Giving a brief introduction helps the audience get to know the speaker, including who they are, where they came from and their professional background. Depending on the type of event, you can adjust the information for what you deem appropriate. If you give an icebreaker speech for a church function, you might talk about how long you or your family attended and your involvement in any special activities. If the icebreaker speech addresses a specific club, you can talk about your connection or the club's history.
Jokes always lighten up a crowd and choosing to start off an event with a humorous icebreaker speech can make an audience feel at ease. Humor can mean telling a funny joke about the group or the person the icebreaker speech attempts to honor. You can talk about an embarrassing moment to poke fun at yourself. Humor also works well in places where audiences least expect it and because of that, people will often remember it for a long time to come. You should also keep things short and not drag on for a long period of time.
Good stories make great components of any speech, but especially in icebreaker speeches because they are the first thing an audience hears. Tell a story about a different time in someone's life or how they got to this point; if the speech is at a business meeting, talking about the struggles to succeed or roadblocks along the way can make for great stories that can inspire or motivate. Remember to keep a story focused and to make sure it contains a beginning, middle and end. Having a theme or message also helps.
Depending on the type of event, an icebreaker speech can include a person's major accomplishments or the major accomplishments of an organization. In speaking about another person, you can address education, career and professional triumphs. If the speech surrounds a club or organization, you can talk about the how much money they raise and the good they do for the community or past achievements that brought them to a particular event. Incorporating these types of elements into a speech reminds people of a positive portion of the event.