Greetings Next week, try to greet everyone you meet in class, in the office, or just on the street. Smile and say, “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it?” or “Have you ever seen so much snow?” etc. Most of us are not used to this, and,

Greeting: Firm Handshake A handshake is key to authority because it communicates how calm and confident you are. Below are some tips. Before using them in critical work situations,

15. Protracted greeting Secrets of birth first hand Labor pains, Pitocin - yes, yes, we all know that the process of childbirth gave you a couple of unpleasant minutes. But have you ever thought about how the longest swim in his short life affected the baby? Maybe,

Audience Thoughts Read the Audience's Thoughts Your audience is thinking throughout your speech, even if you don't hear a word from them. If you want your speech to have an effect, then you must control not only what the audience sees and hears, but also what is said.

Read the Audience's Mind Your audience is thinking throughout your speech, even if you don't hear a word from them. If you want your speech to have an effect, then you must control not only what the audience sees and hears, but also what they think about. Thoughts

Audience Thoughts Tell your audience what they're thinking by saying, “You're probably asking yourself,” “You're probably thinking,” or “If you asked me...” Convey the audience's thoughts in the form of dialogue. This strengthens the bond and brings humor. If you're telling

Assessing the Audience Giving an effective presentation requires the ability to assess the audience. The two most important factors related to communication and relationship issues are the attitude of the listeners and their internal state. They are the ones who determine how

I once asked Dr. Lynn Harold Howe, former president of Northwestern University, what he considered most important for a speaker based on his many years of experience in the field. After a moment's reflection, he replied: "An exciting start that will immediately attract attention." He planned in advance, almost to the last word, everything with which he was to begin and end his speech. John Bright, Gladstone, Webster, and Lincoln did the same. In fact, every speaker with common sense and experience does exactly the same thing.

What about a beginner? Rarely. Planning takes time, requires mental effort and willpower. Brain work is a painful process.

On the walls of his workshops, Thomas Edison affixed plaques with the following statement from Sir Joshua Reynolds: “There is no trick that man does not resort to to avoid the real difficulties associated with the process of thinking.”

A beginner usually hopes for inspiration of the moment, and as a result it turns out that he has to walk along a road with many holes and potholes.

The late Lord Northcliffe, who rose from a miserable clerk to become the richest and most powerful newspaper owner in the British Empire, said that the following three words from Pascal helped him achieve more success than anything else he ever read:

"To foresee is to manage."

When you are planning your speech, this great motto should be on your desk. Try to anticipate where you will begin when your mind is fresh so that you are aware of every word you speak. Try to anticipate the impression you will eventually leave when nothing can erase it.

Since the time of Aristotle, books on this topic have divided speech into three parts: introduction, speech itself and conclusion. Until the relatively recent past, the leisurely introduction - and this could be afforded - often resembled a ride in a convertible. In this case, the speaker reported the news and at the same time entertained the listeners. A hundred years ago, he often filled the gap in society that is now filled by newspapers, magazines, radio, television, telephone, and cinema.

However, the situation has changed radically. The world has been rebuilt.

Inventions in the last hundred years have accelerated life more than has been done at any time since Belshazzar and Nebuchadnezzar. Thanks to cars, airplanes, radio, television, we move at an ever-increasing speed, and the speaker must keep up with this impatient pace of time. If you are going to start with an introduction, then trust me, it should be as short as the poster. This is what would appeal to the average modern audience: "Do you have something to say? Okay. Just let's quickly and as little embellishment as possible. No rhetoric! Tell us the facts quickly and take your seat."

When Woodrow Wilson spoke to Congress on this the most important issue, as an ultimatum on submarine warfare, he announced the topic of his speech and focused the attention of his audience on this issue with only the following words: “A situation has arisen in the foreign policy of our country that it is my direct duty to sincerely tell you about it.”

When Charles Schwab spoke to the Pennsylvania Society in New York, he immediately got to the heart of the matter in the second sentence: “The main question in the minds of American citizens at the present time is the following question: how should we understand the existing decline in business activity and what awaits us in the future? Personally, I'm optimistic..."

The commercial director of the National Cash Register company addressed his employees as follows in one of his speeches. The introduction to his speech was only three sentences, and they were easy to listen to, full of energy and perspective: “Those of you who receive orders are supposed to make sure that there is smoke coming out of the chimney of our factory. Quantity the smoke released from our chimney during the last two summer months was not sufficient to obscure the surrounding scenery to any significant extent.

Now that the hard days are behind us and the business recovery season has begun, we make a short but decisive request: we want more smoke."

Do inexperienced speakers usually achieve such commendable speed and brevity in the introduction to their speeches? Most inexperienced and unskilled speakers begin their presentations in one of two bad ways. Let's discuss them.

Beware of telling a so-called funny story at the beginning of your speech.

