{"id":24907,"date":"2026-01-06T15:21:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T14:21:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/?p=24907"},"modified":"2026-04-03T16:34:05","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T14:34:05","slug":"new-years-opening-speech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/nieuwjaarsspeech-opening-speech\/","title":{"rendered":"How to make a New Year's speech?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><label for=\"toggle\"><br \/>\n      <input type=\"checkbox\" id=\"toggle\" \/><br \/>\n          <a href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><br \/>\n          <a href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><br \/>\n          <a href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><br \/>\n          <a href=\"#\" target=\"_blank\"><\/a><br \/>\n    <\/label><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 32H31.9C14.3 32 0 46.5 0 64.3v383.4C0 465.5 14.3 480 31.9 480H416c17.6 0 32-14.5 32-32.3V64.3c0-17.8-14.4-32.3-32-32.3zM135.4 416H69V202.2h66.5V416zm-33.2-243c-21.3 0-38.5-17.3-38.5-38.5S80.9 96 102.2 96c21.2 0 38.5 17.3 38.5 38.5 0 21.3-17.2 38.5-38.5 38.5zm282.1 243h-66.4V312c0-24.8-.5-56.7-34.5-56.7-34.6 0-39.9 27-39.9 54.9V416h-66.4V202.2h63.7v29.2h.9c8.9-16.8 30.6-34.5 62.9-34.5 67.2 0 79.7 44.3 79.7 101.9V416z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M380.9 97.1C339 55.1 283.2 32 223.9 32c-122.4 0-222 99.6-222 222 0 39.1 10.2 77.3 29.6 111L0 480l117.7-30.9c32.4 17.7 68.9 27 106.1 27h.1c122.3 0 224.1-99.6 224.1-222 0-59.3-25.2-115-67.1-157zm-157 341.6c-33.2 0-65.7-8.9-94-25.7l-6.7-4-69.8 18.3L72 359.2l-4.4-7c-18.5-29.4-28.2-63.3-28.2-98.2 0-101.7 82.8-184.5 184.6-184.5 49.3 0 95.6 19.2 130.4 54.1 34.8 34.9 56.2 81.2 56.1 130.5 0 101.8-84.9 184.6-186.6 184.6zm101.2-138.2c-5.5-2.8-32.8-16.2-37.9-18-5.1-1.9-8.8-2.8-12.5 2.8-3.7 5.6-14.3 18-17.6 21.8-3.2 3.7-6.5 4.2-12 1.4-32.6-16.3-54-29.1-75.5-66-5.7-9.8 5.7-9.1 16.3-30.3 1.8-3.7.9-6.9-.5-9.7-1.4-2.8-12.5-30.1-17.1-41.2-4.5-10.8-9.1-9.3-12.5-9.5-3.2-.2-6.9-.2-10.6-.2-3.7 0-9.7 1.4-14.8 6.9-5.1 5.6-19.4 19-19.4 46.3 0 27.3 19.9 53.7 22.6 57.4 2.8 3.7 39.1 59.7 94.8 83.8 35.2 15.2 49 16.5 66.6 13.9 10.7-1.6 32.8-13.4 37.4-26.4 4.6-13 4.6-24.1 3.2-26.4-1.3-2.5-5-3.9-10.5-6.6z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 512 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M504 256C504 119 393 8 256 8S8 119 8 256c0 123.78 90.69 226.38 209.25 245V327.69h-63V256h63v-54.64c0-62.15 37-96.48 93.67-96.48 27.14 0 55.52 4.84 55.52 4.84v61h-31.28c-30.8 0-40.41 19.12-40.41 38.73V256h68.78l-11 71.69h-57.78V501C413.31 482.38 504 379.78 504 256z\"><\/path><\/svg>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Then start with an opening that really comes in!<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Imagine: you will soon be in front of your team with a New Year's (or end-of-year) speech. Not as a \u201cmandatory talk\u201d but as a moment when you really touch people. No glazed looks. But energy, recognition and focus for the year ahead.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the webinar <strong>\u2018Speaking is a profession\u2019<\/strong> share <strong>Mandy Shield<\/strong> and <strong>Niek van den Adel Co-founders of the Speakers Club<\/strong> practical techniques to make your speech next level. Here are the key insights in advance and do you want the full flow, examples and formats?<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong style=\"font-size: 1rem;\">Grab attention in the first 30 seconds...<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first seconds determine everything. If your opening doesn't land, you have to work really hard afterwards to win people back. The good news: a strong opening is not magic, it is a choice.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use the <strong>4 i's<\/strong> As a fast starter motor for your opening speech:<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Intrigue<\/strong> (put down a question, tension or contrast)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inform<\/strong> (make it immediately clear what this is about)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Interest<\/strong> (make it personal and relevant to them)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Inspire<\/strong> (give a desire\/image of what is possible)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Examples:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li>\u201cMay I ask you one question before we look ahead to the new year?\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cIf we stand here again in 12 months\u201d time - what must be different?\"<\/li>\n<li>\u201cToday I am not going to shower you with figures. I want to do something else: take a moment to reflect on what we have built together.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Tip:<\/strong> choose one direction. An opening that wants to do everything at once quickly feels messy.