"Hello, my name is Karsten Meyerhoff - for those who don't know me. For those who do know me, it's Karsten Meyerhoff, too. I only have this one name, it's easier to remember that way ...". Fits my stage persona, which is a slightly arrogant, quick-witted, ironic guy. My two cents ...

Let's look at how songs are opened....SHORT SWEET DIRECT
A music teacher once told me songs have 4 different types of openings just like sentences.

declarative sentence... makes a statement
interrogative sentence ...asks a question
exclamatory sentence .....a statement that shows strong emotion
imperative sentence ....gives a direction or a command

I personally like the 4th...imperative
the beatles....HELP! help me if you can? I am feeling down.
supremes.....STOP! in the name of love

declarative..,.
New York, New York, is everything they say
And no place that I'd rather be!....Heuy Lewis

interrogative
Do you love me? now that I can dance?


Let's look at Micheal Jackson's thriller....
It's close to midnight and something evil's lurking
In the dark.................................................he lays out a setting
Under the moonlight you see a sight that almost stops
Your heart..................................................setting and mood
You try to scream, but terror takes the sound before
You make it................................................now he is telling you how to react
You start to freeze as horror looks you right between
The eyes
You're paralyzed......................................... he is saying FREEZE and you are Paralyzed

Certainly you are not writing a song but can use some of these techniques.

I'm not as experienced as some here. I've learned to NEVER start with "How are you doing?" You've just wasted your one first impression. My theme for starting any show is MAGIC NOW. For my stage and parlor shows, I simply open with immediate magic. No talking at all. In my close-up act, I go right into my first routine, and begin with the patter for that routine. I don't even say, "Good evening."

Different acts have different needs. Comedy magicians need to develop a comedic rapport right away, even before the magic. As a woman, I automatically start 10 yards behind the men in terms of credibility, so my need is to let the audience know first thing that I'm not effing around, and they will need to pay attention and try to keep up. Copperfield's needs are different than mine. Yours may be, too.

Whatever your opening is, it should be quick and get right into the magic. I see Pop Haydn posted here. His opening is gone before it starts. He says "My name is Pop Haydn. Welcome to ___________." It takes 4 seconds, then he's right into his patter, which starts with "I just happen to have a deck of cards. Lucky for us." Watch. https://youtu.be/v7zDyQqVUKc That, in my mind, is how it should be done.

I have a DVD dedicated to this very topic.
http://scottalexander.bigcartel.com/prod......lume-one

I just returned from the 79th annual Houdini Club "convention" (note " " )

I lost count of the young--and old-- performers who started with, "Hi! How are you doing?" YUK.

I use a 30 second professionally recorded introduction. Gary Owen in Oklahoma City does a great job with this. I have one that I use throughout the year and another for October with Gary sounding like Dracula. Am thinking about getting another with him as Santa. You play the intro, you come out and BOOM! You go into the magic.