TalkSpeechy
A speaker introduction has one job: raise the audience's interest and hand the stage over cleanly. It should take under a minute, tell people why this speaker on this topic is worth their attention, and end on the speaker's name so the applause knows where to land.
Answer 'why this person, why now'
Not a full bio - the two or three facts that make this speaker credible on this specific topic. The audience wants relevance, not a resume.
Keep it to 45-60 seconds
A long introduction steals energy from the talk. If you're reading a bio the speaker sent, cut it by half.
Don't summarize their talk
Tease the topic, don't deliver it. 'She's going to explain why most onboarding fails' is a hook; walking through her three points is a spoiler.
End on the name
The last words should be the speaker's name, clearly, as the cue for applause and their walk-on. 'Please welcome Dr. Maya Chen.'
Example (about 40 seconds)
'Our next speaker has spent fifteen years studying why teams miss deadlines - first as a project manager who missed a lot of them, then as a researcher who figured out why. Her work is used by companies you've heard of, and she has a rare talent for making planning sound interesting. She's here to talk about the one estimation mistake almost everyone makes. Please welcome Dr. Maya Chen.'
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a speaker introduction be?
Forty-five to sixty seconds. Long introductions drain energy from the talk itself.
What should a speaker introduction include?
Two or three facts that establish why this speaker is credible on this topic, a one-line tease of the subject, and the speaker's name at the very end as the applause cue.
What should you not do when introducing a speaker?
Don't read a full bio, don't summarize their talk, and don't make it about you. Hand the stage over cleanly on their name.
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