At some point in your life, you will probably have to make a
speech. There are many kinds of speeches, including those intended to inform, persuade,
instruct, motivate, and entertain. They all share the same goal, however: to
communicate clearly and effectively to an audience.
💡 Here are some guidelines to make it easier to talk to a room full of people you don’t know.
💡 Here are some guidelines to make it easier to talk to a room full of people you don’t know.
- Know your audience
- Narrow your topic
- Outline your speech
- Get the attention of the room
- Organize your speech
- Offer examples, statistics, and quotations
- Craft a powerful conclusion
- Use presentation aids if appropriate
- Write for the ear, not for the eye
- Time yourself
1. Know your
audience
Understand
what your listeners care about. Tailor your speech to their knowledge and their
interests. If you are an expert speaking to a general audience, be sure to define
your terms. If you’re a manager talking to a staff that has recently
experienced lay-offs, acknowledge that you understand their concerns.
2. Narrow
your topic
A good
speech makes a claim. And a good speech is about one thing only. Even
if your speech is a wedding toast, your point is that the bride and the groom
were meant for each other. Have a specific focus and make sure everything you say supports it.
3. Outline
your speech
A conventional
organization usually works best. Tell the audience what you’re going to say (introduction),
say it (body), and then tell them what you said (conclusion) ⇒ Repetition is a powerful tool,
especially in a speech. Audiences tend to absorb only a small portion of what
they hear, so it’s good to make your point several times.
4. Get the attention of the room
Your opening
should engage listeners immediately. Engage them with a unique personal story
that is relevant to your topic. Or try a specific reference to the location.
Most people will appreciate a speaker who says she’s glad to be in Australia in
January.
Other good ways to begin:
- ask a question;
- report a surprising statistic related to your topic;
- find an apposite quotation.
5. Organize
your speech
Structure
your speech according to your purpose. If your goal is to inform, try a chronological
or alphabetical organization. When your goal is to convince your audience to
take a stand, introduce the problem and then propose a solution. Use transitions
between your examples, so people can follow your logic.
6. Offer
examples, statistics, and quotations
You need evidence
to support what you’re saying. Try examples from history, current events, and
your own life. Consult government sources for statistics. Use quotations from
experts in the field. Don’t overdo quotations, though: most of the words in
your speech should be your own. Check your facts—inaccuracies will undermine your
credibility.
7. Craft a
powerful conclusion
Keep it short,
memorable, and to the point. Consider ending with a concrete, vivid image or anecdote
that illustrates your topic. Or ask people to take an action, such as promise
to write to a decision-maker or to contribute to a cause.
8. Use
presentation aids if appropriate
Charts and
tables quickly convey data, and photographs can offer compelling support.
Incorporate visuals into your speech if they’ll make it more powerful. Know
what technology will be available for you to share these visuals. And be
prepared to do without them, in case something goes wrong with the equipment.
9. Write for the ear, not for the eye
Once you’ve
finished a draft of your speech, practice reading it out loud. You’ll hear
anything that sounds awkward. Revise so you are more comfortable giving your
speech. You want to sound natural, no matter what the occasion.
10. Time
yourself
Have someone
else run the stopwatch, so you won’t be distracted. Read slowly and clearly.
Include pauses for emphasis or for audience reaction if you’re saying something
that might cause listeners to laugh or gasp. If you’re over your time limit,
you’ll need to edit to shorten your speech.
💡 Go to Oxford Dictionaries for more Top writing tips.
💡 You might
also be interested in:
- Top tips for better writing (Oxford Dictionaries)
- Top tips for word choice (Oxford Dictionaries)
