what makes a speech a great speech

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How to write a speech that your audience remembers

Whether in a work meeting or at an investor panel, you might give a speech at some point. And no matter how excited you are about the opportunity, the experience can be nerve-wracking . 

But feeling butterflies doesn’t mean you can’t give a great speech. With the proper preparation and a clear outline, apprehensive public speakers and natural wordsmiths alike can write and present a compelling message. Here’s how to write a good speech you’ll be proud to deliver.

What is good speech writing?

Good speech writing is the art of crafting words and ideas into a compelling, coherent, and memorable message that resonates with the audience. Here are some key elements of great speech writing:

• It begins with clearly understanding the speech's purpose and the audience it seeks to engage. 
• A well-written speech clearly conveys its central message, ensuring that the audience understands and retains the key points. 
• It is structured thoughtfully, with a captivating opening, a well-organized body, and a conclusion that reinforces the main message. 
• Good speech writing embraces the power of engaging content, weaving in stories, examples, and relatable anecdotes to connect with the audience on both intellectual and emotional levels. 

Ultimately, it is the combination of these elements, along with the authenticity and delivery of the speaker , that transforms words on a page into a powerful and impactful spoken narrative.

What makes a good speech?

A great speech includes several key qualities, but three fundamental elements make a speech truly effective:

Clarity and purpose

Remembering the audience, cohesive structure.

While other important factors make a speech a home run, these three elements are essential for writing an effective speech.

The main elements of a good speech

The main elements of a speech typically include:

• Introduction: The introduction sets the stage for your speech and grabs the audience's attention. It should include a hook or attention-grabbing opening, introduce the topic, and provide an overview of what will be covered.
• Opening/captivating statement: This is a strong statement that immediately engages the audience and creates curiosity about the speech topics.
• Thesis statement/central idea: The thesis statement or central idea is a concise statement that summarizes the main point or argument of your speech. It serves as a roadmap for the audience to understand what your speech is about.
• Body: The body of the speech is where you elaborate on your main points or arguments. Each point is typically supported by evidence, examples, statistics, or anecdotes. The body should be organized logically and coherently, with smooth transitions between the main points.
• Supporting evidence: This includes facts, data, research findings, expert opinions, or personal stories that support and strengthen your main points. Well-chosen and credible evidence enhances the persuasive power of your speech.
• Transitions: Transitions are phrases or statements that connect different parts of your speech, guiding the audience from one idea to the next. Effective transitions signal the shifts in topics or ideas and help maintain a smooth flow throughout the speech.
• Counterarguments and rebuttals (if applicable): If your speech involves addressing opposing viewpoints or counterarguments, you should acknowledge and address them. Presenting counterarguments makes your speech more persuasive and demonstrates critical thinking.
• Conclusion: The conclusion is the final part of your speech and should bring your message to a satisfying close. Summarize your main points, restate your thesis statement, and leave the audience with a memorable closing thought or call to action.
• Closing statement: This is the final statement that leaves a lasting impression and reinforces the main message of your speech. It can be a call to action, a thought-provoking question, a powerful quote, or a memorable anecdote.
• Delivery and presentation: How you deliver your speech is also an essential element to consider. Pay attention to your tone, body language, eye contact , voice modulation, and timing. Practice and rehearse your speech, and try using the 7-38-55 rule to ensure confident and effective delivery.

While the order and emphasis of these elements may vary depending on the type of speech and audience, these elements provide a framework for organizing and delivering a successful speech.

How to structure a good speech

You know what message you want to transmit, who you’re delivering it to, and even how you want to say it. But you need to know how to start, develop, and close a speech before writing it. 

Think of a speech like an essay. It should have an introduction, conclusion, and body sections in between. This places ideas in a logical order that the audience can better understand and follow them. Learning how to make a speech with an outline gives your storytelling the scaffolding it needs to get its point across.

Here’s a general speech structure to guide your writing process:

• Explanation 1
• Explanation 2
• Explanation 3

How to write a compelling speech opener

Some research shows that engaged audiences pay attention for only 15 to 20 minutes at a time. Other estimates are even lower, citing that people stop listening intently in fewer than 10 minutes . If you make a good first impression at the beginning of your speech, you have a better chance of interesting your audience through the middle when attention spans fade. 

Implementing the INTRO model can help grab and keep your audience’s attention as soon as you start speaking. This acronym stands for interest, need, timing, roadmap, and objectives, and it represents the key points you should hit in an opening. 

Here’s what to include for each of these points: 

• Interest : Introduce yourself or your topic concisely and speak with confidence . Write a compelling opening statement using relevant data or an anecdote that the audience can relate to.
• Needs : The audience is listening to you because they have something to learn. If you’re pitching a new app idea to a panel of investors, those potential partners want to discover more about your product and what they can earn from it. Read the room and gently remind them of the purpose of your speech. 
• Timing : When appropriate, let your audience know how long you’ll speak. This lets listeners set expectations and keep tabs on their own attention span. If a weary audience member knows you’ll talk for 40 minutes, they can better manage their energy as that time goes on. 
• Routemap : Give a brief overview of the three main points you’ll cover in your speech. If an audience member’s attention starts to drop off and they miss a few sentences, they can more easily get their bearings if they know the general outline of the presentation.
• Objectives : Tell the audience what you hope to achieve, encouraging them to listen to the end for the payout. 

Writing the middle of a speech

The body of your speech is the most information-dense section. Facts, visual aids, PowerPoints — all this information meets an audience with a waning attention span. Sticking to the speech structure gives your message focus and keeps you from going off track, making everything you say as useful as possible.

Limit the middle of your speech to three points, and support them with no more than three explanations. Following this model organizes your thoughts and prevents you from offering more information than the audience can retain. 

Using this section of the speech to make your presentation interactive can add interest and engage your audience. Try including a video or demonstration to break the monotony. A quick poll or survey also keeps the audience on their toes. 

Wrapping the speech up

To you, restating your points at the end can feel repetitive and dull. You’ve practiced countless times and heard it all before. But repetition aids memory and learning , helping your audience retain what you’ve told them. Use your speech’s conclusion to summarize the main points with a few short sentences.

Try to end on a memorable note, like posing a motivational quote or a thoughtful question the audience can contemplate once they leave. In proposal or pitch-style speeches, consider landing on a call to action (CTA) that invites your audience to take the next step.

How to write a good speech

If public speaking gives you the jitters, you’re not alone. Roughly 80% of the population feels nervous before giving a speech, and another 10% percent experiences intense anxiety and sometimes even panic. 

The fear of failure can cause procrastination and can cause you to put off your speechwriting process until the last minute. Finding the right words takes time and preparation, and if you’re already feeling nervous, starting from a blank page might seem even harder.

But putting in the effort despite your stress is worth it. Presenting a speech you worked hard on fosters authenticity and connects you to the subject matter, which can help your audience understand your points better. Human connection is all about honesty and vulnerability, and if you want to connect to the people you’re speaking to, they should see that in you.

1. Identify your objectives and target audience

Before diving into the writing process, find healthy coping strategies to help you stop worrying . Then you can define your speech’s purpose, think about your target audience, and start identifying your objectives. Here are some questions to ask yourself and ground your thinking : 

• What purpose do I want my speech to achieve? 
• What would it mean to me if I achieved the speech’s purpose?
• What audience am I writing for? 
• What do I know about my audience? 
• What values do I want to transmit? 
• If the audience remembers one take-home message, what should it be? 
• What do I want my audience to feel, think, or do after I finish speaking? 
• What parts of my message could be confusing and require further explanation?

2. Know your audience

Understanding your audience is crucial for tailoring your speech effectively. Consider the demographics of your audience, their interests, and their expectations. For instance, if you're addressing a group of healthcare professionals, you'll want to use medical terminology and data that resonate with them. Conversely, if your audience is a group of young students, you'd adjust your content to be more relatable to their experiences and interests. 

3. Choose a clear message

Your message should be the central idea that you want your audience to take away from your speech. Let's say you're giving a speech on climate change. Your clear message might be something like, "Individual actions can make a significant impact on mitigating climate change." Throughout your speech, all your points and examples should support this central message, reinforcing it for your audience.

4. Structure your speech

Organizing your speech properly keeps your audience engaged and helps them follow your ideas. The introduction should grab your audience's attention and introduce the topic. For example, if you're discussing space exploration, you could start with a fascinating fact about a recent space mission. In the body, you'd present your main points logically, such as the history of space exploration, its scientific significance, and future prospects. Finally, in the conclusion, you'd summarize your key points and reiterate the importance of space exploration in advancing human knowledge.

5. Use engaging content for clarity

Engaging content includes stories, anecdotes, statistics, and examples that illustrate your main points. For instance, if you're giving a speech about the importance of reading, you might share a personal story about how a particular book changed your perspective. You could also include statistics on the benefits of reading, such as improved cognitive abilities and empathy.

6. Maintain clarity and simplicity

It's essential to communicate your ideas clearly. Avoid using overly technical jargon or complex language that might confuse your audience. For example, if you're discussing a medical breakthrough with a non-medical audience, explain complex terms in simple, understandable language.

7. Practice and rehearse

Practice is key to delivering a great speech. Rehearse multiple times to refine your delivery, timing, and tone. Consider using a mirror or recording yourself to observe your body language and gestures. For instance, if you're giving a motivational speech, practice your gestures and expressions to convey enthusiasm and confidence.

8. Consider nonverbal communication

Your body language, tone of voice, and gestures should align with your message . If you're delivering a speech on leadership, maintain strong eye contact to convey authority and connection with your audience. A steady pace and varied tone can also enhance your speech's impact.

9. Engage your audience

Engaging your audience keeps them interested and attentive. Encourage interaction by asking thought-provoking questions or sharing relatable anecdotes. If you're giving a speech on teamwork, ask the audience to recall a time when teamwork led to a successful outcome, fostering engagement and connection.

10. Prepare for Q&A

Anticipate potential questions or objections your audience might have and prepare concise, well-informed responses. If you're delivering a speech on a controversial topic, such as healthcare reform, be ready to address common concerns, like the impact on healthcare costs or access to services, during the Q&A session.

By following these steps and incorporating examples that align with your specific speech topic and purpose, you can craft and deliver a compelling and impactful speech that resonates with your audience.

Tools for writing a great speech

There are several helpful tools available for speechwriting, both technological and communication-related. Here are a few examples:

• Word processing software: Tools like Microsoft Word, Google Docs, or other word processors provide a user-friendly environment for writing and editing speeches. They offer features like spell-checking, grammar correction, formatting options, and easy revision tracking.
• Presentation software: Software such as Microsoft PowerPoint or Google Slides is useful when creating visual aids to accompany your speech. These tools allow you to create engaging slideshows with text, images, charts, and videos to enhance your presentation.
• Speechwriting Templates: Online platforms or software offer pre-designed templates specifically for speechwriting. These templates provide guidance on structuring your speech and may include prompts for different sections like introductions, main points, and conclusions.
• Rhetorical devices and figures of speech: Rhetorical tools such as metaphors, similes, alliteration, and parallelism can add impact and persuasion to your speech. Resources like books, websites, or academic papers detailing various rhetorical devices can help you incorporate them effectively.
• Speechwriting apps: Mobile apps designed specifically for speechwriting can be helpful in organizing your thoughts, creating outlines, and composing a speech. These apps often provide features like voice recording, note-taking, and virtual prompts to keep you on track.
• Grammar and style checkers: Online tools or plugins like Grammarly or Hemingway Editor help improve the clarity and readability of your speech by checking for grammar, spelling, and style errors. They provide suggestions for sentence structure, word choice, and overall tone.
• Thesaurus and dictionary: Online or offline resources such as thesauruses and dictionaries help expand your vocabulary and find alternative words or phrases to express your ideas more effectively. They can also clarify meanings or provide context for unfamiliar terms.
• Online speechwriting communities: Joining online forums or communities focused on speechwriting can be beneficial for getting feedback, sharing ideas, and learning from experienced speechwriters. It's an opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals and improve your public speaking skills through collaboration.

Remember, while these tools can assist in the speechwriting process, it's essential to use them thoughtfully and adapt them to your specific needs and style. The most important aspect of speechwriting remains the creativity, authenticity, and connection with your audience that you bring to your speech.

5 tips for writing a speech

Behind every great speech is an excellent idea and a speaker who refined it. But a successful speech is about more than the initial words on the page, and there are a few more things you can do to help it land.

Here are five more tips for writing and practicing your speech:

1. Structure first, write second

If you start the writing process before organizing your thoughts, you may have to re-order, cut, and scrap the sentences you worked hard on. Save yourself some time by using a speech structure, like the one above, to order your talking points first. This can also help you identify unclear points or moments that disrupt your flow.

2. Do your homework

Data strengthens your argument with a scientific edge. Research your topic with an eye for attention-grabbing statistics, or look for findings you can use to support each point. If you’re pitching a product or service, pull information from company metrics that demonstrate past or potential successes. 

Audience members will likely have questions, so learn all talking points inside and out. If you tell investors that your product will provide 12% returns, for example, come prepared with projections that support that statement.

3. Sound like yourself

Memorable speakers have distinct voices. Think of Martin Luther King Jr’s urgent, inspiring timbre or Oprah’s empathetic, personal tone . Establish your voice — one that aligns with your personality and values — and stick with it. If you’re a motivational speaker, keep your tone upbeat to inspire your audience . If you’re the CEO of a startup, try sounding assured but approachable. 

4. Practice

As you practice a speech, you become more confident , gain a better handle on the material, and learn the outline so well that unexpected questions are less likely to trip you up. Practice in front of a colleague or friend for honest feedback about what you could change, and speak in front of the mirror to tweak your nonverbal communication and body language .

5. Remember to breathe

When you’re stressed, you breathe more rapidly . It can be challenging to talk normally when you can’t regulate your breath. Before your presentation, try some mindful breathing exercises so that when the day comes, you already have strategies that will calm you down and remain present . This can also help you control your voice and avoid speaking too quickly.

How to ghostwrite a great speech for someone else

Ghostwriting a speech requires a unique set of skills, as you're essentially writing a piece that will be delivered by someone else. Here are some tips on how to effectively ghostwrite a speech:

• Understand the speaker's voice and style : Begin by thoroughly understanding the speaker's personality, speaking style, and preferences. This includes their tone, humor, and any personal anecdotes they may want to include.
• Interview the speaker : Have a detailed conversation with the speaker to gather information about their speech's purpose, target audience, key messages, and any specific points they want to emphasize. Ask for personal stories or examples they may want to include.
• Research thoroughly : Research the topic to ensure you have a strong foundation of knowledge. This helps you craft a well-informed and credible speech.
• Create an outline : Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval.
• Write in the speaker's voice : While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. Use language and phrasing that feel natural to them. If they have a particular way of expressing ideas, incorporate that into the speech.
• Craft a captivating opening : Begin the speech with a compelling opening that grabs the audience's attention. This could be a relevant quote, an interesting fact, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question.
• Organize content logically : Ensure the speech flows logically, with each point building on the previous one. Use transitions to guide the audience from one idea to the next smoothly.
• Incorporate engaging stories and examples : Include anecdotes, stories, and real-life examples that illustrate key points and make the speech relatable and memorable.
• Edit and revise : Edit the speech carefully for clarity, grammar, and coherence. Ensure the speech is the right length and aligns with the speaker's time constraints.
• Seek feedback : Share drafts of the speech with the speaker for their feedback and revisions. They may have specific changes or additions they'd like to make.
• Practice delivery : If possible, work with the speaker on their delivery. Practice the speech together, allowing the speaker to become familiar with the content and your writing style.
• Maintain confidentiality : As a ghostwriter, it's essential to respect the confidentiality and anonymity of the work. Do not disclose that you wrote the speech unless you have the speaker's permission to do so.
• Be flexible : Be open to making changes and revisions as per the speaker's preferences. Your goal is to make them look good and effectively convey their message.
• Meet deadlines : Stick to agreed-upon deadlines for drafts and revisions. Punctuality and reliability are essential in ghostwriting.
• Provide support : Support the speaker during their preparation and rehearsal process. This can include helping with cue cards, speech notes, or any other materials they need.

Remember that successful ghostwriting is about capturing the essence of the speaker while delivering a well-structured and engaging speech. Collaboration, communication, and adaptability are key to achieving this.

Give your best speech yet

Learn how to make a speech that’ll hold an audience’s attention by structuring your thoughts and practicing frequently. Put the effort into writing and preparing your content, and aim to improve your breathing, eye contact , and body language as you practice. The more you work on your speech, the more confident you’ll become.

The energy you invest in writing an effective speech will help your audience remember and connect to every concept. Remember: some life-changing philosophies have come from good speeches, so give your words a chance to resonate with others. You might even change their thinking.

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Elizabeth Perry, ACC

Elizabeth Perry is a Coach Community Manager at BetterUp. She uses strategic engagement strategies to cultivate a learning community across a global network of Coaches through in-person and virtual experiences, technology-enabled platforms, and strategic coaching industry partnerships. With over 3 years of coaching experience and a certification in transformative leadership and life coaching from Sofia University, Elizabeth leverages transpersonal psychology expertise to help coaches and clients gain awareness of their behavioral and thought patterns, discover their purpose and passions, and elevate their potential. She is a lifelong student of psychology, personal growth, and human potential as well as an ICF-certified ACC transpersonal life and leadership Coach.

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What Makes a Great Speech?

Simon sebag montefiore considers the qualities of great oratory throughout history.

Friends! Brothers and sisters! Comrades! Fellow citizens! Your majesties and highnesses! My countrymen! My children! Fellow soldiers! Ladies and gentlemen!

You can tell much by the opening of a speech. Elizabeth I begins hers majestically, “My loving people.” Mandela says, “Comrades and friends.” Lincoln starts: “Fellow countrymen.” Toussaint Louverture combines “Brothers and friends!.” For Robespierre: “Citizen-representatives of the people.” Michelle Obama calls her audience of schoolgirls “future leaders of the world.” Stalin changes his entire relationship with the Soviet peoples when, after the Nazi invasion, he addresses them on July 3, 1941 not just as Communist “comrades” but as “brothers and sisters, I am addressing you, dear friends.” Eleazar, Jewish rebel leader, calls his people “generous friends” when he asks them to commit mass suicide with him. Calling an audience “friends” is often a good start, though Cromwell, talking to English Parliamentarians, takes a different approach: “Ye pack of mercenary wretches . . . Ye sordid prostitutes.”

Donald Trump does not address his audience directly but just says: “Wow! Whoa! That’s some group of people. Thousands!” The opening is all about defining the relationship—the terms of the contract, contact and compact—between speaker and audience. Invite them in, make them comfortable, but not necessarily too comfortable, because even the most egalitarian speaker must hold the helm and set the course.

It is easy to make rules on the best oratory. It must be short without glibness; substantial without ennui; powerful without haughtiness; dramatic without contrivance; confident without bombast; intimate without condescension; emotional without melodrama; courageous without bravado; beautiful without artifice; passionate without posturing; poignant without plangency; honest without vanity; world-historical without grandiloquence. “In an orator, the acuteness of the logicians, the wisdom of the philosophers, the language almost of poetry, the memory of lawyers, the voice of tragedians, the gesture almost of the best actors, is required,” wrote Cicero, one of the Rome’s best speakers, in his essay On Oratory. “Nothing therefore is more rarely found among mankind than a consummate orator.” It was written in 55 BC but is just as true today.

The most revealing speeches are those that are the most personal: in Alexander the Great’s speeches, we can hear across two millennia his pride in his own divine greatness—and fury at the ingratitude and impertinence of his mutinous men. Nixon’s farewell to his staff must be the most awkward speech of his life. In Stalin’s secret last speech, we are witnessing the real tyrant as vicious old man.

Authenticity and brevity. The essence of a great speech is always the ability to communicate a simple message crafted to suit the chosen audience, not only through words but through the fusion of the character of the speaker and the message itself. The authenticity of that matching of speaker and message decides its success or failure. It’s this that makes Elizabeth II’s COVID-19 speech so effective.

