Virtual tips for the savvy business owner!

In my last post, I shared some great tips for presenting yourself well to an audience. To make your presentation memorable, though, you’ll need to start with a great speech.

There are six key elements that make up a successful speech, so let’s get right to the first one:

1. Speak About What You Know: If you don’t know your subject matter, sooner or later you’ll make an obvious mistake. Know your topic well and you’ll speak more naturally. Trying to “blue sky” your way through an unfamiliar topic is a bad idea.
2. Keep it Appropriate: You wouldn’t give the same speech to a group of high school students that you would to a gathering of business leaders. Adjust the terms, phrasing and illustrations to keep each audience interested.
3. Work from an Outline: Is there anything more painful than watching someone fumble through a speech? Do yourself, and your audience, a favor by creating and using an outline that covers your main points.
4. Capture Their Interest Quickly: Let them know right away why you’re there, what you’ll be covering and why it’s valuable to them. Skip the boring, “Good Morning. Today I’m going to discuss…” and opt, instead, to make a connection instantly. “If you’re like most companies in your industry, you’ve experienced setbacks this year. Let’s talk about some ways you could start saving money this afternoon.”
5. Don’t Confuse Your Audience: Making sudden subject changes during a speech can leave your audience dazed. Segue logically from one topic to the next, and your audience will follow you.
6. A Little Laugh Never Hurt Anyone: Tasteful, well-timed humor in a speech can help lighten technical information and keep your audience engaged. Practice your one-liners, quips and humorous stories on a friend or join an organization like Toastmasters International for honest feedback.

Even the most clinical information can be relayed with flair in the hands of a good speechwriter. Keep the phrasing natural, practice often and follow the tips above for a speech that’s sure to entertain.

Filed under: Speaking, Uncategorized