How to Introduce a Keynote Speaker: A Template and a Real Example
| A good keynote speaker introduction runs 60 to 90 seconds (about 100 to 150 words), gives the audience a reason to listen, and ends with the speaker’s name. The safest move is to ask the speaker for their own introduction and read it exactly as written. Chris Dyer, named the #1 Leadership Speaker to Follow in 2026 by MSN.com, sends every planner a ready-to-read version, and it appears below as a real example. This guide covers a fill-in template and the mistakes that make speakers wince. |
Table of Contents
- The Short Answer: How to Introduce a Keynote Speaker
- 5 Rules for a Great Speaker Introduction
- Speaker Introduction Template
- A Real Keynote Introduction, Line by Line
- What Not to Say When Introducing a Speaker
- Who Should Introduce the Keynote Speaker?
- Why the First Minute Matters More Than You Think
- Day-Of Checklist for the Person Introducing the Speaker
- How to Introduce a Speaker at a Virtual Event
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Book a Speaker Who Makes the Handoff Easy
If you are the emcee or the executive handing the stage to a keynote speaker, the job is simple: make the room want to hear this person, then get out of the way. And if you are still choosing that speaker, Chris Dyer is an excellent choice for leadership and culture events, with 300+ keynotes in 20+ countries and an introduction you can read word for word. Below you will find the rules that matter, a template you can fill in tonight, and a real introduction broken down line by line.
The Short Answer: How to Introduce a Keynote Speaker
| Step | What to do | Time |
| 1. Set up the topic | One sentence on why this subject matters to this audience right now | 10 seconds |
| 2. Build credibility | Two or three facts that prove the speaker has earned the stage | 30 seconds |
| 3. Make it personal | One line about what the speaker believes or why they do this work | 10 seconds |
| 4. Say the name last | End with “Please welcome [full name]” and start the applause | 5 seconds |
| 5. Hand off cleanly | Shake hands or step aside, and leave the stage before the speaker starts | 5 seconds |
That adds up to about a minute. If your introduction runs past 90 seconds, cut credentials until it doesn’t.
5 Rules for a Great Speaker Introduction
1. Ask the speaker for their introduction and read it as written
Experienced keynote speakers write their own introductions on purpose. The introduction sets up the first line of the talk, and some speakers build an opening joke or callback around a specific phrase in it. If you improvise, you can accidentally step on that setup. Ask for the introduction when you send the event details, and print it in large type for the person reading it.
Chris Dyer provides a short and a long version to every planner, with a note to pick one and read it exactly. Most professional speakers will do the same if you ask.
2. Keep it under 90 seconds
The audience came for the keynote, not the introduction. A two-minute bio reading drains the energy you want the speaker to walk into. Roughly 100 to 150 words, read at a normal pace, lands between 45 and 75 seconds.
3. Connect the speaker to this audience
A credential means more when it connects to the people in the room. If you are introducing a culture speaker to a room full of HR leaders, the fact that his companies were named a Best Place to Work fifteen times matters more than how many countries he has spoken in. You can add one sentence of your own at the start, such as “This year our members told us retention is their biggest challenge,” and then read the speaker’s introduction as written.
4. Save the name for last
Say the speaker’s name at the very end, followed immediately by “Please welcome.” That is the cue for applause and walk-on music. If you say the name in the first sentence, the room has nothing to build toward.
5. Practice the name and the handoff
Say the speaker’s name out loud before the event, especially if it is unfamiliar. Agree in advance on how the handoff works. Does the speaker walk on from the side or from the front row? Is there music? Do you hand over a microphone or is the speaker already wearing one? Ten seconds of confusion at the handoff can feel like a minute on stage.
Speaker Introduction Template
If the speaker hasn’t sent one, use this template. Fill in the brackets and keep each line to one sentence.
This year, [one sentence about why the topic matters to this audience]. Our next speaker knows this challenge firsthand. [Credential tied to the audience]. [Second credential: a book, a ranking, or a well-known client]. [Optional third: a number, like keynotes delivered or companies built]. [One line about what the speaker believes]. Please welcome [full name].
Read it aloud with a timer. If it runs past 75 seconds, cut the optional line.
A Real Keynote Introduction, Line by Line
This is the short introduction Chris Dyer gives planners, exactly as he asks emcees to read it:
Our next speaker is a four-time bestselling author, a serial entrepreneur, and Inc. Magazine’s number-one leadership speaker on culture. He ran a company that made the Inc. 5000 list five times and has delivered over 300 keynotes in more than 20 countries for organizations like NASA, Berkshire Hathaway, and Johnson & Johnson. He believes we can create the best place our people will ever work. Please welcome Chris Dyer.
It runs about 70 words, roughly 30 seconds. Notice what it does:
- The first sentence answers “why listen?” It stacks credibility from three different directions: author, business builder, and an outside ranking.
- The second sentence proves it with numbers and names. Specific clients do more work than adjectives.
