Preparing for an Impromptu Speech? Learn How to Hook Your Audience with Relatability

Fishing is a time-consuming activity. You have to set the baits, buy worms, and take your boat to the desired location. Sometimes it can take a couple of hours before you even spot a fish! That is, unless you fly fish. Fly fishing is an actual method of fishing where you put an artificial fly as a bait, and you lure the fish by moving your bait on the surface of the water. Now you might wonder what fly fishing has to do with impromptu speaking. Well, if you have something relatable, like a fly for your fish or a story for your audience, you’re bound to hook them in.

In this article, you’ll learn two types of relatable hooks for impromptu speaking, and tricks to help you brainstorm them quickly. With only two minutes to prepare, having a story bank with examples you’ve collected over time is the best way to practice. But then what kind of stories are best for your hook?

First, well-known stories. These are things we hear as we grow up or in our current daily lives. Stories like those of Wonder Woman, Frankenstein, Beauty and the Beast, or even, Michael Jackson’s Thriller. What makes them great hooks? First, everyone knows them, which means your audience will have no trouble understanding your story. Second, if your audience can understand it, this means it’s also easier to connect with. And third, a well-known story means you don’t need to start from scratch, it’s already stored in your mind from the first time you’ve heard of it. This means you can begin your speech without the fear of the unknown.

But telling a famous story also means your audience already knows what happens. To keep them from tuning out, you’ll need to change things up. Your story should be told as a mystery. This means that instead of revealing the title or giving away the character’s name in the first few sentences, you should jump right into a scene and describe only as much as your audience needs to know. Hiding or disguising key information will put a new spin on your story and keep your audience guessing. Leave the big reveal for your resolution.

Let’s look at a good hook example for the word prompt: “complain.”

This is the famous yet tragic story of a young boy. One day, villagers heard a scream coming from the top of the hill where this boy lived. Hearing his pleas for help, they ran up only to discover that he was okay. The next day, another scream and, once again, the villagers rushed up to help, only to find that boy was still in no trouble. So, on the third day when they heard his pleas, the villagers chose to ignore them. But this time, he really needed their help. By now, you’re probably able to guess the ending of this classic Aesop tale: “The Boy Who Cried Wolf.” It’s a childhood lesson that we’ve learned, and one that I’ve been reminded of when receiving today’s word: complain.

Notice how the first sentence created a sense of mystery and concern because we called the story “tragic.” The wolf was completely left out of the story until the reveal in the resolution. You weren’t even told that the boy faked his cries for help. Why? Because it would be too obvious! So instead, these details were intentionally left vague. Imagine if the first sentence was, “This is the story of the boy who cried wolf.” It’s likely that you would have zoned out right after the first sentence if you’ve already heard the story, and that’s what we want to prevent!

The second type of hook is personal stories. These can be travels that you’ve been on, challenges you’ve faced, or even toys you’ve played with. If there’s a message or lesson behind your experience, it can be told. Personal stories are great for impromptu in particular because, first, by sharing a part of your life, you’re building an emotional connection with the audience. Second, these stories increase your audience’s trust in you as someone who knows the topic so well to be able to draw parallels from it in just two minutes. Let’s check out an example, still using the word prompt: “complain.”

I can still picture it. My first day in grade one, and I forgot to bring my lunchbox. My parents were rushing me into the car so fast that the toasted cheese sandwich and milk were left behind. For two classes, I sat squirming, as my tummy groaned and moaned. I couldn’t focus on my teacher’s voice, the board, or the paper in front of me. It felt like I was melting. From hunger. But like all good schools, we had snack time, which included a banana and some crackers that lasted me through the morning until my dad came in with my lunchbox. And this lesson about waiting and wanting is fitting with today’s word prompt: “complain.”

The story here is relatable because everyone has been hungry at some point in time, and forgot something at home. It’s also easy to imagine a child who has less self-control going through this situation.

Now that you’ve seen the two types of hooks, let’s break down how you might structure the stories. Hook should be about 40 seconds long; that’s approximately six sentences. Of course, when you’re performing your speech, you’re not sitting there counting each sentence. Instead, follow a basic story structure that will allow you naturally reach those 40 seconds. The first sentence of your hook should introduce what you’re about to tell, or in other words, a mini-preview. The second sentence should be the exposition, introducing the story’s setting and characters. Then comes the story’s rising action and climax, which is the buildup to the problem as well as the problem itself. And the final sentences should be the resolution.

Alright, you are now prepared for your attention-fishing trip with the two different types of hooks used to attract your audience: well-known stories, and personal stories. Happy fishing!