Oratory is theatrical. It requires some of the gifts of the thespian and the tricks of the showman but it is very different. At the theatre, the audience knows the actor is playing an imaginary part and wishes to enter into the fantasy. In oratory, it is the opposite. There is indeed a stage, a show, a drama, but while knowing this is a performance, the audience must trust that the “actor” is not acting at all, must believe in his or her sincerity and recognize their total self-belief. “The eloquent man is he who is no beautiful speaker but who is desperately drunk with a certain belief,” noted Ralph Waldo Emerson. That self-belief, abnormal in most mortals, essential in leaders, can be both virtue and sickness: the asset of confidence can so easily degenerate into psychopathic narcissism.

“All great speakers were bad speakers at first,” argued Emerson. This is not always true: Danton was a born speaker—you can hear his passionate energy. Compare Hitler and Churchill. Both worked exceedingly hard on their speeches. Photographs of Hitler by his court photographer show him posing like a camp actor as he worked on his stage show. His henchman Goebbels recalled that he rewrote each speech about five times, dictating changes to three secretaries simultaneously. Churchill, who started with a slight stammer and a lisp, proves Emerson’s point. He wrote his speeches by hand, over and over again, correcting and polishing. Hitler’s performances were theatrical spectaculars of physical athleticism, sometimes lasting hours, delivered to crowds first in sweaty beer halls then in illuminated stadiums.

Yet on paper, his phrases seem mediocre. Churchill’s were the opposite, delivered stolidly in House of Commons or BBC studio, but the phrases are golden and timeless. Both worked well on radio: Would either have worked on television? Certainly not Churchill. Yet the melodrama of the movie Triumph of the Will shows that Hitler might have shone if CNN had existed to broadcast his long rallies.

In some ways, the speaker is extraordinarily exposed but the payoff is the ability to communicate directly to the audience. The speeches of the French Revolution often ended with the arrest and beheading of the speaker—a spontaneity that Robespierre and Danton both encouraged, both fell victim to. It was the same in the assembly of democratic Athens. Alexander the Great could have been cut down by his mutinous soldiers when he addressed them so rudely. The speaker is taking a risk, and that very gamble can win the love of the audience: Napoleon’s speech to his Old Guard appeals to the intimacy of general and soldier. When he returned to seize power for the Hundred Days, he only had to speak to them and they defected to him.

In 1989, the Romanian dictator Nikolai Ceauşescu lost control of his country in a speech that culminated in booing then revolution. He fled by helicopter and was then arrested and executed. In 21st-century Venezuela, the brutal, bungling dictator Nicolás Maduro regularly revealed his coarseness with comical mispronunciations: during a speech on education, he meant to quote Jesus multiplying the “loaves and the fishes,” but instead said, “to multiply ourselves like Christ multiplied the penises—sorry the fish and the bread,” to national guffaws. The Spanish words for fish and penis are similar—but not identical.

The length of a speech is often proportional to its vainglory. “Brevity is the great charm of eloquence,” decreed Cicero, who believed “the best orator is to the point and impassioned.” While Lincoln’s masterpiece at Gettysburg is just 278 words long, Fidel Castro, Communist dictator of Cuba, once spoke for seven hours: the image he was seeking was machismo personified; virile, almost priapic, endurance coupled with dictatorial omnipotence. The wartime speeches of Hitler and Italian dictator Mussolini were also preposterously long. “Speeches measured by the hour,” said Jefferson, “die with the hour.” Pitt the Younger’s speech lasted a few seconds but is sublime. The power to bore an audience is a classic manifestation of tyranny. The freer an audience the less it will tolerate.

Yet fairground hucksterism not only works—it is often mesmerizing. As Hitler, Eva Perón and others show, audiences revel in the brazenness of charisma, bombast and melodrama: bold theatricality and the excitement of crowd behavior can combine to enchant and intoxicate, audiences embracing a sort of frenzied madness.

There is a difference between demagoguery and oratory: “Eloquence cannot exist under a despotic form of government,” wrote Tacitus in his essay The Corruption of Eloquence. “It can only exist in lands where free institutions flourish. There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the tricks and delusions of oratory.” But the difference between vulgarity and eloquence is in the eye of the beholder.

Worthy virtue can bore its listeners to death: “In doing good, we are generally cold, and languid, and sluggish; and of all things afraid of being too much in the right,” comments Edmund Burke. “But the works of malice and injustice are quite in another style. They are finished with a bold, masterly hand; touched as they are with the spirit of those vehement passions that call forth all our energies, whenever we oppress and persecute.” The Devil often has the best lines. Robespierre’s call for Terror is powerful, elegant and bloodthirsty. But not always. Himmler is no orator.

Speeches are tools of power as essential as artillery or gold: “instruments that a president uses to govern,” in the words of JFK’s speechwriter Ted Sorenson. Even without the poetry of a Martin Luther King Jr., there are methods to make them work. “If you have an important point to make,” said Churchill, “don’t try to be subtle and clever, use a piledriver. Make that point one time, hit it again. A third time. A tremendous whack!”

Each speech tells a story in which hindsight can be heartbreaking. Egyptian president Sadat and Israeli prime minister Rabin both had made their careers as warlords—and when they made peace, their speeches were powerful, not just because they were superbly written (Rabin’s especially touching since he was in person shy, rough and reticent). They are even more poignant now that we know that both of them paid for their courage with their lives. It is impossible to read Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I’ve seen the Promised Land” without feeling that he understood that he was doomed.

Then we have the ritual of the last goodbye. The dying Evita’s adieu from the Casa Rosada is every bit as emotional as the song from the musical she inspired. Napoleon’s tearful departure verges on cheap melodrama—very different from the sad elegiac haughtiness of Charles I before his execution. It is hard to grieve for the merciless secret police killer Yezhov who appeals to his master Stalin before he is shot.

The best speakers have the ability to make ideas and aspirations come alive—“thoughts on fire,” as William Jenning Bryan, the American populist, put it—so that their audiences feel they are part of something greater than themselves, part of a dream that may come true. JFK’s inaugural speech and Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream” both achieve this.

Wartime speeches have special functions: they depend on the management of expectations. Elizabeth I made a virtue of the perceived weakness of femininity. Churchill “mobilized the English language and sent it into battle” (in the words of CBS reporter Edward Murrow and reused by JFK) by offering only blood and tears. The Jewish commander Eleazar at Masada persuaded nine hundred men, women and children that they should commit suicide en masse rather than face execution, slavery and rape at the hands of the Roman victors.

Speeches that begin wars offer easy prizes in return for little blood spilled—and that blood hopefully foreign. Pope Urban II invented Christian holy war as the equivalent of Islamic jihad and inspired the first crusaders to take Jerusalem, offering a mix of faith, penance and plunder. Hitler’s speech opening the Second World War with his invasion of Poland is full of militaristic bravado. His audience believed victory was assured since he had outwitted all the great world powers and annexed two countries without a shot fired. Similarly, when he declared war on America in December 1941, he believed he was losing nothing and intimidating America to keep out of Europe. The consequences were the opposite of those intended.

Elizabeth, Hitler, Churchill, Lincoln wrote their own speeches, but JFK worked on his with Sorenson; Reagan’s were brilliantly written by Peggy Noonan. The best speech writers are literary ventriloquists. They are molded to the speaker, but they can also invent a new persona. Noonan’s cowboy’s lament for Reagan’s retirement evokes the myth of an old cowboy of the American West:

There’s still a lot of brush to clear out at the ranch, fences that need repair and horses to ride. But I want you to know that if the fires ever dim, I’ll leave my phone and address behind just in case you need a foot soldier. Just let me know and I’ll be there, as long as words don’t leave me and as long as this sweet country strives to be special during its shining moment on Earth.

But it must be plausible to maintain authenticity. Slickness can be suspicious; loquacity so quickly becomes verbosity. Trotsky was the wizard of oratory during the Russian Revolution, but ultimately the rough Bolsheviks distrusted his showmanship, preferring a speaker who made a virtue out of his own lack of magic which he presented as plain-speaking: Stalin. Gladstone’s performances to huge audiences were astonishing for their sanctimonious energy but they were also displays of grandiloquent vanity pricked by his witty rival Disraeli, who called Gladstone “a sophisticated rhetorician, inebriated with the exuberance of his own verbosity.”

The nature of speeches has changed over history thanks to technology. Some of the speeches from the ancient world were recorded by historians who wholly or partly invented speeches they had not heard—but it is likely that Josephus, Tacitus and others quoted here did talk to those who were present. Some of these speeches were the regular table talk of a monarch given to tiny groups of courtiers, such as Genghis Khan’s reflections on conquest and Muawiyah’s on the art of ruling. Cleopatra’s line about her fate was probably repeated by Octavian and recorded by the well-connected historian Livy—I count it as a speech because she was aware they were perhaps her last words on history’s stage.

Nero’s entire life as emperor was a self-conscious theatrical performance—as if he was living on a Roman reality TV show. If he had been alive today, he would certainly have starred in one. Of all the tyrants of the ancient world, he is strangely the most modern. He would have fitted well into the brutal buffoonery of 21st-century politics.

For most of human history, speeches could only be heard by a small number of people, thousands, not more. Those given in the Roman Senate, the Athenian Ecclesia or the English Parliament were initially heard only by those present. It was the same with the battlefield speeches of Alexander the Great before Issus or Henry V before Agincourt. The problem was solved on battlefields by the officers repeating the speeches to their regiments. In the age of printing, the public could read an official version—Elizabeth I’s Tilbury speech was published. Before TV or radio, political speeches were a form of entertainment, almost as much as theatre or musical recital. Thousands turned up to hear Gladstone’s Midlothian Campaign.

The invention of the microphone in 1877 meant that by the early years of the 20th century, speakers could address much larger crowds, leading to stadium spectaculars: “I know that men are won over less by the written than by the spoken word, that every great movement on this Earth owes its growth to great orators and not to great writers,” Hitler wrote in Mein Kampf. But live harangues to large crowds lacked the intimacy that the new technologies of TV delivered in the 1950s.

Television favored some, undermined others. Kennedy looked glamorous, Nixon furtive. Speakers could reach an even larger audience yet attention spans grew shorter. Some speeches were reduced to just the phrases—“the soundbite.” Tape recordings and video also meant that speeches could be given in private then copied and broadcast. The Iranian Revolution was won not on the streets or the minbars but in cassettes smuggled into the country bearing the speeches of Khomeini; Osama bin Laden spread his jihadism through smuggled videotapes.

The Internet and the podcast restored interest in listening to words, yet one might have expected twenty-four-hour news, multi-channel radio and TV, and the epidemic of smartphone distraction to shorten the patience of audiences. The laconic Lincoln would have found no problem with this, even if his lanky simian looks and clumsy, jerky movements would not have worked on screen. Yet the merging of news and entertainment has worked for some. The elegant Obama gave speeches—beautiful, almost Classical phrases, exquisite delivery (touches of Dr. King), inspirational themes (echoes of Lincoln)—that carried him to the presidency. Yet his polar opposite, the bombastic Trump, is an unconventional but very successful communicator and orator, improvising long meandering speeches that delighted rallies of his supporters. They were often broadcast in full, and proved compelling even to his critics. One does not recall the phrases but the impression is authentic and unforgettable.

Trump’s speechmaking highlights something bigger: today, oratory is flourishing in a way that is more visceral and popular than it ever was, even in Cicero’s Rome or Pericles’s Athens. Young speakers like Greta Thunberg and Malala can become instantly world-famous in one televised speech fighting for climate change reform or education. A brilliant novelist like Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie can talk about feminism as a podcast and reach millions. Speeches—or often visionbites or extracts of speeches—are viewed many millions of times on the Internet. The speech has never been more powerful because television and Internet have never been more dominant, while the “old”-style media—newspapers, mainly, and trustworthy news TV—has withered dangerously. So far it is autocrats and populists who have exploited this best by appealing over the heads of traditional media directly to “the people.” But if they can do so, others can, too.

______________________________________________

Adapted from Voices of History: Speeches That Changed the World by Simon Sebag Montefiore. Copyright © 2021 by Simon Sebag Montefiore. Excerpted by permission of Vintage, a division of Penguin Random House LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Simon Sebag Montefiore

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How to write a good speech in 7 steps

By:  Susan Dugdale  

- an easily followed format for writing a great speech

Did you know writing a speech doesn't have be an anxious, nail biting experience?

Unsure? Don't be.

You may have lived with the idea you were never good with words for a long time. Or perhaps giving speeches at school brought you out in cold sweats.

However learning how to write a speech is relatively straight forward when you learn to write out loud.

And that's the journey I am offering to take you on: step by step.

To learn quickly, go slow

Take all the time you need. This speech format has 7 steps, each building on the next.

Walk, rather than run, your way through all of them. Don't be tempted to rush. Familiarize yourself with the ideas. Try them out.

I know there are well-advertised short cuts and promises of 'write a speech in 5 minutes'. However in reality they only truly work for somebody who already has the basic foundations of speech writing in place.

The foundation of good speech writing 

These steps are the backbone of sound speech preparation. Learn and follow them well at the outset and yes, given more experience and practice you could probably flick something together quickly. Like any skill, the more it's used, the easier it gets.

In the meantime...

Step 1: Begin with a speech overview or outline

Are you in a hurry? Without time to read a whole page? Grab ... The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist And come back to get the details later.

• WHO you are writing your speech for (your target audience)
• WHY you are preparing this speech. What's the main purpose of your speech? Is it to inform or tell your audience about something? To teach them a new skill or demonstrate something? To persuade or to entertain? (See 4 types of speeches: informative, demonstrative, persuasive and special occasion or entertaining for more.) What do you want them to think, feel or do as a result of listening the speech?
• WHAT your speech is going to be about (its topic) - You'll want to have thought through your main points and have ranked them in order of importance. And have sorted the supporting research you need to make those points effectively.
• HOW much time you have for your speech eg. 3 minutes, 5 minutes... The amount of time you've been allocated dictates how much content you need. If you're unsure check this page: how many words per minute in a speech: a quick reference guide . You'll find estimates of the number of words required for 1 - 10 minute speeches by slow, medium and fast talkers.

Use an outline

The best way to make sure you deliver a perfect speech is to start by carefully completing a speech outline covering the essentials: WHO, WHY, WHAT and HOW.

Beginning to write without thinking your speech through is a bit like heading off on a journey not knowing why you're traveling or where you're going to end up. You can find yourself lost in a deep, dark, murky muddle of ideas very quickly!

Pulling together a speech overview or outline is a much safer option. It's the map you'll follow to get where you want to go.

Get a blank speech outline template to complete

Click the link to find out a whole lot more about preparing a speech outline . ☺ You'll also find a free printable blank speech outline template.  I recommend using it!

Understanding speech construction

Before you begin to write, using your completed outline as a guide, let's briefly look at what you're aiming to prepare.

• an opening or introduction
• the body where the bulk of the information is given
• and an ending (or summary).

Imagine your speech as a sandwich

If you think of a speech as a sandwich you'll get the idea.

The opening and ending are the slices of bread holding the filling (the major points or the body of your speech) together.

You can build yourself a simple sandwich with one filling (one big idea) or you could go gourmet and add up to three or, even five. The choice is yours.

But whatever you choose to serve, as a good cook, you need to consider who is going to eat it! And that's your audience.

So let's find out who they are before we do anything else. 

Step 2: Know who you are talking to

Understanding your audience.

Did you know a  good speech is never written from the speaker's point of view?  ( If you need to know more about why check out this page on  building rapport .)

Begin with the most important idea/point on your outline.

Consider HOW you can explain (show, tell) that to your audience in the most effective way for them to easily understand it.   

Writing from the audience's point of view

To help you write from an audience point of view, it's a good idea to identify either a real person or the type of person who is most likely to be listening to you.

Make sure you select someone who represents the "majority" of the people who will be in your audience. That is they are neither struggling to comprehend you at the bottom of your scale or light-years ahead at the top.

Now imagine they are sitting next to you eagerly waiting to hear what you're going to say. Give them a name, for example, Joe, to help make them real.

Ask yourself

• How do I need to tailor my information to meet Joe's needs? For example, do you tell personal stories to illustrate your main points? Absolutely! Yes. This is a very powerful technique. (Click storytelling in speeches to find out more.)
• What type or level of language is right for Joe as well as my topic? For example if I use jargon (activity, industry or profession specific vocabulary) will it be understood?

Step 3: Writing as you speak

Writing oral language.

Write down what you want to say about your first main point as if you were talking directly to Joe.

If it helps, say it all out loud before you write it down and/or record it.

Use the information below as a guide

(Click to download The Characteristics of Spoken Language  as a pdf.) 

You do not have to write absolutely everything you're going to say down * but you do need to write down, or outline, the sequence of ideas to ensure they are logical and easily followed.

Remember too, to explain or illustrate your point with examples from your research. 

( * Tip: If this is your first speech the safety net of having everything written down could be just what you need. It's easier to recover from a patch of jitters when you have a word by word manuscript than if you have either none, or a bare outline. Your call!)

Step 4: Checking tone and language

The focus of this step is re-working what you've done in Step 2 and 3.

You identified who you were talking to (Step 2) and in Step 3, wrote up your first main point.  Is it right? Have you made yourself clear?  Check it.

How well you complete this step depends on how well you understand the needs of the people who are going to listen to your speech.

Please do not assume because you know what you're talking about the person (Joe) you've chosen to represent your audience will too. Joe is not a mind-reader!

How to check what you've prepared

• Check the "tone" of your language . Is it right for the occasion, subject matter and your audience?
• Check the length of your sentences. You need short sentences. If they're too long or complicated you risk losing your listeners.

Check for jargon too. These are industry, activity or group exclusive words.

For instance take the phrase: authentic learning . This comes from teaching and refers to connecting lessons to the daily life of students. Authentic learning is learning that is relevant and meaningful for students. If you're not a teacher you may not understand the phrase.

The use of any vocabulary requiring insider knowledge needs to be thought through from the audience perspective. Jargon can close people out.

• Read what you've written out loud. If it flows naturally, in a logical manner, continue the process with your next main idea. If it doesn't, rework.

We use whole sentences and part ones, and we mix them up with asides or appeals e.g. "Did you get that? Of course you did. Right...Let's move it along. I was saying ..."

Click for more about the differences between spoken and written language .

And now repeat the process

Repeat this process for the remainder of your main ideas.

Because you've done the first one carefully, the rest should follow fairly easily.

Step 5: Use transitions

Providing links or transitions between main ideas.

Between each of your main ideas you need to provide a bridge or pathway for your audience. The clearer the pathway or bridge, the easier it is for them to make the transition from one idea to the next.

If your speech contains more than three main ideas and each is building on the last, then consider using a "catch-up" or summary as part of your transitions.

Is your speech being evaluated? Find out exactly what aspects you're being assessed on using this standard speech evaluation form

Link/transition examples

A link can be as simple as:

"We've explored one scenario for the ending of Block Buster 111, but let's consider another. This time..."

What follows this transition is the introduction of Main Idea Two.

Here's a summarizing link/transition example:

"We've ended Blockbuster 111 four ways so far. In the first, everybody died. In the second, everybody died BUT their ghosts remained to haunt the area. In the third, one villain died. His partner reformed and after a fight-out with the hero, they both strode off into the sunset, friends forever. In the fourth, the hero dies in a major battle but is reborn sometime in the future.

And now what about one more? What if nobody died? The fifth possibility..."

Go back through your main ideas checking the links. Remember Joe as you go. Try each transition or link out loud and really listen to yourself. Is it obvious? Easily followed?

Keep them if they are clear and concise.

For more about transitions (with examples) see Andrew Dlugan's excellent article, Speech Transitions: Magical words and Phrases .

