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• How to Start a Speech: The Best Ways to Capture Your Audience

You’ve heard the saying,  “First impressions are lasting; you never get a second chance to create a good first impression” —  right?

The same is true when talking about how to start a speech…

The truth is, when you start your speech, you must focus everything on making a positive first impression on your audience members (especially if you are doing the presentation virtually ). Capturing the audience’s attention from the very beginning is crucial to prevent them from being distracted, losing interest, or forming negative opinions.

The introduction is the formal greeting for speeches, so let’s be sure to get this right to hook the audience. Understanding the importance of speech openings can significantly impact making a strong first impression. Planning and delivering the first words with confidence and relevance is essential, as they set the tone for the entire presentation and ensure you deliver a professional start, free from hesitation or irrelevance.

Here are 15 different ways to start a speech as well as 2 extra BONUS tips at the end.

1) Thank the Organizers and Audience

You can start by thanking the audience for coming and thanking the organization for inviting you to speak.

Refer to the person who introduced you or to one or more of the senior people in the organization in the audience.

This compliments them, makes them feel proud and happy about your presence, and connects you to the audience like an electrical plug in a socket.

2) Start With a Positive Statement

A presentation tip at the start is to tell the audience members how much they will like and enjoy what you have to say.

For example, you might say:

“You’re really going to enjoy the time we spend together this evening. I’m going to share with you some of the most important ideas that have ever been discovered in this area.”

Remember that  speaking is an art,  so be an artist and take complete control of your performance,

3) Compliment the Audience

You can begin by complimenting the audience members sincerely and with great respect.

Smile as if you are really glad to see them as if they are all old friends of yours that you have not seen for quite a while.

You can tell them that it is a great honor for you to be here, that they are some of the most important people in this business or industry, and that you are looking forward to sharing some key ideas with them.

You could say something like:

“It is an honor to be here with you today. You are the elite, the top 10 percent of people in this industry. Only the very best people in any field will take the time and make the sacrifice to come so far for a conference like this.”

4) Start Your Speech With the First Sentence Referring to Current Events

Use a current event front-page news story to transition into your subject and to illustrate or prove your point. You can bring a copy of the newspaper and hold it up as you refer to it in your introduction.

This visual image of you holding the paper and reciting or reading a key point rivets the audience’s attention and causes more people to lean forward to hear what you have to say.

5) Refer to a Historical Event

For many years, I studied military history…

Especially the lives and campaigns of the great generals and the decisive battles they won. One of my favorites was Alexander the Great. Standing in the symbolic shadow of such historical figures can provide a powerful and engaging start to any speech, especially when drawing parallels to contemporary challenges.

One day, I was asked to give a talk on leadership principles to a roomful of managers for a Fortune 500 company.

I decided that the campaign of Alexander the Great against Darius of Persia would make an excellent story that would illustrate the leadership qualities of one of the great commanders in history.

I opened my talk with these words:

“Once upon a time there was a young man named Alex who grew up in a poor country. But Alex was a little bit ambitious. From an early age, he decided that he wanted to conquer the entire known world. But there was a small problem.

Most of the known world was under the control of a huge multinational called the Persian Empire, headed by King Darius II. To fulfill his ambition, Alex was going to have to take the market share away from the market leader, who was very determined to hold on to it.

This is the same situation that exists between you and your major competitors in the market today. You are going to have to use all your leadership skills to win the great marketing battles of the future.”

6) Refer to a Well Known Person

You can start by quoting a well-known person or publication that recently made an interesting or important statement.

One of the subjects I touch upon regularly is the importance of continual personal development.

I will say something like:

“In the twenty-first century, knowledge and know-how are the keys to success. As basketball coach Pat Riley said, ‘If you are not getting better, you are getting worse.’”

7) Refer to a Recent Conversation

Start by telling a story about a recent conversation with someone in attendance.

For instance, I might say:

“A few minutes ago, I was talking with Tom Robinson in the lobby. He told me that this is one of the very best times to be working in this industry, and I agree.”

