Strategies for Public Speaking: Making a Good Start

00:00 So how do you start a speech with an icebreaker? The main thing is you can't seem overly manipulative of people.

00:08 You shouldn't start off with how many of you would like to make more money because that seems cheesy. It seems like you're just overtly manipulating people.

00:18 I also don't like it when certain motivational speakers say, Well, turn to the person next to you and tell them your five greatest aspirations in life and why you haven't succeeded.

00:29 That's just too personal.

00:31 You've got to make it relevant to who you are, what you're about, what you're trying to convey. So if, for example, you are someone who helps people with their elevator speech, you may just want to ask people as an icebreaker, turn to the person next to you and tell them in 30 seconds what you do for a living.

00:50 And then ask a couple of people, What did your partner say? That could be an interesting way of getting people to talk.

00:57 Getting them to think about the concepts you're going to be revealing today and engaging people in a way that doesn't seem can phony or overly manipulative.