How to write a welcome speech for an event
Once you’ve dealt with all the fuss of pre-event marketing and registration processes, there is one more important task you need to take care of: saying hi to the guests. The way you welcome people on the ground not only sets the direction for whatever will happen after, but it also helps shape attendees’ attitudes to your event. A boring welcome speech may kill the anticipation, while an exciting opening speech for the event will drive excellent engagement. So how do you choose the right words?
What to include in your welcome speech
There are really no limits here. Depending on what you want to achieve, you can use videos, light shows, presentations, or speeches to build your event welcome strategy. What’s really important here is greeting them in a way that reflects the mission of your event. Whether it’s a corporate meeting or personal achievement awards, there should be something in the welcome that defines what you do. Your goal is to take this idea and make it the cornerstone of your opening speech.
Here’s a great example of an opening ceremony created for TNW Conference 2016:
What the TNW organisers did is weave the concept of “driving a change through technology” into the real context. The girl who’s giving the speech at the beginning is the future, and the future depends on our actions and determines how this girl will look and feel in 20 or 30 years.
The structure of an event welcome speech
Unless you’re a real wordsmith, choosing the right words for your impactful speech can be challenging. You have to keep it short, but it’s critical to communicate the full message. You should tell people what they can expect, but you also have to make sure some mystery remains.
First of all, think about the anatomy of your speech. It’s always easier for any audience to consume a well-structured speech rather than just a set of words.
The function of a welcome speech
Welcome speeches or a welcome speech at an event, as the title itself suggests, imply the delivery of speeches with the purpose of welcoming guests to various events. These can include gospel events as well as company, fundraising, business, or cultural events in addition to meeting the audience on a particular occasion.
Points to consider while giving a welcome speech
Here are the key points you should keep in mind before you start writing a welcome speech for an event:
- The first thing to consider when writing a welcome speech is the length of your speech.
- Do thorough research before writing a welcome speech.
- Write an engaging short welcome speech for an event of any kind.
- Include thanks to the guests for being part of the event.
- Avoid clichés in your speech and practice saying it aloud.
Since there are no standard rules to follow for writing a welcome speech, the following tips will help greatly in the process of creating an effective farewell speech.
Types of events that require a welcome speech
There are certain signals that let the guests know you are starting any special event or occasion requiring a formal speech to welcome guests to an event. The most obvious is the welcome. Some events that require a welcome speech may include charity events, church occasions, cultural or business events and celebrations, etc.
Welcome speech for a church event
A welcome speech for a church event is something that should be sincere, brief, and simple. Tell about some of the exciting upcoming events you’re planning for the next few weeks at your church by adding these into your next welcome speech.
Welcome speech for a company event
Whether it’s a charity event welcome speech or some other kind of a welcome speech for a company event, make it short and to the point. Start with something like this:
“Good morning/afternoon/evening. Thank you to each and every one of you for being here with us today. We are pleased to be able to welcome those of you that have been with us for years now as well as those of you who are new to the (group/community/association/etc.).”
Welcome speech for a cultural event
A welcome speech for a cultural event should get the audience excited about the event. Remember that your audience is there for entertainment, not for a 45-minute boring speech. In your speech, offer them the perfect opportunity to experience the very best of the event.
Welcome speech for a fundraising event
To raise funds, you must sound extra convincing. A welcome speech for a fundraising event is the best way to set the tone for an event, and it can be as simple or as formal as the situation calls for. Start your speech by greeting the audience before giving an overview of the event. End the speech by introducing the next speaker and thanking the audience again for attending.
What should the length of the speech be?
Long speeches are no longer in vogue. Although pacing varies, a five-minute speech is roughly 750 words. This is certainly enough. Publication coach Daphne Gray-Grant says that the average person speaks about 125–150 words per minute—meaning five minutes of talking would include about 625–750 words. So stick to this word count.
Welcome speech remarks
Beginning with a good welcome speech is the best way to set the tone for an event. While giving an overview of the event, include remarks as well. End the speech by introducing the next speaker and thanking the audience again for attending. This will make it easier to bridge the communication effectively from the speech to the next event.
Welcome speech template
You can always take advantage of a sample welcome speech for an event that may be a statement that signifies the beginning of any particular event, meeting, assembly, or celebration. This is used in order to cordially greet all participants at a gathering. In addition, the welcome speech also contains important information about a special highlight during the event, remarks, etc. Ask for an effective welcome speech example for an event from our event experts.
Introduction
In the initial part of your speech, you set the tone for your welcome. Think about the mood you want to convey, and find the right tone for a speech. Usually you’ll pay attention to such factors as event format, audience demographics, expectations, and the core themes when choosing a speech tone.
As for the content part, it usually includes (but is not limited to) the following elements:
- Greeting: From “Ladies and gentlemen” to “Hello, my dear friends,” the words you use to greet your audience set the mood.
- Saying thank you: Getting involved in an event requires time and (in most cases) money. Demonstrate your appreciation towards the people who made this investment by saying thank you.
- A “what” statement: It’s very unlikely your event attendees forgot the name of the event by the time the welcome speech started, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t reiterate it. In restating the name and theme, you could mention the “age” of the event as well as express how honored you are to host it.
Acknowledgments
To nail this section, you should think about what or who helped transform the event idea into reality. You can often hear speakers reading off a huge list of partners’ and sponsors’ names during a welcome speech. Honestly, this is not the best tactic. To express your appreciation without boring your audience to death, choose one or two special highlights, and cut down the rest.
Here are some phrasing ideas for your acknowledgments section:
- “We couldn’t have done it without you….”
- “Special thanks goes to…”
- “Here’s the short story on how it all started….”
The goal of an event
Explain what’s actually going on here. A common mistake here is to start talking about all the sessions and the benefits of attending them in general terms. Keep in mind that the people who came to your event obviously saw the agenda. This means you don’t have to clarify the goals behind every event session. Focus on one primary and one or two secondary objectives that define the mission of your event in a very specific context. For instance, you can talk about how you expect people to use the information gained in the outside world:
“Helping you establish useful connections is not our only goal. By providing this extensive training on product lifecycle management to you, we want you to walk out of this door able to build a sustainable product with a perfect market fit, set up a training session for your colleagues, or upgrade your existing product management strategy.”
Wrap-up
Basically, this part is about reiterating the welcome message. If it resonates with your event format, you can add an informal touch by saying how you personally feel about the event or by telling a joke. Otherwise, wish everyone a smooth event journey, and transition to the next stage of the event.
What’s next
Let your audience know what’s next. If someone is continuing your welcome speech, it’s a good idea to introduce this person and state his/her role:
“Thank you for your attention, ladies, and gentlemen. Now let me welcome (the name of the speaker, position/company), who’ll tell you more about…”
If you’re the only welcome speech presenter, finish your speech by giving a short heads up on what your guests can do next by announcing the nearest sessions, suggesting the activities, or referring them to an event app for further information.
Relevant: How to write an award nomination
Conclusion
Organising a killer awards show, a corporate event, or even a small business meeting requires a great deal of dedication. If you’ve managed to nail the planning stage, make sure you don’t spoil the show after you’ve got people through the door. These simple tips on how to write a welcome speech for an event should help you make a perfect first impression.