Step 6: The end of your speech

The ideal ending is highly memorable . You want it to live on in the minds of your listeners long after your speech is finished. Often it combines a call to action with a summary of major points.

Example speech endings

Example 1: The desired outcome of a speech persuading people to vote for you in an upcoming election is that they get out there on voting day and do so. You can help that outcome along by calling them to register their support by signing a prepared pledge statement as they leave.

"We're agreed we want change. You can help us give it to you by signing this pledge statement as you leave. Be part of the change you want to see!

Example 2: The desired outcome is increased sales figures. The call to action is made urgent with the introduction of time specific incentives.

"You have three weeks from the time you leave this hall to make that dream family holiday in New Zealand yours. Can you do it? Will you do it? The kids will love it. Your wife will love it. Do it now!"

How to figure out the right call to action

A clue for working out what the most appropriate call to action might be, is to go back to your original purpose for giving the speech.

• Was it to motivate or inspire?
• Was it to persuade to a particular point of view?
• Was it to share specialist information?
• Was it to celebrate a person, a place, time or event?

Ask yourself what you want people to do as a result of having listened to your speech.

For more about ending speeches

Visit this page for more about how to end a speech effectively . You'll find two additional types of speech endings with examples.

Write and test

Write your ending and test it out loud. Try it out on a friend, or two. Is it good? Does it work?

Step 7: The introduction

Once you've got the filling (main ideas) the linking and the ending in place, it's time to focus on the introduction.

The introduction comes last as it's the most important part of your speech. This is the bit that either has people sitting up alert or slumped and waiting for you to end. It's the tone setter!

What makes a great speech opening?

Ideally you want an opening that makes listening to you the only thing the 'Joes' in the audience want to do.

You want them to forget they're hungry or that their chair is hard or that their bills need paying.

The way to do that is to capture their interest straight away. You do this with a "hook".

Hooks to catch your audience's attention

Hooks come in as many forms as there are speeches and audiences. Your task is work out what specific hook is needed to catch your audience.

Go back to the purpose. Why are you giving this speech?

Once you have your answer, consider your call to action. What do you want the audience to do, and, or take away, as a result of listening to you?

Next think about the imaginary or real person you wrote for when you were focusing on your main ideas.

Choosing the best hook

• Is it humor?
• Would shock tactics work?
• Is it a rhetorical question?
• Is it formality or informality?
• Is it an outline or overview of what you're going to cover, including the call to action?
• Or is it a mix of all these elements?

A hook example

Here's an example from a fictional political speech. The speaker is lobbying for votes. His audience are predominately workers whose future's are not secure.

"How's your imagination this morning? Good? (Pause for response from audience) Great, I'm glad. Because we're going to put it to work starting right now.

I want you to see your future. What does it look like? Are you happy? Is everything as you want it to be? No? Let's change that. We could do it. And we could do it today.

At the end of this speech you're going to be given the opportunity to change your world, for a better one ...

No, I'm not a magician. Or a simpleton with big ideas and precious little commonsense. I'm an ordinary man, just like you. And I have a plan to share!"

And then our speaker is off into his main points supported by examples. The end, which he has already foreshadowed in his opening, is the call to vote for him.

Prepare several hooks

Experiment with several openings until you've found the one that serves your audience, your subject matter and your purpose best.

For many more examples of speech openings go to: how to write a speech introduction . You'll find 12 of the very best ways to start a speech.

That completes the initial seven steps towards writing your speech. If you've followed them all the way through, congratulations, you now have the text of your speech!

Although you might have the words, you're still a couple of steps away from being ready to deliver them. Both of them are essential if you want the very best outcome possible. They are below. Please take them.

Step 8: Checking content and timing

This step pulls everything together.

Check once, check twice, check three times & then once more!

Go through your speech really carefully.

On the first read through check you've got your main points in their correct order with supporting material, plus an effective introduction and ending.

On the second read through check the linking passages or transitions making sure they are clear and easily followed.

On the third reading check your sentence structure, language use and tone.

Double, triple check the timing

Now go though once more.

This time read it aloud slowly and time yourself.

If it's too long for the time allowance you've been given make the necessary cuts.

Start by looking at your examples rather than the main ideas themselves. If you've used several examples to illustrate one principal idea, cut the least important out.

Also look to see if you've repeated yourself unnecessarily or, gone off track. If it's not relevant, cut it.

Repeat the process, condensing until your speech fits the required length, preferably coming in just under your time limit.

You can also find out how approximately long it will take you to say the words you have by using this very handy words to minutes converter . It's an excellent tool, one I frequently use. While it can't give you a precise time, it does provide a reasonable estimate.

Step 9: Rehearsing your speech

And NOW you are finished with writing the speech, and are ready for REHEARSAL .

Please don't be tempted to skip this step. It is not an extra thrown in for good measure. It's essential.

The "not-so-secret" secret of successful speeches combines good writing with practice, practice and then, practicing some more.

Go to how to practice public speaking and you'll find rehearsal techniques and suggestions to boost your speech delivery from ordinary to extraordinary.

The Quick How to Write a Speech Checklist

Before you begin writing you need:.

• Your speech OUTLINE with your main ideas ranked in the order you're going to present them. (If you haven't done one complete this 4 step sample speech outline . It will make the writing process much easier.)
• Your RESEARCH
• You also need to know WHO you're speaking to, the PURPOSE of the speech and HOW long you're speaking for

The basic format

• the body where you present your main ideas

Split your time allowance so that you spend approximately 70% on the body and 15% each on the introduction and ending.

How to write the speech

• Write your main ideas out incorporating your examples and research
• Link them together making sure each flows in a smooth, logical progression
• Write your ending, summarizing your main ideas briefly and end with a call for action
• Write your introduction considering the 'hook' you're going to use to get your audience listening
• An often quoted saying to explain the process is: Tell them what you're going to tell them (Introduction) Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending)

TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing.

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The 8 Key Elements of Highly Effective Speech

…and why your words barely matter.

Posted July 10, 2012 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

I’d like you to take a moment to experience the following sentence, taken from a recent article exploring the nature of human consciousness: “Neuroplastic mechanisms relevant to the growing number of empirical studies of the capacity of directed attention and mental effort systematically alter brain function.”

Exciting? Hardly! In fact, most of the words you read barely register in your brain, and most of the words you speak barely register in the listener’s brain. In fact, research shows that words are the least important part of communication when you have face-to-face conversations with others. So before you utter another word to another person, memorize this list of the 8 key elements of highly effective speech:

• Gentle eye contact
• Kind facial expression
• Warm tone of voice
• Expressive hand and body gestures
• Relaxed disposition
• Slow speech rate
• The words themselves

Effective communication is based on trust, and if we don’t trust the speaker, we’re not going to listen to their words. Trust begins with eye contact because we need to see the person’s face to evaluate if they are being deceitful or not. In fact, when we are being watched, cooperation increases. [1] When we are not being watched, people tend to act more selfishly, with greater dishonesty. [2]

Gentle eye contact increases trustworthiness and encourages future cooperation, [3] and a happy gaze will increase emotional trust. [4] However, if we see the slightest bit of anger or fear on the speaker’s face, our trust will rapidly decrease. [5] But you can’t fake trustworthiness because the muscles around your mouth and eyes that reflect contentment and sincerity are involuntary. Solution: if you think about someone you love, or an event that brought you deep joy and satisfaction, a "Mona Lisa" smile will appear on your face and the muscles around your eyes will soften.

The tone of your voice is equally important when it comes to understanding what a person is really trying to say. If the facial expression expresses one emotion , but if the tone conveys a different one, neural dissonance takes place in the brain, causing the person confusion. [6] The result: trust erodes, suspicion increases, and cooperation decreases.

Researchers at the University of Amsterdam found that expressions of anger, contempt, disgust, fear, sadness, and surprise were better communicated through vocal tone than facial expression, whereas the face was more accurate for communicating expressions of joy, pride, and embarrassment . [7] And in business, a warm supportive voice is the sign of transformational leadership , generating more satisfaction, commitment, and cooperation between other members of the team. [8]

You can easily train your voice to convey more trust to others, and all you have to do is slow down and drop your pitch. This was tested at the University of Houston: when doctors reduced their speaking rate and pitch, especially when delivering bad news, the listener perceived them “as more caring and sympathetic.” [9] Harvard's Ted Kaptchuk also discovered that using a warm voice would double the healing power of a therapeutic treatment. [10]

If you want to express joy, your voice needs to become increasingly melodic, whereas sadness is spoken with a flat and monotonic voice. When we are angry, excited, or frightened, we raise the pitch and intensity of our voice, and there’s a lot of variability in both the speed and the tone. However, if the emotion is incongruent with the words you are using, it will create confusion for the listener. [11]

Gestures, and especially hand movements, are also important because they help orchestrate the language comprehension centers of your brain. [12] In fact, your brain needs to integrate both the sounds and body movements of the person who is speaking in order to accurately perceive what is meant. [13] From an evolutionary perspective, speech emerged from hand gestures and they both originate the same language area of the brain. [14] If our words and gestures are incongruent, it will create confusion in the listener’s brain. [15] Our suggestion: practice speaking in front of a mirror, consciously using your hands to “describe” the words you are speaking.

Your degree of relaxation is also reflected in your body language , facial expressions, and tone of voice, and any form of stress will convey a message of distrust . Why? Your stress tells the observer’s brain that there may be something wrong, and that stimulates defensive posturing in the listener. Research shows that even a one-minute relaxation exercise will increase activity in those parts of the brain that control language, communication, social awareness, mood-regulation, and decision-making . [16] Thus, a relaxed conversation allows for increased intimacy and empathy. Stress, however, causes us to talk too much because it hinders our ability to speak with clarity.

When you speak, slow down! Slow speech rates will increase the ability for the listener to comprehend what you are saying, and this is true for both young and older adults. [17] Slower speaking will also deepen that person’s respect for you, [18] Speaking slowly is not as natural as it may seem, and as children we automatically speak fast. But you can teach yourself, and your children to slow down by consciously cutting your speech rate in half. A slow voice has a calming effect on a person who is feeling anxious , whereas a loud fast voice will stimulate excitement, anger, or fear. [19]

Try this experiment: pair up with a partner and speak so slowly that … you … leave … 5 … seconds … of … silence … between … each … word. You’ll become aware of your negative inner speech that tells you that you should babble on endlessly and as fast as possible. It’s a trap, because the listener’s brain can only recall about 10 seconds of content! That’s why, when we train people in Compassionate Communication, we ask participants to speak only one sentence at a time, slowly, and then listen deeply as the other person speaks for ten seconds or less. This exercise will increase your overall consciousness about the importance of the first 7 elements of highly effective communication. Then, and only then, will you truly grasp the deeper meaning that is imparted by each word spoken by others.

But what about written communication, where you only have access to the words? When it comes to mutual comprehension, the written word pales in comparison to speech. To compensate, your brain imposes arbitrary meanings onto the words. You, the reader, give the words emotional impact that often differs from what the writer intended, which is why so many email correspondences get misinterpreted. And unless the writer fills in the blanks with specific emotional words and descriptive speech – storytelling – the reader will experience your writing as being flat, boring , dry, and probably more negative than you intended.

The solution: help the reader “paint a picture” in their mind with your words. Use concrete nouns and action verbs because they are easier for the reader’s brain to visualize. Words like “sunset” or “eat” are easy to see in the mind's eye, but words like “freedom” or “identify” force the brain to sort through too many conceptual frameworks. Instead, our lazy brain will skip over as many words as possible, especially the abstract ones. When this happens the deeper levels of meaning and feeling will be lost.

For more information on how to improve your speaking and listening skills, along with additional exercises to practice, see Words Can Change Your Brain: 12 Conversation Strategies for Building Trust, Reducing Conflict, and Increasing Intimacy (Newberg & Waldman, 2012, Hudson Street Press).

[1] Cues of being watched enhance cooperation in a real-world setting. Bateson M, Nettle D, Roberts G. Biol Lett. 2006 Sep 22;2(3):412-4.

[2] Effects of anonymity on antisocial behavior committed by individuals. Nogami T, Takai J. Psychol Rep. 2008 Feb;102(1):119-30.

[3] Eyes are on us, but nobody cares: are eye cues relevant for strong reciprocity? Fehr E, Schneider F. Proc Biol Sci. 2010 May 7;277(1686):1315-23.

[4] Evaluating faces on trustworthiness: an extension of systems for recognition of emotions signaling approach/avoidance behaviors. Todorov A. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2008 Mar;1124:208-24.

[5] Common neural mechanisms for the evaluation of facial trustworthiness and emotional expressions as revealed by behavioral adaptation. Engell AD, Todorov A, Haxby JV. Perception. 2010;39(7):931-41.

[6] Use of affective prosody by young and older adults. Dupuis K, Pichora-Fuller MK. Psychol Aging. 2010 Mar;25(1):16-29.

[7] "Worth a thousand words": absolute and relative decoding of nonlinguistic affect vocalizations. Hawk ST, van Kleef GA, Fischer AH, van der Schalk J. Emotion. 2009 Jun;9(3):293-305.

[8] Leadership = Communication? The Relations of Leaders' Communication Styles with Leadership Styles, Knowledge Sharing and Leadership Outcomes. de Vries RE, Bakker-Pieper A, Oostenveld W. J Bus Psychol. 2010 Sep;25(3):367-380.

[9] Voice analysis during bad news discussion in oncology: reduced pitch, decreased speaking rate, and nonverbal communication of empathy. McHenry M, Parker PA, Baile WF, Lenzi R. Support Care Cancer. 2011 May 15.

[10] Components of placebo effect: randomised controlled trial in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. Kaptchuk TJ, Kelley JM, Conboy LA, Davis RB, Kerr CE, Jacobson EE, Kirsch I, Schyner RN, Nam BH, Nguyen LT, Park M, Rivers AL, McManus C, Kokkotou E, Drossman DA, Goldman P, Lembo AJ. BMJ. 2008 May 3;336(7651):999-1003.

[11] Use of affective prosody by young and older adults. Dupuis K, Pichora-Fuller MK. Psychol Aging. 2010 Mar;25(1):16-29.

[12] Gestures orchestrate brain networks for language understanding. Skipper JI, Goldin-Meadow S, Nusbaum HC, Small SL. Curr Biol. 2009 Apr 28;19(8):661-7.

[13] When language meets action: the neural integration of gesture and speech. Willems RM, Ozyürek A, Hagoort P. Cereb Cortex. 2007 Oct;17(10):2322-33.

[14] When the hands speak. Gentilucci M, Dalla Volta R, Gianelli C. J Physiol Paris. 2008 Jan-May;102(1-3):21-30. Epub 2008 Mar 18.

[15] How symbolic gestures and words interact with each other. Barbieri F, Buonocore A,Volta RD, Gentilucci M. Brain Lang. 2009 Jul;110(1):1-11.

[16i] Short-term meditation training improves attention and self-regulation. Tang YY, Ma Y, Wang J, Fan Y, Feng S, Lu Q, Yu Q, Sui D, Rothbart MK, Fan M, Posner MI. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2007 Oct 23;104(43):17152-6.

[17] Comprehension of speeded discourse by younger and older listeners. Gordon MS, Daneman M, Schneider BA. Exp Aging Res. 2009 Jul-Sep;35(3):277-96.

[18] Celerity and cajolery: rapid speech may promote or inhibit persuasion through its impact on message elaboration. Smith SM, Shaffer, DR. Pers Soc Psychol Bull. 1991 Dec;17(6):663-669.

[19] Voices of fear and anxiety and sadness and depression: the effects of speech rate and loudness on fear and anxiety and sadness and depression. Siegman AW, Boyle S. J Abnorm Psychol. 1993 Aug;102(3):430-7. The angry voice: its effects on the experience of anger and cardiovascular reactivity. Siegman AW, Anderson RA, Berger T. Psychosom Med. 1990 Nov-Dec;52(6):631-43.

Andrew Newberg, M.D ., and Mark Robert Waldman are the authors of Words Can Change Your Brain .

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Sticking up for yourself is no easy task. But there are concrete skills you can use to hone your assertiveness and advocate for yourself.

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What this handout is about

This handout will help you create an effective speech by establishing the purpose of your speech and making it easily understandable. It will also help you to analyze your audience and keep the audience interested.

What’s different about a speech?

Writing for public speaking isn’t so different from other types of writing. You want to engage your audience’s attention, convey your ideas in a logical manner and use reliable evidence to support your point. But the conditions for public speaking favor some writing qualities over others. When you write a speech, your audience is made up of listeners. They have only one chance to comprehend the information as you read it, so your speech must be well-organized and easily understood. In addition, the content of the speech and your delivery must fit the audience.

What’s your purpose?

People have gathered to hear you speak on a specific issue, and they expect to get something out of it immediately. And you, the speaker, hope to have an immediate effect on your audience. The purpose of your speech is to get the response you want. Most speeches invite audiences to react in one of three ways: feeling, thinking, or acting. For example, eulogies encourage emotional response from the audience; college lectures stimulate listeners to think about a topic from a different perspective; protest speeches in the Pit recommend actions the audience can take.

As you establish your purpose, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you want the audience to learn or do?
• If you are making an argument, why do you want them to agree with you?
• If they already agree with you, why are you giving the speech?
• How can your audience benefit from what you have to say?

Audience analysis

If your purpose is to get a certain response from your audience, you must consider who they are (or who you’re pretending they are). If you can identify ways to connect with your listeners, you can make your speech interesting and useful.

As you think of ways to appeal to your audience, ask yourself:

• What do they have in common? Age? Interests? Ethnicity? Gender?
• Do they know as much about your topic as you, or will you be introducing them to new ideas?
• Why are these people listening to you? What are they looking for?
• What level of detail will be effective for them?
• What tone will be most effective in conveying your message?
• What might offend or alienate them?

For more help, see our handout on audience .

Creating an effective introduction

Get their attention, otherwise known as “the hook”.

Think about how you can relate to these listeners and get them to relate to you or your topic. Appealing to your audience on a personal level captures their attention and concern, increasing the chances of a successful speech. Speakers often begin with anecdotes to hook their audience’s attention. Other methods include presenting shocking statistics, asking direct questions of the audience, or enlisting audience participation.

Establish context and/or motive

Explain why your topic is important. Consider your purpose and how you came to speak to this audience. You may also want to connect the material to related or larger issues as well, especially those that may be important to your audience.

Get to the point

Tell your listeners your thesis right away and explain how you will support it. Don’t spend as much time developing your introductory paragraph and leading up to the thesis statement as you would in a research paper for a course. Moving from the intro into the body of the speech quickly will help keep your audience interested. You may be tempted to create suspense by keeping the audience guessing about your thesis until the end, then springing the implications of your discussion on them. But if you do so, they will most likely become bored or confused.

For more help, see our handout on introductions .

Making your speech easy to understand

Repeat crucial points and buzzwords.

Especially in longer speeches, it’s a good idea to keep reminding your audience of the main points you’ve made. For example, you could link an earlier main point or key term as you transition into or wrap up a new point. You could also address the relationship between earlier points and new points through discussion within a body paragraph. Using buzzwords or key terms throughout your paper is also a good idea. If your thesis says you’re going to expose unethical behavior of medical insurance companies, make sure the use of “ethics” recurs instead of switching to “immoral” or simply “wrong.” Repetition of key terms makes it easier for your audience to take in and connect information.

Incorporate previews and summaries into the speech

For example:

“I’m here today to talk to you about three issues that threaten our educational system: First, … Second, … Third,”

“I’ve talked to you today about such and such.”

These kinds of verbal cues permit the people in the audience to put together the pieces of your speech without thinking too hard, so they can spend more time paying attention to its content.

Use especially strong transitions

This will help your listeners see how new information relates to what they’ve heard so far. If you set up a counterargument in one paragraph so you can demolish it in the next, begin the demolition by saying something like,

“But this argument makes no sense when you consider that . . . .”

If you’re providing additional information to support your main point, you could say,

“Another fact that supports my main point is . . . .”

