Fellow speaker,
Professional speaker Patricia Fripp suggests these as possible opening techniques:
- Challenge - challenge the audience to take an action (e.g., "I challenge to give you just five minutes of your time and if you don't like what you hear, you can walk out.")
- Startling statement - shock or make the audience uncomfortable to get them to pay attention to your message
- Relate to corporate report, programs, or headlines - relating to the company report or program may gain you "points" with the corporate meeting planner whose job may be to get people to pay attention to these things - use a prop (e.g., bring a newspaper onstage showing the headline you are talking about)
At attention,
Tim Wilson
Professional Speech Coach
Free speaking tips at: http://speakingquicktips.blogspot.com