For some unfortunate reason, the novice speaker often assumes that he must be witty. By its nature it can be as serious as an encyclopedia, completely devoid of any sense of humor. Nevertheless, the moment he begins to perform, he imagines that the spirit of Mark Twain has descended upon him. Therefore, he tends to start his speech with a funny story, especially if he speaks after a dinner party. What happens? You can bet twenty to one that the story and style of presentation of this latter-day storyteller will be as difficult as a dictionary.

His story will probably not be successful. In the immortal words of the immortal Hamlet, he will turn out to be “insignificant, flat and stupid.”

If the narrator makes several such misfires in front of listeners who have paid for their seats, they will start shushing him, and unflattering exclamations will be heard in the hall. However, listeners usually have sympathy for the speaker, and therefore, for purely philanthropic reasons, they will do their best to giggle a few times, although in the depths of their hearts they will feel sorry for the failed humorist for his failure! They themselves will feel out of place. Have you ever seen this kind of fiasco?

There is nothing more complex and rarer in all the difficult art of oratory than the ability to make listeners laugh. Humor is a spontaneous thing, connected with individuality, personality.

Remember, the story itself is rarely funny. It all depends on how you tell it. Out of a hundred people, ninety-nine will fail miserably by telling the same stories that made Mark Twain famous. Read the stories that Lincoln repeated in the taverns of the Eighth Judicial District of Illinois, the stories that people came from many miles to hear, the stories that they listened to until the morning and which, according to an eyewitness, sometimes made listeners laugh loudly and fall from their chairs. Read these stories out loud to your family and see if they make you smile. Here is one of the stories that brought Lincoln tremendous success. Why don't you try telling it? Just do this, please, without strangers, not in front of an audience: “One day, a belated traveler, trying to get home along the muddy roads of Illinois, was caught in a thunderstorm. The night was black as ink. The rain poured down with such force, as if a dam had broken in the sky. Lightning tore through the angry clouds like dynamite. Continuous flashes illuminated the falling trees around. The roar deafened the traveler. Finally, a clap of thunder, which was more terrible and terrible than anything this helpless man had ever heard in his life, brought him to his knees Usually he never prayed, but now, gasping for breath, he began to cry: “Oh my God, I beg you, send more light and less noise.”

You may be one of the people blessed with the rare gift of humor. If so, then cultivate this gift in yourself by all means.

You will be greeted three times warmer wherever you perform. But if your talent lies in other areas, then it will be reckless and even, one might say, state crime It's your part to try to take on the mantle of Chauncey M. Depew.

If you ever read his speeches, Lincoln's speeches, or Job Hedges's, you will probably be surprised that they told their listeners very few stories, especially at the beginning of the speech. Edwin James Cathell told me that he never told funny stories just for laughs. Such stories should be appropriate and illustrate some stated position. Humor should be the icing on the cake, the chocolate between the layers of the cake, not the cake itself. Strickland Gillilan, one of the best humorous lecturers in the United States, made it a rule never to tell any stories within the first three minutes of his speech. If he considered it suitable for himself, then I think that both you and I can follow his example.

Should the beginning of the performance then be ponderous, elephantine and extremely solemn? In no case.

Create humor, if you can, by referring to local characteristics related to the situation or to remarks made by previous speakers. Note any inconsistencies. Exaggerate it. These kinds of jokes will bring you success forty times faster than outdated jokes about Pat and Mike, about your mother-in-law, or about a goat.

Perhaps the easiest way to create a cheerful mood is to make a joke at your own expense. Talk about yourself and how you found yourself in some funny or predicament, and this will immediately provide a humorous atmosphere. Eskimos even laugh at a man who breaks his leg. The Chinese are giggling over a dog that fell from a second-story window and died. We're a little more kind, but don't we smile if someone tries to catch their hat or slips on a banana peel?

Almost anyone can make people laugh by juxtaposing incomparables, as one journalist did in a statement when he wrote that he “hates children, tripe and Democrats.”

Look how cleverly Rudyard Kipling managed to make his audience laugh at the beginning of one of his political speeches in England. He did not tell ready-made jokes, but shared his own own experience and cheerfully compared the incomparable:

"Dear Lords, Ladies and Gentlemen, When I was a young man in India, I used to cover criminal cases for the newspaper for which I served. It was interesting job, since she introduced me to counterfeiters, embezzlers, murderers and other enterprising “athletes” of this kind. (Laughter). Sometimes, after I wrote a report from the courtroom, I would visit my friends in prison who were serving sentences there. (Laughter). I remember one man who was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder. He was a smart, articulate guy, and he told me what he called his life story. He said: “Believe me - if a person has taken the dishonest path, then one action leads to another until he finds himself in such a position that he needs to remove someone from his path in order to get back on the right path ". (Laughter). This is what determines the current position of the Cabinet of Ministers. (Laughter. Cheers.)"