8) Make a Shocking Statement With a Startling Fact

You can start your talk by making a shocking statement of some kind.

For example, you might say something like:

“Here’s a startling fact: According to a recent study, there will be more change, more competition, and more opportunities in this industry in the next year than ever before. And 72 percent of the people in this room will be doing something different within two years if they do not rapidly adapt to these changes.”

Click here If you want to learn more techniques to wow your audience.

9) Quote From Recent Research

You can start by quoting a relevant, recent research report.

One example is:

“According to a story in a recent issue of Businessweek, there were almost 11 million millionaires in America in 2018, most of them self-made.”

10) Start Your Speech With a Strong Opening By Giving Them Hope

The French philosopher Gustav Le Bon once wrote, “The only religion of mankind is, and always has been hope.”

When you speak effectively, you give people hope of some kind.

Remember, the ultimate purpose of public speaking, is to inspire people to do things that they would not have done in the absence of your comments.

Everything you say should relate to the actions you want people to take and the reasons that they should take those actions.

11) Be Entertaining

Bill Gove used to walk onto the stage after his introduction if he had just finished talking to someone on the side and was breaking off to give his talk to the group.

The audience got the feeling that his entire talk was one continuous conversation, devoid of meaningless filler words .

Bill would often go to the edge of the stage and then drop his voice in a conspiratorial way, open his arms, and beckon the audience members to come a little closer.

He would say, “Come here, let me tell you something,” and then he would wave them forward as though he was about to tell a secret to the entire room.

The amazing thing was that everyone in the room would lean forward to hear this “secret” that he was about to share. People would all suddenly realize what they were doing and break out in laughter. It was a wonderful device to get the audience into the palm of his hands.

12) Ask a Question

You can open by making a positive statement and then pose a rhetorical question to engage your audience and set the stage for your presentation.

Try something like this:

“This is a great time to be alive and in business in America. But let me ask you, what does it truly mean to be self-employed in today’s economy?”

Raise your hand to indicate what you want people to do. I have used this line, and after a moment of thought, I then say to someone who looks intrigued in the front, “How many people here feel truly self-employed?”

Invariably, someone will say, “We all do!”

I then compliment and affirm the answer: “You’re right! We are all self-employed, from the time we take our first jobs to the day that we retire; we all work for ourselves, no matter who signs our paychecks.”

Similarly, a 17-year-old science fair winner effectively engaged their audience with a question at the beginning of their TED Talk, showcasing the power of this technique.

13) Open With a Problem

You can start with a problem that must be solved. If it is a problem that almost everyone has in common, you will immediately have the audience’s complete and undivided attention.

For example, you could say:

“Fully 63 percent of baby boomers are moving toward retirement without enough money put aside to provide for themselves for as long as they are going to live. We must address this problem and take action immediately to ensure that each person who retires will be able to live comfortably for the rest of his or her natural life.”

Introducing a new idea at this point can be a powerful way to engage your audience further, by promising a solution that is both innovative and beneficial.

14) Make a Strong Statement, Then Ask a Question

You can start by making a strong and powerful statement and then ask a question. You then follow with an answer and ask another question. This gets people immediately involved and listening to your every word.

Here’s an example:

“Twenty percent of the people in our society make 80 percent of the money. Are you a member of the top 20 percent? If not, would you like to join the top 20 percent or even the top 10 percent? Well, in the next few minutes, I am going to give you some ideas to help you become some of the highest-paid people in our society. Would that be a good goal for our time together today?”

15) Tell a Personal Story

You can start your talk with a personal story. Some of the most powerful words to capture the complete attention of the audience and make a personal connection are, “Once upon a time…”

From infancy and early childhood, people love stories of any kind. When you start off a presentation with a personal anecdote using the words, “Once upon a time…” you tell the audience that a relatable story is coming. People immediately settle down, become quiet, and lean forward, eager to hear how your experience might mirror their own or offer them new insights.

