12 Tips to Engage Your Webinar Audience From the Start (+ Welcome Speech for Conference Examples)

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No one likes to sit through a long, boring presentation. As the presenter, it’s your job to hook your audience with your welcome speech and keep them interested until the end.

Here are things you’ll learn with this guide:

  • The importance of keeping your audience engaged right from the start of your webinar
  • Helpful pointers on how to get your audience’s attention
  • Welcome speech for conference examples that you can use as a guide

So, read more about creating the best webinar welcome speech.

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Why Audience Engagement Is Important for Your Welcome Speeches

Employee are meeting via video conference.

You’ve finally worked up the nerve to give a great welcome speech and feel pretty good about it. But there’s one thing that’s bothering you: you’re not sure how to keep all your distinguished guests engaged.

Here’s the thing: engagement is essential if you want your conference welcome speech to be successful. If your audience isn’t engaged, they’ll tune out, and you’ll lose their attention.

Here are four reasons to keep your audience engaged in your welcome speeches:

  1. People have shorter attention spans. They’ll easily leave if you deliver a boring webinar introduction right from the start. By keeping your audience engaged, you’ll ensure that they stay interested in what you have to say.
  2. Engaged audiences are more likely to remember your message. If people actively pay attention to your welcome speech, they’re more likely to remember the key points you wanted them to take away.
  3. Engagement creates a connection with your audience. When people feel like they’re a part of the conversation, they’re more likely to be invested in what you’re saying.
  4. Engagement is just plain fun. If people truly enjoy your good welcome speech, it will set the tone for the rest of the event and make it enjoyable for everyone involved.

Just like any good seminar welcome speech, a webinar introduction needs to have a captive audience that is listening to every word you say. Remember that engagement is essential if you want your welcome speech to be successful.

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How to Make Your Webinar Welcome Speech Engaging

Business team in video conference.

Your webinar welcome speech is your chance to make a great first impression on your audience. Here are tips to help you make your  opening remarks engaging and memorable: 

1. Start with a greeting

When you’re about to give a webinar presentation, making a good first impression is important. The best way to do this is with a friendly, warm welcome. 

“Hello, everyone!” is always a great way to start. You could also try something a little more creative, like “Welcome, everyone! I’m excited to share what I’ve been working on.” Whatever you choose, make sure it sounds natural and sincere.

2. Thank your webinar audience for their time

Time is a precious commodity. Your audience has chosen to spend some of their time with you. Whether your webinar was live or recorded, let them know how much you appreciate their attendance.

Remember, a little thank you is a way to build relationships with your audience.

3. Introduce yourself in an engaging way

Give your name, your title, and what you do. Then tell the audience a little bit about your journey, like if you’re one of the respected teachers or businessmen who loves to share a journey. People love hearing stories, so share one relevant to your topic.

4. Introduce the guest speaker(s)

Introducing all the speakers can be daunting, especially if you’re unsure what to say. However, a few key points ensure your introduction is friendly and professional.

  • Familiarize yourself with the speaker’s work.
  • Give a brief overview of the speaker’s credentials and accomplishments. 
  • Conclude with a statement of anticipation, such as “I’m looking forward to hearing what [speaker] has to say.”

5. State the purpose of your webinar

Think about it this way: if you’re joining a webinar, wouldn’t you want to know why it was being held? What benefit would it provide for you?

By providing this information upfront, you can help people decide whether or not your webinar is right for them. They can stay tuned for the rest of the presentation if it is great. If not, they can bow out without feeling like they wasted their time.

6. Outline the structure of your presentation

Once you’ve captured the audience’s attention and set the tone, it’s time to give them an overview of what’s to come. This doesn’t need to be too detailed – just hit on the main points you’ll cover throughout the webinar.

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7. Let people know how they can ask questions during the webinar

If you’re hosting a webinar, it’s important to let your audience know from the start how they can ask questions. This way, they can participate actively in the discussion and get the most out of the experience.

There are ways to do this using your webinar platform:

  • You can open up the floor for questions at certain intervals throughout the webinar. 
  • You can also provide a chat function so people can submit their questions in real-time.
  • You can always encourage people to ask questions in the comments section if they’re watching the webinar live on social media.

8. Keep it short and sweet

How often have you joined a webinar to be greeted by a long speech? It can be downright painful to sit through, and very few people are likely paying attention.

That’s why a few minutes or 30-60 seconds is all you need to set the tone for your event and get your participants engaged. Keep the energy up in your short welcome speech.

9. Make your welcome speech doesn’t feel too scripted

You want to deliver a speech that feels friendly, telling, and inspiring without sounding like you’re reading from a script. The great way to do this is to practice your delivery beforehand and not worry about the words.

10. Use humor

Humor is a way to break the ice and get people to relax. When people are relaxed, they are more likely to pay attention and be receptive to what you say.

Use humor sparingly, though, as too much can be distracting. A few well-placed jokes can go a long way in making your webinar more enjoyable and successful.

11. Use multimedia

Adding visual interest to your introduction will help to keep your audience engaged. For example, if you have a topic on personal development, consider using slides, images, or even video clips related to it.

12. End with a call to action 

Simply, this is an instruction for your audiences or webinar seminar delegates to do something. Encourage your audience to participate in the webinar and take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about your topic.

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Sample Welcome Speech for Your Next Webinar

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Here’s an example of a welcome speech template:

“Welcome, everyone! Thank you for joining us today.

We are excited to have you at today’s conference. This will be an opportunity for us to learn from each other and grow together.

For those who don’t know me, my name is _____, and I work in _____. I’ll be your moderator for today. 

Let’s take a moment to introduce our guest speakers.

  • [Chief guest 1] is a [title] at [company/organization]. They will be speaking on [topic of talk].
  • [Special guest 2] is a[title] at [company/organization]. Their talk will focus on [topic of talk].

I want to thank our speakers for taking the time to share their knowledge and giving real-life examples. 

Our topic is ____________, and we’re really excited to share what we know with you. We’ll be discussing ______________ and giving you practical tips that you can use in your own work. We’ll also take questions throughout the webinar, so please feel free to type them into the chat box.

And now, without further ado, let’s start!”

Kick Off Your Webinar Introduction!

We hope you feel excited and confident to start planning your own speech for your upcoming virtual events. Make sure you put just as much effort into creating valuable and engaging content as you do into marketing your event.

Kick off your webinar introduction now with this helpful guide. We can’t wait to catch you up on the other side!

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