{"id":64363,"date":"2022-04-19T09:27:00","date_gmt":"2022-04-19T13:27:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=64363"},"modified":"2026-01-22T14:55:28","modified_gmt":"2026-01-22T18:55:28","slug":"opening-a-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/opening-a-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"Opening a Speech: Make an Impact From the Get-Go"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What’s the best way to open a speech? What can you do or say to grab your audience’s attention<\/a> from the very beginning? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Chris Anderson, the author of TED Talks<\/em>, you only have about 60 seconds to keep your audience\u2019s attention once you begin your speech. If you fail to engage them from the get-go, they’ll listen half-heartedly for the rest of the talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s Anderson\u2019s advice for opening a speech.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

How to Open a Public Speech<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your speech opening sets the tone for the rest of the talk, so even if you choose not to script your speech, you should carefully plan how you’ll open.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are three ways you can grab your audience from the opening of your speech: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1) Say something dramatic: <\/strong>Anderson says you can never go wrong with a powerful opening line\u2014or at the very least, a powerful line within your first paragraph. Don\u2019t think of your speech as having to be sequential. He recommends you take the heart of what you\u2019re going to talk about and come up with one statement to use as a teaser to the audience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: The opposite of saying something dramatic is to say something humorous\u2014something that many TED speakers do to open their speeches. The most famous TED talk of all time is by Sir Ken Robinson, and he makes his audience laugh<\/a> 10 seconds into his speech, \u201cDo schools kill creativity?\u201d)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2) Show a fascinating image (or object): <\/strong>Sometimes, the best way to get an audience\u2019s attention is to show them something stunning, confusing (in an intriguing way), or hilarious. Once you delight the audience, you have their attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform example: About 30 seconds into her TED talk, \u201c10 things you didn\u2019t know about orgasm,\u201d author Mary Roach shows an ultrasound image of a male baby masturbating in the womb<\/a>.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3) Pique their curiosity: <\/strong>Sparking curiosity is the easiest way to grab and hold a listener\u2019s attention. Anderson says you can ask a question explicitly, or you can make a counterintuitive statement. If what you say challenges the audience\u2019s prior knowledge, it will intrigue them even more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform example: Apollo Robbins, said to be the greatest pickpocket in the world, opens his TED talk, \u201cThe art of misdirection<\/a>,\u201d with the question: \u201cDo you think it\u2019s possible to control someone\u2019s attention?\u201d Ironically, by asking this question, he instantly has his audience\u2019s attention.) <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shortform note: Besides getting your audience\u2019s attention, a strong opening should reveal your speech\u2019s purpose<\/a> (the \u201cwhat\u201d), explain why the audience should care (the \u201cso what\u201d), establish your credibility, and preview the major points.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Closing<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Anderson warns that a spectacular talk can be ruined by a bad ending. The way a talk ends is the way the audience will remember it<\/strong>. Avoid boring endings, asking for money<\/a>, or alluding that there was more you couldn\u2019t get to. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Instead, Anderson offers these five strategies for ending your talk on a high note:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Apply what you\u2019ve discussed to a broader situation. <\/strong>For example, \u201cIf this management style can transform Fortune 500 companies, imagine what it could do in the White House.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Declare a personal mission<\/a>. <\/strong>End your speech<\/a> by making a proclamation about how you<\/em> are going to use this knowledge to improve the world<\/a>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Leave them with a dream. <\/strong>Paint a picture of a better world. Inspire your audience with your dream for the future, but be sure to avoid clich\u00e9s.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Call them to action. <\/strong>Ask your audience to take the information you just gave them and do something with it. For example, \u201cIf we all contact our congressmen, they\u2019ll have to listen.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. End with beautiful language. <\/strong>A poetic statement, song lyric, or eloquent phrase can add a somber and memorable touch.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Anderson says whichever way you choose to end your talk, a short and simple \u201cthank you\u201d (followed by a pause for applause) before walking offstage is always successful.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    What’s the best way to open a speech? What can you do or say to grab your audience’s attention from the very beginning? According to Chris Anderson, the author of TED Talks, you only have about 60 seconds to keep your audience\u2019s attention once you begin your speech. If you fail to engage them from the get-go, they’ll listen half-heartedly for the rest of the talk. Here’s Anderson\u2019s advice for opening a speech.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":34435,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[602],"class_list":["post-64363","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-communication","tag-ted-talks","","tg-column-two"],"yoast_head":"\nOpening a Speech: Make an Impact From the Get-Go - Shortform Books<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Your opening sets the tone for the rest of the speech. 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