Helping your audience listen

Rely on shorter, simpler sentence structures.

Don’t get too complicated when you’re asking an audience to remember everything you say. Avoid using too many subordinate clauses, and place subjects and verbs close together.

Too complicated:

The product, which was invented in 1908 by Orville Z. McGillicuddy in Des Moines, Iowa, and which was on store shelves approximately one year later, still sells well.

Easier to understand:

Orville Z. McGillicuddy invented the product in 1908 and introduced it into stores shortly afterward. Almost a century later, the product still sells well.

Limit pronoun use

Listeners may have a hard time remembering or figuring out what “it,” “they,” or “this” refers to. Be specific by using a key noun instead of unclear pronouns.

Pronoun problem:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This cannot continue.

Why the last sentence is unclear: “This” what? The government’s failure? Reality TV? Human nature?

More specific:

The U.S. government has failed to protect us from the scourge of so-called reality television, which exploits sex, violence, and petty conflict, and calls it human nature. This failure cannot continue.

Keeping audience interest

Incorporate the rhetorical strategies of ethos, pathos, and logos.

When arguing a point, using ethos, pathos, and logos can help convince your audience to believe you and make your argument stronger. Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience’s emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies.

Use statistics and quotations sparingly

Include only the most striking factual material to support your perspective, things that would likely stick in the listeners’ minds long after you’ve finished speaking. Otherwise, you run the risk of overwhelming your listeners with too much information.

Watch your tone

Be careful not to talk over the heads of your audience. On the other hand, don’t be condescending either. And as for grabbing their attention, yelling, cursing, using inappropriate humor, or brandishing a potentially offensive prop (say, autopsy photos) will only make the audience tune you out.

Creating an effective conclusion

Restate your main points, but don’t repeat them.

“I asked earlier why we should care about the rain forest. Now I hope it’s clear that . . .” “Remember how Mrs. Smith couldn’t afford her prescriptions? Under our plan, . . .”

Call to action

Speeches often close with an appeal to the audience to take action based on their new knowledge or understanding. If you do this, be sure the action you recommend is specific and realistic. For example, although your audience may not be able to affect foreign policy directly, they can vote or work for candidates whose foreign policy views they support. Relating the purpose of your speech to their lives not only creates a connection with your audience, but also reiterates the importance of your topic to them in particular or “the bigger picture.”

Practicing for effective presentation

Once you’ve completed a draft, read your speech to a friend or in front of a mirror. When you’ve finished reading, ask the following questions:

• Which pieces of information are clearest?
• Where did I connect with the audience?
• Where might listeners lose the thread of my argument or description?
• Where might listeners become bored?
• Where did I have trouble speaking clearly and/or emphatically?
• Did I stay within my time limit?

Other resources

• Toastmasters International is a nonprofit group that provides communication and leadership training.
• Allyn & Bacon Publishing’s Essence of Public Speaking Series is an extensive treatment of speech writing and delivery, including books on using humor, motivating your audience, word choice and presentation.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Boone, Louis E., David L. Kurtz, and Judy R. Block. 1997. Contemporary Business Communication . Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

Ehrlich, Henry. 1994. Writing Effective Speeches . New York: Marlowe.

Lamb, Sandra E. 1998. How to Write It: A Complete Guide to Everything You’ll Ever Write . Berkeley: Ten Speed Press.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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• 11 Tips for Giving a Great Speech

Chances are you’ll be asked to give speeches or presentations in classes at school. If you get involved in volunteer groups, brief speeches to open events or thank participants are a must. Then there are the speeches at events such as weddings, as well as speeches that you might have to give in the workplace. That amounts to the average person being required to give quite a lot of speeches, even if they don’t get involved in an area such as politics where the ability to give a good speech becomes even more important. You might also have suffered through quite a number of bad speeches from other people – whether that’s at family events where the microphone squeaks the whole way through or a school presentation where the headteacher can’t quite make the jokes work. If you don’t want to inflict the same sort of experience on others, here are our top tips for giving a great speech.

1. Practise your microphone technique

2. Keep it short

Particularly at something like a party or a wedding, no one will be unhappy if your speech runs a little short; it’ll just give them more time to investigate the canapés. If you are giving a speech for a class in school, and it’ll be assessed, you need to prioritise keeping it within the required time limits. But even under these circumstances, if you’ve been tasked – say – with giving a 10-15 minute speech, it’s usually better to come in nearer the 10 than the 15 minute mark. Put simply, even if your speech is terrible, your audience can probably tolerate it for 10 minutes. Much longer, and they’ll be struggling. This shouldn’t limit what you can cover; in the film Up , the whole of Carl and Ellie’s heartbreaking love story is told in under 12 minutes. Do you really need longer to make your points? Achieve brevity by writing out the speech you would give if you had all the time in the world, and then cut anything that seems extraneous or boring.

3. Consider what your audience wants to hear

If you are giving a speech in class because it’s your assignment, what your audience wants to hear is likely to be “the bell ringing for lunch”; you can’t help them there. But under other circumstances, consider what your audience wants to hear and what you want to say, and strive for there to be as much overlap as possible. In the context of a political speech, for instance, what you want to say might be why your party should receive votes; what your audience wants to hear is what your party would do for them, if they won power. Hopefully it should be possible to write a speech that meets both sets of needs, rather than focusing solely on whatever it is that you want to say and leaving your audience disappointed.

4. Pick a theme and stick to it

Here’s a goal for giving a speech: someone sitting near the back, who’s messing around on their phone for at least two-thirds of it and focusing mainly on how long it will be until lunch, should nonetheless be able to give a reasonably accurate answer to the question, “what was it about?” If you’re supposed to be giving a speech in defence of the nuclear deterrent, for example, both the topic and your position on it should be clearly identifiable. This means – to stick with the nuclear deterrent example – not talking for a while about jobs, and then the wider economy, and then the North-South divide, and then Scottish independence, and then Ukraine with a brief digression into South Ossetia before rounding off by squeaking out “and that’s why we should renew Trident!” seconds before you run out of time – no matter how relevant that cornucopia of topics may feel (and they are all relevant, albeit tenuously). It means that even if you do have to take a while to explain a more complex idea, you need to be concise, and bring it back to your theme as quickly as you can.

5. Speak slowly

Most people speak more quickly than they realise when they’re on stage, especially if they’re nervous. But no one will be able to follow your speech if you’re jabbering it out. Thankfully, this one is easy to fix with a little effort and practise. First of all, figure out how quickly you’re actually speaking: do a word count for your speech and then time yourself saying it. A fast speaker will speak at maybe 160 words per minute, a slow speaker at 100 wpm and an average speaker at 130 wpm. For a formal speech, you want to be speaking on the slow side. While this will vary by culture and environment, 120 wpm is a reasonable target to aim for; slow enough that everyone should be able to understand you, and fast enough that you hopefully won’t be sending them to sleep.

6. Tell a couple of jokes

This is a tricky tip because there are lots of pitfalls in the world of telling jokes. For instance, there’s the temptation to include an in-joke that three of your friends will understand and find hilarious, that is utterly baffling to everyone else in the room. Avoid this – if you include any jokes, witty references or anything along those lines, make sure they are accessible to everyone present. All the same, if you can manage a joke or two, it can be a useful way to break up a speech and retain the audience’s interest. A little self-deprecation (not too much!) or the use of classic joke formats such as “the scene was chaotic; it looked as if a bomb had hit and we didn’t know where to start on repairs – but that’s enough about the hen party…” work nicely even if you’re not very confident. Don’t turn it into a stand-up comedy sketch if you’re not a comedian, don’t wait for ages for laughter that’s not showing up, and don’t make jokes at the expense of anyone who you don’t know for sure can take it.

7. Don’t be afraid to repeat yourself if you need to

If you follow US or UK politics at all, you’ve probably heard some of these phrases recently: take back control, make America great again, long-term economic plan, son of a bus driver. Three of these have already led the party or people they’re associated with to electoral victory; the fourth remains to be seen. To take the ‘son of a bus driver’ as an example, this refers to Sadiq Khan, now Mayor of London. There can be hardly anyone in London who doesn’t know what their Mayor’s dad did for a living. Meanwhile, many of them probably can’t remember his rival Zac Goldsmith’s name, let alone anything he said during the campaign. The point is that repetition works. In pursuit of point 4, if you want people to remember your key theme, you’re going to have to say it more than once. Don’t assume that everyone will have paid attention to everything you’ve said, unless you’re in a classroom setting where they’ll get told off if they don’t.

8. Only use the visual aids you need

This tip applies to two things: PowerPoints and notes. If you can do without either (and your assignment allows it), then do. Every time you’re glancing over your notes or up at the screen, fiddling with the laptop to get the slide to move on, fighting with a video that isn’t working or struggling to read your own handwriting, is time that you’re not spending engaging with your audience. A well-written, clear speech delivered without notes is always going to be better than someone awkwardly reading aloud the bullet points on their PowerPoint slides. If you must do a presentation – for instance, because there are photos that need to be included – have as little text on it as possible, preferably none. That way, if there are people at the back who can’t really see the screen through the sea of heads in front of them, they’ll still be able to follow what you’re saying.

9. Get a friend to check for awkward mannerisms

Mannerisms that are entirely fine in normal life become awkward and strange when you’re speaking in public. Perhaps you’re inclined to fiddle with your hair or your cuffs, you rock back and forth on the balls of your feet, or you have a habit of reaching your hand to your cheek when you’re talking. No one would notice in everyday conversation, but when you’re on a stage, it’ll become all they’ll see. Some of this is easily avoidable – for instance, if you have long hair that you’re inclined to twirl or otherwise fiddle with, tie it up. For other mannerisms, get the critical friend who helped you sort out your microphone technique to tell you what they are, and do your best to suppress the more annoying ones.

10. Look around the room

Talking about eye contact usually has the effect of making normal eye contact a lot harder, and so does giving a speech. All of a sudden, you’re up on stage, and you have no idea what a normal way to look at a group of people is. Some speakers deal with this by picking a point in the middle distance and speaking to it; others by picking a particular person near to the back and addressing their entire speech at them. This is obviously no fun for that person, who probably spends the whole thing feeling extremely uncomfortable, but it’s not too weird for everyone else. Better still, though, if you can manage it, is to look slowly and steadily around the room, trying to make eye contact with a decent range of people, before returning to the middle distance for a while, rinse and repeat. This needs to be slow and steady, or you give the impression that you’ve just smelled smoke and are casting about for a fire exit before the stampede beings.

11. Don’t be scared of a good reaction

If your speech is genuinely engaging, funny, inspiring or any of the other things you might hope it would be, your audience will react to it. There might be laughter, or applause, or even a bit of cheering depending on the setting. This can be daunting because when you’re practising your speech in front of your bedroom mirror, there’s no way to prepare for it. And it’s where even the best speakers can go wrong, by launching straight into what they were going to say next without waiting for the laughter or applause to stop, or by looking painfully awkward while it’s going on. It’s a pitfall that’s mostly solved by being aware it might happen. If your audience is applauding you or otherwise reacting well, it’s OK to smile, look up, wait for them to stop and then keep going with your speech – it’s as simple as that. You could even throw in a “thank you” before you continue in the knowledge that it’s all going well. Image credits: microphones ; audience ; boy with microphone ; clock ; winding road ; enjoy a joke ; sticky notes ; 

Faculty - August 13, 2018

Five Tips to Give a Great Speech

• Strategic Communication

Anybody can learn to give a great speech, says  Jane Praeger , a faculty member for the  Programs in Strategic Communication  at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. She offers five tips on how to keep speeches both simple and authentic.

1. Practice Beforehand

Practice replacing filler words like "um," "so," and "like" with silence. If you can rehearse in the space where you’ll be speaking, that’s a real plus. Go to the back of the room, imagine that you’re hard of hearing or distracted, and you’ll know how to reach those people.

2. Work the Room

Try to speak to audience members before your speech, so that you can focus on a few friendly faces, particularly if you get nervous. If you’re making eye contact with a friendly person in one quadrant, those nearby will think that you’re talking to them. Then do the same thing in another quadrant. You want to see your talk as a series of conversations with different people throughout the room.

3. Prepare with Relaxation Techniques

If you’re nervous before approaching the stage, take a few deep breaths. Picture yourself delivering a successful speech. Most people will be nervous for the first few minutes, but you want to channel that adrenaline into positive energy.

4. Don’t Read Your Speech

Tell your speech from heart or use a notecard with bullet points as a cheat sheet. Bring the card with you and place it on the lectern. If you freeze up mid-speech, you can take a deep breath, look at your card, and know exactly which story you’re going to tell next.

5. Stand Up Straight

Whether you walk across the stage or stand behind a lectern, try to maintain good posture. Imagine that your head is being held up by a string. Standing up straight shows that you have confidence in what you’re talking about and your audience will feel more inclined to listen.

Read the full story for five more tips at  Forbes  and learn more about the  Programs in Strategic Communication  at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies.

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More From Forbes

How to give a great speech.

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Future public speakers of the world, take note. You don’t have to be a Silicon Valley billionaire to deliver a great speech. The best speeches include a clear, relevant message and a few great stories to illustrate it.

Forget fancy PowerPoint presentations and loads of data. Instead, keep your speech simple, with a clear beginning, middle and end. Focus on one theme, and eliminate everything else. “Speeches are an inefficient form of communication,” says Nick Morgan, a Forbes contributor, the president of Public Words, Inc. , and author of Trust Me: Four Steps to Authenticity and Charisma . “People don’t remember much of what they hear, so focus and keep it simple.”

Use anecdotes. “People would find speechwriting much easier if they realized that all they needed to do was find a key message and three great stories to support it,” says Jane Praeger, a Columbia University professor and the president of the speech presentation and coaching firm Ovid Inc. “Those kinds of speeches are also easier to deliver because they don’t have to be read.  If you’ve lived a story, you can tell it from memory and with genuine feeling.  And stories stick in people’s minds.  When you tell people a story, it arouses their emotions and releases dopamine in their brains, which makes that content sticky.  In other words, if you make people feel what you are talking about, they won’t forget it.”

Be relevant to your audience. Ask yourself what problem the audience wants to solve, and talk about that problem first. “Then and only then, talk about your area of expertise as the solution to that problem,” says Morgan. “Audiences start off by asking why. Why am I here? Why should I care? If you answer those questions early, then they’ll ask how. Your job is to answer the why question first and then address the how.”

In Pictures: 10 Tips For Giving A Great Speech

Ditch the thank yous, and jump right in. People often make the mistake of starting speeches by thanking the introducer or expressing their happiness at being there. “Instead, jump right in with a framing story that suggests what the topic is without giving it all away, a statistic, a question or some kind of interaction with the audience,” says Morgan. If you know what your speech is about–and it should be about one thing–you should have an easy time deciding on an opening. Get right into the story and let the audience know what your talk will be about.

Use body language that makes you appear comfortable. If you show signs of nervousness, like crossing your arms, or clutching your hands in front of your stomach, your audience will sense your trepidation and be less open to your message. “You have to pretend that you’re having a good time and are open to that audience so that they can have a good time and be open back to you,” says Morgan. “Successful public speaking is all about passion and emotion. If you’re excited, then your audience will be, too.”

Stand up straight. Whether you walk across the stage or stand behind a lectern, try to maintain good posture. “Imagine that your head is being held up by a string,” says Praeger.

Articulate your words, regardless of your natural speaking style. “Authenticity is key,” Praeger says. “You can’t be someone you’re not. On the other hand, you can be your best self. Softness doesn’t detract from a speech if you’re committed to what you’re saying. Passion, commitment and conviction are critical for delivery, and you can do that whether you’re soft-spoken or not. Any number of delivery styles will work.”

Practice your speech beforehand. “You would do better practicing in the shower and running the speech in your head rather than practicing in front of a mirror, which is distracting,” Praeger says. “You do have to practice out loud, hopefully with a small audience.” Practice replacing deadening filler words like “um,” “so” and “like” with silence.

Work the room. Try to speak to audience members before your speech, so that you can focus on few friendly faces, particularly if you get nervous. “If you’re making eye contact with a friendly person in quadrant one, everyone to their left will think that you’re talking to them,” says Praeger. “Then do the same thing in quadrant two. You want to see your talk as a series of conversations with different people throughout the room.”

Most important, try to enjoy the experience. “The real zen secret is to love what you’re doing in that moment,” says Morgan. “If you can relax and be happy about being there, the audience will feel that way, too.”

This article is an update of one by Helen Coster that ran previously.

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7 Keys for Writing a Strong Speech

Average: 4 ( 1 vote)

If you need to deliver a speech soon, you may be feeling stressed. If it’s your first speech, you may not know how to approach the writing process at all, because speeches are different from written works. Before you prepare and deliver a speech, you should figure out what speeches are and how to make your speech successful.

When delivering a speech, you should aim to not only provide your audience with valuable information but also establish positive relationships. You should deliver facts and useful information, and you should also be sure to deliver it in an engaging way. Your posture, tone, and gestures are all important if you want to make a good impression.

Although public speaking is a challenge for many people, it’s still a very useful skill. It turns out that professionals with strong public speaking skills earn 10% more than their colleagues, but it is common knowledge that it takes a lot of time, which students, for example, don't have much. Every public speaking professional has often chosen to set aside time for improvement, which is why, being swamped with tons of homework, it was necessary to request writers to write my essay online and free up time for the opportunity to become a master of his craft. If you want to grow professionally, you should consider improving your public speaking skills, and this article will help you focus on the right aspects. We gathered the seven best tips for writing a strong speech that will impress your audience. First of all, let’s think about what makes a good speech."

What Makes a Good Speech

No matter what your speech is about, you should ensure that your audience will understand you easily and that your speech will be engaging. Here are the main ingredients for writing a great speech.

Make it concise A good speech is concise. You don’t want to waste your audience’s time with lengthy introductions and unnecessary details. Of course, you may want to deliver a lot of information, but it doesn’t mean that your speech should be long. If you have control over the length of your speech, make it brief yet informative, presenting information in a condensed and well-structured way.

Make it clear Make sure that your audience will understand exactly what you say. Your speech should be easy to comprehend, so you should choose the right style of delivery. Don’t fill your speech with complex terms. Stick with simple language. A speech shouldn’t be as formal as a research paper, so use some informal phrases that will make your speech sound more natural.

Avoid bias Your speech must be as objective as possible. There’s nothing wrong with evoking emotions in your audience. Quite the opposite, if your audience reacts to your speech emotionally, the chances are that it’s good. However, you shouldn’t be overly emotional when delivering your speech, and you must ensure that all opinions that you present are unbiased and based on facts.

Keep it relevant Your speech should be interesting for the audience. You should ensure that there’s a need for your topic and that your message is perfectly relevant. Don’t try to impress your audience by providing lots of information that has nothing much to do with the main topic of your speech. Keep it focused.

Top 7 Tips for Writing a Strong Speech

1. Analyze your audience

Delivering a speech is a kind of interaction, and successful interaction is impossible without having a clear idea of who you’re talking with, what they can relate to, and what is interesting to them. You should also evaluate the size of your audience and the overall setting because these factors also have a direct influence on the nature of the interactions.

Consider the demographics of your audience: their age, gender, profession, etc. Think of what all members of your audience might have in common. Consider the reasons why they are present and want to listen to your speech in the first place. What do these people need? Do they need help with decision-making? Do they need information? What do they expect from you? 

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2. Consider the format and venue and prepare accordingly

Consider the reason why your audience has gathered to listen to your speech. Knowing the occasion, you’ll be able to prepare properly and improve the relevance of your speech, addressing the circumstances. Think of how much time you will have, what the format of the event is and how formal it is, as well as what tools will be available.

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3. Avoid fillers

This might be one of the most difficult things to do because almost all people tend to use fillers like “uh” or “umm,” especially when they are a little stressed out. Such vocal placeholders can distract your audience from your message and have a negative impact on your credibility. Fillers become more and more obvious (and therefore annoying) every time you repeat them, so we recommend that you pay attention to the way you speak from the very beginning.

