumbent president who’d won every single primary contest save one, with the support of nearly all of the delegates who’d select the Democratic Party’s standard-bearer.

But after a month of pressure from the highest ranks of his party — and after reviewing polling data that showed that Harris could mount a credible campaign against the man Biden defeated four years ago — he made the decision to stand down days after the Republican convention wrapped last month.

While Trump has spent the weeks since that day suggesting that Biden is so angry about having to step aside that he would try to reclaim the nomination — something that would be impossible under both Democratic Party rules and numerous state laws governing ballot access — the president hasn’t displayed so much as a hint of anger over the situation.

He told convention-goers that serving as president had been the “honor of a lifetime” for him.

“I love this job, but I love my country more,” he said, before flatly denying any hard feelings over his ouster.

“All this talk about how I’m angry at all those people who said I should step down — that’s not true,” he said.

Harris and Walz, he added, would “continue to lead America forward, creating more jobs, standing up for workers, growing the economy,” and would “lower the cost to American families so they just have a little more breathing room.”

“We made incredible progress. We have more work to do, and Kamala and Tim will continue to take on corporate greed and bring down the cost of food. They’ll keep taking on big pharma, making insulin $35 a month, not just for seniors but for everyone in America,” he said.

Recalling the Oval Office address he delivered after announcing that he was standing aside, Biden reminded the crowd that their votes “will determine whether democracy and freedom will prevail.”

“It’s that simple, it’s that serious, and the power is literally in your hands. History is in your hands,” he said.

His voice growing emotional as he brought his remarks to a close, Biden said that the country he has led for the last four years “is, and always has been, a nation of possibilities.”

“Kamala and Tim understand that this nation must continue to be a place of possibilities, not just for the few of us but for all of us. Join me in promising your whole heart to this effort,” he said, adding that he would be “the best volunteer” the Harris-Walz campaign would ever see.

“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you for 50 years,” he said. “Like many of you, I gave my heart and soul to our nation, and I’ve been blessed a million times in return with the support of the American people ... I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you.”

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