HOW TO PRESENT ATTRACTIVE 
           INTRODUCTION

HOW TO PRESENT ATTRACTIVE INTRODUCTION

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Ways To Prepare A captivating Introduction

 An introduction is the very first message an audience will hear when you have to speak in public. We have to be casual, friendly smile, be simple but powerful, It can set the scene and make or break a presentation.

 It is frustrating so very few presenters use this powerful tool. Always request an MC or someone respected to introduce you. This provides instant credibility through third-party endorsement. It is far better for someone else to talk about and endorse your fantastic achievements than yourself.

 The more senior, respected, experienced, or higher ranked, the greater the credibility boost you will receive. As that well-known phrase goes, you never get a second chance to make a good first impression. So do you leave this opportunity to chance? Or do you want to control every word the audience hears? It is always best to control the introduction and in particular, write your own introduction and importantly brief the person who will be introducing you.

 A well-written introduction you have prepared beforehand also allows you to move smoothly and unhesitatingly from the introduction to your opening. Here are some public speaking tips and 10 easy ways to prepare a powerful introduction when giving a speech for any occasion.

 1. It Has To Make Sense.

Your introduction must make sense and cover why you are speaking or have been chosen to speak. Read it out loud to someone else prior to giving it to the introducer.

 2. Keep It Simple.

The best introductions are often the simplest.

 3. Keep It Short.

A short introduction will have the most impact. Remember the audience has come to hear you not the introducer. Bill Clinton has made famous his mistake in the US Congress where he took longer to introduce someone than the actual speech. Don’t make this fatal mistake. A good introduction will take between 20 and 30 seconds to read out and be between 3 and 4 paragraphs in length.

 4. Make An Impact.

Good introductions make an impact. Ways to do this could be to start with a rhetorical question.

 5. Include Personal Information. Include personal information to make a human connection with the audience. This helps build rapport and empathy

 6. Include The Quirky, Memorable or Unusual.

This helps the audience relate to and remember you. It is also useful as a way of introducing humor or a foil or balance to all your great achievements. The unusual can also surprise and delight an audience. I use my past involvement in the unusual athletic pursuit of hammer throwing to help put a smile on the audience’s faces.

7. Link to the Opening.

Make sure you have a link in your introduction to segue seamlessly into your opening. Remember the introduction and your opening is NOT the same.

8. Have Large Font.

Make sure the introducer can read the introduction. Keep the font as large as possible that will comfortably fit on 1-page.

9. Brief The Introducer.

Always brief the introducer on pronunciations and any stage directions. It is especially important for them to shake your hand to give you confidence and energy and permission to connect with the audience.

10. Give Them Plenty Of Time To Prepare.

Avoid handing the introduction to the MC at the last moment. Give them plenty of time to prepare and rehearse. Most are nervous and will want to do their best. Always avoid the credibility sapping experience of them saying, “So and so has just handed me this and I’m just going to read it out.” Don’t laugh it has happened to me and nothing dampen your energy and enthusiasm as a presenter more than being introduced with that line?

 Could it be that you’re not good enough?

 I am, however, going to talk about introductions, and how to write them well.

 We hear a great deal of talk about the importance of headlines, but much less is said about the value of a great introduction. Sure, you need a tempting headline to catch your reader’s eye, but without a strong, compelling introduction, the best headline ever written won’t save you.

 In this post, we’ll take a look at five of the many different ways you can open a blog post, article, interview, and white paper – pretty much anything with words. This is by no means a comprehensive or definitive list; there are almost as many ways to introduce your writing as there are ways to write. There are, however, some general techniques that lend themselves well to marketing copy that can be extraordinarily effective Or, is it that there’s a magic wand that Henniker, Jon Morrow, and Ana Hoffman are using that bring them lots of visits and engagement each time they dish out a new post? Now tell me…

 Assuming you are provided with an opportunity that would make you able to write articles that eventually increase your blog’s popularity and turn it into an authority site like The Huffington Post, Mashable, Cracked, Lifehacker, or TechCrunch, wouldn’t you grab it with both hands?

 How to Write A Great Introduction anywhere

In case you don’t know, the introduction of your article plays a vital role in helping people decide whether or not to read the rest of the blog post. If your introduction is persuasive enough, the tendency is that the reader will settle down to see what else you have written. But when your introduction sucks, the reader quickly brushes aside your post and moves on with life. That is the reason why you must pay proper attention to what you say in your introduction. Now, how exactly do you make that happen? Here are a few things you can do.