In the same way, William Howard Taft managed to bring some humor to the annual banquet of the executives of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. The most remarkable thing is this: he joked and at the same time gave the audience a graceful compliment:

“Mr. President, gentlemen, employees of the Metropolitan Life Insurance company!

I visited my native place about nine months ago, and heard a gentleman speak with emotion at a banquet there. He said that he had previously consulted with a friend of his who had enormous experience in making banquet speeches, and this friend told him that the best audience for this kind of speech was an intelligent, well-educated, but drunk audience. (Laughter and applause.) Today I have to say that as a banquet speaker, your audience is one of the best I have ever seen. True, you lack the element mentioned in the previous phrase (applause), but I think the spirit of the Metropolitan Life Insurance company compensates for it.

(Prolonged applause.)"

Don't start with an apology

The second biggest mistake that a beginner usually makes at the beginning of a speech is that he makes an apology: “I’m not a speaker... I didn’t prepare for the speech... I have nothing to say...”

In no case! In no case! One of Kipling's poems begins with the words: "There is no point in moving on." This is exactly the feeling that listeners get when a speaker begins his speech in this way.

Either way, if you're not prepared, some of us will notice without your help. Others won't notice. Why draw their attention to this? Why insult your listeners by instilling in them the idea that you have not thought it necessary to prepare and that any old dish that happens to be on your stove will do for feeding them? No way! We don't want to listen to your apologies. We came here to be informed and interested, interested, remember this.

The very second you appeared in front of the audience, they naturally and inevitably gave you their attention. It's not hard to keep it for the next five seconds, but it's not hard to keep it for the next five minutes. If you lose it, it will be doubly difficult for you to get it back. Therefore, start your speech with some interesting message already in the very first sentence. Not in the second and not in the third, but in the first, FIRST!

"How to do it?" - you ask. I admit that this is not easy.

In trying to collect material for this purpose, we must follow various circuitous and winding paths, for so much depends on you, your listeners, the topic, the material collected, the situation, etc. However, we hope that you will find the recommendations discussed and illustrated in the remainder of this chapter to be of some benefit and value.

Arouse curiosity

This is how Howell Healy began his performance at Penn Athletics in Philadelphia. Do you like it, does it immediately attract your attention?

“Eighty-two years ago, about this time of year, a little book was published in London, which was destined to become immortal. Many called it “the greatest little book in the world.” When it first appeared, friends who met in the Strand or Pall -Mall, they asked each other: have you read it? And the answer was always: “Yes, I have read it, God bless him.”

The day the book was published, a thousand copies were sold. Within two weeks, demand reached fifteen thousand. Since then, the book has gone through countless editions. Some years ago J. P. Morgan purchased the manuscript of this book for a fabulous sum, and it is now preserved among his other priceless possessions in that delightful art gallery in New York, which he calls his library.

What kind of world famous book is this? "A Christmas Carol"

Dickens..."

Do you consider this start a success? Did it attract your attention, did it increase your interest as the story progressed? Why? Was it because the story piqued your curiosity and kept you on the edge of your seat?

Curiosity! Who is not subject to it?

I saw birds in the forest that flew around for an hour, watching me out of pure curiosity. I know a hunter in the Alps who lured chamois by throwing a sheet over him and crawling back and forth, thereby arousing the curiosity of the animals. Dogs, cats, all types of animals, including the famous genus homo, have curiosity. .

Therefore, arouse the curiosity of your listeners from the very first phrase, and they will listen to you with interest.

One writer used to begin his lecture on Colonel Thomas Lawrence and his adventures in Arabia as follows:

"Lloyd George says that he considers Colonel Lawrence one of the most romantic and colorful personalities of our time."

This start has two advantages. Quote from sayings famous person, firstly, always attracts a lot of attention.

Secondly, it arouses curiosity. “Why romantic and why colorful?” a natural question arises. “I’ve never heard of him before... What did he do?”

Lowell Thomas began his lecture on Colonel Thomas Lawrence as follows:

“One day I was walking along Christian Street in Jerusalem and met a man dressed in the luxurious clothes of an Eastern ruler. At his side hung a crooked golden saber, which is worn only by the descendants of the Prophet Mohammed. However, this man did not look at all like an Arab. He had blue eyes, and Arabs' eyes are always black or brown."

Such a beginning attracts your attention, doesn’t it? You want to hear more. Who was he? Why did he dress like an Arab? What was he doing? What happened to him?

One lecturer who began his talk with the question "Did you know that slavery exists in seventeen countries modern world?”, not only aroused curiosity, but also amazed the listeners: “Slavery? In our time? In seventeen countries? Doesn't sound believable. In which states? Where are they located?"

It is often possible to arouse the audience's curiosity by starting with the effect and making the listeners feel a strong desire to hear the cause.