When I conduct full-day seminars and I want to bring people back to their seats after a break, I will say loudly, “Once upon a time there was a man, right here in this city…”

As soon as I say these words, people hurry back to their seats and begin to listen attentively, connecting with the story on a personal level.

Incorporating a personal story is very effective.

In fact, it’s probably one of the best public speaking tips I’ve learned to this day.

Bonus Tip: Tell Them About Yourself

Very often, I will start a serious speech or presentation to a business, sales, or entrepreneurial group by saying:

“I started off without graduating from high school. My family had no money. Everything I accomplished in life I had to do on my own with very little help from anyone else.”

It is amazing how many people come up to me after a talk that began with those words and tells me that was their experience as well.

They tell me that they could immediately identify with me because they too had started with poor grades and limited funds, as most people do. As a result, they were open to the rest of my talk, even a full-day seminar, and felt that everything I said was more valid and authentic than if I had been a person who started off with a successful background.

Building a bridge like this is very helpful in bringing the audience onto your side.

Bonus Tip: Get Them Talking to One Another

You can ask people to turn to the person next to them to discuss a particular point.

For instance, you could say:

“Tell the person next to you what you would like to learn from this seminar.”

Whatever you ask your audience members to do, within reason, they will do it for you. Your commands and your thought leadership will easily influence them, as long as you ask them with confidence.

By following any one of these tips for starting your speech, you are sure to grab your audience’s attention every time. How do you start a speech? Let me know in the comments.

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About Brian Tracy — Brian is recognized as the top sales training and personal success authority in the world today. He has authored more than 60 books and has produced more than 500 audio and video learning programs on sales, management, business success and personal development, including worldwide bestseller The Psychology of Achievement. Brian's goal is to help you achieve your personal and business goals faster and easier than you ever imagined. You can follow him on Twitter , Facebook , Pinterest , Linkedin and Youtube .

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False Rumor Says Biden Tried to Sit in 'Invisible Chair' at 80th D-Day Anniversary in Normandy

A 12-second video clip posted on x helped to spawn this false rumor about u.s. president joe biden's attendance at the commemoration., jordan liles, published june 6, 2024.

About this rating

Social media users variously claimed that Biden's awkward pose in a brief video clip of the June 6, 2024, D-Day ceremony in Normandy meant Biden had either started to sit down in a nonexistent chair or “pooped his pants.” Video evidence provides context confirming Biden was beginning to sit down on a chair that was, in fact, directly behind him.

On June 6, 2024, U.S. President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden marked the 80th anniversary of D-Day by attending a ceremony in Normandy, France. French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife, Brigitte, attended, as well as other dignitaries.

Numerous users on X virally shared a   rumor claiming  a confused Biden attempted during the ceremony to sit in an "invisible chair." Some of the posts spreading this rumor shared as purported proof a 12-second video originally posted by X user RNC Research (@RNCResearch) — the GOP's official rapid response account. That post only included a one-word text caption with a grimacing emoji reading, "Awkward." Donald Trump Jr. also shared  the clip, although without the chair rumor. ( Other users posted  the same clip claiming Biden "pooped" his pants.)

The 12-Second Video

YouTube users also re-uploaded  the same brief clip the RNC Research account originally posted.

The Rumor Is False

However, a review of a longer version of the video confirmed the rumor Biden tried to sit in an "invisible chair" was false. Biden, his wife and the Macrons all sat down in chairs positioned behind them in the moments right after the 12-second video clip ended.

Here's What Really Happened

The sequence of events leading to the rumored "invisible chair" moment began with a special part of the ceremony. After Macron delivered remarks to the gathered crowd, he presented France's highest decoration of the National Order of the Legion of Honor to multiple American World War II veterans seated on stage. Biden followed Macron across the stage and also greeted each of the honored veterans.