If avoiding fillers is especially difficult for you, you can ask for help. When rehearsing your speech, ask a friend or someone who helps you prepare the speech to stop you every time you add another “umm”. This way, you will know how often you use fillers, and what parts of your speech need more attention. Because on your own, you’re not even going to be aware of your use of fillers most of the time.

Stop “Um-ing” (and using other fillers)

4. Be confident

Don’t start your presentation with “I’m so nervous.” You don’t need to be nervous and nobody will find out that you’re nervous because you won’t give them any reasons to think so. You will deliver your well-prepared speech easily, with no fillers and no other problems. You will manage to do it easily because you will prepare, rehearse your speech, and talk about things your audience is interested in.

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5. Keep it simple

Don’t try to impress your audience with complex terms and complicated sentences. First, a successful speech must be easy to understand. Second, delivering a speech isn’t academic writing, so it enables you to choose a less formal tone. It means that when writing a speech you should approach the writing process in a different way than when writing academic papers. If you need help with the style and tone of your writing, you can order writing assistance from the Best Writers Online and choose experienced writers on platforms like Online Writers Rating or Writing Judge .

4 simple ways to improve your talks

6. Connect with the whole audience

No matter how big your audience is, it’s a group of individuals, and if possible, you should connect with each and every one of them. Therefore, we recommend that you use body language to keep your speech authentic, and also maintain eye contact with members of the audience. You should make your speech as engaging as possible.

Walk around and show some energy so that your audience won’t feel bored. This way, it will be much easier for you to keep their attention. Look at different members of your audience and don’t forget about those who sit at the back.

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7. Prepare a strong introduction

The introduction is one of the most important factors that determine the success of your speech. You should use your introduction to grab attention and help your audience immediately understand why they should listen to you. Your introduction should be brief and interesting. For example, consider beginning with a short relevant story, a staggering fact, a controversial statement, or a meaningful question.

6 Best Persuasion Techniques That You Can Use in Your Speeches

Wrapping Up

Many people worry when they need to deliver a speech, but the truth is that if you prepare well, you don’t need to worry. Think about your audience, plan and rehearse your speech, and make it engaging. Developing strong public speaking skills may take some time, but practice makes perfect.

Disclaimer: this article includes a paid product promotion.

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The Top Characteristics Of A Good Speech

“I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it is not. It is the story of many…

“I tell my story, not because it is unique, but because it is not. It is the story of many girls… Though I appear as one girl, one person, who is 5ft 2in tall, if you include my high heels, I am not a lone voice, I am many. I am Shazia. I am Kainat Riaz. I am Kainat Somro. I am Mezon. I am Amina. I am those 66 million girls who are out of school.”

The youngest-ever Nobel Prize winner, Malala Yousafzai, then 17, uttered these evocative words at her acceptance speech in 2014.

A good speech such as this one is provocative, inspiring and personal. It is structured to present a clearly defined message and convey the speaker’s ideas and thoughts.

At work, you may be asked to speak at meetings, seminars and conferences. These are important events in your professional career that will help you establish your credibility, and build your personal brand and professional network.

Learning how to deliver a good speech will equip you for career success. Let’s look at the characteristics of a good speech to push you in the right direction.

Characteristics Of A Good Speech

If you want to make a good speech that leaves a lasting impression, focus on what you’re going to speak and how. A good speech isn’t only about your words but also how you present yourself. Body language and gestures play a critical role in transforming an average speech into a memorable one.

If you’re wondering what a good speech is, here are some of its qualities:

Clear Message And Key Ideas

A good speech always starts with a key idea and a well-defined message. Many people make the mistake of burying their ideas in the middle or at the end. That’s a mistake. The audience may get distracted halfway into your speech, and leave without even knowing what you’re talking about. If you want people to understand your big idea, present it right at the start. That will set the context for the rest of the speech.

Impactful Oral Delivery

Remember to consider every aspect of the speech. Your oral delivery—pitch, pause and pace—also influences the audience’s response. ( klonopin ) Modulate your voice and pace to keep your listeners interested in your words. You should be also prepared to make impromptu adjustments to your delivery if you sense the audience drifting away. For instance, if you’re talking about statistical data, make it interesting by asking questions or engaging in a dialogue with the audience. This way, you keep them involved.

Sprinkled With Personal Anecdotes

Don’t rely only on facts and figures. If you can support your claims with personal experiences, it’ll make it more interesting. Start with a personal anecdote that’s linked to your big idea and that your audience can relate to. Humor is also a fun way to break the ice and put everyone at ease.

Informative, But Not Repetitive

Your speech needs to be informative and packed with fresh and new information to have an impact. Be careful not to recycle old ideas packaged in fancy words. . Being original and sharing relevant, critical and helpful information will make your speech memorable. Edit your speech carefully to ensure there are no repetitions or data gaps. You can also add inspiring quotes for a good speech.

Powerful Nonverbal Cues

One of the most important qualities of a good speech is nonverbal communication . You may believe that your words do all the work. But your posture, facial expressions and gestures are equally, if not more, important. Imagine someone making a speech with a blank expression on their face or just reading their words off a page without emotion. That doesn’t make for a good speech. It’s about building tension, asking provoking questions and engaging with the audience. There’s power in using nonverbal cues, like making eye contact with someone in the audience. Using these cues well can greatly improve the quality of your speech.

There are many more characteristics of a good speech that you can incorporate. Harappa Education’s Speaking Effectively course is designed for professionals who want to improve their communication skills. You can use these skills for public speaking or formal workplace conversations, to connect and empathize with others. Build meaningful connections, share ideas effectively, and deliver memorable speeches with our high-impact online course.

Explore topics & skills such as Public Speaking , Verbal Communication , Oral Communication , Speaking Skills & Oratory Skills from Harappa Diaries and learn to express your ideas with confidence.

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Grow » thrive, 7 steps to writing a great speech.

These seven steps will help you write a memorable and effective speech.

If you’re preparing for a presentation, the work really begins when you sit down to write your speech. A great speech will engage the audience and can lead to greater personal and professional success. Here are seven steps to writing an effective speech.

Know what your core message is

When preparing to write a speech, you want to start by thinking about the core message you want to share. Your core message should be a topic you’re knowledgeable and passionate about and one that’s relevant to your audience.

The topic should be delivered in a way that’s easy to understand and concise. Ideally, your audience should be able to explain what the speech was about in just one or two sentences.

Think about your audience

Next, you want to learn as much as possible about your audience because this will inform how you deliver the speech. The language you use and the examples you share will depend on the audience you’re speaking to.

As you learn more about your audience, you want to consider the circumstances that brought them together. Are they gathering for a business conference, or is it for a charity event? How big will the audience be, and how knowledgeable are they about the subject you’re speaking on?

[Read more: How to Give a Great Presentation ]

Do your research

The amount of research you complete will depend on how familiar you are with your topic. But even if it’s a topic you know inside and out, it’s a good idea to do at least some research. This will help you gather new information and come up with unique and fresh ideas.

The amount of research you complete will depend on how familiar you are with your topic. But even if it’s a topic you know inside and out, it’s a good idea to do at least some research.

Come up with an outline

Now it’s time to organize your information and ideas into a detailed outline. Organizing your information will make it easier once it’s time to sit down and write the speech. Your outline should include three main parts:

• Introduction : The introduction sets the stage for the information you’ll be sharing. It’s a good idea to start with a story that will catch your audience’s attention. From there, you can outline what you’ll be sharing and the conclusion you’ll reach.
• Body : The body of your speech is where you’ll highlight the overarching points you’re trying to make. But be careful not to throw too much information at your audience — two to three main points are enough.
• Conclusion : During the conclusion, you’ll summarize your core message and what the audience should take away from the speech. Look for ways to end your speech on a strong note, so the audience understands why this topic matters and how they can take action.

Write a draft

Once you have an outline, you can begin drafting your speech. Don’t try to make your speech perfect during the drafting stage — just try to get your ideas on paper. You can come back to revise and improve your speech later.

Choose a presentation tool

If you’re speaking in a professional setting, you’ll likely want to compliment your speech with a presentation tool like PowerPoint. Using a slide deck is a great way to add a visual element to your speech that will further engage the audience. Using a template can make it easier to develop a well-designed slide deck.

[Read more: 6 Business Presentation Tools for Small Businesses ]

Practice and revise

Great speeches take time to write, so you should plan to practice and revise your speech as needed. You can practice your speech in front of a friend or family member, ask for their feedback, and then adjust your speech accordingly.

As you’re revising, focus on using conversational language and short sentences. Look for any areas that are too general or vague, and try to come up with specific examples that will back up your core message.

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How to Give a Great Speech Every Time

August 8, 2020

How to give a great speak required practice and a specific skill set. And starts before you even step foot onto the stage. It comprises of three main categories: Getting Ready, Segments of the Speech, and Delivery. A good speech gives you the opportunity to leave the audience with the message you want to get across.

Getting Ready

Delivering a successful speech and the overall impression you give, depends on how well you prepare. This requires having a thorough understanding of your topic and a well-developed presentation. Additionally, it helps to know the stage, what you wear, how you stand and gesture, and how you will handle questions.

Know Your Topic

You probably have a good grasp of the topic on which you have been asked to speak or you would not have been asked. But just knowing the topic isn't enough of a strategy for giving a great speech. If you are still relatively new to the subject area, consider talking to others who have more expertise and doing more through research to prepare.

Being familiar with related topics and pertinent current events or trends is important, particularly if you will be answering questions. If speaking out of town, find out if any local issues or events are related to your speech topic.

Know Your Audience

Depending on the context of the speaking engagement, you might be able to some broad generalizations about the audience. However, don't make too many assumptions. Consider how much the audience already knows about your topic. Consider these questions:

• Will there be anyone who has a special or niche interest?
• Depending on your topic, will there be a contingency who have already taken a position about the topic?
• Will your approach be considered neutral, for, or against?

Answers to these questions should shape your speech and prepare you for follow-up questions.

Script Preparation

Many public speaking experts recommend writing out your speech, even if don’t plan on using notes. Doing this makes it easier to determine whether you are within your time limit and gives you something to edit.

Often speakers end up cutting their original manuscript in half to stay within the allotted time. If you intend to memorize your speech, you will need something to read and memorize.

EXPERT TIP If you use your written speech during delivery, make the font extra-large, in all capital letters, and on half of an 8-1/2 x 11-inch piece of paper or 5 x 7-inch cards. Mark pauses with a slash (/) and circle or underscore words and phrases requiring emphasis. Make sure to number the pages or cards.

The make-up of your audience should influence the language you use in your speech. Don't use technical terms with a nontechnical audience. Avoid phrases or nomenclature your listeners might not understand. Never use acronyms; they may exclude some audience members from your message. Use short sentences.

Above all, speak in a way that is natural for you. Stay away from compound sentences, multisyllable words, parenthetical phrases and qualifications, clichés, and overused phrases such as "you know."

Segments of the Speech

Your speech should have a clear opening, body, and ending. This not only lets the audience focus on what you are saying but it helps you convey the message you want to convey. Each segment provides an opportunity to engage the audience and build upon your overall message.

A strong opening statement will grab attention and set the tone for the rest of the speech. Right away establish the purpose and importance of your speech. There are several strategies you can use.

• Express your main point in an assertive manner   e.g. The company believes...
• Ask a rhetorical question   e.g. What is really needed to beat the pandemic?
• Include one or a series of startling facts   e.g. Are you aware that... ?
• Use a human-interest story
• Tell a joke or humorous anecdote One that bridges smoothly into the body of your speech will not only attract your listeners' attention, but also help you to relax.

No matter how you choose to begin, be sure it's pertinent to the topic of your speech and launches you toward making your main points.

Side Note: If you’ve been invited to give the speech, acknowledge the person who introduces you and thank the group for attending.

The body of your speech needs to support your topic, main message, and key points. There are many ways you can deliver the information you want to convey. However, avoid trying to use all of them as some may not be appropriate for the situation.

Anecdotes and Humor

Anecdotes and jokes, when chosen carefully and delivered naturally, are good tools to connect to your audience. Of course, humor should always be in good taste; in no way should it offend your audience.

Keep your humor relevant. Some apt humor within the speech can help maintain your rapport with your audience. A totally irrelevant joke will be recognized for what it is.

Not everybody can handle humor without some practice. Memorize and practice delivering anecdotes and one-liners because they fall flat if you read them. A pause is essential before the punchline and at the end of an anecdote.

Generally, if you are good at telling jokes privately, you will be able to joke publicly. If you're not a funny person, don't try to be funny at the podium.

Like humor, statistics are desirable, but too much data is hard for a listener to absorb. Save large tables of data, charts and graphs for a handout or packet the audience can take with them. For your presentations, use statistics and date to create complete thoughts or comparisons.

Good visuals add impact to your words. They should, however, support your speech and not overpower it.

Most people today use slide decks that can include charts, maps, and pictures along with text. However, don’t rule out the use of printed jumbo charts, maps, pictures, or other "show and tell" items. They can provide variety to your presentation but make sure everyone in the audience is able to see what you are showing.

Avoid complexity. Each visual should, at a glance, convey a single idea. The more "pictographic" a visual aid is, the better. With data and statistics only show the specific numbers or percentages that you mention.

Ending / Conclusion

The ending of your speech should be synopsis of what you covered by summarizing your main point and repeating your objectives.

A good strategy is to clue the audience that you are about to wrap up. For example, "Before I finish, there's one point I want to emphasize."

End compellingly or give your audience something extra like "In conclusion, let me add just one bit of advice."

Let your audience know how to connect with you via a website, email, or social media. If you will be presenting at at future meetings or seminars, it is appropriate to mention them at this point. Be open to answering questions, if the event is structured to include them.

A speech is only as effective as its delivery.

No matter how much time you spent writing your speech, your effort will be wasted if...

• You appear overly nervous
• You speak in a monotone
• You appear ridge or unmoving
• The audience can't hear you
• Your visuals can’t be seen by everyone

Practice, Practice, Practice

Practice multiple times. To give a natural delivery, you need to be as familiar with the text you’ve written as possible. It helps alleviate nerves the more accustom you are with the flow of the speech.

Practice delivering your speech by yourself in front of a mirror, in front of a family member or co-worker, and/or before a video camera.

This give an opportunity to test your anecdotes and jokes, as well as your stance and gestures. It allows you to check that your visuals are clear, pertinent, and emphatic.

Remember the Clock

Unless you are giving a keynote speech and have been asked to speak for a longer period of time, the best time frame for most speeches is 15 to 20 minutes, with another 10 minutes for questions and answers. Regardless of the subject matter and delivery method, you will lose your audience if you go on longer than this.

If you been given a specific amount of time to speak that is shorter than 15-20 minutes, be vigilant about staying within that time limit. Exceeding your time limit will only create a dissatisfied audience and risk losing their respect.

Your Stage and Props

Arrive at the speech site early so you have a chance to check the ambiance, chat with your hosts and the person who will introduce you and meet the other speakers if there are any.

Note the location from which you will be speaking. If using a slide deck take note of the screen and projector location. Find out how much of the set up you will be responsible for. If using other visual aids, be sure they can be seen by everyone in the audience.

Take time to be sure your presentation slides are in the right order. If possible, see if you can run them through the projector before the audience arrives to identify and address any technical malfunctions.

Your Appearance

Your speech actually starts the moment you enter the room. Dress in a manner that makes you comfortable. However, be aware of nature of the event and audience. For instance, you may be most comfortable in shorts and a t-shirt but that might not be appropriate at an awards ceremony.

Check your clothing and overall appearance before going on stage. That will give an opportunity to catch spinach in your teeth or a coffee stain on your shirt.

Eye Contact and Body Signals

Think of your audience in three segments‚ left, center, and right. Look at, and speak directly to, individuals in each segment.

When speaking from behind a lectern, don't grab onto it and hold tightly with both hands. Your body will tense up and you'll appear even more nervous than you are. If the microphone is removable, you may wish to pick it up and move about.

Gestures can help you look more relaxed and add emphasis to what you are saying. However, like every other element of your speech, they need to be controlled and pertinent. Don't "dead pan." Smile, nod, shrug your shoulders‚ move naturally and appropriately. Stand tall, with your head level and your shoulders square.

While you are speaking, be aware of the signals your audience is sending you. Are they looking right at you or are their eyes wandering? Are they sitting up and listening or slouched and dozing? If you begin to lose too much of your audience, you may have to change your style.

Voice and Diction

A clear, strong voice sets off a speech just as an attractive frame enhances a picture. The general tendency is to speak too softly, so speak louder than you consider normal. Good volume communicates confidence.

A monotone is boring, so change volume and pitch during your speech. Absorb this technique by listening to newscasts and commercials on radio and television. Note how they create interest by changing voice pitch and emphasis. Work to develop enthusiasm and "sell" in your voice.

Diction is important. You need to enunciate without going overboard and appearing stilted. The bottom line is to be clear while appearing natural.

People tend to speak too fast. Pacing and pausing are among the most effective techniques for public speaking. Change speed: go faster for excitement and slower for suspense. You do not have to keep talking. Pauses attract attention and may even trigger applause after strong statements.

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Jennifer Sharkey is known as the Virtual Presentation Specialist. Being passionate about seeing people shine and be heard, she leans into her 20+ years of public speaking experience and uses what she has learned from presenting, both in-person and virtually, to small groups all the way up to 5000 people. Jennifer draws from her experience as an associate professor, academic librarian, and coach to help holistic coaches master virtual presentations to grow their business. Her unique immersive program provides practical strategies and methods to build confidence, engage audiences, and generate authenticity and authority.

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10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills

Few are immune to the fear of public speaking. Marjorie North offers 10 tips for speakers to calm the nerves and deliverable memorable orations.

Marjorie North

Snakes? Fine. Flying? No problem. Public speaking? Yikes! Just thinking about public speaking — routinely described as one of the greatest (and most common) fears — can make your palms sweat. But there are many ways to tackle this anxiety and learn to deliver a memorable speech.

In part one of this series,  Mastering the Basics of Communication , I shared strategies to improve how you communicate. In part two, How to Communicate More Effectively in the Workplace , I examined how to apply these techniques as you interact with colleagues and supervisors in the workplace. For the third and final part of this series, I’m providing you with public speaking tips that will help reduce your anxiety, dispel myths, and improve your performance.

Here Are My 10 Tips for Public Speaking:

1. nervousness is normal. practice and prepare.

All people feel some physiological reactions like pounding hearts and trembling hands. Do not associate these feelings with the sense that you will perform poorly or make a fool of yourself. Some nerves are good. The adrenaline rush that makes you sweat also makes you more alert and ready to give your best performance.

The best way to overcome anxiety is to prepare, prepare, and prepare some more. Take the time to go over your notes several times. Once you have become comfortable with the material, practice — a lot. Videotape yourself, or get a friend to critique your performance.

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2. Know Your Audience. Your Speech Is About Them, Not You.

Before you begin to craft your message, consider who the message is intended for. Learn as much about your listeners as you can. This will help you determine your choice of words, level of information, organization pattern, and motivational statement.

3. Organize Your Material in the Most Effective Manner to Attain Your Purpose.

Create the framework for your speech. Write down the topic, general purpose, specific purpose, central idea, and main points. Make sure to grab the audience’s attention in the first 30 seconds.

4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It.

Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners.

5. Let Your Personality Come Through.

Be yourself, don’t become a talking head — in any type of communication. You will establish better credibility if your personality shines through, and your audience will trust what you have to say if they can see you as a real person.

6. Use Humor, Tell Stories, and Use Effective Language.

Inject a funny anecdote in your presentation, and you will certainly grab your audience’s attention. Audiences generally like a personal touch in a speech. A story can provide that.

