The right start can make all the difference in how your next speech is remembered, or whether it’s remembered at all. You only have a few seconds to either peak your audience’s interest or spend the rest of your time trying to win it back. Rather than use the usual “Hi, my name is…” greeting with a summary of why you’re there (which might signal it’s going to take a while to figure out the relevance to them), look for an immediate way to connect.

That audience connection will help you grab and keep your audience’s attention from the start. You don’t want to start with a long introduction of yourself, and not because they don’t care about you personally. They do, but they care more about what listening to you means for them.

Remember your audience already has at least some information on who you are and why they’re sitting in front of you. It makes sense to get right to the part that signals what you have to say is relevant, and they’re going to want to hear it.

Here then are some tips and techniques to help make yourself and your speech more memorable:

1.) Make Everything About Them: Rather than outlining a problem for instance, and walking an audience through a solution, start with how the problem impacts them. If you’re talking about a fix for a problem, start first with the frustration they feel in dealing with it. Obviously, you have to do the legwork to know their concerns, but that homework is worth it. Speaking directly to their interest will grab their attention and help you keep it.

2.) Start with a question. You can ask for a show of hands; a quick, easy method of engagement that most people enjoy. Just make sure you craft the question AND are ready to incorporate their response in a way that leads into your discussion. For example: “Let me see a show of hands. How many here struggle with a quick explanation of why your work adds value? I can see I’ve hit on something here. That’s what I want to talk about today: your value.”

3.) Use a prop. Anyone remember watching Steve Jobs announce each new I Phone rollout? Those product release announcements were memorable not only for Job’s powerful performances, but also for their simplicity. He would take the stage with minimal fanfare, using the simplest of visual aids, and at crucial moments, simply hold up the new I Phone. If you have a prop that will work for you in grabbing attention, use it. It will be memorable.

4.) Be a storyteller. Six of the most powerful words in the English language are “Let me tell you a story”. You’ll get the immediate attention and interest of your audience. Of course, the more powerful the story, the better the reaction. Make sure you find the right one to set up your speech. If it resonates, people will find you and tell you why it touched them.

Next speech, try a new approach. Seek the connection and the attention will follow.
Aileen Pincus