Upon finishing the honors, Macron and Biden both returned to stand in front of their chairs alongside their wives. These chairs were not visible in the brief video clip originally shared by the RNC Research account later reposted by other users. Biden then reached down to sit but hesitated for a brief moment while the Macrons and Jill Biden continued to stand. However, again, seconds later the Macrons and Bidens all sat down in their chairs.

In other words, on a day honoring veterans from what former news anchor Tom Brokaw popularized as "The Greatest Generation," some online users chose to use the freedom those same veterans helped secure to share false information with their fellow Americans.

Longer Video for Context

Readers can watch the full moment at the 4:16:21 mark in this video posted on the YouTube channel for The Times and The Sunday Times.

A Familiar Rumor

We previously reported about a similar rumor also involving Biden, the military and a video posted on the RNC Research X account.

In November 2023, Biden and the first lady shared an early Thanksgiving meal with U.S. service members and their families at Norfolk Naval Base in Norfolk, Virginia. During Biden's speech at the event, he greeted a young girl at the front of the crowd who was wearing a headband with a design of cat ears. Video showed several service members, family members and others in attendance smiling at the lighthearted moment.

The RNC Research account then shared a brief clip of the same moment with a text caption in quotes reading "I love your ears." That post on X appeared to lead to headlines in news articles from right-wing blogs subjectively calling the moment "creepy" — a reference to other past videos and photos purportedly showing Biden interacting in controversial ways with women and children. Read the full story for more details.

Bauder, David. "Tom Brokaw Says He's Retiring from NBC News after 55 Years." The Associated Press , 22 Jan. 2021, https://apnews.com/article/ronald-reagan-television-brian-williams-richard-nixon-journalism-b6a6f9dee555f378c2a54d089aeeffbb.

Liles, Jordan. "EXPLAINER: Biden's 'I Love Your Ears' Remark to 6-Year-Old Girl Was About Her Headband with Cat Ears." Snopes , 20 Nov. 2023, https://www.snopes.com//news/2023/11/20/biden-love-your-ears/.

"LIVE: Biden and Macron Mark 80th D-Day Anniversary in Normandy." YouTube , The Times and The Sunday Times, 6 June 2024, https://www.youtube.com/live/y3bHBGyICbA.

Miller, Zeke, and Chris Megerian. "Biden Calls for Solidarity with Ukraine at D-Day Anniversary Ceremony near the Beaches of Normandy." The Associated Press , 6 June 2024, https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-dday-80th-anniversary-france-b868fe789d2fe95b776c24c17543b510.

The Legion of Honor in 10 Questions | La Grande Chancellerie . https://www.legiondhonneur.fr/en/page/legion-honor-10-questions/406.

By Jordan Liles

Jordan Liles is a Senior Reporter who has been with Snopes since 2016.

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Annual conference connects clinicians with the latest research to better care for women

The health of women conference at vcu health showcases a variety of women’s health issues, leading practitioners to raise the level of care for patients..

