8.5: Conclusion: Opening the Door to Connection
Tiffany Petricini
Introductions are more than the first words of your speech—they are the moment you invite your audience into your message. By crafting a strong attention-getter, building credibility, and previewing your main points, you lay the groundwork for trust, curiosity, and engagement.
In this chapter, you explored how introductions can be powered by creativity, authenticity, and strategic thinking—and how AI can serve as both a brainstorming partner and a potential trap for formulaic or impersonal openings. You also saw that the skills you develop here apply far beyond public speaking, shaping first impressions in personal, professional, and digital spaces.
But an introduction is only the beginning. In the next chapter, we will turn to the body of the speech—the place where ideas are developed, evidence is presented, and your message gains depth. We’ll explore how to organize main points, support them with credible material, and maintain momentum so your audience stays with you from start to finish.
Key Takeaways
Your introduction sets the tone for the entire speech—capturing attention, establishing credibility, and previewing your message.
- Attention-getters should be tailored to your audience and purpose, whether they use stories, questions, statistics, or humor.
- Establishing credibility combines expertise, authenticity, and connection—not just a list of qualifications.
- Preview statements guide your audience, making it easier for them to follow and remember your main points.
- AI can help brainstorm hooks, research content, and structure previews, but it should be refined to reflect your authentic voice.
- Beyond speeches, introduction skills enhance everyday interactions—from networking to digital communication.
- A strong introduction makes a promise your body should fulfill—transitioning naturally into your main points.
References
Aristotle. (2007). On rhetoric: A theory of civic discourse (G. A. Kennedy, Trans.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published ca. 4th century BCE)
Baker, E. E. (1965). The immediate effects of perceived speaker disorganization on speaker credibility and audience attitude change in persuasive speaking. Western Speech, 29(3), 148–161.
Beebe, S. A., & Beebe, S. J. (2021). Public speaking handbook (6th ed.). Pearson.
Lucas, S. E. (2020). The art of public speaking (13th ed.). McGraw-Hill Education.
McCroskey, J. C., & Teven, J. J. (1999). Goodwill: A reexamination of the construct and its measurement. Communication Monographs, 66(1), 90–103.
Miller, G. R. (1946). Speech introductions and conclusions. Quarterly Journal of Speech, 32(3), 354–359.
