Summary
- Define the purpose.
- Assess the audience.
- Compose your speech and practice.
- Keep visual aids simple.
- Smile and be confident.
These ideas can make crafting a speech simpler, and help you give a strong presentation.
Define the purpose
First, name the purpose. Think about what you want the audience to do when the talk is over, and what points you want them to walk away with. Think about these questions before writing a speech:
- Why am I giving this talk?
- Who is going to be in the audience?
- What am I going to say?
- Where will the meeting be?
- When will the meeting be?
- How am I going to do it?
Gauge the audience
Analyze the audience to gain a sense of how they will react to the topic. Find out what they already know about the topic, how interested they are in hearing about it, and what they may believe in and value.
Write your speech
A speech should be made up of:
- Introduction. You may want to start off with a quote, statistic, or story linked to the main thought.
- Body. Split the main idea into separate points and expand on the theme.
- Conclusion. Revisit the introduction and sum up the main thought by referring to points in the body of the speech.
Make visual aids
Visual aids can aid listener comprehension and memory, stir interest, support participation, and explain hard to get concepts. Think about where the speech will be given, room arrangement and size, your budget, the number of times the visuals will be used, and the length of the speech.
Keep visual aids simple.
- Have only one key point per visual.
- Use bullets. Don't use complete sentences or paragraphs.
- Don't show a page full of numbers. Translate complex numbers into pie charts, line graphs, or bar graphs.
- Use real objects if possible. If you can't use the real thing, show a picture of it.
Visual aids should not be used as a crutch. They are there to complement the speech and to serve as a checklist of ideas that you will expand on during the speech.
Deliver with confidence and enthusiasm
- Keep eye contact with the audience.
- Pace yourself. Don't talk too quickly, and clearly say words.
- Point out main points by stressing certain sounds and syllables and pausing throughout the speech.
- Have good posture. Don't slouch, speak with your head down, rock side to side or front to back, hold on to supports such as a lectern or table, or stand rigidly.
- Smile. If you look like you’re having fun and are enthused about the topic, the audience will become interested, too.
Tips for nervousness
- Relax. Take deep breaths and picture yourself giving the speech in a confident way.
- Use icebreakers such as games to ease worry and allow you and the audience to get to know each other.
- Practice. Practicing helps you learn the speech and get comfortable using your visual aids.
Summary
- Define the purpose.
- Assess the audience.
- Compose your speech and practice.
- Keep visual aids simple.
- Smile and be confident.
These ideas can make crafting a speech simpler, and help you give a strong presentation.
Define the purpose
First, name the purpose. Think about what you want the audience to do when the talk is over, and what points you want them to walk away with. Think about these questions before writing a speech:
- Why am I giving this talk?
- Who is going to be in the audience?
- What am I going to say?
- Where will the meeting be?
- When will the meeting be?
- How am I going to do it?
Gauge the audience
Analyze the audience to gain a sense of how they will react to the topic. Find out what they already know about the topic, how interested they are in hearing about it, and what they may believe in and value.
Write your speech
A speech should be made up of:
- Introduction. You may want to start off with a quote, statistic, or story linked to the main thought.
- Body. Split the main idea into separate points and expand on the theme.
- Conclusion. Revisit the introduction and sum up the main thought by referring to points in the body of the speech.
Make visual aids
Visual aids can aid listener comprehension and memory, stir interest, support participation, and explain hard to get concepts. Think about where the speech will be given, room arrangement and size, your budget, the number of times the visuals will be used, and the length of the speech.
Keep visual aids simple.
- Have only one key point per visual.
- Use bullets. Don't use complete sentences or paragraphs.
- Don't show a page full of numbers. Translate complex numbers into pie charts, line graphs, or bar graphs.
- Use real objects if possible. If you can't use the real thing, show a picture of it.
Visual aids should not be used as a crutch. They are there to complement the speech and to serve as a checklist of ideas that you will expand on during the speech.
Deliver with confidence and enthusiasm
- Keep eye contact with the audience.
- Pace yourself. Don't talk too quickly, and clearly say words.
- Point out main points by stressing certain sounds and syllables and pausing throughout the speech.
- Have good posture. Don't slouch, speak with your head down, rock side to side or front to back, hold on to supports such as a lectern or table, or stand rigidly.
- Smile. If you look like you’re having fun and are enthused about the topic, the audience will become interested, too.
Tips for nervousness
- Relax. Take deep breaths and picture yourself giving the speech in a confident way.
- Use icebreakers such as games to ease worry and allow you and the audience to get to know each other.
- Practice. Practicing helps you learn the speech and get comfortable using your visual aids.
Summary
- Define the purpose.
- Assess the audience.
- Compose your speech and practice.
- Keep visual aids simple.
- Smile and be confident.
These ideas can make crafting a speech simpler, and help you give a strong presentation.
Define the purpose
First, name the purpose. Think about what you want the audience to do when the talk is over, and what points you want them to walk away with. Think about these questions before writing a speech:
- Why am I giving this talk?
- Who is going to be in the audience?
- What am I going to say?
- Where will the meeting be?
- When will the meeting be?
- How am I going to do it?
Gauge the audience
Analyze the audience to gain a sense of how they will react to the topic. Find out what they already know about the topic, how interested they are in hearing about it, and what they may believe in and value.
Write your speech
A speech should be made up of:
- Introduction. You may want to start off with a quote, statistic, or story linked to the main thought.
- Body. Split the main idea into separate points and expand on the theme.
- Conclusion. Revisit the introduction and sum up the main thought by referring to points in the body of the speech.
Make visual aids
Visual aids can aid listener comprehension and memory, stir interest, support participation, and explain hard to get concepts. Think about where the speech will be given, room arrangement and size, your budget, the number of times the visuals will be used, and the length of the speech.
Keep visual aids simple.
- Have only one key point per visual.
- Use bullets. Don't use complete sentences or paragraphs.
- Don't show a page full of numbers. Translate complex numbers into pie charts, line graphs, or bar graphs.
- Use real objects if possible. If you can't use the real thing, show a picture of it.
Visual aids should not be used as a crutch. They are there to complement the speech and to serve as a checklist of ideas that you will expand on during the speech.
Deliver with confidence and enthusiasm
- Keep eye contact with the audience.
- Pace yourself. Don't talk too quickly, and clearly say words.
- Point out main points by stressing certain sounds and syllables and pausing throughout the speech.
- Have good posture. Don't slouch, speak with your head down, rock side to side or front to back, hold on to supports such as a lectern or table, or stand rigidly.
- Smile. If you look like you’re having fun and are enthused about the topic, the audience will become interested, too.
Tips for nervousness
- Relax. Take deep breaths and picture yourself giving the speech in a confident way.
- Use icebreakers such as games to ease worry and allow you and the audience to get to know each other.
- Practice. Practicing helps you learn the speech and get comfortable using your visual aids.