6/12/2024 12:00:00 AM

Health disparities facing women and how providers can address them

In a talk on multiple sclerosis (MS) in women and advances in diagnosis and care, Myla Goldman , M.D., division chief of VCU’s Department of Neuroimmunology and professor and vice chair for faculty development in VCU School of Medicine Department of Neurology , detailed the specific ways women with MS face the condition while experiencing pregnancy, menarche and menopause, as well as issues around MRIs and breastfeeding. According to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society , MS is three times more common in women than men, and it is more common in women of childbearing age than any other age group. “Pregnancy has not been shown to adversely affect the disease.... In general, we see that relapse rates or disease activity decline during pregnancy and that this is most marked during the third trimester, which we think is related to those increasing estrogen levels,” said Goldman. “MS does not appear to increase the risk pre-term delivery or pre-eclampsia. It's not related to an increased risk of cesarean, low birth weight, child mortality or congenital abnormalities. So the disease itself is not particularly complicating to the pregnancy itself and having MS does not necessitate high-risk health care. However, it may require specific attention and management due to medications and other complications.” Over the years, Goldman says there has been an explosion of new treatments and therapies for MS patients, from medications to lifestyle changes and rehabilitation support. Key to her approach as a provider is asking her patients which symptoms trouble them most, to prioritize her patient’s top issues. “If fatigue is a major issue and spasticity is a minor issue, giving them a medication which could increase fatigue may not be the right strategy,” Goldman said. “I like to try to choose one drug that maybe does more than one thing. I always start low and go slow. The aim is to improve function and quality of life.” Goldman says providers should also think about risk tolerance for these medications when caring for women through their lives as it is a critical factor that impacts MS medication selection, with the risks associated with the drug side-effects is one aspect of this. Oftentimes, risk tolerance will change over a patient’s lifetime. “Another, challenging aspect is guiding patients to prioritize the risk of the disease itself,” Goldman said. “Some medications are more effective at addressing inflammation and others neurodegeneration. There can be a lot of uncertainty about which medication will work best for a patient in terms of disease course, treatment efficacy, and individual tolerance to the medication. All of these factors can be shaped individually and collectively by a patient’s personal risk-tolerance.” The most common form of irregular heartbeats is atrial fibrillation, or AFib for short. While men are more often diagnosed with this condition, Kenneth A. Ellenbogen , M.D., director of clinical cardiac electrophysiology at VCU Health Pauley Heart Center, notes that women are often referred to providers and diagnosed when they are older. This later diagnosis can cause more adverse health effects, such as stroke or heart failure, before or after a medical procedure. “In addition to the gender differences noted in procedural outcomes, the studies have highlighted the fact that women are underrepresented in research trials in general, particularly in AFib interventional trials and left atrial appendage occlusion trials,” Ellenbogen said. The gap in research, Ellenbogen says, is troubling because cardiovascular mortality and AFib risk factors, such as diabetes and hypertension, are rising for women. “Additional research must continue to evaluate gender differences in procedural outcomes and patients with AFib. Women should be considered as soon as men for referral for [surgeries]. Intentional work must also be done to equalize representation of women in all cardiovascular clinical trials, so that study results are as accurate a reflection of our population as possible,” Ellenbogen said. There are also challenges in diagnosing breast cancer, the second most common cancer among women following some types of skin cancer. In a presentation on current challenges in breast imaging, Priti Shah , M.D., director of breast imaging at VCU Health and VCU Massey Comprehensive Cancer Center and assistant professor in VCU School of Medicine’s Department of Radiology , detailed some of the barriers to conducting routine screening mammography, as well as follow up imaging and biopsies necessary to confirm a diagnosis of breast cancer. She has seen women cancel appointments because of financial and insurance challenges. Other obstacles include confusion about screening guidelines among patients and providers; lack of nearby imaging centers; “hidden costs” such as time away from work, transportation to appointments, and childcare; and anxiety about the tests themselves. Shah also shared information about the issue of false positives identified in mammograms, one of the perceived harms of annual screening mammography. For example, out of every 100 women who get a screening mammogram, 90 will be told that their mammograms are normal. The last 10 will be asked to return for additional mammograms or ultrasounds. Out of those 10, Shah says six will be reassured that their mammograms are normal or benign, and two will be asked to return in six months for a follow up exam. The last two may be recommended to have a needle biopsy. “When it comes to false positives with breasts and with mammography, we have to remember that breasts are dynamic,” Shah said. “They are ever changing over a week, over a month over our lifetimes, and benign fibrocystic changes come and go. But a mammogram is just a snapshot in time. So, when we call back a patient and work them up, and we find a cyst or some other benign fibrocystic change, technically that counts as a false positive because it wasn't cancer, even though it was a new finding warranting evaluation.” Shah echoed many other presenters during the Health of Women Conference, encouraging clinicians to absorb the latest studies to help give patients guidance on their treatment options. “When we talk about shared decision making, we want to make sure that our providers also have the most recent information and guidance to guide their patients,” Shah said.

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