Humor is another effective way to begin your speech. Usually, humor that is brief, relevant to your topic, and makes a point is most effective. (And when it’s well done, humor helps you and your audience members relax!) For example, consider this opening, which makes the audience laugh but is clearly tied to the main topic of the speech on the effects of multitasking: “I find that the key to multitasking is to lower your expectations. Sure, I can do two things at once—if I do them poorly! Today, I want to talk about the hazards of multitasking.”