How to Introduce a Guest Speaker

Speaking in public can be a harrowing experience for many people. The thought of standing in front of a crowd with the possibility of being embarrassed causes some people to break out in a sweat. When this is compounded by having to introduce a stranger, it can leave a feeling of helplessness and uncertainty. There are some practical things to know and do when stuck in this predicament.

Fortunately, people who do not speak regularly in public are rarely asked to do so on the spur of the moment. This means that a person will generally have a few days and maybe weeks to get ready for this assignment. The first thing to do is request a fact sheet about the person being introduced. If he or she is a well known speaker or makes a living by doing public speaking this document will be readily available. If not, it can be constucted by contacting the person to do a brief interview to collect information. Either way, it is important to know a few significant things about the person’s qualifications.

Once armed with this information, an outline needs to be formed of how to present the speaker to the group. Start the outline by listing where the person was born and raised if this is available. The geography lesson needs to be followed with two or three sentences about his or her educational credentials. This is even more important if the person graduated from a prominent school like Harvard or has achieved a doctorate. Anything that adds weight to the speaker’s expert status is worth saying.

From here, the introduction should briefly cover his or her work history. It is important to distill the best from the rest. The audience should feel that the person has already accomplished the goals that are being discussed. For example, if it is a speaker at an investment seminar, it would be good if the person had been successful working for a major stock broker. Frequently, by the time someone is being invited to speak about a certain field or hot topic, the person’s reputation is known. The idea is to remind the group why the speaker’s words are important to each audience member.

If the speaker has had a major event happen recently in his or her life that can add a human interest side to their biography, it is important to include this in the introductory remarks. The birth of a first grandchild or marriage of the first or last or only child would be some examples of things people like to hear that make the speaker more human. Listeners like to be able to identify with a speaker as a person as much or more as they do as an expert.

If possible, the introduction should list a few places or groups the speaker has addressed in previous weeks. This will create a sense that everyone wants to listen to what this person has to say. People like to be a part of what is currently popular.

Finally, the remarks might be flavored with a few brief excellent newer jokes or funny stories. These should be told well or not at all. The plan here is to build interest and excitement for the guest speaker not to make the audience run for the doors. The best introduction will introduce the speaker without trying to match or outdo what he or she will say.