The right start to a public speech is 50% of the success of the entire speech. Before you learn how to start speaking at a conference, prepare a greeting, an example plan, you need to consider the most important thing - time. A maximum of 6 seconds is allotted to make a first impression, and for the listener to form an attitude towards the speaker. The audience scans through nonverbal cues in your voice and body to see what and how you say. Experienced speakers devote 20% of their speaking time to the introductory part.
The beginning of the speech is like a movie trailer - short, catchy, a set of catchy points. The goal is to quickly captivate the audience. What's the point of speaking without the proper attention of the audience?
Content
- Greeting at a public speaking: how not to cause a yawn How best not to start a speech
- Make a link to the previous speaker
Poetic summaries for songs
Before singing a song, the performer may recite a funny rhyme to amuse the audience. The theme of the liner depends on the lyrics of the folk song and who the participant is singing with.
In a poetic summary, you can mention your partner, joke, draw attention to the situation, or make a small announcement about the song.
Sample:
“Together we are not upset,
Everyone smiles at each other
And in a great mood
We are engaged in singing."
Greeting at a public speaking: how not to cause a yawn
Most people are constrained by fear, tension from the attention of a group of people, and a strong desire to run away arises. Even professional speakers experience difficulties - they worry about how to start a public speech and quickly get into a productive state. Vladimir Gerasichev - head of the Business Relations company, an expert in the field of business education - admits that he does not like the first minutes of the speech, he needs to warm up, get into the flow. By the way, a great technique: honestly admit to the public how you feel. But truly experienced speakers do it competently.
How best not to start a speech:
- “Hello everyone, let’s get straight to the point...” Don't skip the greeting in public speaking. Don't jump straight to the main part until you've made contact. The audience has questions: “Who are you?”, “What is the benefit of your speech?” It's like inviting a girl to your wedding night without a first date.
- “Sorry, I’m not an experienced speaker, don’t judge strictly...” People’s mental reaction: “Then why did you come out? Prepare yourself, don’t waste your time!” This is not a winning way to start a speech at an academic conference or when defending an important business project. Such phrases raise doubts about the speaker’s competence. The audience is waiting for a leader, play the role of a confident speaker to the fullest.
- “How can you hear me..?” Do you think this helps create a successful image? It looks like an inept attempt to pacify the excitement, to achieve any response from the audience. Do not do it this way. Everything you do either works for you or against you.
- Duplicate information from presentation slides. People either read or listen. Why do you need a speaker if you can read the text?
Leads to ditties at a concert
In order to add variety to the act and amuse the audience, you can write a liner that needs to be said before ditties or songs. An eyeliner is a short text in prose or poetry.
What should be mentioned when writing such a text? If the participant is performing with his mother, you can mention in the liner how much he loves her.
For example:
“Mommy, come here quickly,
“Daughter and Mom” - our duet!
There is no sweeter you in the world,
There are no relatives or closer ones either!”
Tips for establishing contact with the audience
Make a link to the previous speaker
If the previous speaker spoke powerfully, cheerfully, and received a standing ovation, your excitement intensifies. I want to hold the bar, the tension inside is growing. What to do? Join a colleague's success:
- Stand in the same place.
- Start by continuing his last sentence.
- Agree with his key points.
- Smoothly transition into your topic as you move around the stage.
Did the previous speaker fail? Pretend that nothing happened, don’t “drown” your colleague even more.
Tap into the overall experience of listeners
“You and I all love sweets..”, “And remember how we were in childhood... Who had this? Raise a hand". In the first seconds, people make a decision - you are one of them or someone else. Do you vibrate at the same level or at different levels, whether your values suit them. Worst beginning: “You and I are on opposite sides of the barricades,” “It will be difficult for someone to understand.” Make a gesture by drawing a ball in the air - the sign of unification will enhance the effect of community.
Ask the audience to move closer
At live events, people usually sit wherever they want. By asking your audience to move seats, you will take them a little out of their comfort zone, and this will include even the most inactive. In this way you will influence the subconscious level of people, because they will do what you say. Show them the benefit - what will they get by reseeding closer - can they see and hear better? Or will you distribute manuals or demonstration material to the first rows? I hope you get the idea.
Start with a pause
Why is this necessary? Imagine: you are sitting in the hall. The stage is empty. Everyone is waiting for the speaker. There are about 300 people in the hall and there is a slight hum: someone is talking to a neighbor, someone is talking on the phone, someone is laughing out loud. How to start a public speaking at a conference or any other event in such a situation?
The speaker comes out and immediately begins his speech. Some listen, others continue the conversation without having time to come to their senses. What is the speaker broadcasting? “I can speak when they don’t listen to me”, “I don’t respect myself” - a complete waste.
Another variant. The speaker comes out, takes center stage on the stage, and pauses. He looks around the hall, smiles at someone, nods. The hall slowly falls silent. In complete silence, in a confident voice, the speaker begins: “Friends, good evening, everyone.” He testified: “Until they listen to me, I will not speak.” It looks strong.
