As a speaker, I’ve been introduced hundreds of times, and I can confidently say that most didn’t help. Usually, they simply print out my bio from philcooke.com and read it. Trust me, a bio on a website isn’t meant to be a live introduction, so it comes off slow, long, and tedious. The worst hosts don’t do any homework at all and make embarrassing mistakes that are difficult to fix. So, after being subjected to so many horrible speaker intros, here are a few tips that will help your introduction be as engaging as the speaker:
1. Don’t read a printed speaker biography. Printed bios are long and too detailed to be used in a live event. Plus, reading a bio tells the audience you don’t know the speaker and don’t care enough to do your homework.
2. Keep perspective. People have come to hear the speaker, not the introduction. Chances are, they already know him or her, so you don’t need to tell the speaker’s life story. Plus, if the speaker’s biography is printed in the conference program, that’s another reason you don’t need to rehash it.
3. Understand the context. Consider mentioning why this speaker is the perfect fit for this conference.
4. Prepare. A great introduction is done from memory, not read off a card.
5. Be careful with humor. Everyone loves a good joke, but never forget how often humor can backfire and make you look like an idiot.
6. Avoid hype. People who introduce speakers often feel the need to generate excitement and enthusiasm. That’s the speaker’s job. People see through the hype, so don’t be a cheerleader – just introduce the speaker.
7. Keep it short. There are only a few points a good introduction needs to answer: 1) The topic or issue for today. 2) The importance of the issue. 3) Why is this speaker the one who brings insight on this issue?
In my experience, a large percentage of introductions actually harm the speaker instead of helping. If you’re introducing a speaker, give the audience just enough information to make them want to pay attention.
The speaker – and the audience – will be remarkably grateful.
Phil Cooke, PhD. has been called “one of the most innovative communicators of our generation.” As a media producer, writer, speaker, and consultant, his client list includes major film studios and TV networks as well as major Christian organizations like Voice of the Martyrs, The Museum of the Bible, The Salvation Army, and others. He’s also coached and consulted with many of the most influential churches and nonprofit organizations in the world, helping them use media to tell their story. You can hear his podcast here.
