| If you have ever been asked to introduce | | | | Give the audience an indication as to why this |
| someone to a large group you know how | | | | speaker was chosen to present the particular |
| nerve-wracking it can be trying to come up with | | | | topic. If your audience is a group of parents of |
| the right things to say. The purpose of the | | | | teenagers, your speaker may be an educator, a |
| introduction is to highlight the speaker and explain | | | | psychologist, or a parent who has raised |
| who he or she is, what they will be speaking | | | | teenagers. Bring out the reasons why this |
| about and why he or she is addressing this | | | | speaker is qualified to speak on the subject. |
| particular topic. | | | | Perhaps he or she served time in a detention |
| This past week I served as Toastmaster | | | | center as a teenager and has inside information to |
| (emcee) of our club meeting. I am working | | | | share with parents who have troubled teens. |
| toward my Advanced Toastmaster Gold Award | | | | How? |
| and one of the projects in the "Specialty | | | | Organize your introduction as you would any |
| Speeches" manual requires me to introduce the | | | | other speech. Have a good opening that makes |
| speaker for the meeting. Here are some things I | | | | people laugh, or sit up and take notice. Ask a |
| learned about introducing a speaker. | | | | question or call for a show of hands in response |
| Who? | | | | to a scenario you pose. Make it correspond to the |
| Telling who the speaker is requires more than | | | | topic the speaker will present. Then, have a body |
| reading a list of facts about his or her education | | | | with two or three points that cover the "who, |
| and accomplishments. If the speaker is | | | | what and why" questions above. When you have |
| well-known, that list may be very long and boring. | | | | given the introduction, wrap it up by summarizing |
| Highlight the items you feel is most interesting and | | | | in one sentence such as, "Ladies and gentlemen, |
| has the most association with the topic the | | | | here's a lady who has been there and done that |
| speaker will present, then expand on a couple of | | | | and is here to tell us why we shouldn't, please |
| events in the speaker's career that the audience | | | | help me welcome Mrs. Edwina Smith." You should |
| may most appreciate. Give a personal story | | | | start the applause and allow the audience to |
| about some charity work the speaker has done in | | | | follow your cue. Stay at the lectern until the |
| the community or give a funny anecdote about | | | | speaker arrives, then shake her or his hand and |
| him or her that helps the audience feel like they | | | | step away. |
| already know the speaker. | | | | Your introduction should be entertaining and |
| What? | | | | informational. If you have done your job well, the |
| You should know in advance the topic the | | | | speaker will probably acknowledge your |
| speaker will talk about. You don't want to give | | | | comments before he or she begins to speak. The |
| away the entire speech but do touch on the | | | | audience will be ready to listen and receptive to |
| relevance that this topic has to the audience. This | | | | the speaker. Just for the heck of it, when you |
| will peak their curiosity and gain their interest. If | | | | are alone try introducing someone you know well. |
| you have read or heard a quote by the speaker | | | | This will give you a better idea of how to put |
| that is relevant to the audience, use it to get their | | | | these tips into practice. Who knows when you |
| attention. For example, "Today's speaker once | | | | might be asked on the spur of the moment to |
| said, 'I'm not sure if it is the music or the guests | | | | introduce a speaker? When it happens, don't panic. |
| that keeps people listening to my show, but at | | | | Just take a deep breath and think, "Who, What, |
| least they do come back for more!'" | | | | Why and How. |
| Why? | | | | |