Homework to prepare for the concert
Preparation for the concert begins at home, the day before the performance. First of all, make a list of what you need to take with you. Most of what will be included in the list are accessories for playing musical instruments and various components for equipment.
Essential Accessories for Musical Instruments
Guitarists and bassists
If you're a guitar or bass player, bring along a couple of sets of strings, a string winder, wire cutters or tin snips, and a tuner. A spare guitar strap would also be a good idea - no one is immune from the current strap breaking or getting damaged during a trip to the venue or sound check.
Assemble your pedalboard in advance. Check all pedal connectors, connecting wires and power adapters. Be sure to have a set of batteries for the pedals.
Be sure to bring enough picks and a holder for them. There are always a lot of people who want to “shoot” a pick and forget to return it!
Vocalists
Don't be lazy and grab your microphone stand. Very often stands in clubs do not hold the microphone well, and having your own stand will eliminate these problems.
It can be very loud on stage, so consider wearing ear protection. Bring professional earplugs. This point applies to all musicians in the group.
Drummers
In addition to your own hardware, if you need it at a concert, collect several pairs of drumsticks. If you use pads or any percussion (mallet, chimes), check their working condition.
Be sure to take keys for the drums - it will be almost impossible to find them in the club.
Spare cables
There should be a spare cord for every cable used. A three-meter guitar cable, short connecting wires for the pedalboard, a microphone cord, some other wires - everything should have a working replacement.
First aid kit and medicine
Consider any developments. Take the necessary medications: nasal drops, cough medicine, headache tablets, plasters and bandages, medicine for colds and stomach pain. Medicines may not be useful to you, but one of your group mates will need them.
Adhesive tape, scotch tape
Scotch tape or duct tape can help secure a broken microphone stand, quickly repair a broken cable, or stick a setlist on stage.
Extension cords, splitters, adapters and power supplies
Bring an extra extension cord or power strip with you. It is not uncommon for musicians to not have enough sockets for all the equipment they brought.
Pay special attention to the power adapters of your equipment. If one of them is not trustworthy, take a spare one so that at the most crucial moment you are not left without effects or gadgets.
Flashlight, pen and paper
All modern smartphones are equipped with a built-in flashlight. If your device does not have such functionality, take a regular flashlight. The stage and hall are usually dark, so additional lighting will not hurt.
Also bring a pen and a small supply of paper with you in case you need to make edits to the setlist or make any notes. And the paper itself can help in many other emergency situations.
Towel and spare T-shirt
A towel will come in handy both during the performance and after. It's always hot in clubs and on stage, so don't let yourself get sweaty.
You will need a spare T-shirt after the concert. To avoid getting sick, change your clothes after the performance.
Multitool
Will help at any time. A multi-tool consisting of a screwdriver and pliers, wrenches and a file will help tighten loose screws and nuts on your tools and other equipment.
Snack and water
The concert may drag on, but hunger has not been canceled. Bring along fruits, sandwiches or other snacks that will satisfy your hunger.
All team members will need water. Stock up on one or two bottles of water for each team member.
Money
Cash may be needed at any time. You shouldn’t trust cards—your bank’s ATMs may not be nearby, and the club may not accept cards due to technical problems.
“Connect” between the audience and the speaker
Greeting at a public speech is one of the key elements that begins to build a connection with the audience. How to create this connection? It is important that the audience takes your side. Start with what brings you and your listeners together. Have you been to this city or lived, do you have children, are you familiar with the problem of the people in the hall? Without this there is no point in performing further. When you win people over, they won’t be so critical of your possible mistakes.
By the way, this is important. Give yourself the right to make mistakes, you are a living person. Surprisingly, this mindset will give you a feeling of freedom and you will be less likely to make mistakes.
Welcome words from the presenter at the concert
The main role is played by the introductory words of the presenter at the concert, because it is very important to capture the viewer’s attention from the first moment.
In order to start the concert correctly and interest the guests, the presenter must have oratory skills and follow a pre-drawn script.
Most speakers use a standard greeting pattern.
The presenter greets the assembled spectators:
- “Good evening, dear viewers!”
- "Greetings, ladies and gentlemen."
- "Dear friends! I am glad to welcome you to our concert”;
Next, you need to voice the purpose and name of the event.
Example for the Victory Day holiday:
“On this wonderful evening, we want to honor the memory of all those who left us defending our country.”
You can start the Mother's Day holiday with a quatrain about mom:
“Mother’s Day is a worthy, good holiday,
Who enters the family like sunshine.
And isn’t it nice for every mother,
When honor is rightfully given to her.”
Let the viewer understand why he came to the concert and why it is so important:
“There are people in this room without whom this event would not have taken place. Thanks to your contribution, we have the opportunity to help those in need and change the fate of many suffering people”;
- Tell us briefly about the event itself and what is included in the concert program. For example, dances, songs or small performances.
- Announce which celebrities, experts or politicians are invited to the event.
- Tell what issues will be raised during the concert. For example, a concert is dedicated to war veterans or nostalgia for the Soviet Union.
