What is an Icebreaker?

It is way to begin a presentation with a bang.

Any Caveats?

Yes! There are two.

1. Your opening remarks should be directly related to your theme, subject or point of view.

2. Stay away from jokes. I have seen more jokes fall flat. Think of how you will feel when you deliver the punch line and no one laughs. You will be struggling to regain your confidence the rest of the speech.

No Jokes??  What if you are an Emcee or hosting a fun evening?

 If you want to begin with something witty, then please consider a light-hearted story or an anecdote instead of a joke.

If it is business presentation, what are your options?

• State something that provokes your audience
• What little known fact (about yourself) can you share
• Pose a rhetorical question
• Ask a real question in order to elicit responses
• Grab something from the headlines as a way of transitioning to your theme
• Tell a short story that will lead you to your subject
• Use a dramatic visual.

What about a self-introduction?

Is there someone else who can introduce you and state your credentials? If not, you can still begin with one of the above choices, and then segue to a brief introduction.