I was recently a motivational speaker for a large insurance summit. In front of an audience of 1,000 people; the gentleman introducing me dropped his water on my (paper copy) introduction, and he couldn't read the words.
He was stumped. Uncomfortable silence set in as he scrambled to figure out what to say. He was visibly shaken and nervous, so he explained to the audience what happened and they all laughed. Suddenly you could see his denouement change and portray more confidence.
He winged it and the result was a very fun, lively introduction that had nothing to do with me. Actually, I don't even think he knew my name. He had no idea what I was going to speak about, where I was from or what my background is.
Thus as I wait for my next flight I am compelled to remember Tips to Introduce a Motivational Speaker:
- Ask the speaker how they want to be introduced. Some speakers are adamant that you must follow their introduction word for word while others suggest you wing it.
- Memorize a few key points about the motivational speaker you are introducing. Things like books written, academic credentials and most importantly their expertise with this audience are really the only things you must remember.
- Personalize and build anticipation by uncovering why this speaker was chosen for this venue. If it is a humorous motivational speaker you might suggest the reasons why this audience clearly needs to lighten up.
Ultimately introducing a motivational speaker should help the audience understand why they are made to sit and listen. Secondly, it should build anticipation for the speaker and their motivational speech.