How to Start and Finish Your Pitch
When it comes to public speaking, our audience will mostly remember the first thing and the last thing we say.
The rule of "primary and recency" tells us so. “That’s awesome, but what about all the stuff I say in the middle?” you may ask. Well, we’ll save that for another blog post. For now, we’re going to explore what it takes to start strong and finish strong. Any type of speech deserves a great start, but here, I’m going to focus on recommendations most applicable to persuasive presentations.
Start Your Speech Like a Pro
Allocate enough time
When I prepare a speech, I typically dedicate between 10%-15% of my time for the introduction (for a 30 minute speech, I plan to spend between 3 to 4 minutes on the introduction). This might seem like a lot of time that could be spent getting straight to your main points, but I’ve found that great openings have tremendous value in establishing context for your content and preparing the audience to receive it. A well-crafted introduction can “hook" the audience and make the rest of your job easier.
Connect before rushing to content
Some social scientists claim that you have less than ten seconds to make a first impression. In that brief moment when you first start your speech, it’s helpful to spend a few seconds to connect with your audience. It could be as simple as a friendly smile and greeting, or perhaps expressing your gratitude for their time. Make it sincere. Make it memorable. Make it short. (Read more on this here: Connection Before Content)
Three goals for a strong start: Attention. Commitment. Direction.
Now it’s time to introduce your topic. You have three goals with your opening. First, capture the audience’s attention. Yes, your audience is there to listen to you, but it’s safe to assume you’re competing for their full attention. With mobile phones, pressing issues, and perhaps other speakers’ messages vying for mind share, it’s your job capture the audience’s attention and get their minds focused on you for the next few minutes. I share some tips for opening ideas below.So you’ve captured their attention, now gain their commitment. If you’re presenting a persuasive speech (i.e. you’re trying to convince people to think or do something), your introduction has to have the key ingredient, WIFFY (what’s in it for you). Why should the audience care about this topic? Why is this important to them? A great introduction makes your topic so interesting and significant that your audience is compelled to listen.Finally, give people some direction, a quick idea of where you’re headed and what to expect for the rest of the presentation. This could be as simple as “So, in the next few minutes, I’m going to explain why deforestation is so harmful for us and what we can do about it.”
Opening Ideas
Use these opening tips to spark ideas on how to start your speech with something unique and compelling.
Make a promise.
Tell a story.
Tell a joke.
Pose a rhetorical question.
Share a unique prop or visual.
Involve the group in an exercise.
Share a surprising fact.
Ask a “show of hands” question.
Finish Your Speech Like a Pro
Think of a memorable persuasive speech you’ve heard. How did it end?
Most likely not like this: “That’s it. Any questions?” Great speeches are punctuated with a finale. Case in point: “Free at last! Free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!"Persuasive speakers carefully craft their closing statements – a soundbite that sums it all up, a tweetable statement that everyone remembers, a powerful story that calls people to action. Whatever it is, it better be good, relevant and memorable. Here are some tips on how to finish your speech with a bang.
Stay Away from “Thank You”
If you want to up your game as a speaker, don’t end your speech with “Thank you.” The subtext here is “I’m done now. Please clap for me.” There’s nothing wrong with conveying your sincere gratitude, but if you’re going to say “Thank you” in a closing statemt, at least be specific. “Thank you for all the amazing work you’ve done so far. Here’s to a great 4th quarter!” Better yet, go ahead and express your thanks, but follow it with a strong close.
Tie It Back to Your Opening
Tying back to how you opened your speech is a quick and easy approach. If you told a great story as your introduction, try leaving out the very last part and save it for your close. If you posed a question or riddle in your intro, close with the answer. This 'bookending' technique ties your narrative together into a nice neat circle.
Connect the Dots
Some stories are more complicated than others, and stating outright how everything they just heard fits together can really help your audience understand. For example: “We talked about climate change, and we talked about water consumption, and we talked about power-cell chemistry. The first two describe our challenge, the last is our solution – the way we are going to change the world...”
Close the Deal
Many times the most effective close is simply to ask the audience to do something. You can be direct (buy, sign up, give, vote, etc.) or more subtle (take the next step, we invite you to participate, etc.) depending on the situation. Working in a reminder of the WIIFY (What’s in it for you) you established in your opening can help make this more effective.Keep these strategies in mind as you plan your next presentation. With a strong opening and a compelling close, you are much more likely to leave a lasting impression!