For example, one of my listeners began his speech with the following statement:

“Recently a member of one of our legislatures came forward and proposed a law prohibiting tadpoles from turning into frogs within two miles of any school building.”

You are smiling. Is the speaker joking? What nonsense. Did this really happen? ...Yes. The speaker explains how this happened.

"Are gangsters really organized? As a rule, yes. How?.."

You see that in these few words, the author of the article has communicated the topic, told you something about it, and piqued your curiosity about how gangsters are organized. This is very commendable. Every person who wants to speak publicly must learn the techniques that journalists use to immediately grab the reader's attention. From them you will learn much more about how to begin a speech than by studying a collection of printed speeches.

Why not start with a story?

We especially like it when the speaker talks about his personal experiences. Russell E. Conwell gave his lecture "Acres of Diamonds" more than six thousand times and received millions for it. How does this extremely popular lecture begin?

"In 1870 we sailed down the Tigris River. We hired a guide to show us Persepolis, Nineveh and Babylon..."

And he begins to tell the story. This is what attracts attention. This beginning is almost unmistakable. It is unlikely to fail. Events are developing. Gain dynamism. We follow them. We want to know what happens next.

The following are opening sentences taken from two stories that appeared in an issue of the Saturday Evening Post.

1. The sharp crack of a revolver shot broke the silence.

2. An incident, trivial in itself, but not at all trivial in its possible consequences, occurred in the first week of July at the Montview Hotel in Denver. It aroused such curiosity from Goebel, the manager, that he told Steve Faraday, owner of the Montview Hotel and half a dozen other hotels, about it when Steve arrived a few days later, following his desire to conduct another inspection in midsummer.

Notice that these sentences are full of action. They are starting something.

Even an inexperienced beginner can usually get off to a good start if he uses this storytelling technique and arouses the audience's curiosity.

Start with a specific illustration

It is difficult, very difficult for the average audience to listen to abstract statements for any length of time. It is easier, and much easier, to listen to illustrations. Why not start with one of them? It's hard to get speakers to do this. I know. I've already tried. They feel like they need to make some general statements first. Nothing like this.

Begin your presentation with an illustration, generate interest, and then continue with your general remarks. If you need an example of such a method, then please look at the beginning of chapter six.

What method was used at the beginning of this chapter you are reading now?

Use some item

Perhaps the most easy way in the world, to attract attention is to hold something in your hands so that listeners can look at this object. Even savages and weak-minded people, babies in cradle and monkeys in a store window, as well as dogs on the street will pay attention to such a stimulus. Sometimes it can be used successfully even in front of the most respected audience. For example, S. S. Ellis of Philadelphia began one of his speeches by holding a coin high above his head between his index finger and thumb. Naturally, all the listeners began to look at her. Then he asked: “Has anyone here ever found such a coin on the sidewalk? Everything suggests that the lucky one who finds it will receive many benefits in the form of real estate. He only has to come and present this coin...” Then Ellis began expose illegal and unethical activities.

Ask a question

In the beginning used by Ellis there is one more positive quality. His speeches begin with a question that forces the audience to think with the speaker and cooperate with him. Notice that the Saturday Evening Post article on gangsters begins with two questions in the first three sentences: "Are gangsters really organized?... How?" Using such a key question is indeed one of the simplest and most reliable methods for igniting and entering into the imagination of your listeners. If other methods prove useless, you can always use this method.

Why not start with a quote from a famous person's speech?

The words of some famous person always attract attention, so good quote best for starting a performance. Do you like how the discussion about success in commerce started?

“Society gives us great rewards, both money and honors, for everything except one thing,” says Elbert Hubbard. “And that one thing is initiative. And what is initiative? I will answer you: it is what a person does in a way that necessary, although he was not asked to do so.”

This introduction deserved several words of praise. The first sentence arouses curiosity, it captivates us and we want to know more. If a speaker pauses artfully after saying “Elbert Hubbard,” it creates a sense of anticipation. “Why does society give us big rewards?” - we ask. Tell us quickly. We may not agree with you, but let us know what you think anyway. The second sentence brings us straight to the heart of the matter. The third, which is a question, invites listeners to take part in the discussion, think, and do something. And the listeners love it very much. They really like it! The fourth sentence defines initiative... After this beginning, the speaker gives an example from his own life.

Connect the topic of your speech to the vital interests of your audience

Start with some remark that directly relates to the audience's interests. This is one of the most the best ways start performances. It will definitely attract attention. We are very interested in things that directly and deeply affect us.

It's just common sense, isn't it? However, this method is used extremely rarely. For example, I heard one speaker begin his speech on the need for periodic medical examinations. How did he start his performance? He began it with a story about an institute that dealt with issues of extending human life. He told how this institute is organized and what services it provides. Nonsense! Our listeners do not show the slightest interest in how and where any companies operate. However, they are deeply and eternally interested in themselves.