7. Don’t Read Unless You Have to. Work from an Outline.

Reading from a script or slide fractures the interpersonal connection. By maintaining eye contact with the audience, you keep the focus on yourself and your message. A brief outline can serve to jog your memory and keep you on task.

8. Use Your Voice and Hands Effectively. Omit Nervous Gestures.

Nonverbal communication carries most of the message. Good delivery does not call attention to itself, but instead conveys the speaker’s ideas clearly and without distraction.

9. Grab Attention at the Beginning, and Close with a Dynamic End.

Do you enjoy hearing a speech start with “Today I’m going to talk to you about X”? Most people don’t. Instead, use a startling statistic, an interesting anecdote, or concise quotation. Conclude your speech with a summary and a strong statement that your audience is sure to remember.

10. Use Audiovisual Aids Wisely.

Too many can break the direct connection to the audience, so use them sparingly. They should enhance or clarify your content, or capture and maintain your audience’s attention.

Practice Does Not Make Perfect

Good communication is never perfect, and nobody expects you to be perfect. However, putting in the requisite time to prepare will help you deliver a better speech. You may not be able to shake your nerves entirely, but you can learn to minimize them.

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About the Author

North is a consultant for political candidates, physicians, and lawyers, and runs a private practice specializing in public speaking, and executive communication skills. Previously, she was the clinical director in the department of speech and language pathology and audiology at Northeastern University.

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Examples of a good speech: learning from 10 famous speeches, 10 famous speeches with examples of a good speech.

Great speeches have the power to move people, to inspire and motivate, and to create lasting change. They have the ability to capture the attention of an audience and leave a lasting impact. In this blog post, we will be discussing the power of speeches and how they can influence personal growth. We will also be analyzing famous speeches from some of history’s most iconic figures, including Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, Winston Churchill, Susan B. Anthony, Mahatma Gandhi, and Nelson Mandela. Through these analyses, we will gain insights into the art of public speaking such as ethos, logos, and pathos in speeches, storytelling techniques in speeches, pacing and pauses in effective speech delivery, etc. By understanding what makes these speeches so powerful, we can apply those lessons to our own lives and discover how to become better communicators ourselves.

The Power of Speeches

Speeches possess the ability to inspire, motivate, and persuade individuals, making them a potent tool for conveying viewpoints. Engaging speeches employ visual aids and storytelling to captivate the audience, emphasizing the significance of language and nonverbal cues in delivery. With the integration of NLP terms like ‘own speech’ and ‘student council,’ public speaking skills can be nurtured, contributing to personal and professional growth within the context of this blog.

Why are speeches influential?

Speeches have a powerful influence, shaping opinions and educating audiences. They connect through persuasion, vulnerability, sincerity, and imagery. A good speech addresses people’s interests, values, or concerns. Clear, concise points backed by evidence make speeches influential. They can evoke strong emotions and stimulate critical thinking.

Personal growth through speeches

Giving a speech can be a life-changing, confidence-boosting opportunity. The use of grammar, storytelling, and imagery in speeches can profoundly impact personal growth. Public speaking can cultivate various speech skills such as persuasion, entertainment, and impromptu delivery. When addressing an audience, consider employing short sentences, maintaining eye contact, or utilizing oratorical styles for different occasions. Overcoming speech anxiety or writer’s block can lead to personal growth and a successful speech.

Analysing Famous Speeches

Analysing renowned speeches offers valuable insights into the orator’s persuasive techniques and speech type. The context of a famous speech, whether a maid of honor speech, eulogy, or tribute, significantly impacts its effectiveness. Understanding the speech type, be it informative, persuasive, or demonstrative, is crucial for analysis. Effective speeches are distinguished by the use of imagery, vulnerability, sincerity, and persuasive speech examples. Critical thinking of the audience is influenced by grammar, storytelling, and nonverbal communication in speeches.

The context of famous speeches

The context of famous speeches significantly impacts their effectiveness and resonance with the audience. Whether it’s a birthday party, debate speech, or any special occasion, understanding the audience’s interests, values, and concerns is crucial. The type of speech, be it motivational or entertaining, also plays a pivotal role in shaping the main points and persuasion. Successful speeches take into account the specific context and adapt the content to resonate with the audience’s expectations and emotions.

The impact of famous speeches

Famous speeches, whether a farewell address or a special occasion presentation, leave a profound and enduring impact on the audience. The success of a speech is reflected in audience engagement, critical thinking, and persuasion. Influential speeches, such as a maid of honor’s address or an oratorical presentation, have the power to inspire and educate people. The use of imagery, storytelling, and vulnerability in a speech enhances its emotional and persuasive impact. Additionally, speech types, audience attention, and visual aids all contribute to the powerful impact of a speech.

Lessons from Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream”

Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic speech exemplifies the persuasive use of imagery and sincerity, effectively conveying a powerful message of hope and equality. The emotional impact was amplified by the use of repetition and storytelling, captivating a wide audience with a motivational speech. Analyzing this renowned speech reveals powerful persuasion techniques, demonstrating the influential impact of oratorical speech types and visual aids in captivating an audience.

The power of imagery in speeches

Imagery in speeches creates immersive, sensory experiences that deeply resonate with the audience. Effective imagery, vulnerability, or storytelling evokes intense emotions and helps to visualize abstract concepts. A compelling speech, be it a student council address or one’s own blog, utilizes imagery and persuasion to engage and captivate the listeners. The usage of the right words, nonverbal communication, or oratorical speech type further enhances the impact of imagery in a speech, leaving a lasting impression on the audience.

The use of repetition for emphasis

Repetition serves as a potent tool, reinforcing key points, building momentum, and emphasizing critical ideas in a speech. Martin Luther King Jr.’s persuasive use of repetition, vulnerability, or sincerity magnified the impact of his speech. The right words, visual aids, or storytelling combined with repetition enhance a speech’s persuasive effect. Similarly, a maid of honor speech, best speech, or successful speech may benefit from skillful repetition for emphasis, strengthening its influence on the audience.

Insights from John F. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address

John F. Kennedy’s inaugural speech showcased persuasive delivery, captivating the audience through powerful imagery and sincerity. It serves as a valuable example for crafting impactful speeches. Analyzing his address provides insights into the influence of oratorical speech and nonverbal communication. Kennedy’s speech engagement is a testament to the art of persuasion and the use of inspirational language in public speaking, offering valuable lessons for student council members crafting their own speeches for a blog.

The art of persuasion in speeches

Influencing opinions through speeches is a powerful tool. Capturing the audience’s attention and swaying their point of view is essential for a good speech. The use of the right words, imagery, and nonverbal communication is critical in persuasive speeches. Vulnerability, sincerity, and storytelling play a significant role in persuasion. Oratorical speech, grammar, and powerful imagery add impact to persuasive speeches, enhancing their effectiveness in swaying opinions.

The role of inspirational language

In speeches, motivational and uplifting language has the power to inspire and encourage audiences. The use of concise sentences, impactful imagery, and visual aids contributes to the effectiveness of a speech. Examples of speeches from various special occasions, like birthdays or farewells, highlight how inspirational language can resonate with people. Understanding the different types of speeches, such as motivational or entertaining, is essential for crafting a speech with the right tone. Additionally, integrating persuasive speech examples and informative speech techniques adds depth and impact to one’s own speech.

Understanding Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches”

Analyzing Winston Churchill’s “We Shall Fight on the Beaches” demonstrates the adept usage of ethos, logos, and pathos. A formal address, it effectively captivated the audience. Supported by critical thinking, persuasion, and a compelling argument, Churchill’s speech serves as a formal example, inspiring public speaking skills. The speech exemplifies good speech techniques, making it a noteworthy example for students to study.

The importance of a strong delivery

A compelling speech relies on a potent, convincing, and inspiring presentation. Whether it’s a persuasive, formal, or impromptu speech, the ability to command a speech is key. From entertaining speeches to debate or maid of honor speeches, a strong delivery captures the audience. Be it an impromptu or a farewell speech, a powerful delivery leaves a lasting impression, emphasizing the significance of mastering the art of delivery in public speaking.

The use of emotion to connect with the audience

Connecting with the audience through sincerity, vulnerability, and imagery is crucial in a speech. The use of emotion is a powerful tool, evoking powerful storytelling and persuasive speech techniques. Emotional speeches, such as eulogies or tributes, require a genuine connection to resonate with the audience. When emotion is effectively utilized, a speech becomes memorable and impactful, creating a lasting impression on the audience.

Deconstructing Susan B. Anthony’s “On Women’s Right to Vote”

Analyzing Susan B. Anthony’s speech reveals the persuasive power of ethos, logos, and pathos, creating a compelling argument. Her speech serves as a valuable example, inspiring critical thinking and persuasive speech techniques. Great speeches like Anthony’s motivate public speaking and captivate audiences. The main points, supported by critical thinking and persuasion, make her speech a powerful tool for advocacy and change.

The role of ethos, logos, and pathos in speeches

Critical components of persuasive speeches are ethos, logos, and pathos, which contribute to a compelling argument. The usage of these elements is exemplified in various types of speeches, such as eulogies, farewell speeches, and motivational speeches. Ethical persuasion and the integration of ethos, logos, and pathos are powerful tools in crafting a speech that resonates with the audience, regardless of the speech’s purpose or context. Understanding the application of these elements is essential in delivering an impactful and persuasive speech.

The power of a compelling argument

Crafting a speech, like a debate speech, or an impromptu speech, involves anchoring a compelling argument supported by critical thinking and persuasion. Persuasive speech techniques serve as a powerful tool to captivate the audience’s attention and influence their point of view. Similar to a motivational speech or a farewell speech, a compelling argument resonates with the audience, making it a key element in delivering an impactful speech and connecting with the listeners.

Interpreting Mahatma Gandhi’s “Quit India”

Mahatma Gandhi’s “Quit India” speech exemplifies the cultural context, persuasion, and critical thinking in great speeches. It serves as a formal example, motivating public speaking, persuasive speech, or a successful speech. Gandhi’s speech demonstrates the power of critical thinking and persuasion, supporting the main points with a compelling argument. Understanding types of speeches, like informative or persuasive speech, involves applying critical thinking and persuasion, influencing the audience’s perspective.

The impact of cultural context on speeches

The tone, language, and persuasion techniques in speeches are heavily influenced by the cultural context and the type of speech. Whether it’s a formal speech, persuasive speech, or a great speech, cultural context plays a pivotal role in shaping the speech’s persuasive nature. It’s important to acknowledge the impact of cultural context when crafting different types of speeches, such as entertaining speeches or farewell speeches. Sample speeches, like formal speech examples or persuasive speech examples, vividly illustrate this influence.

The effectiveness of simple language

Incorporating plain language in speeches enhances audience understanding and fosters a stronger connection. Relatable simplicity effectively conveys complex ideas while maintaining audience engagement. By avoiding jargon and convoluted terminology, speakers can ensure that their message resonates with the audience. This approach not only promotes comprehension but also establishes a sense of inclusivity, making the speech accessible to diverse audiences.

Delving into Nelson Mandela’s “I am Prepared to Die”

Mandela’s “I am Prepared to Die” exemplifies potent storytelling, authentically impactful. His adept use of pacing and pauses held the audience in rapture, as personal experiences lent depth and sincerity. Captivating imagery painted a vivid picture, making the speech resonate profoundly. This speech is a prime example of how student council members can learn from their own speech and improve their oratory skills for public speaking competitions and blog writing.

The importance of authenticity in speeches

Authentic speeches deeply resonate with the audience, fostering trust and connection while creating a compelling emotional impact. Speakers, by embracing authenticity, can connect on a human level, establishing a strong rapport with the audience. Incorporating personal experiences into their own speech allows for genuine and influential communication, making their message more relatable and engaging for the student council. This authenticity adds depth and sincerity to the blog, enhancing its overall impact.

The power of personal experiences in public speaking

Incorporating personal experiences in public speaking adds a relatable dimension to speeches and evokes empathy from the audience. Sharing personal stories fosters a genuine, sincere connection and enhances the speaker’s vulnerability. Additionally, personal anecdotes create a memorable, impactful speech that resonates with the audience. By drawing from their own experiences, speakers can establish authenticity, fostering trust and connection with the audience.

Learning from Other Famous Speeches

Analyzing the composition and arrangement of a speech reveals its effectiveness. Observing the speaker’s intonation and presentation is crucial. Identifying rhetorical elements like repetition and metaphors enriches the understanding. Context and audience analysis provides valuable insights. Unveiling the central message and its alignment with the speaker’s objectives is imperative for learning from renowned speeches.

The art of storytelling in speeches

Crafting a compelling speech involves weaving vivid imagery and metaphors to captivate the audience. A powerful opening and closing set the tone and leave a lasting impact. Strategic repetition emphasizes key points, while personal connections foster engagement. Structuring the speech for maximum impact ensures coherence and resonance. Additionally, humor can lighten the mood and create a relaxed atmosphere, enhancing the overall delivery for an impactful student council, own speech, or blog.

The role of pacing and pauses in effective speeches

Effective speeches rely on the skillful use of pacing and pauses. These elements help to capture and maintain the audience’s attention, emphasizing key points and engaging listeners. By studying historical speeches, one can observe how impactful pacing and pauses contribute to the overall delivery. Practicing and mastering pacing and pausing is crucial for delivering an impactful speech that resonates with the audience.

How do these famous speeches influence modern public speaking?

The influence of these timeless speeches extends to modern public speaking practices, setting a high standard for persuasive communication. They serve as a powerful tool for studying speechwriting and delivery, inspiring speakers to draw inspiration from the techniques employed in these famous speeches.

In conclusion, famous speeches have a profound impact on individuals and society as a whole. They inspire change, ignite passion, and challenge societal norms. By analyzing and understanding these speeches, we can learn valuable lessons on the art of persuasion, the power of storytelling, and the importance of authenticity. From Martin Luther King Jr.’s powerful imagery to Susan B. Anthony’s compelling arguments, each speech offers unique insights into effective public speaking. By incorporating these lessons into our own communication, we can become more influential and effective in conveying our ideas and inspiring others. So, take the time to study and learn from these famous speeches, and let their wisdom guide you in your own journey as a speaker.

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What makes a great speech?

You'll want these tips for your next assignment.

Read article

Public speaking is a fact of life. Whether it's for an assignment, celebration, or work presentation, it's a valuable skill to deliver a clear, succinct and impactful speech. However, this is easier said than done (ironically).   

We spoke to Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of the Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities, Dr Paul Gardiner, for his advice on how to ace your next speech. With extensive experience as a secondary drama and English teacher, he has seen and given a few speeches over his time.    

Dr Gardiner explains there are three important ideas that encapsulate a great speech; know your audience, provide structure and tell a story.    

Know your audience    

Your audience is critical for any speech - without them, you're simply a person talking to themselves. Dr Gardiner says you must first consider who you're pitching to in order to craft your speech's content.    

"Every speech is really about the audience. Even if I am speaking about myself, it's not about me. It's about how my journey, ideas, experiences, and wisdom can help the people I am speaking to," he says.    

You can use several techniques to ensure your audience feels included in the moment, with one being rhetorical questions.      

"It's always good to refer to the people in the room. We incorporate rhetorical questions because that's a good way to involve the audience as it shows that you're not just there to talk at them," he says.   

Dr Gardiner also explains that a bit of charm and humour, even at the expense of yourself, never goes astray when winning over the audience with your words. It helps to even the power dynamic, because while we want a speech to feel like a conversation, only one person can actually talk.   

"That's the whole idea of buy-in. There has to be some reason for what you're saying to benefit the audience.   

"Even in university assignments, including a bit of humour is a good idea as a speech is a medium different to writing, as you need to help the audience along."   

Provide structure  

A clear structure is critical for any good speech, and you'll notice a pattern when looking back on the best. Just like a story or essay, Dr Gardiner says a speech should have a beginning, middle and end.    

"In the old days, we used to talk about the three ‘tell thems’, so tell them what you're going to say, tell them, and then tell them what you've just said," he says.    

This structure adds what Dr Gardiner describes as aural signposts. They tell you where you are in the speech, where you're heading, and where you will end.    

"Clearly indicating that you've got a structure to what you're about to say not only helps the listener stay on track but also shows them that you've thought this through. There is some confidence in this," Dr Gardiner says.

Providing structure can be as simple as saying, 'I am going to talk about [insert topic here] in five main points.' It shows your audience the overall argument and when you get to number five they are clear you are ready to conclude.

If you're feeling advanced, you can use a concept called the shelved idea to form structure, whereby an idea or anecdote mentioned in the beginning takes on new meaning when revisited at the end, thanks to clever points through the middle.    

Tell a story  

Anecdotes are critical in speeches as they help to convey your message and its deeper meaning.    

"Often, storytelling comes from personal anecdotes, but they're neither random nor self-promoting. Instead, they are symbolic," he says.    

Dr Gardiner references Jim Carrey's Maharishi University commencement speech as an example of great storytelling to inspire and introduce a theme, in this case courage in following a dream.

Carrey’s father chose an accounting career so he could provide security for his family, rather than pursuing his passion. He was let go from this ‘safe’ job, where Carrey learns that "you can fail at what you don't want, so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love."   

"Curating anecdotes that are connected to a greater thematic understanding show that the speech is personal and authentic," Dr Gardiner says.  

"Again, humour is really important here. I don't mean telling jokes or making fun of others, but instead finding the levity in your subject matter. Even in the darkest moments, you must have humour, making us hopeful, not pessimistic.”  

How to handle your nerves  

You've got a great story the audience will love, and you've organised your thoughts in a clear order. Now you have to say the speech outside of the safety of your head. Dr Gardiner has two tips to ensure your delivery is a success.    

"The first is preparation. The better prepared you are, the more control you'll have over the content and the more confidence you'll feel in dealing with anything else that comes up," he says.    

He suggests writing out high-stakes speeches, as this will also help with your structure. However, he does not recommend reading them word for word, as this is often a sign of a lack of preparation, especially in university oral presentations.  

"You can have your clear notes, but you want to speak instantaneously, so there is a freshness and urgency. Reading can come across as flat," he says.   

High preparation can be memorising the speech so you can deliver it naturally without notes or knowing the content well enough to speak correctly off the top of your head. Keeping in mind, you still want to take the audience on a structured journey.   

Dr Gardiner's second tip, which he admits might sound obvious, is to ensure your presentation isn't the first time you speak that day.  "You must warm up your voice like it's an instrument, and the best way to do that is to have a conversation, preferably an unrelated one full of humour. This will help relax your mind and body, so you're in the right headspace to speak. Often people say they are too nervous to talk - but believe me - it will calm your nerves and get your voice ready to go," he says.

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lesson plan booster: what makes a great speech.

Grade level: 6-12

Student learning objective

Preparation

• Teachers should familiarize themselves with at least three famous speeches from a variety of sources. Presidential addresses like the Gettysburg Address are a good start, but don’t limit yourself to politicians. Great orators like Martin Luther King, Jr. can provide a wealth of inspiration. Also look to fiction for examples. Film, television and literature contain a seemingly endless supply of truly great speeches, and AMC  offers a list of the best from film. Be sure to pre-screen any film and television speeches to ensure they don’t contain any inappropriate content.
• Come up with a list of at least five essential elements of great speeches . There is no definitive source for what makes a great speech, but teachers can look to Web sites like Write-Out-Loud  for some guidance. Other sites offer more specific help; LifeHack  offers 10 tips for writing a great speech based on the practices of Abraham Lincoln. EducationWorld provides a list of the top speeches delivered by American Presidents.
• Consider that many, if not all, great speeches are remembered as much for their stirring words as for the context in which they were delivered. FDR’s remarks about "a date that would live in infamy" certainly stir emotions, but they would not have been so heralded were it not for the fact that they were delivered less than 24 hours after the country was attacked.
• Determine whether students will be given a choice about the speech they want to discuss, or whether a particular one will be assigned. You may want to give students the option of breaking into groups based on interest in a particular speech. These small groups can then report back to the large group.