If your blog post needs to make a positive impact on your reader, the first sentence should be able to do that. It should be able to stick in the brain of the reader and make them understand what the post is all about.

 How do you create such an impact?

Use A Quote:

 Somerset Maugham used to say, “If you can tell stories, create characters, devise incidents, and have sincerity and passion, it doesn’t matter a damn how you write.”

Create A Story:

I was about to shut down my blog for its inability to generate income. Then, on my way to the café, I received an alert: I just made my first sale.

Ask A Thought-Provoking Question:

Do you want to know the number one reason why bloggers don’t take their blogs seriously as a business?

 Quote Statistics:

 According to Fevered Mutterings, 95% of bloggers give up on their blogs and look for something else to do.

Make that first sentence create such intrigue that the reader can’t help but read the rest of the post.

 2. Give Reasons

Whenever you are writing, always remember that your words are significant. For someone to stop what they’re doing and give you their attention, you need to give them a solid reason why they should do so. And there’s no better place to do that other than in your introductory paragraph.

 Ask yourself:

If I’m the one reading this article, what would grab my attention and keep me hooked until the end of the post?

Why should I abandon every other thing I’m doing and read this blog post?

Believe me, if you’re able to get this right, you won’t find it difficult to grab your reader’s attention.

 Let me tell you this: People’s response to a request is usually higher when they are provided with a good reason why they should take the desired action.

 Humans have curious minds, and as such, they want to have a reason behind every action or step they are about to take. One good way to persuade people to read your entire article is to give them a reason why they should do so. The real reason I chose to open with that quote is that introductory quotes are a lazy but highly effective way of grabbing your reader’s attention without doing any real work – especially when the quote in question has a negative or otherwise memorable tone, as Salinger’s (or rather, his protagonist Holden Caulfield’s) does.

 Before you’ve even read the quote in its entirety, you’re already wondering what was so lousy about the quoted individual’s life, or what “all that David Copperfield crap” really means, and why the person being quoted doesn’t really feel like going into it.

 Why Is This Type of Introduction So Effective?

Before we get into why this technique is so effective, it’s worth mentioning that opening with a quote only works well if the quote itself is interesting. There’s no point using a quote as your introduction if it’s something boring or predictable.

 The real reason I chose to open with that quote is that introductory quotes are a lazy but highly effective way of grabbing your reader’s attention without doing any real work – especially when the quote in question has a negative or otherwise memorable tone, as Salinger’s (or rather, his protagonist Holden Caulfield’s) does.

 Before you’ve even read the quote in its entirety, you’re already wondering what was so lousy about the quoted individual’s life, or what “all that David Copperfield crap” really means, and why the person being quoted doesn’t really feel like going into it.

 Why Is This Type of Introduction So Effective?

Before we get into why this technique is so effective, it’s worth mentioning that opening with a quote only works well if the quote itself is interesting. There’s no point using a quote as your introduction if it’s something boring or predictable. The real reason I chose to open with that quote is that introductory quotes are a lazy but highly effective way of grabbing your reader’s attention without doing any real work – especially when the quote in question has a negative or otherwise memorable tone, as Salinger’s (or rather, his protagonist Holden Caulfield’s) does.

 Before you’ve even read the quote in its entirety, you’re already wondering what was so lousy about the quoted individual’s life, or what “all that David Copperfield crap” really means, and why the person being quoted doesn’t really feel like going into it. Aside from the quote itself, which should ideally be as attention-grabbing as possible, the fact that quotation marks are used indicates – obviously – that a specific individual said those words. It may not sound like it, but this can be very enticing to the reader, encouraging them to read on to see who said it. This is especially true if the quote is controversial or contrarian.

 Let’s say you’re writing a piece about the potential impact of artificial intelligence on human society. Sure, you could open with a bland, generic introduction about how AI and technology have revolutionized the world as we know it, but you could also let someone else do the talking for you.

“With artificial intelligence, we are summoning the demon. In all those stories where there’s the guy with the pentagram and the holy water, it’s like – yeah, he’s sure he can control the demon. Doesn’t work out.”

 The quote above is one of many such memorable insights offered by technologist Elon Musk about the potentially existential threat posed by AI. Yes, it’s a little sensationalist – Musk certainly knows how to leverage provocative language to great effect – but it’s also a lot more interesting than most of the introductions I’ve read in articles on the topic. (Note that this particular quote was not used as an introduction in any piece I’ve found or read on the topic, and is used solely for illustrative purposes.)