Why not recognize this important factor? Why not demonstrate how vital this company is to listeners? Why not start with, for example, “Do you know what your life expectancy is, according to tables developed by insurance companies? According to life insurance statisticians, your life expectancy is two-thirds of the time between your current age and eighty years.

For example, if you are now thirty-five years old, then the difference between your current age and eighty years is forty-five. You can expect to live two-thirds of this time, that is, another thirty years... Is this enough? No, no, we all passionately wish to live longer. However, the above tables were compiled from millions of cases. Can you and I expect to refute them? Yes, we can, if we take the necessary precautions, and the very first step in this direction is a thorough medical examination..."

In this case, if we explain in detail why periodic medical examinations are necessary, the listener may be interested in some institution established to provide such services to him. However, starting with a story about such an institution would be a catastrophic mistake!

Let's take another example. I heard one speaker begin his speech about the need to preserve forests. He said something like this:

"We Americans should be proud of our national wealth..."

After such an introduction, he began to argue that we were wasting wood in a shameful manner. However, the beginning was unsuccessful, too general, too vague. He did nothing to make the listeners feel the importance of this issue for themselves. Among the listeners was a printing house worker. Deforestation means something very specific to his work. Among the listeners was a banker.

The destruction of forests will affect him too, as it will affect our general well-being... and so on. So why not begin the speech like this: “The issue I am about to address concerns your business, Mr. Appleby, and yours, Mr. Saul. In fact, it will have some impact on both the cost of food and rent. It affects well-being and prosperity for all of us."

Paul Gibbons, former president of the Optimist Club of Philadelphia, began his speech on crime with the following attention-grabbing statements:

"Americans are the worst criminals in the civilized world. Astounding as this statement may be, it is true. Cleveland, Ohio, has six times as many murders and one hundred and seventy times as many robberies as London, adjusted for population. Each year, significantly more people are robbed or assaulted for robbery in Cleveland than in all of England, Scotland, and Wales combined. Each year, more people are murdered in St. Louis than in all of England and Wales. In New York City There are more murders recorded than in France, Germany, Italy or the British Isles. The sad truth is that the criminal is not punished. If you commit murder, there is less than a one in a hundred chance that you will ever be executed for it. As a civilian, you are ten times more likely to die from cancer than to be hanged if you shoot a person."

How do you like the beginning below, and if you like it, why?

Mary E. Richmond addressed the annual meeting of the League of Women Voters of New York as legislation against child marriage was being prepared:

"Yesterday, as the train I was on passed through a town not far from here, I was reminded of a wedding that took place here several years ago. In view of the fact that many other marriages in this state have been equally hasty and disastrous, like this one, I'm going to start by talking about it today and giving some details about this particular case.

It was December 12th. Fifteen year old student high school I first met a young man at a nearby college who had just come of age. On December 15, that is, just three days later, they obtained a marriage license, swearing that the girl was already eighteen and therefore did not need parental permission. Having left the municipality with this permission, they immediately turned to the priest (the girl was a Catholic), but he quite rightly refused to marry them. Somehow, perhaps through the priest, the girl's mother found out about this attempt to get married. However, before she could find her daughter, the couple was brought together by a magistrate. The groom took his bride and went with her to a hotel, where they spent two days and two nights, after which he abandoned the girl and never returned to her."

Personally, I really like this start. The very first sentence is good. It suggests interesting memories, and we want to hear the details. We start listening interesting story human life. Plus, it seems very plausible. It does not have an academic flavor, it is not told for the sake of formality, it is not far-fetched... “Yesterday, when the train I was on passed through a city not far from here, I remembered a wedding that took place here several years ago.” It sounds natural, relaxed, human. It seems that one person is telling another an interesting story. Any audience likes this. However, it is likely that listeners would not like something that seemed too carefully prepared, with a premeditated intention. We love art that hides art.

Only very few people - very, very, very few - can successfully tell a funny joke. Typically, such an attempt confuses the audience instead of pleasing them. Stories should be relevant and not just for the sake of telling them. Humor should be the icing on the cake, not the cake itself... Never apologize as it usually insults your listeners and irritates them. Say exactly what you're going to say, say it quickly, and sit back in your seat.

4. A speaker can capture the attention of his audience. in the following ways: a) arousing the curiosity of the listeners (as in the case of Dickens's book "A Christmas Carol"); b) telling an interesting story in a human way (as, for example, in the lecture “Acres of Diamonds”); c) starting with a specific illustration (see the beginning of Chapter Six of this book); d) using any object (for example, a coin, which gives the finder the right to land plot); e) asking a question (for example: “Have any of you found such a coin on the sidewalk?”); f) starting with some amazing quote (as, for example, Elbert Hubbard did in his speech on the value of initiative); g) By showing that the topic of the speech is related to the vital interests of the audience (for example, by stating: “...your life expectancy is two-thirds of the time between your present age and eighty years. You can extend your life by periodically undergoing thorough medical examinations ", etc.); h) starting with startling facts (for example, with the statement that “Americans are the worst criminals in the civilized world”).