Introducing discussion to students

We should all think about the importance of getting our ideas across in an eloquent and persuasive manner. We’re going to read and discuss some famous speeches and consider what it is that makes them so effective and memorable. Speeches are often delivered to large audiences under grave or dramatic circumstances, but recognizing the elements of good speeches also can help in our everyday communication.

Options for student discussion questions

• [After reading and/or reciting a famous speech] Which of the essential elements of great speeches are present in this speech? [Have students underline passages and explain how they demonstrate the essential elements.]
• [After reading and/or reciting a famous speech] Would you consider this a persuasive speech, an inspirational speech, and/or one that paints a picture of the human condition? Let’s generate a few other categories of speeches, and then we’ll think of examples of famous speeches that fit these categories.
• How many times a day do you make a “speech” or persuasive argument? To a parent? To a teacher? To a peer? What are some ways in which you can apply the essential elements of great speeches to your everyday communication? [Another option: The teacher can present a silly scenario, such as “Convince me why we shouldn’t have tests in this class,” or “Convince your classmates that every Monday should be ‘hat day’ in our school” and have students compose speeches using some of the essential elements .]
• Great speeches are frequently remembered for one great line. The “I Have a Dream” speech is a good example. What are some lines that are often quoted from this speech? Why do you think these lines are so popular? [Students can choose or be assigned other speeches—perhaps some famous and some not as well known. Have them pick out what they think is the “great line,” and explain why.]
• What are some of your favorite speeches? What do you like about them? What about them motivates you, or speaks to you?
• One of the most common speeches in America is the political speech, yet very few of these speeches are remembered beyond the day they were delivered. [Teachers can reference a recent speech such as a State of the Union address.] Why do you think that is? How would you change that if you were a political speechwriter?

Article by Jason Tomaszewski , EducationWorld Associate Editor Education World ®              Copyright © 2011 Education World