 3. Make Use of Comparisons

Every reader already has their “truth”. Try and relate to that in your introduction and you will have them on your side.

 Try to show a comparison that bridges what they know and what you want them to know.

 For instance, comparing the cost of your blog coaching package to that of the salary of an online magazine writer can create a significant effect. The reader will be able to compare their investment vs. their potential returns.

 You can also compare your services with that of your competitor. Explain why you’re different (and better). Always have in the back of your mind that, as a writer, some of the best tools you can use are similes, metaphors, and comparisons. The human mind is programmed by nature to not swallow every piece of information hook, line, and sinker. We sometimes enjoy controversial issues. This is even more so when the controversy stems from someone we trust and see as an authority.

 Persuading people to read your blog posts does not depend on just having several posts on your site; rather, it depends on the value the reader's place on those posts. There’s nothing bad in disagreeing with other authorities, especially if you have contrary views that you can back up with stats or proof. Opening your introduction with statements that are controversial or writing on controversial topics can be a simple way to grab the attention of the reader quickly. Such openings make them pay more attention. They are more interested in getting to the end of the post to see if they’ve been persuaded. However, as a professional blogger, it is advisable to not always be controversial, as this can easily make some of your readers lose their trust in you and abandon your blog for good.

So, when talking about a controversial topic, use caution.

 5. Tell an Interesting Story

 Who doesn’t like listening to stories? … No one. Most people enjoy stories, especially when they’re interesting, informative, and entertaining. One of the qualities of a good copywriter is mastering the art of storytelling. Look around the internet today, and you will see the impact of this. While writing your introduction, employ the use of storytelling to empathize with your reader and spark up their curiosity. However, don’t be carried away and end up writing long, boring stories that will only succeed in pushing your reader away.

Master this and you’ll keep your readers hooked.

6. Keep the Introduction Short: People love reading shorter sentences which they can easily understand.

When writing, try as much as possible to avoid long, complicated sentences because a lot of readers find it difficult to comprehend them. Minimize the use of unnecessary adverbs, adjectives, and words that hardly help make your point clear.

 7. Use Simple, Exact Words

 This is not the right time to showcase your grammatical prowess; excessive use of grammar or jargon can actually scare away a lot of your readers. Try and use words that can easily be understood without consulting a dictionary.

 Your readers are not linguistics students, and they may never be comfortable if you try to talk to them in complex English.

There are always simpler synonyms you can use:

“Exert leverage” -> “Take advantage of”

“Peruse the book with precision” -> “Read the book thoroughly”

Even simpler versions of simple words:

“Purchase” -> “Buy” Make it easy for your readers to read, and they will read.

It is almost impossible to see a topic out there on the internet that has not been talked about by someone. Most things are simply being recycled from one blogger to another. You can avoid falling into the trap of doing what everyone else is doing by making your post unique, even if the idea is not. Change the way a topic has been presented, and add in your unique voice or touch to it.

 But here’s the trick: Make it unique right from the introduction. For instance, a lot of people have written on the topic “how to make money from home”, but you can make it unique by writing on “15 Super Simple Ways To Make Money From Home And Enjoy An Early Retirement”.

 Read: How to Make Common Blog Posts Unique When Writers Block Hits, Then while writing the introduction, talk about that unique angle- what it is, why it’s important, and how to master it.

 9. Agitate and Offer

It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t have a problem.

People are seeking for solutions to their various problems, and they will readily listen to anyone who understands their plight and perhaps has a solution for their challenges. You need to identify the trouble they are having, concentrate and lay more emphasis on the problem, and then offer them a solution. When you lay emphasis on the problem, it’s not because you are cruel, it’s because you really want to show compassion. You simply let the reader know that you understand their plight and that you can solve their problem because of your experience in handling similar cases.

Read: How to Find Your Customers Pain and Use It As A Powerful Marketing Strategy

They then trust your expertise and read your post in order to get the solution the introduction promises to deliver.

 You need to sound very empathetic as if you know what your reader (singular) is going through. Write in such a way that they will feel as if you’re addressing them directly.

Just imagine telling your readers ten years ago that in the next decade, footballers would be earning up to $600,000 every week. You would then be one of the respected voices in the football world today because your prediction came true. Make mind-boggling predictions in your introduction. Your readers will stick around and finish the post just so they won’t lose any insight into the industry you are so knowledgeable about. However, be sure you have a thorough knowledge of the subject before making any predictions; otherwise, you will look stupid when you say something really wrong. Making predictions comes from your ability to analyze situations and critically think far ahead into the future.

