The emcee introduces you by just saying your name. You’re on. Now, what do you do? First, you have to introduce yourself.

Wouldn’t you instead prepare a great introduction and then have the emcee deliver it?

A great introduction sets up you and your audience for a great presentation. It gets the audience in the right mood to accept and use what you are about to say. It excites them and says they did not make a mistake coming to listen to you speak.

Below are three benefits of writing your own great introduction with the emcee delivering it.

Credibility

A great introduction gives you instant credibility. Think about it. Without a great introduction, your audience has no idea who you are and no reason to listen to you. Wouldn’t you like them to have a good reason to listen to you before you even speak?

A great introduction states your expertise, your education pertinent to your subject, and your experience dealing with your subject. It says whether you have written a book and articles on the subject. It just gives you a giant “leg up” before you say your first word.

Nothing gives you faster credibility than writing a great introduction with the emcee reciting it.

Also, is it better for someone to hear why you are the right person to enlighten your audience on your subject from you or someone else? I think you know the answer.

If you introduce yourself, you run the risk of turning off the audience. They might think you are narcissistic or better than them. Your credibility will take a hit. Don’t deliver your own introduction.

Establishing your credibility early is always a winner in your presentations. A great introduction delivered by the emcee can do this.

Your introduction delivered by the emcee also helps engage your audience. You want to continue this audience engagement when you start speaking.

Audience Engagement

A great introduction engages your audience.

They get excited about the presentation you are going to deliver. It gets their “creative juices” going. They are formulating their questions before you even speak a word.

Make sure you make it clear to the emcee you want the introduction recited verbatim. You get extra audience engagement “points” if you have a session with the emcee, letting them know where you want extra emphasis in your introduction.

These are some of the finer points of engaging your audience with a great introduction delivered by the emcee with a fantastic return on investment for your expended effort.

Your introduction delivered by the emcee helps establish your credibility and engages your audience early.

It also saves time in your presentation for more content, more rhetorical devices, and more engagement with your audience.

Time Saved

As a speaker, you have a time limit on your presentation. So you don’t want to waste precious time in your presentation by having to introduce yourself.

So what can you do with that extra time?

Tell a pertinent story reinforcing your message.

Tell your audience a startling statistic and why it is relevant to your subject.

For your opening and or your closing, say a thought-provoking quote, something that will cause the audience to think about how what you are about to say or have said affects your audience’s personal and professional life.

Your introduction delivered by the emcee helps to establish your credibility, engages your audience, and saves time in your presentation so you can tell a pertinent story, apply a startling to reinforce your message or recite a relevant and poignant quote.

Your great presentation introduction – don’t leave home without it!

Call to Action

• Prepare your presentation introductions and review them with the various emcees to increase your credibility with your audiences

• Prepare your presentation introductions to be recited by the emcee to engage your audience before you utter a word

• Prepare your presentation introductions and have the emcees deliver them to save time in your presentations for more content, rhetorical devices, and more support material

Frank DiBartolomeo is a retired U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel and award-winning speaker, presentation and interview skills coach, and Professional Member of the National Speakers Association. He was awarded Toastmasters International’s highest individual award, Distinguished Toastmaster, in 2002 because of his outstanding work in public speaking and leadership.

Frank formed DiBartolomeo Consulting International (DCI), LLC (www.frankdibartolomeo.com) in 2007. The mission of DCI is to help technical professionals to inspire, motivate, and influence their colleagues and other technical professionals through improving their presentation skills, communication, and personal presence. Frank can be reached at frank@frankdibartolomeo.com and (703) 509-4424.

Don’t miss Frank DiBartolomeo’s latest book!

“Speak Well and Prosper: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Better Presentations”

Available now at Amazon.com and BarnesandNoble.com