<\/p>\n<h2><b>Make your end-of-year or New Year's speech stronger with content, design &amp; delivery<\/b><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A good speech is more than a good story, It is the combination of:\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Content<\/strong>: what you say (message, structure, examples)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Design<\/strong>: what people see (slides\/images\/words on screen)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Delivery<\/strong>: how you bring it (voice, tempo, presence, pauses)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Think of it as a dish:<\/strong> top ingredients can still taste flat if the presentation (design + delivery) is not right (check the recipe cards at the bottom)<\/p>\n<h3>What you are going to change now...<\/h3>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li>Put on slides only what you want people to remember (key words, images, 1 sentence).<\/li>\n<li>Use tools such as <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.canva.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Canva,<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/prezi.com\/dashboard\/next\/#\/all\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Prezi<\/a><\/strong> (and cleverly chosen AI) to support your story visually, not to \u201creplace\u201d your speech\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><b>Stories always win over bullet points<\/b><\/h3>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Your team does not remember lists. They remember <strong>moments<\/strong>. That's why storytelling works so well in a New Year's speech: you make it human.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use this simple mini-structure in your speech:<\/p>\n<ol style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li><strong>Moment<\/strong>: \u201cDo you remember... (that week\/customer case\/pressure peak)?\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Meaning<\/strong>: \u201cThat showed who we are \/ what we stand for.\u201d<\/li>\n<li><strong>Future<\/strong>: \u201cAnd that is exactly why I believe that this year...\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Feel free to add humour or a little dialogue (\u201cThen you said... and then I thought...\u201d). That's where attention sticks<\/p>\n<h2>how to make an impact<\/h2>\n<h3><b>A good New Year's speech in 6 blocks:<\/b><\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Opening speech<\/strong> (question\/image\/statement)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Brief review<\/strong> (3 highlights, not 30)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Rating<\/strong> (concretely: who\/what\/why)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>The theme for next year<\/strong> (1 sentence that sticks)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>3 focal points<\/strong> (maximum of three, with example per point)<\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Closing with invitation<\/strong> (What are we going to do together from tomorrow?)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>\u00a0<\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>6 opening phrases you can use right away<\/strong><\/h3>\n<ul style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\n<li>\u201cI want to start with one word that sums up our year: ______.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cWe all did a lot. But this is what it really meant: ______.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cI am proud. Not because it was easy, but because we did it together.\u201d<\/li>\n<li>\u201cOkay. Hand up: who has thought \u2018how then?!\u2019 at least once this year.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/Receptenkaartjes-webinar-Speakers-Club.pdf\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tRecipe cards<br \/>\n\t\t\tGo<br \/>\n\t<\/a><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/agenda\/\" target=\"_blank\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 320 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M285.476 272.971L91.132 467.314c-9.373 9.373-24.569 9.373-33.941 0l-22.667-22.667c-9.357-9.357-9.375-24.522-.04-33.901L188.505 256 34.484 101.255c-9.335-9.379-9.317-24.544.04-33.901l22.667-22.667c9.373-9.373 24.569-9.373 33.941 0L285.475 239.03c9.373 9.372 9.373 24.568.001 33.941z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tVIEW MASTER CLASSES<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a><\/p>\n<h3><em style=\"font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;\">Would you like support, coaching or to follow a programme. Take\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/contact\/\"><b>contact<\/b><\/a>\u00a0with us. You can also take another look at the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/knowledge\/download\/\"><b>download<\/b><\/a>\u00a0page for your own further development!<\/em><\/h3>\n<p><em style=\"font-family: Montserrat, sans-serif; font-size: 16px;\">\u00a0<\/em>\t\t\t<\/p>\n<h2>FAQ<\/h2>\n<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2150\" open>\n<summary data-accordion-index=\"1\" tabindex=\"0\" aria-expanded=\"true\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2150\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t How long should a New Year's speech be?