Is it your job to introduce the keynote speaker for your big event? Introductions are critical moments at conferences and events. If you do it well, you set up the keynote speaker and your event for success. When done poorly, you provide an obstacle for your speaker to overcome.

How do you create an effective introduction for a keynote speaker?

1) Research

All good introductions need a little research. 

Ask the Speaker: Start by asking the keynote speaker if they have their own prepared introduction. Many prominent keynote speakers have their own written introductions. Some even have music for their entrance or a sizzle video to prepare the audience. If they do, skip to step 3.

Do your own research. Complete an internet search on the speaker or topic. Check out the speaker’s webpage, LinkedIn, or Wikipedia page. 

Find out the speaker’s

• Name and title (write out the name phonetically if it’s difficult)
• Major accomplishments (leadership positions, published books, awards)
• Expertise in the field (years in the industry or relevant major accomplishments)
• Fun personal details (such as, are they a native of the state where the event is taking place)

2) Writing

Once you’ve completed your research, write the introduction. 

A good introduction will be

• Short. Thirty seconds is enough to cover all you need to cover. That’s about a 4-5 line paragraph. Just pick the highlights.
• Focused: A good introduction is focused on what’s relevant to the audience. You want to cover: 
  • The topic 
  • How the topic is relevant to the audience 
  • Why this speaker is an expert 
  • Who the speaker is

3) Delivery

Finally, you need to work on your delivery. You’ll need to practice and find the right tone.

• Practice: Practice your introduction several times so that you can speak naturally and make any necessary revisions to vocabulary. It’s also a good way to check how long the introduction is.
• Tone: Match your tone to the topic, speaker, and the occasion. If it’s an inspirational talk, you might want to have an exciting tone. If it’s about endangered species, you might want to skip the jokes and be more serious. 

Example:

Here’s a sample introduction that answers the four research questions:

Today, we have a great keynote speaker for you. She’s funny, a great storyteller, and is going to give us some actionable ideas about how each of you can succeed as a team at BigCompany. She’s turned around dozens of Fortune 500 companies, including Starbucks, Amazon, and Apple, is the author of the bestselling book Finding the Me in Team, and won an Olympic Gold Medal in bobsledding. So please put your hands together for a warm welcome for …

For More on Introductions

Three Reasons Why You Need a Skilled Master of Ceremonies

Why Use A Professional Moderator & Emcee (MC) At Your Corporate Event

Top Comedian Keynote Speakers