5. Don't start your speech too formally. Don't show that you prepared it too carefully. It should look free, unintentional, natural. This can be achieved by talking about what just happened or what was just said (for example: “Yesterday, when the train I was on passed through a town not far from here, I remembered...”) .

A good start is always half the battle in public speaking. How to start so that we continue to be listened to and heard? We'll share some secrets oratory to start.

First, let's decide what the speaker should do at the beginning of the speech. It’s simple: to win the listener’s attention, to make the audience trust, and of course to arouse interest in the topic. These are the main tasks. You ask: “Well, how to do this?”

Several basic techniques work for attention. You can choose one, you can combine techniques.

Pause. It really helps the speaker get ready before speaking. That is, you do not immediately run from the spot, but carefully, measuredly, start. When the audience stops making noise, stops moving, and looks at the speaker, then start. Don't let yourself get fussed: calmness at first always commands respect. But the pause should not be too long, as this may be an indicator of the speaker's fear.

Be kind. Don't push, don't force, don't be aggressive at first. This is a mistake that inexperienced speakers often make, and it reveals their anxiety and uncertainty. Start with a friendly greeting, smile and say hello.

Talk about what feel, if you are worried. It's a great technique to simply say, "Hi, I'm a little nervous about the show." It helps to be close to the audience, to show that you are not above them, but with them, you are also a person. You will be forgiven for roughness, and you will also remove tension. By the way, for a relaxed atmosphere it will always be advantageous self-irony. For example: “Gentlemen, I can be very absent-minded. So distracted that I can forget where my glasses are, considering they are on my nose. But I always remember the importance of our meeting today. Let's get started." This shows that you are confident, but not overconfident.

Of course, it is very important to do the right thing greetings. And it’s better to say: “Good afternoon!” than just a banal “Hello!” At the same time, lower your tone and pause after the phrase “Good afternoon,” since raising your tone sounds like a question and shows your uncertainty.

The first phrase should not consist of complex, abstruse and long sentences. Otherwise, the attitude towards you will be “The smartest, or what?” To build trust, speak understandable, familiar the audience things that she will definitely believe in, or they will not annoy her.

It's very good to start with quotes. But not with the long one. The quote should be understandable and not abstruse, and must be relevant to the topic of your speech. By the way, in this case, it’s better to end with a quote.

A compliment from the audience is always nice. But it should not be trivial and very specific. For example: “I am very pleased that this topic piqued the interest of such a young audience.” Or: “I’m sure that each of those present ended up in this audience for a reason; I see that there are no indifferent or random people here.”

It’s great to grab the audience’s attention with unexpected phrase or action. For example: “I realized that no one needs me!” — these are the words with which many psychologists’ clients begin their stories. How to react to this? Let’s talk today about techniques in psychotherapy.”

Actions can also be different. I saw the speaker come into the hall with flowers and hand out carnations to the women. Just. And he tied it to the topic of the speech like this: “We so rarely do what we want, we so rarely just bring joy to those around us! I hope that my performance will evoke only positive emotions! And it did! But be careful: you also need to be able to shock the audience and not go to extremes. I witnessed an incident where the speaker jumped up on the table, turned the projector over, and then insisted on it for a long time and brought the audience to their senses. Any expression has its measure!

Begin with stories. But here it is very important to bring the story to the topic of your speech. For example: “Dear friends, when I went to see you today, I was surprised: everything turned out as if the world wanted me to come here to you, regardless of the circumstances. And they were! In fact, yesterday I was lying down with a fever, a shrunken voice and the assurance of my family: “Well, where are you going to go in this condition.” In the morning I found myself cheerful, cheerful and fresh. You won’t believe all the traffic lights were green, there was a parking space right away and even the sun came out, look! By the way, about the sun. The topic of our meeting today is also about our solar system: Is there life on Mars, or is it not true?

When I was at university, one professor at a gala concert in honor of the first of September always told the same story from the stage for many years. About Diogenes, his barrel and his famous exclamation “Eureka!” The professor tied all this to the fact that a student should always focus on creativity, on discoveries and research, on learning about the world with the help of our outstanding university.

If you have a planning meeting or a meeting, then it’s good to start with the main thing, keeping in mind the structure “topic-goal-regulations”. For example: " Good morning, Colleagues! The topic of our meeting is “Changes in safety regulations.” We need to discuss how best to convey this information to the company's employees. My message will take ten minutes, then within three minutes I will be ready to answer your questions, and we will devote another fifteen minutes to discussing the topic and developing proposals. Let's get started."

And remember, in the first 5-10 seconds the listener looks closely at you and reads what he can get from you as a speaker, whether he is interested in the presentation of information. Therefore, emphasis on the beginning is mandatory. How to keep the attention of the audience, read in our subsequent notes.

