Permission is given to reprint the following articles, provided that the following contact information is provided in its entirety. 

© by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. 
Visit  www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com. 

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Think Twice about that “Thank You”

By Bonnie Budzowski
President, InCredible Messages, LP

According to Granville Toogood, author of The Articulate Executive, most people decide within 8 seconds if you, as a speaker, are worth listening to. We can quibble about the exact number of seconds the average person takes to make such a decision, but experts agree that you get precious few seconds to make a good impression.

You know from experience, of course, that most speeches begin with predictable phrases, like “It’s an honor to speak to you today….” or “How about that sports team?” or “Thank you for the opportunity….” No one faults a speaker for saying “thank you,” and no one leaves a presentation because the speaker is polite. Even so, predictable openings waste some of the most important seconds of a speech.

Most people feel uncomfortable about skipping the “thank you” at the beginning of a speech. We are so used to the amenities that it seems unnatural or impolite to eliminate them. Besides, those first “thank you” seconds can help you to get used to the sound of your voice and the look of all those people staring at you from the audience.

My advice is to keep the pleasantries but delay them. Use your first 8 to 60 seconds to grab the audience’s attention, with a statistic, a story, or a benefit statement. Then thread the “thank you” into the speech with subtlety somewhere else.

Make the effort to start your presentation off with something memorable. You don’t get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Permission is granted to reprint this article when the following contact information is included: © 2011 by Bonnie Budzowski, President of InCredible Messages, LP. For more free articles, go to www.IncredibleMessages.com or contact Bonnie at info@IncredibleMessages.com.

When it’s time to create “killer content” in a book or speech that establishes credibility and boosts your revenue, Bonnie Budzowski is the perfect resource.  An expert in communication, Bonnie specializes in coaching authors and speakers to organize & express thoughts in ways that capture attention, sell their ideas, and move people to action.  Bonnie helps her clients build content with less time and angst than they dream possible. 

Bonnie Budzowski is Founder of inCredible Messages, Past President of the National Speakers Association, Pittsburgh Chapter, and Past Managing Editor of Speaker Magazine.

If you’d like to sell your ideas, boost your influence, or advance your career through a book or presentation, call Bonnie at 412-828-1629, bonnie@inCredibleMessages.com or visit her website at www.inCredibleMessages.com. 

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