Content

• Steps
• Part 1 of 3: Consider Ideas
• Part 2 of 3: Compose your speech
• Part 3 of 3: Eliminate All Imperfections

The opening speech sets the tone and mood for the entire event, program or conference. Good speech can motivate and connect those present. The speaker has a lot of responsibility, but speaking well can inspire and awaken listeners. If you need to write a good opening speech, you first need to understand the purpose and target audience of the speech. This will make it easier for you to write engaging text with good structure. Also, be sure to subtract your speech for impeccable style and clarity.

Steps

Part 1 of 3: Consider Ideas

1. 1 Define a goal and purpose. Think: “Why am I going to give this speech?”, “What do I want to convey to the audience?”. Often, the main purpose of an opening speech is to review or review the main topic of an event, program or conference. Perhaps you would like to share knowledge on this topic.
   • If you have a main theme for your event, you can use it as a goal or source of inspiration. For example, the topic “Social responsibility” allows you to explore your own experience of social responsibility on a personal and professional level.
2. 2 Determine the interests of your audience. Think: "To whom am I speaking?", "Who is my speech intended for?" Consider the age range, social status and level of knowledge of the listeners. Compose your speech with these facts in mind.
   • For example, if your listeners are advocates of social responsibility in their 20s and 30s, the speech can be light, casual, replete with special terms that will be understandable to those present.
3. 3 Make up to three key points. A good opening speech includes at least one or two key points or points that will be of interest to the audience. Write one to three key points to reveal the main purpose of the speech. So, you can use ideas or terms that you want to go through in detail.
   • For example, a speech on social responsibility might focus on three main points: history, current status, and the future of social responsibility.
4. 4 Check out the examples. Find good examples of your introductory speech online to better capture the style, tone, and language of the text. Find lists of the best opening speeches or visit dedicated public speaking sites.
   • Find examples using search engines or watch videos on YouTube.

Part 2 of 3: Compose your speech

1. 1 Start with a fascinating story. One of the best ways to grab the attention of those in attendance is to tell a short, engaging story. Use events from personal experience in this area. Current events can be the source of a plot related to the purpose of your speech. You can use a bulleted list to highlight key points in just a few sentences.
   • For example, if your talk is about diversity in school, talk about how you were a leader in a multi-ethnic class.
   • You can watch the news and find material about a student from another country who spoke about the difficulties during his studies (it is advisable to choose news that relate to your region or country).
2. 2 Start with an interesting fact. Consider another interesting and engaging start to your speech. Pick a little-known and unexpected fact. Use facts that are relevant to the purpose of your speech, from your own research or from reliable sources.
   • For example, if you want to consider social responsibility in a corporate environment, first tell them that customers often choose brands that are known to be socially responsible.
3. 3 State the purpose of your speech. At the beginning of your speech, you should state your purpose briefly and clearly. For example, you can state a goal immediately after an introductory story or fact. Say “Today I would like to discuss with you…” or “Today I want to tell…”.
   • For example, formulate a goal like this: “Today we will discuss with you social responsibility, which is the topic of this conference and my professional activity.”
4. 4 Use humor to add ease. Humor is a great tool when working on speech. Jokes help keep the audience interested and make your speech memorable. You can use humor and a casual tone of speech, but strive to balance the fun and the serious aspects of the topic you choose.
   • For example, think of a funny self-deprecating insert: “I haven't always been the best teacher. Sometimes they called me a merry fellow, and sometimes they called me angry and strict, but not always the best. "
5. 5 Repeat key terms and words. Repetitions are a great way to convey ideas and remind key points of a speech. Revisit key terms over and over again to keep your audience on track. Go back to the thought previously voiced and remind the audience of the purpose of your speech.
   • For example, you can highlight the terms "unity", "interaction" and "public consciousness" in your speech with the help of repeated repetitions. Use these words at the beginning and in the middle of your speech.
6. 6 Use your own style. You don't need to use a strict formal style, especially if you find it difficult and awkward. Imagine that you are talking to a colleague or friend. Use your everyday language and stick to your own style. Only in this way will your words interest the audience and sound convincing.
   • For example, use a funny proverb that you often tell students in class. The fewer official phrases and terms, the closer your style will be to colloquial speech.
7. 7 End your speech with a call to action. Finally, motivate participants to take action: to think about an idea they have not yet considered, or to pay more attention to a group of people with special needs. The call to action at the end of your speech will be a clear expression of your main point.
   • For example, the call may relate to a story or a fact that you mentioned at the very beginning of your speech: “I ask you to become vulnerable, like my student, who extended a helping hand to a fellow student. Start helping people if they need your help. ”

Part 3 of 3: Eliminate All Imperfections

1. 1 Read the speech aloud. When the draft is ready, read the speech out loud to yourself or in front of others. Pay attention to the fluency of your phrases. Notice harsh language. Make adjustments to make speech sound natural.
   • As you read the speech aloud, pay attention to the words you want to skip. They can be removed to make speech flow smooth.
   • Read the speech to acquaintances and get their opinion. Find out which parts of speech were boring or difficult to understand. Consider constructive comments and improve your speech.
2. 2 Correct the mistakes. Make sure there are no spelling, grammatical or punctuation errors in the text.Read the speech backwards to check each word. You can then mark any punctuation marks and make sure they are appropriate.
   • Correct punctuation is important as the speech will need to be read aloud. It is the punctuation marks that tell you when to pause and catch your breath. Often commas signal short pauses, and after a period you can catch your breath.
3. 3 Check the clarity of the phrases and the number of words. It is important to make sure that each paragraph is clear to the listener. Brevity is often better than verbosity, so revisit overloaded phrases and add more conciseness. Remove unnecessary words or terms.
   • If the speech has a specific time frame, then make sure that you can meet the allotted time.