Introducing yourself is more than just saying your name. This is a whole way to make a new acquaintance with a person, start a conversation and make physical contact. Introducing yourself to strangers is not always as easy as it seems, because everything completely depends on how others understand you. You can introduce yourself different ways(depending on the audience you are addressing). For example, this could be a performance before giving a speech, in front of strangers at an event, in front of a girl or guy at a party. It is important to introduce yourself in a way that is appropriate to the situation in order to please and be remembered by people.

Steps

How to introduce yourself at a social event

Make eye contact. Eye contact means that your attention is directed to the other person. Looking into the eyes is one of the ways to interact with a person. This is how you show him your interest. By making eye contact, you become more open to your interlocutor.

• If you feel very awkward looking into someone's eyes, try looking between the other person's eyebrows - they may not notice the difference.
• If you are at a meeting or meeting, periodically look into the eyes of everyone present.

1. Be mindful of body language. Your body language should show your interlocutor that you are confident and at ease. Stand straight, raise your head and straighten your back, try not to slouch. Try to repeat the movements of your interlocutor from time to time. Also, try to speak in the same tone and style as the other person to establish non-verbal rapport.

   How to introduce yourself to a stranger

   1. Tell each other your names. If the greeting needs to be formal, you can say: “Hello, I’m [first name] [last name].” If the introduction is informal, simply say, “Hi, I'm [name]. Immediately after you have said your name, find out the name of your new friend, say: “What is your name?” Speak in a friendly tone. Once you know your new friend's name, repeat it by saying, "It's very nice to meet you, [his name]" or "It's nice to meet you, [her name]."

      • It is important to repeat the name of your friend in order to remember him better, and besides, this will give your acquaintance a certain intimacy.

   2. Be prepared to shake hands or greet someone you know in some other way. In most cultures, it is customary to greet a person with physical contact. In many countries and cultures, this is a common handshake. Make sure that your hand is moderately firm; it should not hang like a rag, and should not break your friend’s bones when shaking hands.

      Ask questions. It is very important to show interest in the life of your interlocutor. Ask where he or she is from, what they do, start a conversation about some joint business or interest. Find out what the person likes, what his hobbies and interests are. Show that you are listening carefully and are interested in the conversation.

      Know how to end the conversation. If you are meeting someone for the first time, you should end the conversation by saying that it was nice to meet you and talk. If the conversation was formal, you should end the conversation with the phrase: “[name] [patronymic], I am very glad to meet you. I hope we will see each other again." If the conversation was informal, you could say, “It was great meeting you, [name]. I hope to see you again"

   How to introduce yourself before a performance

   Greet the audience and state your name. If you are giving a speech, it is important to state your first and last name. When you greet everyone and introduce yourself, be sure to speak clearly and confidently.

   • Say: “Good afternoon, I’m [first name] [last name].” Or: “How are you doing today? My name is [first name] [last name].”

   1. Share something about yourself. After you say your first and last name, tell what speech you are going to give and why, try to present yourself correctly. What you need to say to your audience depends on the nature of your speech and the event you are speaking about. If you are going to give a lecture on the importance proper nutrition, be sure to tell me how you feel about this. For example, say whether you are a scientist, a chef, or an environmentalist. If you are talking about the upbringing and development of a child, say that you are a child psychologist.

      • You can provide your audience with any useful information about yourself that is relevant to your performance. You can briefly list some of your professional achievements. For example, you could say, “My name is [first name] [last name], and I am a professor of environmental science. I did research in tropical forests Amazon and after that I realized how important it is to look for new ways to protect our planet.”

   2. Move. When giving a speech, stand up straight with good posture, but move around from time to time. Straighten your back, pull your shoulders back, don't slouch, keep your hands free, you can even gesture if necessary. If you don't have to stand behind the podium, you can sometimes walk slowly from side to side to show the audience how confident and comfortable you feel.

   How to introduce yourself at a business meeting

   Please state your full name. Say it clearly so that the other person understands and remembers it. You can say, “Hi, my name is [first name] [last name].” Or: “Hi, I’m [first name] [last name].” People are more likely to remember your name if you pronounce it clearly.

   1. Describe what you do in one sentence. If you're at a business meeting, chances are you'll tell a few people about what you do. So what do you do when a new acquaintance asks you, “What do you do?” You'll probably start talking about your career for 5-10 minutes. Do you feel like reading a list of your achievements? Most likely no. If you are not planning a serious conversation, you can simply describe the essence of your professional activity in one sentence, conveying the following information to your interlocutor:

      • What is your occupation? Teacher, manager, health worker?
      • Who do you work with? With kids, international organizations, small business?
      • What are you doing? Do you help children acquire and develop new skills, do you organize various international meetings and negotiations, monitor budgets, help organizations expand their market base in developing countries?
      • Don't look away and don't be distracted by foreign objects, otherwise your interlocutor will understand that you're bored.
      • Don't talk with your mouth full.
      • Focus on a positive attitude. When you first meet, this is not the time to say something bad about yourself or someone else.
      • To defuse the situation, start with a compliment or a harmless joke.
      • If your hands tend to sweat, dry them with a tissue before introducing yourself to someone.