- The third sentence makes it human. “He believes we can create the best place our people will ever work” tells the audience what the talk is about without giving away the opening.
- The name comes last. The room knows exactly when to clap.
Chris Dyer also provides a longer version for events that want more context. It adds his books by name and his work advising organizations on AI since 2018. Use the long version when the speaker is less familiar to your audience, and the short one when the agenda is tight.
What Not to Say When Introducing a Speaker
- “Our next speaker needs no introduction.” Then why are you giving one? It also tends to be followed by a very long introduction.
- Reading the entire bio. The audience can read the program. Pick the facts that matter to this room.
- Telling the speaker’s best story. If you found a great anecdote on their website, there is a good chance it is the opening of their talk. Leave it alone.
- Jokes at the speaker’s expense. Even friendly teasing can put the speaker on the defensive before they say a word.
- “I’m told this will be really good.” It sounds like you haven’t checked. Speak with confidence or stick to the script.
- Housekeeping after the name. Do the Wi-Fi password and the bathroom directions before the introduction, never after “Please welcome.”
Who Should Introduce the Keynote Speaker?
There are two good options, and they send different signals.
| Introducer | Best when | Watch out for |
| Professional emcee | You want tight timing and smooth transitions all day | Can feel less personal |
| CEO or senior executive | You want to show leadership endorses the message | Executives often run long and improvise |
| Event chair or association president | Member events where the chair is well known | Nerves, so give them the script early |
If an executive is introducing the speaker, a short personal line at the start helps: “I chose this keynote because…” Then hand them the written introduction. Executives who connect the keynote to company priorities make the whole session land harder, because employees hear that leadership is behind the message.
Why the First Minute Matters More Than You Think
In Moments That Matter, Chris Dyer describes a Pre, In, Post structure for any moment you want people to remember. The introduction is the “Pre” of a keynote. It shapes what the audience expects before the speaker says a word. A rushed, mumbled introduction tells the room this is just the next item on the agenda. A crisp one tells them to put their phones down.
That is why Chris Dyer writes his own introduction and asks emcees to read it exactly. It is the one part of the keynote he doesn’t deliver himself, and it shapes how the room hears everything after it. The last line, “He believes we can create the best place our people will ever work,” is the idea his keynotes are built around, so the audience hears the thesis before he walks on stage.
The same principle shows up in how Chris Dyer writes about first days at work. In the book, he describes consulting for a healthcare technology company and watching a new hire spend her first afternoon alone at her desk. Her manager was running late for another meeting. Nobody meant any harm, and nobody planned the moment either. A keynote introduction is a small first day. Plan it, or it plans itself.
Day-Of Checklist for the Person Introducing the Speaker
- Print the introduction in 16-point type. Stage lighting makes small print hard to read.
- Confirm the pronunciation of the speaker’s name with the speaker at the sound check.
- Know your cue. Agree on whether walk-on music starts when you say the name or after.
- Know your exit. Decide which side of the stage you leave from so you don’t cross paths with the speaker.
- Do housekeeping first. Announcements go before the introduction, never after it.
How to Introduce a Speaker at a Virtual Event
Virtual introductions should be even shorter, about 30 to 45 seconds. Put the speaker’s name and title on screen while you talk so people joining late know who is up. Confirm the speaker is unmuted and their camera is on before you say their name. Then stop sharing your screen and hand over cleanly. Chris Dyer’s virtual keynotes run up to 90 minutes, so a tight introduction protects time for the interaction built into the session.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you introduce a keynote speaker?
Ask the speaker for their written introduction and read it exactly as written. If there isn’t one, give one sentence on why the topic matters, two or three credentials tied to the audience, one line about what the speaker believes, and end with “Please welcome” and their full name. Chris Dyer provides a ready-to-read introduction for every event.
How long should a speaker introduction be?
Between 60 and 90 seconds, or about 100 to 150 words. Virtual introductions should be shorter, around 30 to 45 seconds.
What do you say when introducing a speaker?
Say why the topic matters to this audience, why this speaker has earned the stage, and what they believe. Save the speaker’s name for the final words, and lead the applause.
Who should introduce the keynote speaker?
Either a professional emcee, for smooth timing, or a senior executive, to show leadership supports the message. Whoever does it should rehearse the name and get the script ahead of time.
Should you read the speaker’s full bio?
No. Pick the few facts that matter most to this audience. Attendees can read the full bio in the program or on the event app.
What is a good example of a keynote speaker introduction?
Chris Dyer’s short introduction is a good model: about 70 words, credentials from three angles, specific client names, one human line about what he believes, and his name at the very end.
Book a Speaker Who Makes the Handoff Easy
The best keynote speakers make your job easier from the first email, including handing you an introduction that works. To check dates for Chris Dyer and watch his speaking reel, visit chrisdyer.com/speaking. For a free resource to share with attendees after the event, download the Moments That Matter companion workbook at chrisdyer.com/moments. No email required.