  The Statistic or Fun Fact

Did you know that the first American movie to show a toilet being flushed on-screen was Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 psychological horror classic, Psycho?

Everybody loves trivia, and even if you’re a hardcore Hitchcock fan, you might not have known the fun fact above.

This technique is another powerfully effective way to grab your reader’s attention from the outset. It’s also one of the most commonly used introductions in a lot of marketing writing. This makes sense; it establishes the general topic of the piece in a fun way and offers the reader something snappy and memorable. However, the real reason using facts or statistics as an introduction works is because it pushes our emotional buttons.

Why Is This Type of Introduction So Effective? When it comes to content, whether a 500-word blog post or a 4,000-word long-form journalistic feature, some emotional triggers are more effective than others. In particular, there’s a scientific principle known as the von Restorff effect (named for the German pediatrician Hedwig von Restorff who first wrote of the phenomena in the early 1930s) which states that people tend to remember unusual things much more effectively than routine, expected things.

This is an extension of our natural survival instincts; our brains are wired to perceive strange or unusual things as potential threats, making them much more memorable as whatever strange thing we’re fixated on might kill us. It’s also why, if you don’t take much else away from this post, I can practically guarantee that you’ll remember the Psycho toilet-flushing fact, which you can and should use to impress your friends at your next get-together at the pub.

Here at Word Stream, we use this technique a great deal, and not only in introductions. To this day, I still remember that you’re 475 times more likely to survive a plane crash than you are to click on a banner ad – a fact I first included in a post for the Word Stream blog back in 2014. Admittedly, I had to look up the publication date of that post, but I didn’t need to double-check the statistic itself because it’s just that memorable. Take care, however, to select your facts and statistics carefully. In the banner ad example above, this stat isn’t just memorable because of the staggering odds against you clicking on a banner ad, but because it’s framed within the context of surviving a plane crash – a particularly striking hypothetical scenario, and one that aligns closely with the survival instincts I mentioned earlier. Merely tossing in a statistic about how many daily active users Facebook has, for example, will not have the same effect. Just as you should think carefully about the quotes you use in your introductions, choose your statistics with similar care.

Setting the Scene: By 2017, the world economy has collapsed. Food, natural resources, and oil are in short supply. A police state, divided into paramilitary zones, rules with an iron hand. Although this introduction could aptly describe our current geopolitical nightmare, it’s actually the introductory text from Paul Michael Glaser’s 1987 cinematic adaptation of Stephen King’s disturbingly prescient short story, The Running Man (which King wrote under his Richard Bachman pseudonym, before you hardcore King fans yell at me). This technique is known as setting the scene, and it can be a highly effective way of drawing your reader into your piece. (If you’re interested, David Hogan’s 1996 action movie Barb Wire also came surprisingly close with its speculative take on what a dystopian 2017 might look like.)

   Why Is This Type of Introduction So Effective?

This introductory technique is similar to the narrative example, in that the writer sets the stage for not only what is happening at the outset of the piece, but for what the reader can expect to follow. This method can be incredibly powerful when dealing with emerging topics or subjects with strong newsworthy elements.

Editorially, this technique offers many benefits to the writer. It allows you to choose and establish a clearly defined position on an issue and enables you to quickly assume a contrarian stance on contentious topics. It also allows you to manipulate the emotions of your readers by summarizing and highlighting the positive or negative aspects of a story how you see fit or to support the points you want to make. Stylistically, this introduction can be structured similarly to narrative introductions – by telling a self-contained story at the outset of the piece before transitioning into the rest of the content – or by helping the reader get up to speed quickly on a developing topic they may not be aware of, as many in-depth news reports from Houston in the wake of Hurricane Harvey did. Many reports framed the catastrophic damage caused by Harvey within the wider political contexts of disaster relief funding, contentious proposed cuts to scientific research, and the volatile political climate that surrounds emergency management in crisis-prone regions such as the southern and southeastern United States. A well-written introduction setting the scene can help your readers quickly understand why what you’re about to say is important, as well as giving them a solid grounding in the often highly nuanced background information essential to understanding complex, multifaceted issues.

Introduce Yourself: Hopefully, you’re spending plenty of time coming up with catchy headlines for your content. I hope that you now have a greater appreciation for the value and importance of a solid introduction, too. Next time you sit down to write, spare a thought for the daring bravery of Mad Jack Churchill charging into battle with his longbow and claymore like a Viking warrior – then ask whether your intro would make Mad Jack proud.

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