"Well said! Well Said! Presentations and conversations that get results.

At the beginning of your speech, you have only 60 seconds to capture the audience's attention, gain people's trust, orient them to the topic and get them ready to listen further. If you waste precious opening minutes on jokes, agendas, apologies, useless details, thank yous, or incoherent stuttering, your audience's attention will be lost forever. You must be creative with the introduction - the most important part of the work. This is a difficult task for any speaker, and you will have to rehearse well and master the challenging opening.

Darlene Price

1. Tell a compelling story

Storytelling is one of the most powerful and successful techniques. From birth, people love to listen and learn from . Fairy-tale heroes, villains from campfire tales or theater characters captivate us with their dialogues, conflicts and destinies. With their help, we gain everyday experience and draw parallels with our own lives, which easily holds the attention of any person.

At best, it should be a personal, first-hand story that tells the audience why you are interested in the topic of the talk. Although a story about another person whom the audience might recognize would also work. Alternatively, uncover a fable, fairy tale, wisdom, or historical event. The idea is that your 60-90 second introduction will captivate the audience and provide the key message for the rest of your presentation.

What problems did you (or someone else) encounter regarding the topic of the speech? How did you (or someone else) overcome them? Who or what helped or hindered you? What conclusions were drawn? What should your audience get and feel after reading the story?

2. Ask a rhetorical question

And what Russian doesn’t like driving fast?

Who are the judges?

Dreams, dreams, where is your sweetness?

Rhetorical questions help persuade. If they are thoughtful and presented in the right form, the audience will follow the path that the speaker intended. With their help, it is easy to persuade listeners to your point of view.

However, the question does not always have to give a clear answer “yes” or “no”. You can pique people's curiosity and get them to think about the answer by asking something a little harder.

3. Share a shocking statistic or headline.

A bold statement or catchy headline is ideal for persuading your audience to listen to your recommendations and follow them further. The main thing is that they accurately reflect the purpose of your speech.

For example, the vice president of sales for a leading American company successfully sells in the field of healthcare software for hospitals in a very colorful manner. He begins with dry, but painfully poignant figures: “Medical errors leading to the death of a patient have become the third main reason deaths from heart disease and cancer. We are talking about 400 thousand cases a year. This is much more than previously thought. We are creating a world without medical errors, and we need your help."

4. Use a strong quote.

Cite the wise words of a famous person whose name will add appeal and social weight to your speech. But it’s important to understand that the quote must be relevant: meaningful and relevant to your audience.

Imagine that you are a conflict manager and persuade a group to reach agreement. When opening negotiations, you could quote the words of Mark Twain, who once said: “If two people agree on everything, one of them is not needed.” The next sentence should add a note of unity: “Even though not all of us see the solution to the problem the same way, the efforts of each of us are essential in reaching an agreement.”

5. Show a powerful photo

A picture is worth a thousand words. And maybe more.

Use pictures instead of text whenever possible. High quality photo adds aesthetic appeal, enhances understanding, engages the audience's imagination, and makes the presentation more memorable.

For example, the president of an electrical equipment sales company skillfully inspired his managers to cut costs. Instead of showing them the usual charts, graphs and tables, he opened the meeting with a rather strange question: “Why did the Titanic sink?” In unison, there was a mention of a collision with an iceberg. Then the head of the company displayed an image of an iceberg on the general screen: its tip was visible above the water, but a much larger part was hidden under the surface. “The same thing awaits our company. Hidden costs are the very underwater danger that will drag us to the bottom.” This visual metaphor inspired managers, and their proposals ultimately saved millions of dollars.

6. Add creativity

Thematic props are a sure way to keep your audience's attention. Visual support will emphasize your point.

Thus, being an avid tennis fan, the head of a large insurance company began his speech with a spectacular hit with his racket. In this way, he expressed his determination, “won a point against his competitors,” rallied the team and ultimately “won the Grand Slam.”

Think about how you could use a wall clock, a colorful bag, a bunch of carrots, ball juggling, or card manipulation to captivate your audience, add humor, and get your message across.

7. Play a short video

Imagine: you start a presentation to the production department with a video in which satisfied customers give positive characterization your product. Or you open a fundraising event for endangered species with a mini-film about the Amur leopard and its offspring.

The video evokes an emotional reaction. Unlike words and slides, a short film adds drama and conveys the essence of what is happening faster.

As Walt Disney said:

I would rather entertain people and hope they learn something than educate people and hope they are entertained.