| What Do I Talk About?Start by asking
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| | bang.The first and last thirty seconds of
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| yourself three questions:1. Who is my
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| | your speech have the
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| audience? (What do I know about the
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| | most impact, so give them extra thought,
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| corporate culture or collective
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| | time, and effort. If
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| personality of the group?)2. What do they
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| | you haven't hooked your audience's
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| want or need to know from me?3. How long
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| | interest, their minds are
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| can or should I talk?Where Do I Get
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| | going to wander off. Whatever you do,
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| Material?If you're going to be addressing
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| | don't waste any of
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| a particular group a few
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| | your precious seconds with "Ladies and
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| weeks from now, keep a small notebook
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| | Gentlemen, it is a
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| handy to jot down
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| | pleasure to be here tonight." Open with
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| ideas and situations related to your
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| | an intriguing or
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| topic and audience.
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| | startling statement: "Half the people in
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| Make a list of what you know that can
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| | this room are going
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| benefit your them, all
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| | to," "As a young man, my father gave me
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| the experiences and situations that
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| | this valuable
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| could serve as good (or
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| | advice...," "Of all the questions I am
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| bad) examples for others, high points
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| | most frequently asked..."I helped a
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| and low points,
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| | neighbor, Mike Powell, with a speech he
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| failures and successes.Keep adding those
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| | was
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| sudden and stunning bits of insight that
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| | putting together for the Continental
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| come to you in the shower or car. Or
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| | Breakfast Club in San
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| maybe you said
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| | Francisco. Mike was a senior scientist
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| something on the subject to a friend
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| | with Genentech at
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| that was particularly
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| | the time. I suggested that since most of
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| funny or memorable. Some of these
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| | us don't know what
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| experiences may
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| | scientists are like or what they do, he
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| become the original stories you use to
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| | should tell the
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| illustrate a key point
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| | audience. Mike captured everyone's
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| in your speech. When you actually
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| | attention by saying,
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| sitdown to write, you'll
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| | "Being a scientist is like doing a
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| have plenty of material.
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| | jigsaw puzzle in a
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| How Do I Outline My Talk?There are two
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| | snowstorm at night...you don't have all
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| basic outlines that work well for both
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| | the pieces...and you
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| beginning and advanced speakers alike.1.
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| | don't have the picture you are trying to
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| The Past-Present Journey FormulaTell your
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| | create."2. Develop strong supporting
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| audience a three-part story:This is where
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| | stories.If you're using the Past-Present
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| I was.
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| | outline format, the middle of
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| This is where I am.
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| | your talk is where you expand on your
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| This is how I got here.It's a simple
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| | key points and
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| format that helps you tell the audience
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| | develop personal stories that support
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| who you
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| | where you were and
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| are and why you are qualified to speak
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| | where you are now. In the Q&A format,
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| on the topic you've
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| | develop one or two
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| chosen.Here's an example of how
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| | strong anecdotes to support each answer.
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| effective the outline can be. A
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| | Personal
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| successful Realtor was asked to deliver
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| | anecdotes are best, but you can also
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| a 25-minute
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| | insert some of the
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| presentation for the local Board of
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| | ideas and examples you've been gathering
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| Realtors. I coached her to
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| | in your journal or
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| open like this: "Twelve years ago,
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| | computer.3. Close on a high note.Your
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| before I went into the real
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| | close should be the high point of your
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| estate business, I had never sold
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| | speech. First,
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| anything but Girl Scout
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| | summarize the key elements of the
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| cookies, and I hadn't done that well.
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| | investment process (or
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| Last year, I sold $13
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| | whatever your topic is). If you're
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| million in a slow market, selling homes
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| | planning to take questions
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| that averaged
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| | from the audience, say, "Before my
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| $100,000 each. Today, I'll tell you how
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| | closing remarks, are
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| I built my business."
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| | there any questions." Answer them
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| Right away, the audience knew exactly
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| | then.The last thirty seconds of your
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| what she was going
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| | speech must send people
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| to talk about, and they were eager to
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| | out energized and fulfilled. Finish your
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| hear her story!2. The Q&A OutlineThe
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| | talk with something
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| members of your audience probably want to
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| | inspirational that supports your theme.
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| know the
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| | My scientist friend
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| answers to the same kinds of business
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| | Mike talked of the frustrations of being
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| questions you're
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| | a scientist. He closed
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| asked at parties or professional
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| | by saying, "People often ask, Why should
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| functions. You can start
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| | anyone want to be
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| with, "The five questions I'm most
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| | a scientist?" Then Mike told them about
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| frequently asked about
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| | a particularly
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| investments (or whatever your product or
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| | information-intensive medical conference
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| service is) are--"Pose the first question
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| | he had attended.
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| to the audience and answer it for
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| | The final speaker rose and said, "I am a
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| them in a conversational manner, just as
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| | thirty-two-year-old
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| you would with a
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| | wife and mother of two. I have AIDS.
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| potential customer or at a party. Even
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| | Please work fast."Mike got a standing
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| though you'venever
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| | ovation for his speech. He was telling
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| made a speech before, you've certainly
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| | his audience what they needed to know.
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| had a lot of
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| | How Do I Polish My Speech?Your next step
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| experience answering questions in your
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| | is to make a written draft of your
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| field.
| |
| | speech. You
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| How Do I Start to Write My Speech?That's
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| | can assemble your notes, or you may
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| easy. To begin with, don't. Gather and
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| | prefer to talk your
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| organize your
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| | ideas into a tape recorder and
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| ideas, plan and polish, but don't write
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| | transcribe the words. Then
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| it down word for word.
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| | read your draft to confirm that it is:-
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| For now, just jot an outline with key
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| | Interesting: After every point you make,
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| points and ideas on a
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| | ask yourself, "Who
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| note pad.The Speech Itself1. Open with a
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| | cares?" If no one does, edit it out.
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