Have you ever heard someone introduce a speaker and wondered, “What is this guy going to talk about? Why is he here? And who is this guy anyway?” A good introduction should make all of this obvious. Let’s go over the key elements of a good introduction, and then we’ll look at an example.

The name of the speaker. This may seem obvious, but don’t be one of those people who eagerly asks your neighbor for the speaker’s name at the last minute. Get it ahead of time and write it down. And be sure to pronounce it correctly. If it is an unusual name, ask the person for the correct pronunciation. I have heard presentations where the speaker’s name has been mispronounced, or even where the speaker’s last name has been used instead of the first.

Speech title. Not all guest speakers will have a title for their presentation. But if so, you want to know what it is.

Speech topic. Find out what they will talk about. Not just the general topic, but what aspect of it they are going to cover. Don’t just say that you are here to talk about mortgages, say that you are here to advise investors on getting mortgages approved in the tough new economic climate, now that banks have tightened their criteria for granting loans. loans. Be specific

Importance and topicality of the topic. Why is this topic important? Why is it especially relevant right now? Have banks tightened their lending criteria yet again? Are they doing sneaky tricks when you refinance, like taking equity from one property and paying it off on another property the bank owns that has a higher loan-to-value ratio? Are you examining your bank account transactions for evidence of frivolous spending?

Why this speaker? Provide the experience and credentials of the speaker. For example, you have worked in the residential mortgage industry for the past eight years. Please provide only the relevant credentials. We want to know that you were a finalist for Mortgage Broker of the Year in 2006 and 2008, but not that you won the local bakery contest.

Benefits for the audience. Translate the knowledge and experience of the speaker into benefits for the audience. In this case, your experience will mean that your mortgage application will be more likely to be approved, compared to brokers with less experience or knowledge.

Work with the speaker. If you are an experienced speaker, you may already have your own introduction written. Also, if you work with her and show her your introductory draft, she may point out something that you have overlooked that should be included.

Example:

Our next speaker is Tracey Munns from Connect Mortgages. (Note that I am giving the name right at the beginning. Unless you bring Michael Jackson back from the dead, there is no reason to keep the name a secret until the end of the intro in an attempt to create suspense). Tracey spoke at a Richmastery seminar and made the most extraordinary statement. Before I tell you what you said, I want you to raise your hand if you have ever turned down a mortgage application. it’s okay. If you raise your hand, you will love Tracey. When I heard her speak, she said, “I can get anyone a mortgage.”

I thought, I have to find out more about this person. I looked on your website. He said Tracey has a bachelor’s degree in commerce. He has worked in the finance field for ten years. For the past eight years he has worked with residential mortgages. During that time, he approved more than $ 445 million in mortgages. He was a finalist for Mortgage Broker of the Year in 2006 and 2008.

It seemed like he knew what he was doing. But there was only one way to prove it. Could she Really get someone a mortgage? Could i get one for I? I was in a situation where another broker had just turned down a mortgage. I was one of those people mortgage brokers don’t like. Low income and very little equity. Work hard. A mortgage broker even hung up on me once. I went and saw Tracey and so she got me not one, but two mortgages. So if you asked me if Tracey is a good mortgage broker, I’d say no. She is not a mortgage broker, she is a Wizard. And she’s here today to tell us how to get mortgages approved in a recession. Please join me in welcoming Tracey Munns.