Greeting Your Audience

Before beginning a presentation, you may find yourself with a mind full of anxious thoughts, questioning what you should do first. As you make your way to the front of the room, remember that one of the best ways to kick off your speech is by simply and effectively greeting your audience.

It may seem like common sense, but sometimes it can be a step that is forgotten, especially if there is pressure to start due to a  time limit or an internal battle against your own fear.

Greeting your audience allows them to join you with full engagement and excitement, from the very start.

Here are 3 ways you can get to greeting your audience

1. Keep It Simple

Say “Good Morning” (afternoon or evening) and introduce yourself, so that your audience can familiarize themselves with the person instructing them or giving them information of value.

2. Ask Your Audience a Question

Start a “conversation” where you ask the audience members to get involved by giving a verbal response, a show of hands, or just a nod of their head if they agree or disagree with a problem or statement that you’re asking about.

3. Begin With Introductions

As long as you have a small enough group, after briefly introducing who you are, go around the room and ask audience members to state their name and one or two things about them. That way, everyone in the room will know one another and rapport will begin.

This information is from our Public Speaking curriculum. If you’re looking for ways to improve your communication skills, register for one of our public classes.

Photo courtesy of Odd.note

Other articles of interest:

15 Ways to Say Hello in English – Phrasemix.com

A discussion on word usage when saying “Hello” to a group of people – English Language & Usage Stack Exchange

“I Say Hello….You Say Nothing” An article on the lost art of saying Hello – Elio Leturia HuffingtonPost.com