“I am delighted to introduce our guest speaker. Please welcome…”
Erm…I can’t remember his name.
Eh…her name is not easy to pronounce.
Oops…I will just guess how to pronounce this name.
Oh…that was a mouthful – did I pronounce your name right?
I have heard all four of these in the last month.
If you are the facilitator in this type of scenario – you have one key role.
Introduce the guest speaker with skill and elegance.
And the most important words? Their name.
You’re there to add value, to get the speaker off to a strong, positive start.
Earlier this year, I worked with a client who had to introduce twenty separate awards, with several nominations for each one.
He painstakingly ensured, during the preparation stage, that he pronounced every name correctly.
Yet I saw another speaker last week who only had to introduce one person.
And they got it wrong.
Getting someone’s name wrong is embarrassing – for you, for them and for the audience.
Take the time to get it right. Ask if you are unsure, and practise saying it until it feels natural.
Repeat it as many times as you need to.
Get this right? Nobody will mention it.
Get this wrong? Everybody will.
Getting a name right might seem like a small detail, but it makes a big impression.
It shows respect for your speaker, reassures your audience, and sets a professional tone for everything that follows.
Preparation takes moments, but confidence lasts throughout the event.
For more helpful presentation tips check out the following article covering three simple ways to re-energise delivery when the content no longer excites you…
