Buzz
Whether it's at work, school, or during a professional seminar, there are times when you'll be part of a group presentation. Every presentation needs an introduction, and it's helpful to know some tips on how to introduce the next speaker. Below, we’ve compiled a list of recommendations to ensure a smooth transition and a successful presentation.
Things You Should Do
- Summarize the key points to close your part of the presentation.
- Introduce the next topic to guide the audience’s attention toward the transition.
- Compliment the upcoming speaker or share some details about them, then provide their name and professional title to complete the introduction.
Steps
Summarize what you’ve just discussed.
This step wraps up your presentation and transitions to the next speaker. Summarize the key points or let the audience know what to remember from your presentation. Be concise and to the point.
- For example, you could say something like: “In conclusion, if global warming continues at this rate, by 2050 over 140 million people will need to relocate.”
- You could also say something like: “Well, that was a brief introduction to the estimated impacts of carbon emissions over the past three decades.”
Prepare the audience for the next topic with a question.
This technique helps redirect the audience’s focus to the next subject. You can ask the audience a few thought-provoking questions related to the upcoming speaker's content. Another method is to pose a “what if” question to engage the audience’s thinking.
- For instance, if the next presenter will discuss the impacts of artificial intelligence on future generations, you might ask: “What if by 2075, there is no longer any demand for human labor in manufacturing?”
- Or, if the next presenter will talk about cloud computing security, you might ask: “Do you often worry about the security of your files when storing them in the cloud?”
Introduce the name of the next speaker.
This step helps the audience clearly understand who the next speaker is. Start with "And here is..." or "Next, let's welcome...", followed by the person's full name. This section is pretty straightforward!
- For example: "Next, let's welcome Mr. Phan Hoàng Việt..."
- Or: "And here is Ms. Phạm Lan Chi..."
Introduce the job title or area of expertise of the upcoming speaker.
This part will provide the audience with additional information about the upcoming speaker. Right after announcing the name of the next speaker, you should share their professional title, role, or workplace if available. If they do not have a professional title, you can mention the educational institution they attended or are currently part of, where they are from, or other relevant details about their educational background.
- For example: "Next, we have Mr. Nguyễn Duy Khoa, the marketing director."
- Or: "Professor Lê Hoàng Dương, a former lecturer in the philosophy department at the National University."
Inform the audience about what the next speaker will discuss.
This part aims to create excitement and grab the audience's attention. You need to spark the audience's interest in the topic the next speaker will address. Keep your tone enthusiastic and positive as you inform the audience about what the speaker will present.
- For instance, after introducing the person's name and professional background, you might say: "He will present 5 effective time management techniques that can lead to success and that you can start applying today!"
- Or: "Hoài Phương will share an exciting discovery she made last year while researching octopus behavior."
Compliment the next speaker in your introduction.
This will show the audience that you personally support the next speaker. Express sincerity when saying something positive about the qualities of your co-speaker. Use the connection you’ve built with the audience to shift their focus onto the next person.
- For example: "Ms. Liên is one of the most talented scientists I've met in the field of physics, and I’m excited to hear her insights."
- Or: "Ms. Kim Ánh has been a close colleague of mine for nearly 6 years, and she's also an excellent speaker, so I know you’ll enjoy it."
- If you're unsure how to introduce them personally, you can research their accomplishments, such as: "Mr. Hoàng Giang has written internationally recognized books and is a leading author in the field of economics."
Add an interesting fact or a joke.
An interesting fact or a joke can help capture the audience's attention. Provide the audience with a fun tidbit to help them connect with the next speaker. You could also tell a light joke to bring some laughter to the crowd. Make sure that the tone and content of the joke match both the audience and the topic of the presentation.
- For instance: Not only is she a leading expert in marine biology, but Ms. Hoài Phương is also fluent in 5 languages. But don’t worry, today she will only present in one language!”
Brief introduction.
The audience wants to hear what the speaker has to say. Try to keep your introduction under 5 sentences. All the information you need to share about the next speaker can be summarized in just a few sentences, rather than delivering a long-winded introduction that could bore the audience and lose their attention.
- For example, the first sentence should summarize what you’ve just said, the second sentence can be a question that transitions to the next topic, followed by a quick introduction of the speaker's name, title, and the topic they’ll discuss in 1-2 more sentences. Finally, you could end with an interesting fact about the next speaker in the fifth sentence.
Signal to the speaker that it’s time to begin their presentation.
This is the closing part of your introduction and the moment to bring the next speaker onto the stage. Make eye contact with them and gesture toward the stage. Use phrases like "Please welcome" or "Let's invite to the stage" to invite the speaker to present in front of the audience.
- You can say: "Please welcome Mr. Duy Hùng to the stage!"
- Or: "Let’s give a warm welcome to Đăng Huy."
Practice your entire presentation at least twice.
This step ensures you deliver a great introduction. Rehearse your entire presentation with your group at least twice. Practice saying everything you want to mention in the introduction of the next speaker during the final part of your presentation to ensure you meet the time limit and cover all the points.
- If you can’t rehearse with the person you’re introducing, you can still practice the entire presentation up until the transition to the next speaker. Just imagine the speaker is sitting somewhere next to the stage.
- You can record yourself practicing in front of a mirror and review it, or rehearse in front of friends.