<br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n<p>Ideally, 5-10 minutes. Short enough to stay sharp, long enough to hit.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2151\" >\n<summary data-accordion-index=\"2\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2151\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t What do you put on slides at a New Year's speech?<br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n<p>Key words, images and 1 sentence per point. Slides are support, not a cheat sheet.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2152\" >\n<summary data-accordion-index=\"3\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2152\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t What is a good opening speech for your team?<br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n<p>An opening with a question, a recognisable moment or a clear picture of the future almost always works. as long as it is directly relevant to your audience.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<details id=\"e-n-accordion-item-2153\" >\n<summary data-accordion-index=\"4\" tabindex=\"-1\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"e-n-accordion-item-2153\" >\n\t\t\t\t\t New year speech or year-end speech: what's the difference?<br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h384c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t<svg aria-hidden=\"true\" viewbox=\"0 0 448 512\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\"><path d=\"M416 208H272V64c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32h-32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v144H32c-17.67 0-32 14.33-32 32v32c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h144v144c0 17.67 14.33 32 32 32h32c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32V304h144c17.67 0 32-14.33 32-32v-32c0-17.67-14.33-32-32-32z\"><\/path><\/svg><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/summary>\n<p>End of year = wrap up and appreciate. New Year = giving direction and activating. In practice, you can cleverly combine them.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<p>Ideally, 5-10 minutes. Short enough to stay sharp, long enough to hit.<\/p>\n<p>Key words, images and 1 sentence per point. Slides are support, not a cheat sheet.<\/p>\n<p>An opening with a question, a recognisable moment or a clear picture of the future almost always works. as long as it is directly relevant to your audience.<\/p>\n<p>End of year = wrap up and appreciate. New Year = giving direction and activating. In practice, you can cleverly combine them.<\/p>\n<h2 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Watch the full replay of <\/strong><strong>the webinar <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The replay will give you more examples, formats and practical do's &amp; don'ts to make your <strong>new year's speech<\/strong> (and especially your <strong>opening speech<\/strong>) convincing and memorable.<\/p>\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.competencefactory.nl\/inspiratie\/webinar-eindejaarsspeech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Watch the replay<\/strong><\/a> and give a speech that people not only hear but also remember.<\/p>\n<p>https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Es-eocobfQA<br \/>\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.competencefactory.nl\/inspiratie\/webinar-eindejaarsspeech\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\n\t\t\tWEBINAR<br \/>\n\t\t\tGo<br \/>\n\t<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n<p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Learn how to create an impactful New Year's or year-end speech with a strong opening, clear structure and storytelling that will stick with your team.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":23033,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[127,120,129,126,116,117,119,124,128,122,125,118,121,123],"class_list":["post-24907","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-inspiratie","tag-communicatie","tag-eindejaarsspeech","tag-inspiratie","tag-leiderschap","tag-nieuwjaarsspeech-maken","tag-opening-speech","tag-opening-voorbeelden","tag-presentatievaardigheden","tag-speech","tag-spreken-voor-groepen","tag-storytelling-in-speech","tag-team-speech","tag-tips","tag-zakelijke-speech"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24907","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24907"}],"version-history":[{"count":39,"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24907\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":25043,"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24907\/revisions\/25043"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/23033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24907"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24907"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.speakersclub.nl\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24907"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}