3 Ways to Never Start a Speech (Save this for the Next Time You Take the Stage 😉)

And 3 techniques to wow your audience in the first 13 seconds...

A hearty welcome to the 63 folks who joined us since last Tuesday. 👊🏾

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The First 13…

The first 13 seconds on stage is the most valuable stretch of real estate in your speech.

13 seconds….

Imagine that you’re in the audience.

You’re attending an industry conference in Reno. The last thing you did before taking your seat was check the schedule.

How many sessions are there going to be?

Who’s speaking at this damn thing?

What time is lunch?

Be honest: These are the exact thoughts going through your head...

So when the speaker takes the podium (and in a future post, I’ll argue that you should never use a podium), you’re a bit skeptical, but willing to give her a chance.

As soon as the half-hearted claps subside, you are on the clock.

So how do you start?

Well, let’s first talk about how not to start.

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1. “Thank you so much…”

Great speakers stand out.

Starting with “Thank you…” may be the least standoutish (not a word, but this is my newsletter, damnit) move you can make.

I estimate that 76.38 percent of the talks you’ve attended began with, “Thank you.”

I can hear you mumbling over there…

What’s so wrong with showing a little gratitude? 🤷‍♀️

There’s nothing wrong with it…other than the fact that…Everybody does it.

So, let’s leave the gratitude for another part of the speech (like the middle).

Now….let’s get to #2…

2. “I’m so happy to be here…”

That’s great….we get it….you’re happy. 😁

Guess what…A good number of people in that room are not happy to be there.

And telling them that you’re happy is not going to make them happy.

“I’m so happy to be here” is what I call an empty phrase.

Its usage is so common that it fails to evoke a real feeling.

Just dump it.

Let’s get to #3…

3. “Can you hear me? Is this thing working?”

I have a general rule in life: “Always assume the mic is working until someone stands up and says, “The mic isn’t working, damnit!”

Any event planner (worth his/her salt) will ask you to do a sound check session before the program starts.

To be honest, I find it to be a pain in the 🍑 , but never turn them down.

Always do it. It makes them feel better and it’ll give you more confidence when you take the stage.

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The Mic Drop 🎤

I know what you’re thinking, “Well, how should I start my speech?”. At MYM, we call this framework the SPA Treatment. 👇

1. (S)tory

People tend to tee up a good story with five minutes of fluff.

Don’t be like a lot of people.

Jump straight to the plot.

Here’s an example from one of my talks, Complacency is the Enemy:

“My Dad pointed to the headstone and said, “This is why you will never have any excuses.”

Now, what is the audience thinking when I start my speech like this?

They’re wondering:

Who died?

Why were they in a cemetery?

Is a headstone the same thing as a tombstone? 🤔

And guess what?

Now they want to listen to see if I’m going to answer their questions.

This method is one of my go-to techniques for piquing the crowd’s curiosity. Here’s an example of it done well (video link).

• “Imagine a big explosion as you climb through 3,000 ft. Imagine a plane full of smoke. Imagine an engine going clack, clack, clack. It sounds scary. Well I had a unique seat that day. I was sitting in 1D.” [Note: Surviving a plane crash is rare. I get that. Just take note of the style and think about some moment of your life that would grip the audience.]

2. (P)rovocative Statement

My co-founder tried to convince me to leave this one out, but I don’t listen very well. 🤷🏾‍♂️

[🚨 Disclaimer: This technique can go very well or get you cancelled on Twitter. Tread very lightly here, and ask a broad range of people to give you honest feedback on your idea before you try it.]

☝️ This is the first slide in 95 percent of my talks. 👀

I read it aloud and pause for five seconds.

…

…

…

Without fail, someone will gasp or chuckle. And then I go into my bit about how time is a non-renewable resource…

And you know what? It works every damn time.

People will come up to me and say, “I didn’t know where you were going with that whole dying thing…”

😂

Again, I can’t stress this enough: Practice your PS in front of some people who will tell you the truth before you take the stage.

3. (A)ction

“Everybody stand up and fist bump somebody!”

When I’m doing morning keynotes, I know I’m up against hangovers and hangry folk.

So, I force the endorphins to flow ASAP.

People will smile, some will sigh, but everybody will get up.

[Note: For this technique, the key is to not rush the moment. People will talk to each other. You’ll hear laughs and chatter. This is what you want; you’re building connections. Let it flow.]

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Oh, and a Bonus Tip 💎

Carve out at least ten minutes for you to be alone before your talk begins.

I don’t care what the event setup looks like.

I don’t care if you’re seated at a table with nine strangers.

I don’t care if you’re in a crowded classroom.

Get away. ✌️

Close your eyes. 😌

Envision the impact. 📈

And breathe. 🧘🏽‍♀️

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We’ll see you next Tuesday morning. Make it a great week.

Take the Stage.

Get Paid.

Buy Your Freedom.

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