Elements of a Great Speech

When giving a speech or presentation, there are two areas that must be considered: the content and the delivery.  You can have exciting information to share, but if the entire speech is delivered in a soft, monotone voice, it won’t matter. Likewise, if you are an animated and enthusiastic speaker, you won’t get far without having clear and compelling messages.

Creating Your Speech Content
Whether you are creating a speech for yourself or someone else, the writing process can be challenging. There are a number of factors to consider that will have your listeners yearning to know more, instead of heading toward the door.

Know Your Audience. 
To make your message more effective, you should first consider your audience. Who will be listening to you? Why are they interested in what you are saying? How large is your audience? Are you delivering news they will be glad to hear?

The more you understand your audience, the easier it will be to put together content that will work. For example, if you’re writing a commencement address, you know your entire audience has graduation in common, that they are feeling a huge sense of accomplishment (and possibly relief). They may be much more receptive to what you have to say than a roomful of stockholders who are being told that their company’s estimated sales for the quarter are far less than expected.

What Is the Essential Message You Must Deliver? 
Your goal is to identify the main message you want to deliver. If you were to strip away everything about the speech and tell the audience in one or two sentences what your message is, what would you say? Before you can write effectively, you must know your core message. Everything you put into what you will say, then, must support that.

What Is the Goal of Your Speech?
Are you the unfortunate bearer of bad news for shareholders? Are you the keynote speaker at a corporate conference? Are you running for office and gathering support for your platform? Are you giving a presentation where the ultimate goal is to impart knowledge and inspiration? Before you write your speech, you must know whether you are trying to inspire, inform, entertain, or persuade.

Components of the Speech 
A speech has three main parts: the introduction, the main body, and the conclusion. The introduction is crucial for capturing and keeping the attention of your audience. Not only do you need them to like you and want to listen to you, but you want them to believe you, too. Personal anecdotes can be used to help the audience become more familiar with you.

In the introduction, you should also deliver that boiled-down, stripped-down core message. When considering what to write, think about the 2005 Steve Jobs’ commencement address that is still one of the most shared and watched speeches, years after it was given. He started by saying, “Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.”

The body of the speech is where you deliver the full story of your message. Try to stay close to your core message by adding detailed information or anecdotes as needed to illustrate the points you are making. This is where most speeches fall flat; this is where most audiences zone out. So it’s most important that in this crucial section, you infuse passion into your message.

As you write your conclusion, remember that the last words the audience hears are likely the ones that they will remember the most. Be compelling. Restate your core message. Be passionate. Be grateful for their time and attention. Depending on the type of speech you are delivering, you may want to provide action items for the audience to do as they leave or provide a way for them to obtain additional information. But wrap your speech up with something that inspires your audience and leaves them with positive feelings.

Speech Writing 101
When writing a speech, it’s important to allow the person to be conversational. Don’t use a five-syllable word where a two-syllable word will work. Don’t make every sentence 22 words long. Some should be short, some should have pauses. Create pacing and structure, as well as interest for the listener, by varying the types and styles of sentences. Give the speech rhythm. Repeat the core message regularly. Include quotes from recognizable and credible sources. Read the speech out loud as you write to help create better delivery.

Delivering Your Speech
Delivering the speech well is as essential as having compelling content. From the modulation of your voice to the visual aids you provide, delivery matters.

Overcoming Nerves 
We are in the business of training people for public speaking. Not many clients come to us saying, “I am so excited to give this speech. I love standing up in front of an audience and doing this!” Most people who must deliver a speech are nervous, and nerves can be your worst enemy. Overcoming nerves is a critical step to successful delivery.  This doesn’t mean you won’t be nervous; rather, you want to have the tools that will help prevent the anxiety from overwhelming you.

Practice, Practice, and Practice More 
If you deliver a speech that you have only read through a few times, reading is precisely what you will end up doing on stage. This will cause you to become more monotone, and make less eye contact with the audience. And you will likely stumble more throughout your delivery. You must practice enough to become fluid with your speaking. The more you know the content, the more it becomes part of you, therefore providing the comfort to deliver your speech from the heart. And that makes a significant different to your audience.

Get Out from Behind the Podium
Whether you use comfort monitors to remain on track or simply work from memory, you’ll be far more engaging to your audience if you’re really there for them, and not there merely to hold up the podium. Make eye contact. Walk around. Be completely involved in what you’re saying and why. Engage with your audience.

You don’t have to be Winston Churchill to deliver motivating, inspiring, and memorable speeches.Your audience doesn’t want perfection; they want authenticity.

Be you, be sincere, and be prepared, and your speeches will be better than ever. 

Originally published on LinkedIn