How to create a speech preparation checklist.
No matter what the occasion, I have found the following pointers to be a tried and trusted method of making your speech the best possible.
Smile!
Be friendly!
Your audience won't bite you. They will forgive you. They are (often) on your side, and even if they are not at the beginning, you want them to be by the time you reach your closing remarks.
Being an accomplished public speaker is an enviable talent. But even those born with such a talent have to practice and work hard to perfect their technique. Very few of us can make a coherent speech completely off the cuff, so here are a lot of words beginning with P to remember:
Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance
And how do you properly prepare? With some more Ps, of course:
• Plan
• Prepare
• Practice
• Perform
First, think about your audience. What will they respond to? What is appropriate language to use? Think about the size of the audience; will it be an intimate gathering or a roomful? Will you be 'talking amongst friends' or projecting to reach those at the back of the room? What are their occupations? You'll talk very differently to sales people than to technical people.
Secondly, choose your subject. It should be something you know and are excited about. It should be relevant and of interest to your audience, and benefit them in some way. And it must be appropriate to the occasion.
Basically, there are four stages in a speech: inform, entertain, persuade, inspire. Depending on the type of speech, more wieght may be placed on one of these stages (think best man's speech v technical briefing) but each stage is still relevant. For example, a talk about a particular sport could cover the following:
the rules (inform)
amusing incidents or anecdotes (entertain)
convincing people they should play (persuade)
the benefits they could get from playing (inspire)
To make sure you are comfortable about your subject matter, do your research.
Determine how extensive you'll need to be, and the desired length of the speech. Look up books, library, magazines, encyclopedia and talk to the experts, who'll be delighted to provide you with anecdotes. Consider the attention span of your audience and don't get bogged down with too much detail, but do ensure your facts and data is accurate and up to date.
If you organise all this information, it will flow properly and you'll feel more comfortable about remembering the sequence and telling the story. Every speech should have a introduction, body and conclusion. In your introduction, aim to arouse attention. State what your speech is about and lead into the main body, when you'll support your ideas with facts, details and examples. Remember to illustrate with humour, keep a logical sequence and don't lose track of your theme. Present a succinct conclusion that restates your main points and refers back to your introduction. End decisively and on a positive note.
Finally practice, practice, practice. In front of the mirror, your partner, the cat. Record your voice and listen out for squeakiness, or sentences where you run out of breath. Consider variations in rate, pitch and volume.
And, so that I end decisively and on a positive note: Smile! Be friendly! You might even uncover a hidden talent.
You could come to Dorking on December 6th 2008 and listen to the experts giving feedback on speeches that have been prepared for the International Speech competition held annually by Toastmasters International. Contact Meg Heyworth for more details.
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