An executive client asked for help because they had to deliver opening remarks at a community event which their organization was sponsoring.
This happens a lot as we move into senior leadership roles. We have more opportunities to speak both internally and externally, representing our organization.
Opening remarks are usually about 3 minutes in length, and they are usually completely forgettable.
Why?
First, because you start with “thank you’s” which don’t capture our attention.
And second, because you repeat corporate talking points which we could read on your organization’s website (read more in my previous article, Communicating the Company’s Talking Points).
It’s a wasted opportunity to connect.
Opening Remarks are a Chance to Humanize Your Organization
Your job in delivering opening remarks is to humanize the organization, especially if you work for a Fortune 500 company which can feel like a large, faceless organization. Your goal is to create a personal connection with your audience, which hopefully earns their trust in your organization.
Here’s how to deliver powerful opening remarks:
1—Speak to WHY we are here.
- Create a sense of shared purpose around why this matters. Take advantage of the element of surprise in the very beginning: start with a bold first sentence that captures the audience’s attention.
2—Speak to YOUR connection to this event.
- What is your personal connection to the community, to the event, or to the topic? Let people see you as an individual who cares about this work (Learn more about how to craft your “Why You?” statement.)
3—Speak with energy and purpose.
- When you open an event, your energy sets the energy of the entire day. Whatever you say, speak from a place of intention and presence.
4—Thank people towards the end.
- It’s great to thank those who were involved – just don’t lead with it. Put the “thank you’s” right before the conclusion, saying something like, “Before I close, I want to thank some people without whom this event would never have happened.”
5—Close with a vision of impact.
- End your remarks with a sense of excitement for the event. Paint a picture of how the world will look as a result of this event, and the positive impact it can have.
Once you deliver your closing sentence, don’t rush off stage. Pause and let your last sentence resonate. Only then are you finished.
These remarks might take more time to write, but they will be much easier to internalize and deliver, because they will come from within. And as a result, you will much more effectively represent both yourself and your organization at its best.