Introductions are often given less time than they deserve. An introduction isn't part of your actual speech. Or is it? In Toastmaster contests all contestants are introduced equally, "Name. Title, Title, Name." This is done so that none of the contestants gets an unfair advantage.

What can an Introduction do?

An introduction can do a number of things:

• A known timing for when to start coming to the lecturn.
• Provide a safe place to start your speech - you know what is going to be said.
• Answers logistical questions about your speech such as title and objectives.
• Makes the Toastmaster more confident about introducing the speaker.
• Gives you an opening into your speech.

Make sure to create your own introduction and send it to the Toastmaster in plenty of time so they can feel comfortable with it. Print out the introduction yourself, and bring it to the meeting in case the Toastmaster misplaces it. Print it in big font so it is easier to read.

Answer Your Audiences Questions

One of the keys of an introduction is that it gives you an opening into your speech. It answers a few questions for the audience:

• What is the speech about?
• Why is the speaker giving it?
• Anything out of the ordinary, such as a Q&A session at the end.

The Most Important Question

When creating the introduction, the most important question to answer is why you are giving the speech. Not because it is the next speech in the sequence! Why this particular speech? What made you choose this topic? This will really involve your audience in your speech.

In other words:

• Why this speaker?
• Why this topic?
• Why this audience?
• Why now?

An Example

"John is giving speech number 7, "Research Your Topic", from the Competent Communicator manual. John has learned how to read a book in half the time in just 2 short weeks. Today, John will share what he has learned in his speech entitled, "How to Speed Read." Please help me welcome, JOHN!"

The Result

This tells the audience that I am giving this speech due to a real world skill I have learned myself that has already paid dividends.