Introducing a Speaker? Here Are 5 Tips

Planners sometimes find themselves in a position where they need to introduce speakers or VIPs — or to create the intros for others to do so.

In the same way in which characters are introduced in movies and novels, a poor introduction can negatively impact the audience’s perception of a speaker and sometimes even throw off the speaker’s vibe.

Here are a few tips for speaker intros that will elevate an event.

1. Keep it brief.

Avoid long-winded recitals of a speaker’s accomplishments and focus only on what's important to this particular audience. Consider attendee demographics to gauge whether attendees will be familiar with the content in the intro. Generally, Forestier says, most audiences are divided into thirds: those with a high level of knowledge on the topic, those familiar, and those who can be categorized as uninitiated. 

2. Be enthusiastic.

The speaker intro is all about building excitement, so the person doing the talking needs to be genuinely, wholeheartedly excited about the opportunity. If he or she comes off as monotone, or disinterested, the audience won’t be interested either.

3. Balance the anecdotal with the professional.

A speaker intro should be a balance of personal (when there’s a connection) and professional information. Avoid off-the-cuff comments when the announcer is acquainted with the speaker and is eager to prove his or her familiarity. “If you’re just talking about your famous friendship, that comes off as very cliquey, and it doesn’t work for everyone in the room,” said Clare Forestier, a U.K.–based corporate event host.

4. If you have an emcee, make sure he or she has time to familiarize themselves.

“It's really important to give your emcee time to meet everybody and understand the agenda, because then they can see how the event’s theme is connected,” said Forestier. An emcee with a firm grasp of the audience can connect the dots between what they have learned and what’s to follow, and include that information in the speaker introduction.

5. Consider opting out of speaker introductions altogether.

Introductions can be replaced by the Voice of God, and the audience can read the biographical info that the speaker has provided on their own time. 

At GO WEST, an annual event held in Edmonton, Alberta that highlights Canada’s event industry to meeting professionals, Co-founder Brent Taylor says the lack of emcees is one of the unique aspects of the format. It has been met mostly with accolades and an occasional odd complaint from an attendee who prefers traditional introductions.

“Our perspective on the matter is that we didn’t want announcers to get on stage and take up valuable time with blah, blah, blah,” said Taylor. “And it’s almost always perceived as filler.”