- And the last stage: you can finish the introduction and pass the floor to another presenter or start speaking immediately.
When giving a speech, one must not forget about the audience itself: the presenter must mention the contribution of the audience, explain why their presence is of great importance.
Algorithm for a confident start to public communication
- Exit . There is no need to start your speech on the fly. Slowly and confidently walk onto the stage, glancing lightly at the audience. Don't dig into the floor under your feet. No need to straighten your clothes or tuck in your shirt. You need to think about the marathon before going on stage. Otherwise, you will merge the speeches before the opening speech.
- Pause. Take a central position on stage and pause. Feel the direction of people's attention, the formation of impressions and attitudes towards you.
- Greeting and engaging question . Greet the audience in a cheerful voice and immediately ask an engaging question: “How are you feeling?” This powerful combination is not just for show. The question solves the following problems: setting the audience up for dialogue;
- “probing” for feedback. Pause after an engaging question and watch for a reaction. You will immediately understand what mood prevails in the room. If there is deathly silence after the question, don’t ignore it. Make a joke: “Yes, I see today my spirits are going through the roof”;
- relieving tension from gazes - you will feel relief on your skin, turning your attention from yourself with a question to the audience.
- Purpose of the speech . "Why are you here?" - the question that sounds in the listener’s head about the goal. But not yours as a speaker, but the audience’s goals. What did you come with? What results will the audience get from the presentation? Learn to shift your focus from yourself to your audience.
Heat, but do not boil. Why do young and unknown people perform in front of the stars at concerts?
Who needs support and why?
Very rarely does a request for a “warm-up” come from the stars themselves.
There is only one real reason - the program with which the headliner is traveling lasts less than an hour. This happens, as a rule, with newly emerging artists with a small amount of material. The organizer is much more interested in support. Firstly, half an hour after the start of the concert is the time when late spectators arrive. Large venues are often located outside the center, and concerts take place on weekdays in the evening, when the city turns into one big traffic jam. Secondly, warming up allows the host site to earn money. It is during the support performances that the bar makes the main income, since most of the audience has already gathered, but the headliner has not yet concentrated everyone’s attention on himself
For the audience, the warm-up performance is an opportunity to tune in to the concert, emotionally prepare for the appearance of their idols and, of course, expand their musical horizons. However, it is important here that the warm-up conceptually coincides with the general mood of the concert. If you don’t get into the genre or select performers who are not ready for large stages, then the main emotion of the audience will be irritation, not curiosity.
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Legends who started out as opening acts
For young groups, support is one of the few viable opportunities to get media attention and new listeners. And when a performance in front of world superstars is at stake, a very popular performer can become the opening act. So, “Spleen” once performed for The Rolling Stones, “Cockroaches!” - before The Exploited, and Tequilajazzz - before The Smashing Pumpkins.
In fact, almost any icon of modern music initially performed “as a backup” to the main artist. For example, Nine Inch Nails played with David Bowie, Red Hot Chili Peppers with The Rolling Stones. Back in 1999, the “peppers” themselves chose debutants Muse to support their tour.
The cult Radiohead gained popularity in the USA after they toured in support of REM. And a few years later, Radiohead themselves invited The Black Keys to their support, who used joint tours to promote their fourth record.
However, in the well-established “star” + “young talent” scheme, glitches sometimes occur. One of the funniest things happened at the Moscow concert of Michael Jackson’s sister, La Toya Jackson. As a “warm-up”, the organizers chose “Tender May”, which performed in the first part. As a result, only 2.5 out of 10 thousand people remained to listen to La Toya herself.
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How to get to the opening act for the stars
There are two ways to get to the opening act for the stars - through the headliner and through the organizers. In the first case, you need to write to the group management about your desire. As a rule, current contacts are listed on the website and on social networks. If you like the sound, the group will contact the organizers and ask you for support.
However, organizers prefer it when local groups build communication through them, since in the end they are the ones who deal with all the technical and financial costs. As a rule, the headliner is sent several warm-up options, from which he chooses the most worthy group.
According to the art director of the Teleclub Semyon Galperin, choosing a successful, correct warm-up is difficult. But this is necessary, because one of the missions of concert organizers is to help young musicians develop.
Semyon Galperin, art director of Teleclub:
— We are interested in groups from Yekaterinburg first gathering the House of Press, and then the Teleclub. We don't have many groups that can do this. Alai Oli, for example, which have long moved to St. Petersburg, “Sansara”, “Kurara”, “Chaif”. But we want to close the schedule with our Ural teams, and not sit constantly and not think about who else to invite. That's why we want to contribute to making these groups grow. This is pure business logic.
If we talk about human and music lover logic, Galperin continues, any concert organizer wants to be involved in the appearance and birth of stars.
On September 24 in Yekaterinburg, one of the brightest stars of modern post-punk, White Lies, will present their fifth and strongest, according to music critics, album Five. And there will be a warm-up before them. We invite you to guess: which local musician, in your opinion, is worthy of opening for the British? Choose and vote.
