Openings

What's the first thing you're going to say to an audience?

You're standing there on a stage in front of a room full of people, and they're all staring at you--waiting for you to say something compelling, interesting, worth their time. What will it be? A joke? An embarrassing story? A charming anecdote? A dive into data?

Will you endeavor to disarm your audience? Mesmerize them? Cajole them? Plead with them?

No.

You'll just talk to them. Speaking as you would to anyone you knew and cared about. Tell them the truth and show them you mean business. That's public speaking.