Preparing an impressive welcome speech is the best way to set the tone of an event - it can be very simple or formal, depending on the needs of the situation. Begin by greeting the audience, before briefly illustrating the event in question, and conclude the speech by introducing the next speaker and thanking those who listened to you for participating. When writing the speech, make sure you respect the tone of the event, stay within the set time limit and keep your final goal in mind.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Greet the Audience
Step 1. Welcome the audience using sustained language, in the case of a formal occasion
Choose an appropriate greeting such as "Good evening ladies and gentlemen", then welcome with a phrase like: "It is with pleasure that I welcome you to this beautiful evening".
Keep a more serious tone if it is an important occasion. Use more formal language and don't make inappropriate jokes. For example, at a wake you might say, “We thank you for being here with us tonight. We appreciate your presence in such a difficult time”
Step 2. Greet guests informally using cheerful language
Opt for a simple and direct greeting like: "Good evening everyone!". Express your thanks to the guests for their presence using a phrase such as: “It's really wonderful to see you all here on this beautiful sunny day”.
A more informal language may be more appropriate for an event between close friends and family. Include a few lines and keep the tone light
Step 3. Add individual greetings for special guests
Include the names of the guests of honor who are in the audience, pointing them with your hand and looking in their direction as you name them.
- Among the special guests are the authorities, those who played a particularly important role in the event or people who come from far away.
- Make sure you practice pronouncing the names and titles of guests of honor before your speech, especially in the case of foreigners.
- For example, if one of the speakers is a famous judge, give him a special welcome.
- To greet a group of people you could say for example: “We are very honored to have you all here and we would like to give a special welcome to the students of the Dante Alighieri Middle School”.
Step 4. Present the event
Make a brief introduction about the name and purpose of the event and, if it is important, also mention the anniversary in question and give some information about the association that took care of the organization.
- For an informal event like a birthday party you might say, “We are very happy to have you here tonight to eat, drink and celebrate another year of our daughter's life. Let's start the party!”.
- For more formal events, for example those organized by associations, you could say: "We are very happy that you are here to participate in the tenth annual animal day, organized by the animal rights association of our city".
Part 2 of 3: Organizing the Body of Speech
Step 1. Express thanks to those who played an important role in the event
Mention 2-3 people who made it possible, mentioning their name and mentioning the role they played.
- One way to thank individuals can be: "We would not have been able to complete this fundraising without the work and dedication of Maria and Luisa, who have worked tirelessly from the beginning to carry out this project".
- Avoid reading a long list of people and sponsors, or the public will start to get bored: limit yourself to a couple of exemplary cases.
Step 2. Mention each noteworthy part of the event
It illustrates what will happen later in the day or in the following days, if applicable, as well as the most important moments, and encourages people to participate in the follow-up to the event or to pay attention to certain activities.
- For example, if it is a conference, you could explain when dinner or certain meeting sessions will take place.
- At a wedding reception, you might remember the time when the dances will begin or the dessert will be served.
Step 3. Repeat the welcome phrase
Welcome the guests again, but this time by relating it to the presentation you just made. For example, at a formal meeting you might say, "I will be very happy to meet all the new members during our traditional soccer match." In the case of a more formal event, he wishes everyone to spend the rest of the day pleasantly.
Conversely, at an informal meeting you can end the speech by saying: “We are waiting for you on the track!”
Part 3 of 3: Ending the Speech
Step 1. If applicable, express the hope that the public will like the event
He wishes the public to spend the rest of the event pleasantly. At a conference you could say, for example: "I hope you will enjoy our speakers."
You could also express the wish that the public will leave enriched at the end of the event by using for example this sentence: “I hope that today is a source of inspiration and discussions about the possibilities of making our city a better place. to live in!"
Step 2. If necessary, introduce the next speaker
To a large formal event you should prepare an introduction including a short biography of the person and the association to which he belongs. For an informal event, a short and fun introduction may be more appropriate.
- At a formal event you could say, for example: “Now I want to introduce you to our speaker Mario Rossi from Milan, a well-known expert in the study of the human brain, who will talk to us tonight about how humans make decisions. A round of applause to our speaker ".
- At a more informal event, such as a party, you might say, "Next is Mario, Luisa's best friend for 10 years, who has a series of embarrassing anecdotes to share with us tonight."
Step 3. Thank the audience for participating
Take a few sentences to express your gratitude on behalf of the organizers. Be concise and get straight to the point. At an informal event, you could simply say, "Thank you all for coming."
A possible alternative is: "I would like to thank each of you once again for being here tonight to celebrate Mario and Luisa's fiftieth wedding anniversary. Let's start the celebrations!”
Step 4. Keep the speech within an acceptable time limit
The very nature of the event will determine the appropriate length, however it is usually better to be short, as people especially want the event to start. A 1-2 minute speech is usually adequate for a small event; one of 5 minutes for larger and more formal events such as conferences.
