The 6 Dos and Don’ts for Writing an Introduction for Another Speaker

Your principal has been asked been asked to introduce another speaker at a conference and you need to write them five minutes of introductory remarks.

While introducing another speaker isn’t as exciting as writing a keynote, it’s an excellent opportunity to get creative and flex some storytelling skills.

Here are some do’s and don’ts to get you started:

DON’T - copy and paste the speaker’s online bio into your script. Intuitively you know it’s a bad idea, but why? Online biographies tend to be long, boring, and badly written. No audience needs to know about all six degrees the speaker holds or their first job out of college.

DO - (if possible) setup a meeting with the speaker to find out which elements of their bio they care about. If they’ve written five books, ask them which one they’re most proud of and why. Find out if there was a pivotal moment that set them on their career path. Ask why they’re speaking at this particular event and what they’re planning on talking about. Their answers will yield some interesting nuggets you can weave into the remarks.

DON’T - ever use the phrase: “and now the person who needs no introduction, Mickey Mouse.” It makes your principal look lazy. Even if they are introducing someone as high profile as Mickey Mouse, your speaker can still share a personal story about their favourite Mickey Mouse cartoon or their childhood trip to Disney.

DO - put yourselves in the shoes of the audience. In this instance your principal is not the main event. So keep the remarks short, sweet and engaging. Your principal needs to set the tone for the speaker, provide some key information about who they are and what they’re talking about, and then (to be blunt) get off stage asap. Less is most definitely more in this case.

DON’T - make the remarks about your principal. An introduction should be all about the person who’s about to speak, not the person introducing them. The main character in any stories should always be the speaker, with your principal playing a supporting role.

DO - ask your principal if they have any relationship to the person speaking. If they’re old friends or colleagues find out how they first met and if there are any funny or touching stories about their shared history. If you can start the remarks with a story it will fill the room with warmth. Even better, use a series of stories (two or three) that share who the speaker is, highlight any key credentials, and set the tone for their speech.