A glorious speech requires a great deal of preparation and practice. In case the time is not on your side make sure to follow a proven formula in order to perfect your words of wisdom. A truly great speech must portray your true self in order to be valuable. Therefore, take the time to make it personal. Your audience must feel that your words are truly yours.
So, even if you follow a certain formula, make sure to add something spontaneous that belongs to you. If you are struggling to write a speech, but you lack the skills to do it, worry not. In today's article, we will share a few valuable insights that will aid you in holding an incredible speech.
1. The 10 Minutes Rule
First of all, let's focus our attention on the length of the speech. By deciding from the beginning how long the speech will be, you will easily determine its overall structure. But, keep this in mind; your speech should not exceed the ten minutes limit - it is enough to ensure that your speech offers value, but not too long to bore your audience
In today's world, we are counting on the internet/technology to offer us everything from food and clothing to news and facts. The information, nowadays, is infinite and so are the ads and distractions that come with it. So, we are living in a state of permanent distractions which will eventually decrease our attention span.
So, in order to write your speech in under 20 minutes, take the first 5 minutes to search for a few core ideas online. Once you're done with that, close your laptop, write down what you've found, and start building your speech without distractions. Remember that your speech must not be longer than 10 minutes. Stick to this rule and your speech will be well-received by your audience.
2. Who is Your Audience?
There will always be moments when you get stuck and don't know what material to prepare for your next speech. Instead of struggling to find a relevant topic, check who your audience is and ask yourself what they would like to learn from you. You can even make a list of questions that will serve you well throughout the process of writing your speech.
Remember that a great speech is more than valuable information written on a piece of paper. Your body language, tone of voice, state of mind, and your self-confidence are important factors that must be taken into consideration in order to deliver a great speech.
Here's my advice: while holding your speech, engage with your audience directly by speaking to them and asking for replies. By doing so, you will create a more intense connection with your public. When people come to see you talk, they are looking for more than a guy talking on a stage. In fact, they crave to feel a connection. Therefore, never ignore your audience while holding a speech.
3. Structure is Crucial
Before you start writing your speech, you should create a structure first. Without a structure, you will deviate from the main topic and your speech will be less valuable. For example, in the beginning, you may offer some interesting facts that you will explain later in your speech, giving your audience something to be curious about.
You can even make a few short breaks while talking, in which a few jokes that are relevant to the topic may be introduced. Making your audience laugh is an efficient way of winning their attention.
If you want your speech to be remembered, you should end it with a thought provoking sentence, like a question or a quote that will allow your public to contemplate on the meaning of your speech.
Keep in mind that if you follow a well thought-out structure, your speech will flow naturally and your audience will be soaked into it. As a final tip, never perceive your speech as a monolog, but as a conversation!
4. Rehearse Your Speech Out Loud
When you're writing your speech, read it out loud so, you can hear yourself talking. While you are speaking, you may get new ideas or correct mistakes that you didn't notice before saying them out loud. Remember that the process of vocal rehearsing is much more useful than repeating the speech in your head.
By practicing it while you are writing, you should save a lot of time. In order to remember it when you'll be on the stage, try thinking about the main ideas and continue on from there. Don't fool yourself thinking that you won't be nervous; everybody is, even if they rehearsed their speeches a thousand times. Just be natural and give your best shot.
Takeaways
Writing a speech in 20 minutes is definitely not an easy task. This action could represent trouble even for experienced speakers. Still, you should avoid most of the trouble if you will follow the strategies described above. Only by practicing these methods you will become better at implementing them. Speaking is an art that can only be mastered through dedication and repetition. For more insights and techniques on speech delivery, check this article I recently wrote.
So, what are you waiting for?
This guest post was authored by Justin Osborne.
Ms. Career Girl was started in 2008 to help ambitious young professional women figure out who they are, what they want and how to get it.
