How to Give a Great Speech

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TITLE: How to Give a Great Speech
AUTHOR: Sandra Schrift
CONTACT: sandra@schrift.com
COPYRIGHT: ©2004 by Sandra Schrift. All rights reserved

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How to Give a Great Speech

As a former owner of a National Speakers Bureau, I have
learned from several thousand professional speakers "How to
Give a Great Speech." Here are some techniques that I share
with my coaching clients who want to become paid
professional speakers or business professionals who want to
deliver masterful presentations.

1. Speak from the heart.
Believe in what you have to say, or don’t say it. If your
passionate about your subject the words will come. Speak
about the fundamental beliefs you have about life, the
simple truths that you believe in with all your heart.

2. Write down two or three specific objectives you have for
this speech. Ask yourself, 'What do you want the audience
to do as a result of your speech? 'Think differently? Act
differently? Do something differently?

3. Write it out.
When you give a speech be sure that people need to hear
what you have to say. Than you need to understand it so
well that you could explain it to an eight-year-old You
know, if you write it down enough times, than you will
become familiar with it. Don’t read your speech if
necessary, just read the lead sentences that you write on
a three by five card.

4. Be present.
Connect with your audience in the first 60 seconds and than
engage them throughout your speech. Once you get the
audience rolling, be sure to embellish certain comments
that you know are being well-received.

5. Know your audience.
Interview the program chair in advance to know who will be
sitting in your audience and what they expect to hear from
you. Are they men or women? What is the theme of the
meeting or conference? What is their purpose in being
there? Because that then becomes your purpose. Be sure to
give your audiences not just what they want, but also what
they need to hear.

6. Room Setup.
Be sure to check out the room where you will present your
speech in advance. The worst thing that can happen to you
is when they put the bright lights in your eyes and
blackout the audience. If you go early to do your room
check, you can tell them that you can’t give a speech with
the audience in darkness. As a speaker, it is important
that you see the faces in your audience.

7. Is there a technique?
Try to be as natural as possible just speak
conversationally. Talk to your smaller audiences as if you
were in their living room. Don’t look over their heads or
beyond them. Speak directly to them. If you are addressing
a crowd of several hundred or more people, look at one
person, than another, than a third. But really look at
them.

8. "Ums" and "Ahs."
"Ums" and "ahs" come from uncertainty. The key is to know
your subject and what you want to say. And than practice,
practice, practice. Use your mirror or give your speech to
your friends and family. And above all, don’t try to
remember exactly the same words.

9. Personal Stories
Be sure to share your personal stories with the audience.
People will learn from your vulnerability and your mishaps
and will be only a step away from their own story. We
delineate our thoughts visually and so your audience needs
to see what they hear. You don’t have to be clever, just
share your life with your audience. Remember you are
looking for their trust and trying to help them. So just
consider them to be your friends and inject humor wherever
possible.

10. Closing your speech
Develop an action plan. What do you want your audience to
do now that they’ve heard your speech? Go around the room,
and ask them to share one nugget they got. Ask them for one
idea that they can use NOW. In two weeks. In one month. Be
sure to summarize your speech and than give them a call to
action.

To find out How to Become a Highly Paid Professional
Speaker, go to http://www.schrift.com/ProfessionalSpeaker/