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Sign up for our free weekly newsletter and receive top education news, lesson ideas, teaching tips and more! No thanks, I don't need to stay current on what works in education! COPYRIGHT 1996-2016 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. COPYRIGHT 1996 - 2024 BY EDUCATION WORLD, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. SchoolNotes.com The Educator's Network How to Write and Deliver an Encouragement Speech: 13 Practical Tips The Speaker Lab August 18, 2024 Table of Contents Creating an encouragement speech that resonates and motivates requires more than just a message. It demands an understanding of your audience, the right tone, and impactful delivery. This post will guide you through crafting speeches that not only uplift but also connect on a personal level. You’ll learn how to weave storytelling into your narrative for greater relatability, choose words that empower, and employ techniques to emotionally engage with listeners. Additionally, we dive into the significance of body language in enhancing your speech’s effectiveness. We also offer strategies for tailoring your message across different contexts and overcoming common hurdles such as nervousness or lack of engagement. Finally, we stress the importance of feedback in refining your approach to ensure every word counts towards uplifting others. Crafting Your Encouragement Speech It’s not just about what you say but how you say it. When it comes to giving an encouragement speech, it’s important to know how to do both. The Power of Storytelling in Encouragement Speeches Stories are the heart and soul of any encouragement speech. They transform abstract concepts into relatable experiences. Think back to a time when someone’s personal anecdote lifted your spirits or motivated you to push through a challenge. That’s the power you want to harness. By weaving in stories from your own life or those around you, you create a connection with your audience that facts alone cannot achieve. To make storytelling effective, focus on moments of overcoming obstacles or achieving something against the odds. Narratives like these illustrate resilience and possibility. Language and Word Choice The words we choose can build up or tear down. In crafting your encouragement speech, opt for language that empowers and uplifts. Phrases like “you can,” “you will,” and “believe in yourself” aren’t clichés—they’re battle cries for those needing a boost. Avoid negativities even when discussing challenges. Instead, frame these challenges as opportunities rather than roadblocks. This approach doesn’t deny difficulties but reframes them as part of the journey toward success. Techniques for Emotional Engagement Rhetorical devices such as repetition emphasize key points while questions prompt self-reflection among listeners. Use these tools sparingly but effectively to punctuate crucial ideas within your message. Such techniques not only grab attention but also ensure they linger long after you’ve concluded speaking. Tamsen Webster , for instance, details strategies speakers can use to maintain engagement throughout their presentation. Varying tone, pitch, and pace help convey passion which is contagious. Your enthusiasm becomes theirs, motivating action beyond mere contemplation. Find Out Exactly How Much You Could Make As a Paid Speaker Use The Official Speaker Fee Calculator to tell you what you should charge for your first (or next) speaking gig — virtual or in-person!  Think about the last time a story really grabbed you. It wasn’t just the words, but how they made you feel, right? That’s the magic we’re aiming for in encouragement speeches. Why Stories Work Wonders We’ve all been there—sitting through a speech that feels more like a lecture than an inspiring talk. But then comes a story, and suddenly everyone perks up. Why? Because stories are relatable. They let us see ourselves in others’ shoes, making their victories feel possible for us too. This isn’t just fluff; it’s backed by science. When we hear stories, our brains light up—not only processing language but also feeling emotions and visualizing scenes. This makes messages stick with us longer and encourages action. Making It Personal To harness this power in your speeches, start with personal anecdotes. Your own journey can be incredibly powerful because it’s authentic—you lived it. Share challenges you’ve faced and how you overcame them to inspire your audience to do the same. But remember: authenticity is key here. If your story doesn’t ring true or seems exaggerated, it loses its impact and—worse yet—it could damage trust with your audience. Finding Universal Themes Your personal anecdote might not resonate with everyone on every level—that’s okay. The goal is to find universal themes within your story that anyone can connect with: perseverance against odds; finding joy amidst struggles; embracing change as growth opportunities. These themes speak to shared human experiences and create deeper connections between speaker and listener. Language and Word Choice in an Encouragement Speech The words you pick in your encouragement speech can make or break the impact. It’s important to choose just the right words so that you can leave your audience energized and inspired. Empowering Your Audience with Positive Language Selecting positive, empowering language is crucial. Words have power—they can lift people up or weigh them down. To motivate someone, use language that sparks hope and enthusiasm. Instead of saying “Don’t give up,” try “Keep pushing forward.” It’s about framing challenges as opportunities rather than obstacles. This approach not only helps listeners see the glass half full but also encourages them to take action towards their goals. A study by the University of Pennsylvania showed that positive language significantly influences motivation levels in individuals facing challenges. Rhetorical Devices: The Secret Sauce To really connect with your audience, sprinkle some rhetorical devices into your speech like metaphors or analogies. They help simplify complex ideas and make messages stick. Anaphora—the repetition of a word at the beginning of successive clauses—can be particularly powerful when used sparingly for emphasis on key points during your speech. Consider how Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech uses anaphora to unforgettable effect. Emotion is the secret sauce that makes messages stick. But how do you bottle this elusive ingredient in your encouragement speeches? Let’s explore some tried and true techniques. To hit the emotional chord, understanding your audience is key. Are they seeking motivation, comfort, or a rally to action? This insight shapes everything from your tone to your stories. Start by setting a clear goal for what emotion you want to evoke—be it hope, courage, or determination. Tone matters more than you think. It’s not just what you say; it’s how you say it. A warm and sincere tone can turn even simple words into powerful motivational tools. The structure of your message also plays a crucial role in its impact. Begin with an attention-grabbing opening that speaks directly to the heart of the audience’s concerns or aspirations before leading them on a journey towards empowerment and resolution. Stories are empathy machines—they let us walk in another’s shoes without taking off our own. Integrating personal anecdotes makes your speech relatable and memorable because we’re hardwired to remember stories better than facts alone. As we at The Speaker Lab know, a  well-chosen story acts as an emotional anchor that listeners can hold onto long after they’ve forgotten other parts of your speech. Selecting empowering language injects energy into your encouragement speech like nothing else. Words have power so choose those that inspire resilience and confidence. Avoid negative phrasing that might deflate spirits. Instead, opt for positive affirmations that uplift and motivate. The Role of Body Language in Your Encouragement Speech When it comes to delivering an encouragement speech, the words you choose are crucial. But there’s another player in the game that often flies under the radar: body language . This silent partner can make or break your connection with the audience. Non-Verbal Cues Speak Volumes Your posture, gestures, and facial expressions do a lot more than just add flair to your delivery. They’re key components of how audiences interpret your message. Standing tall conveys confidence, while maintaining eye contact builds trust. On the other hand, crossed arms might suggest you’re closed off or defensive—even if that’s not what you feel. A smile can be a powerful tool as well . It not only makes you appear more approachable but also has been shown to positively affect listener perception, making them more receptive to your message. Mirroring for Connection Mirroring—the subtle art of matching someone else’s body language—can create a sense of empathy and understanding between speaker and listener. When done correctly during an encouragement speech, mirror neurons fire up, letting your audience know “I’m with you.” This doesn’t mean mimicking every move someone makes—that would be weird. Instead, focus on capturing the general vibe of their energy level and enthusiasm through similar gestures and vocal tones. Cultural Sensitivity Is Key Different cultures have different norms when it comes to non-verbal communication. What’s considered respectful eye contact in one culture may be seen as challenging or rude in another. Educating yourself about these differences is essential for ensuring your message is received as intended across diverse groups. Becoming aware of cultural variations not only helps avoid misunderstandings but also strengthens global connections—one gesture at a time. Tailoring Encouragement Speeches for Different Contexts When you’re tasked with giving an encouragement speech, the setting can range from a high-stakes corporate boardroom to a lively sports team locker room. The secret sauce? Knowing how to adapt your message to fit these diverse environments seamlessly. Crafting a Unique Encouragement Speech First off, understanding your audience is crucial. A pep talk for a sales team chasing their quarterly targets will differ vastly from motivating volunteers at a charity event. It’s about hitting the right notes that resonate with your listeners’ current experiences and aspirations. Setting the tone comes next. For instance, in a corporate environment, weaving in success stories relevant to business growth can inspire action. Contrast this with addressing athletes where tales of resilience and teamwork often strike deeper chords. The structure of your message also needs careful consideration. An effective approach might involve starting with acknowledging challenges faced by the audience, followed by inspirational anecdotes or data supporting why they can overcome these hurdles, and concluding with a clear call-to-action. Using Specially Tailored Stories Incorporating personal stories or anecdotes not only makes your speech relatable but also memorable. This technique proves especially powerful when adapted correctly for different contexts—whether it’s sharing success stories within similar industries during corporate talks or highlighting individual achievements in sports team pep talks. Overcoming Common Challenges Nervousness, authenticity, and keeping the audience engaged are big hurdles in delivering an encouragement speech. But they’re not insurmountable! Here’s how you can leap over these obstacles with grace. Dealing with Nervousness Facing a sea of faces can make your palms sweat and heart race. Remember, it’s okay to be nervous; it means you care about delivering value to your audience. One way to ease those jitters is by practicing your speech multiple times beforehand. You might also try deep breathing exercises or visualization techniques to calm down right before taking the stage. Another trick is to focus on why you’re there—to help and inspire others. This mindset shift can reduce pressure because you’re not focusing solely on yourself anymore. Ensuring Authenticity Your audience can spot a fake from miles away, so don’t even think about being someone you’re not up there. Sharing personal stories or anecdotes that connect with the core message of your speech makes you more relatable and trustworthy. If sharing doesn’t come naturally, start small by incorporating bits of personal experiences relevant to your topic until it feels more comfortable for you. Maintaining Audience Engagement To keep everyone hanging onto every word, use dynamic language and involve them through questions or callouts if possible. This approach turns passive listeners into active participants. Varying your tone and pace throughout also helps maintain interest. It’s like adding different spices as you cook; too much of one thing gets boring quickly. Ready to Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig? Download our free 26-page guide and get the 14 exact steps you can follow to book a paid speaking gig right now! Incorporating Feedback for Improvement In some cases it’s possible to get feedback on one’s encouragement speech. Should the opportunity present itself to you, take it. Not matter their expertise, speakers can always use audience reactions and critiques to refine their speeches. But where do you start? Let’s dive into the specifics. The Power of Constructive Criticism First off, embracing constructive criticism is key. It might sting at first, but think of it as an investment in your future performances. Ask fellow speakers or mentors who have been in the trenches what they think. Their insights can be goldmines for improvement. Moreover, consider anonymous surveys from your audience. Tools like SurveyMonkey let you gather honest opinions without putting anyone on the spot. Use Feedback to Improve Your Encouragement Speech Now that you’ve gathered all this valuable feedback, what next? Start by identifying common themes—these are areas needing immediate attention. If multiple people point out that your opening lacks punch or your message gets lost mid-way, there’s a pattern emerging that needs fixing. Create a plan of action for each piece of consistent feedback received. If it’s about improving engagement, research techniques used by successful speakers to keep audiences hooked from start to finish. Remember: improvement doesn’t happen overnight. Practice these adjustments during smaller gatherings before taking them onto bigger stages again. Evaluating Progress Over Time To really measure how far you’ve come, set specific goals directly related to some of the critiques you originally received. After subsequent speaking engagements, reassess using the same criteria. This continuous loop ensures not just temporary fixes but long term growth in your speaking skills. FAQs on Encouragement Speeches How do you motivate someone in a speech. Connect deeply, share stories that resonate, and show them the path from where they are to where they could be. What is the best motivational speech of all time? The “I Have A Dream” by Martin Luther King, Jr. stands out for its powerful vision and timeless call to action. What is a positive motivation speech? A talk that uplifts spirits, sparks hope, and encourages folks to chase their dreams with relentless optimism. What should I say in a motivational speech? Talk about overcoming obstacles and taking concrete steps towards achieving one’s goals. Make it personal and inspiring. Giving an encouragement speech is about connecting, inspiring, and moving your audience to action. To engage your audience, try telling stories that make your message stick. As for the words you use, choose positive phrasing and aim to uplift with every sentence. Non-verbal cues are your silent cheerleaders; use them wisely to add depth beyond words. Tailor your message to match your audience. After all, context matters as much as content. Tweak your speech to touch hearts in any setting. Nervous? Everyone is at first. Authenticity beats anxiety every time, so be real, be you. Feedback will fuel your growth, so listen, learn, then lead stronger than before. Improvement never stops in crafting a compelling encouragement speech that truly transforms lives. Last Updated: August 7, 2024 Explore Related Resources Learn How You Could Get Your First (Or Next) Paid Speaking Gig In 90 Days or Less We receive thousands of applications every day, but we only work with the top 5% of speakers . Book a call with our team to get started — you’ll learn why the vast majority of our students get a paid speaking gig within 90 days of finishing our program . If you’re ready to control your schedule, grow your income, and make an impact in the world – it’s time to take the first step. Book a FREE consulting call and let’s get you Booked and Paid to Speak ® . About The Speaker Lab We teach speakers how to consistently get booked and paid to speak.  Since 2015, we’ve helped thousands of speakers find clarity, confidence, and a clear path to make an impact. Get Started Let's connect. [email protected] Copyright ©2023 The Speaker Lab. All rights reserved. What Barack Obama’s DNC speech was actually about Beneath the campaign rhetoric, Obama offered a strikingly philosophical defense of American liberalism. by Zack Beauchamp During his 2024 Democratic National Convention address on Tuesday night, former President Barack Obama made no secret of his disdain for Donald Trump. But his speech was more than just a partisan broadside: It was a philosophical brief in defense of liberalism, a kind of first-principles moral argument that no other major convention speaker offered. Liberal, in this context, does not refer to the term’s use in partisan American politics. It refers instead to the centuries-old philosophical tradition that sees politics as fundamentally oriented around the values of freedom and equality. Government, for liberals, exists to enable people to live according to their own vision for their lives; it has no business telling people what god to worship or giving certain groups of people more rights than others. Obama was a thoroughly liberal president , and Trump a thoroughly illiberal one . This clearly troubled Obama — troubled him so much, in fact, that he dedicated this most high-profile speech to explaining why Trump must be defeated not just politically but also philosophically. The stakes of 2024, according to Barack Obama Obama is hardly the first person to declare Trump a mortal enemy of liberalism. Ever since 2016, there’s been a library’s worth of books published on liberalism’s Trump-induced crisis and how it ought to be resolved. Some of Obama’s remarks followed this literature rather closely. Like many, Obama sees Trump’s divisive political style as opposed to liberalism’s core principle of equality: that all citizens deserve to be treated equally, each free to pursue a good life in the way they see fit (as long as they don’t hurt others in doing so). Trump, Obama says, draws an elemental distinction “between the real Americans, who of course support [Trump], and the outsiders who don’t.” And that Trump and his allies believe “one group’s gain is another group’s loss,” and that “freedom means the powerful can do pretty much whatever they please.” This, Obama says, is wrong. It’s wrong not just for Democrats and progressives, but for Americans — citizens of a country whose very existence grew out of liberal thought . The Harris campaign, in his telling, is tapping into a fundamental liberal impulse that permeates the American body politic. “The vast majority of us do not want to live in a country that’s bitter and divided,” Obama said. “We want something that’s better. We want to be better. And the joy and excitement surrounding this campaign tells us that we’re not alone.” Living this liberal vision, for Obama, means accepting the diversity inherent to a large society made up of people with all sorts of beliefs and worldviews: recognizing that “our fellow citizens deserve the same grace we hope they’ll extend to us.” It means understanding “true freedom” as something that gives all of us the right “to make decisions about our own life [and] requires us to recognize that other people have the right to make decisions that are different than ours.” And it means seeing democracy as more than “just a bunch of abstract principles and a bunch of dusty laws in a book somewhere,” but rather “the values we live by.” This, to be clear, is not a case that Trump is un-American and thus will definitely lose: Obama took great pains to emphasize that the race was still close and could go either way. Rather, Obama is saying that what Trump stands for contradicts many of the values that Americans claim to hold dear — our core sense of what our country is about and what it stands for. That America’s truest identity is liberal, and that this identity can transcend those things that divide us. I want to agree with that. But as I argue in my recent book , there is a deeply illiberal strain in American politics — an ideology born out of the essential contradiction between America’s stated liberal ideals and the reality of chattel slavery at its founding. This tradition, like Trump, rejects core liberal-democratic ideals about equality. It is no more and no less American than our loftier stated ideals; both represent authentic aspects of America’s identity, and both have triumphed at different times throughout our country’s history. The question, then, is not whether American liberalism can reassert its naturally dominant place. It is whether the America that Obama believes in will triumph in this round of a centuries-old struggle against an authoritarian twin. More in this stream Most Popular Michelle Obama articulated something Democrats have been afraid to say Republicans ask the Supreme Court to disenfranchise thousands of swing state voters The Chicago DNC everyone wants to forget Did the Supreme Court just overrule one of its most important LGBTQ rights decisions? Today, Explained Understand the world with a daily explainer plus the most compelling stories of the day. This is the title for the native ad More in Politics Why do we care so much about campaign songs? India has systemic problems with sexual violence. Calling Donald Trump a felon doesn’t hurt him — but it does do real damage to others. How the second gentleman became the internet’s favorite male feminist. The 1968 Democratic National Convention was chaos. What can that tell us about 2024? The donkeys ignored the elephant in the room. And it worked. What to expect as Tim Walz makes keynote speech at DNC The governor plans to introduce himself to America, according to the campaign. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will have his big moment at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night, where he will deliver the keynote speech and accept the party's nomination for vice president. Walz has been in the national spotlight for just two weeks since Vice President Kamala Harris announced him as her running mate pick earlier this month. With his prime-time speech at the DNC, Walz plans to introduce himself to America, according to the Harris-Walz campaign. In his remarks, the Midwesterner plans to share his biography -- from growing up in a small town in Nebraska to working as a high school social studies teacher and football coach before he was elected to Congress in 2006. The convention plans to showcase his impact as an educator in a video earlier in the night featuring five of his former students, according to the campaign. Another former student of his, Ben Ingman, will nominate Walz along with Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, according to the campaign. Walz coached Ingman in basketball and track in the seventh grade, the campaign said. Walz's time as a football coach has become a major part of the image the Harris campaign is painting of him, handing out signs that read "COACH!" at rallies since he joined the ticket. Walz will also talk about his military service, which has come under scrutiny following his selection at Harris' running mate. MORE: Tim Walz previously faced criticism over the way he characterized his military service, records show Walz enlisted in the Army National Guard at the age of 17 and retired 24 years later, prior to running for Congress. Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance has alleged Walz is guilty of "stolen valor" for the way the Democrat has referred to his service. On the campaign trail, Walz has fiercely defended his service, saying at a rally last week that he is "damn proud" of his military record. Earlier in Wednesday's programming, the DNC will play a short video highlighting his service in the National Guard and his commitment to improving the lives of veterans, according to the campaign. The video will include remarks from Sgt. Al Bonnifield, who served with Walz in the Minnesota National Guard, and Cpl. Mike McLaughlin, an Iraq war veteran who worked with Walz when he was in Congress on the "Forever GI" bill, which expanded veterans' education benefits, according to the campaign. In his DNC speech, Walz also plans to address what he will bring to the White House and what Harris will do for working families, according to the campaign. It is unclear if Walz will bring up reproductive rights. The father of two has often talked on the campaign trail about his and his wife Gwen's fertility struggle. He has connected their experience to the bans on in vitro fertilization (IVF) put in place this past spring in Alabama and attacking Republicans over reproductive rights restrictions. He has frequently talked about their fertility journey generally, referring to IVF and treatments "like it." In new comments this week, Gwen Walz revealed for the first time publicly that the fertility treatment they used was intrauterine insemination, or IUI -- not IVF, as had been broadly assumed. The detail that Gwen Walz did not use IVF, but rather a different treatment, quickly led to another attack from Vance, who said that the governor "lied" and should know the difference, having been involved in the process. In response, the Harris campaign called Vance's attack "just another example of how cruel and out of touch Donald Trump and JD Vance are when it comes to women's healthcare." MORE: In Tim Walz, Harris tries to check all the boxes in a running mate: ANALYSIS Gwen Walz did address their fertility journey in a biographical video released by the Harris-Walz campaign earlier Wednesday. "Of all the things he's done, Tim loves being a dad," she said. "We struggled to have kids and fertility treatments made it possible. There's a reason our daughter is named Hope." Gwen Walz also highlighted the governor's time in the military. "His dad served during the Korean War and that meant a lot to Tim," she said. "And so he enlisted right after his 17th birthday and served 24 years in the National Guard, rising to command sergeant major." The video also touched on his years as a public school teacher, coach and founding faculty adviser to a gay-straight alliance. "His focus has always been helping working people like those he grew up with," she said. ABC News' Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Will McDuffie and Isabella Murray contributed to this report. 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Drone attacks exchanged between Moscow, Kyiv Aug 21, 3:35 PM Man goes missing while on vacation Aug 20, 5:18 PM Phil Donahue, former TV talk show host, dead at 88 Aug 19, 5:55 PM Harris is starting to rebuild the Biden coalition Aug 20, 11:46 AM Airport conveyor belt cause of death revealed Aug 9, 8:42 PM ABC News Live 24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events [email protected] (650) 338-8226 Cupertino, CA Our Philosophy Our Results News, Media, and Press Common Application College Application Essay Editing Extracurricular Planning Academic Guidance Summer Programs Interview Preparation Middle School Pre-High School Consultation Boarding School Admissions College Admissions Academic and Extracurricular Profile Evaluation Senior Editor College Application Program Summer Program Applications Private Consulting Program Transfer Admissions UC Transfer Admissions Ivy League Transfer Admissions Graduate Admissions Graduate School Admissions MBA Admissions Private Tutoring SAT/ACT Tutoring AP Exam Tutoring Olympiad Training Research Programs Science Research Program Humanities Competitions Passion Project Program Ad Hoc Consulting Athletic Recruitment National Universities Rankings Liberal Arts Colleges Rankings Public Schools Rankings Acceptance Rates University Acceptance Rates Transfer Acceptance Rates Supplemental Essays College Admissions Data Chances Calculator GPA Calculator National Universities College Acceptance Rates College Overall Acceptance Rates College Regular Acceptance Rates College Early Acceptance Rates Ivy League Acceptance Rates Ivy League Overall Acceptance Rates Ivy League Regular Acceptance Rates Ivy League Early Acceptance Rates Public Schools Public Schools Acceptance Rates Public Schools Overall Acceptance Rates Public Schools Regular Acceptance Rates Public Schools Early Acceptance Rates Liberal Arts Liberal Arts Colleges Acceptance Rates Liberal Arts Colleges Overall Acceptance Rates Liberal Arts Colleges Regular Acceptance Rates Liberal Arts Colleges Early Acceptance Rates How to Write a Graduation Speech: Tips and Examples By Eric Eng Learning how to write a graduation speech is important because the speech is your chance to share some wisdom, reflect on your journey, and even inspire your peers as you all head off into college or the real world. Take David Foster Wallace’s “ This Is Water ,” a speech he gave at Kenyon College in 2005. Wallace took something as ordinary as a trip to the grocery store and turned it into a powerful lesson about awareness and the choices we make in how we think. He drove home the point that we have the power to decide what matters —which, for him, is what adulthood is truly about. Now, Wallace was an outsider—a commencement speaker—addressing a graduating class. But his approach to writing and delivering a speech offers valuable lessons for anyone learning how to write a graduation speech, including students. In this blog, we’ll break down the key elements that make a graduation speech memorable and give you practical tips on how to craft one that sticks with your audience. Step 1: Know Why You’re Delivering a Graduation Speech. Step 2: set the right tone., step 3. keep your speech short and sweet., step 4: kick off with a strong start., step 5: develop the theme of your graduation speech., step 6: end your speech with something memorable., step 7: practice, practice, practice., step 8: polish your graduation speech., step 9: deliver your speech., best graduation speeches by students, frequently asked questions. According to Dr. Dimitris Xygalatas, a cognitive anthropologist at the University of Connecticut, rituals like graduation ceremonies help us transition smoothly from one life stage to another , giving us a sense of closure and purpose. Graduation rites are a time for graduates, families, and educators to come together and celebrate what’s been achieved while looking ahead to what’s next. When you write a graduation speech, therefore, don’t just pat yourself on the back for making it this far. Also acknowledge the people who helped get you there—family, friends, teachers. This shared recognition turns the ceremony into a meaningful experience that strengthens the bonds between everyone involved. Most graduation speeches go for an inspirational tone, pushing graduates to take on the world with confidence. But humor works too, and it can make your speech stand out. Conan O’Brien’s speech at Dartmouth is a great example of how jokes can connect with the audience while still packing in some solid advice. The trick is to find the right balance—be light-hearted enough to keep things fun, but sincere enough that your message doesn’t get lost in the laughs. Understanding how to write a graduation speech means picking a tone that fits your personality and meets your audience’s expectations. Whether you’re aiming to inspire, entertain, or do a bit of both, the tone you set will shape how your speech lands. The sweet spot for the graduation speech you’re writing is usually between 5-10 minutes, which is around 750 to 1,500 words. This length gives you enough time to share your message without losing your audience’s attention. Aim to speak at a pace of about 150-175 words per minute and allow room for natural pauses and emphasis. When planning how to write a graduation speech, staying within the time limit is important. Schools often set strict time guidelines, so it’s a good idea to practice your speech to make sure you’re hitting the mark. If your speech runs long, think about cutting out any parts that are repetitive or less impactful to keep things tight and focused. Remember, your goal is to leave your audience inspired, not overwhelmed. Getting your audience hooked right from the start is essential, and one of the best ways to do that is to write a relatable and thought-provoking opening for your graduation speech. Take a cue from David Foster Wallace’s famous “This Is Water” speech, where he kicked things off with a simple story about two young fish who don’t realize they’re swimming in water. This little parable set the stage for his themes about the unnoticed realities of everyday life and how our perspectives shape our experiences. You can write something similar in your graduation speech—start with a story or metaphor that ties into your main themes. Humor is another great way to break the ice, just like Conan O’Brien did in his Dartmouth College speech. He used humor to instantly connect with the audience, sharing his career challenges with a light-hearted tone. You could start with a funny take on the struggles you and your classmates have faced. Writing this in your graduation speech not only gets everyone engaged but also creates a laid-back, relatable vibe. The body of your speech is where you dive into your message. In his speech, Wallace used the mundane routines of adult life to highlight the importance of awareness and choice. He also talked about the frustrations of grocery shopping and rush-hour traffic to show how easy it is to slip into a self-centered mindset. You can write the same by sharing personal stories or observations in your graduation speech that make your theme real and tangible for your audience. Whether you’re focusing on resilience—like O’Brien did when he talked about bouncing back from setbacks—or on the power of conscious thinking, as Wallace did, the key is to connect your stories to the bigger message you want to get across. Conan O’Brien wrapped up his speech with the simple but powerful advice: “Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.” That straightforward message stuck with his audience because it was clear, actionable, and meaningful. Similarly, Wallace ended his speech with a reminder to be more conscious and aware, urging graduates to make deliberate choices about how they think and live: “This is water. This is water.” With these words, he not only reinforced his central theme but also cleverly circled back to the parable he shared at the beginning, bringing his message full circle in a way that made it resonate even more. When you’re figuring out how to write a graduation speech, aim to end with a message that sums up your theme and leaves your audience with something to think about or carry with them as they move forward. Your conclusion is your last chance to leave a mark, so make it count. Practicing the graduation speech you wrote out loud is one of the most important steps in getting ready for the big day. When you rehearse, you’re training yourself to deliver your speech naturally and with confidence. Going through your speech a few times helps you get comfortable with the content, eases your nerves, and lets you fine-tune your tone, pace, and gestures. While experts suggest rehearsing at least three times, the more, the better. This repetition helps you internalize your message, so when the time comes, you can speak smoothly without relying too much on notes. If you can, practice in the same space where you’ll be speaking. This way, you can get a feel for the environment and avoid any surprises on the big day. Rehearsals also play a huge role in managing stage fright, which is something even experienced speakers deal with. Techniques like deep breathing and visualization during your practice sessions can also help calm your nerves and ensure everything goes smoothly when it counts. Editing the graduation speech you wrote for clarity and impact is just as crucial as practicing how you deliver it. As you rehearse, you’ll likely find areas that don’t flow well or where your points could be sharper. That’s your cue to make adjustments. For instance, if a section feels awkward or doesn’t land the way you hoped, try rephrasing it or swapping it out for a more compelling story or example. Also, keep an eye on your transitions between points; they should feel natural to keep your audience engaged. Another smart move is to get feedback from someone you trust. Having a friend, family member, or mentor listen to the graduation speech you wrote can offer valuable insights you might not have considered. They can point out spots where your message isn’t clear, suggest tweaks, and help you polish your delivery. Connecting with your audience is what makes the graduation speech you wrote really land. Start by making eye contact with different parts of the audience—it helps create a connection and keeps everyone tuned in. Use natural gestures to emphasize your points, but don’t overdo it. Your gestures should enhance your words, not distract from them. Strategic pauses can also improve your delivery. A well-timed pause gives your audience a moment to digest what you’ve said and adds weight to your key points. The goal here is to make your speech feel more like a conversation than a performance. As you think about how to write a graduation speech, these delivery techniques will help ensure that your message is felt by everyone in the room. Good luck—and congratulations! We’ve already talked about the commencement speeches by David Foster Wallace at Kenyon and Conan O’Brien at Dartmouth—great examples, sure, but they were from notable figures. What about the graduation speeches written and delivered by students themselves? Carl Aquino (2010 West Hall High School Valedictorian) Carl Aquino’s valedictorian speech cleverly compared his high school experience to solving a Rubik’s Cube. He talked about the twists and turns of high school life, using the Rubik’s Cube as a metaphor for persistence, problem-solving, and the joy of finally overcoming obstacles. But Aquino took it a step further by actually solving a Rubik’s Cube during his speech. As he talked about the challenges and triumphs of high school, he worked the cube in his hands, turning it into a visual representation of the journey he was describing. The audience watched as he skillfully twisted and turned the cube. By the time he finished his speech, the once-messed-up cube was perfectly solved. Solving the Rubik’s Cube right in front of everyone not only drove home his message of perseverance and triumph but also left a lasting, tangible impression that made the graduation speech he wrote memorable. Erica Goldson (2010 Coxsackie-Athens High School Valedictorian) Another unforgettable graduation speech was written by Erica Goldson. In her valedictory address , Goldson critiqued the education system itself. She questioned the value of traditional academic success, pointing out how it can often stifle true learning and creativity. Goldson’s honesty was striking. She admitted, “I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning.” This raw reflection hit hard because it laid bare the pressure students face to prioritize grades and accolades over real intellectual and personal growth. Goldson’s words became widely recognized for their boldness in challenging the status quo and advocating for an education system that values critical thinking and creativity over rote memorization and conformity. Her speech remains a powerful reminder that a graduation speech—especially from a student—can also be a platform for initiating meaningful discussions about the values and goals of education. How do you start a graduation speech? When figuring out how to write a graduation speech, the key is to grab your audience’s attention right from the start. You could kick things off with a powerful quote, a quick story, a funny anecdote, or a thought-provoking question. A lot of great speeches begin with a personal story that ties into the overall theme. The main thing is to engage your audience immediately and set the tone for what’s to come. How do I close a graduation speech? To close your graduation speech, aim for something memorable and impactful. You might go with a call to action, an inspiring quote, or a reflective thought that ties everything together. Echoing a theme you introduced at the beginning of your graduation speech can help bring your message full circle. Ending with a note of gratitude or optimism can also leave a lasting impression on your audience. How long or short should a graduation speech be? Your graduation speech should typically run between 5 to 10 minutes, which is about 750 to 1,500 words. That’s enough time to get your message across without losing your audience’s attention. Make sure to time your speech during practice to keep it within this range. What to avoid when writing a graduation speech? Avoid falling into the trap of clichés and giving generic advice. Steer clear of language that’s too formal or stiff—it can make you feel disconnected from your audience. Also, don’t turn your speech into a list of personal achievements . Focus on shared experiences and lessons that everyone can relate to. Keep an eye on the clock too—brevity is your friend. Avoid going off on tangents or making the speech drag on for too long. What are graduation speech examples that can inspire me? If you’re looking for inspiration, check out some famous graduation speeches like David Foster Wallace’s “This Is Water” at Kenyon College or Conan O’Brien’s 2011 speech at Dartmouth . For best student examples of graduation speeches, Carl Aquino’s and Erica Goldson’s valedictory addresses are powerful ones. These speeches can give you ideas on how to shape your own. When writing your graduation speech, remember the following: Your graduation speech is your chance to reflect on the journey you and your classmates have shared. It’s also about inspiring the audience to face the future with confidence. For graduation speech themes, pick one that hits home, like resilience, growth, or change—something that resonates with your classmates. Back it up with personal stories that connect to the bigger picture. Break your speech into three parts: an engaging introduction, a focused body with 2-3 key points, and a memorable conclusion. Keep it short and sweet, aiming for a 5-10 minute window. Rehearse the graduation speech you wrote a few times to nail the delivery. Get feedback from friends or family, and tweak it as needed to improve clarity and impact. If you’re looking for an extra edge, consider reaching out to a college admissions consultant . They can offer expert advice on crafting your speech and help you with your college admissions goals. 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Top Target Schools for Investment... Honors Classes: Are They Worth... How to Write a Graduation... A List of UCLA Notable... The Highest Paying College Majors... Sign up now to receive insights on how to navigate the college admissions process.. Admissions Counseling Academic & Extracurricular Profile Evaluation Copyright © AdmissionSight 2024 Privacy Policy - Terms and Conditions Steve Kerr's DNC speech shows why he's one of the great activists of our time Steve Kerr knew it was coming. He predicted it. Called it like a shot. "I can see the ‘shut up and whistle’ tweets being fired off as we speak," Kerr said. "But I also knew as soon as I was asked that it was too important as an American citizen not to speak up in an election of this magnitude." Kerr made these remarks at the Democratic National Convention on Monday. He was one of the most powerful speakers of the night. We won't mention the people or groups attacking Kerr. You can go look online. It's the usual goons and weirdos. The attacks on Kerr are more aggressive than usual (which is saying something) because Kerr spoke at the convention and, as he always is, was extremely effective. But the reason for the increased attacks goes beyond what he said at the DNC. It goes back to a truism about Kerr and the right that's been a thing for years: the right wing is scared of Kerr. Actually, they are terrified of him. They have been for a long time. The right hates all progressive sports figures. That is true. But they especially dislike Kerr. Why? Kerr's the worst nightmare of someone like Donald Trump and entities like Fox News because Kerr is an ally to Black and brown Americans. Trump's entire game plan is to pit white people against people of color. Typical us-versus-them stuff. But that goal becomes more difficult when white allies like Kerr supports Americans the right views as enemies. Steve Kerr: "In the words of the great Steph Curry, we can tell Donald Trump... night night!" pic.twitter.com/9GXhYljxj8 — Superdrunkmark69 (@cjzer0) August 20, 2024 Kerr is kryptonite to this entire phenomenon. Because you can't have us-versus-them when one of them looks like one of us. Kerr is one of the great political activists of our time. But like Gregg Popovich he's one of the great white activists. That makes Kerr far more difficult to demonize than, say, Colin Kaepernick. So Kerr draws an extreme amount of ire because he refuses to believe what they think he should believe. To them, Kerr is supposed to back Trump, not Communist/Marxist/Socialist/ Not Really Black /Kamala Harris. There's another reason why Kerr terrifies the right. He's an incredibly impactful speaker. Kerr is just really good at this. He long has been. Kerr spoke out against Trump after the former president in 2017 used disgraceful language to describe NFL protestors and Kaepernick. “This is another reason why all of us on our team have a tough time with the president, because instead of unifying and trying to calm the storm, he’s creating it, over and over again,” Kerr told CNN’s David Axelrod. “We see it with his tweets every day. He used the words ‘sons of b------' to talk about NFL players who have made it clear they’re protesting racial inequality and police brutality. Those are sons of b------? "Really? You’re the President of the United States and you’re going to call them sons of b------? And you’re going to call Kaepernick out for non-violent protests, a staple of American democracy? That’s really hard to deal with. And for me that was probably the hardest one to deal with. The personal slights that we’ve seen from Trump, you sort of get used to it after a while, you get numb to it, but that one really stung, because it was so divisive and it was so angry and it just didn’t make sense.” MORE: Coach Steve Kerr endorses Kamala Harris for President, tells Donald Trump 'night night' Kerr has also been one of the biggest advocates for gun control. He was irate after the massacre at a school in Texas. “Since we left shootaround, 14 children were killed 400 miles from here. And a teacher. And in the last 10 days we’ve had elderly Black people killed in a supermarket in Buffalo, we’ve had Asian churchgoers killed in Southern California, and now we have children murdered at school.” “When are we going to do something?” Kerr added, pounding a table. “I’m tired, I’m so tired of getting up here and offering condolences to the devastated families that are out there." This is Kerr. A brilliant, rational and introspective person who refuses to shut up and whistle. And who terrifies the right wing. Skip to main content Keyboard shortcuts for audio player Up First Newsletter All Up First Stories Up First Podcast Morning Edition LISTEN & FOLLOW Apple Podcasts Amazon Music Amazon Alexa Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed. The Obamas challenge America. And, what led up to Maine's deadliest mass shooting Brittney Melton Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter.  Subscribe  here to get it delivered to your inbox, and  listen  to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day. Today's top stories Former President Barack Obama made his case for Vice President Harris and against Donald Trump at the Democratic National Convention last night. Obama went after Trump, saying the country doesn’t need a sequel to his time in office , which he said was filled with “bluster and chaos.” Before he spoke, Michelle Obama was welcomed by a raucous crowd that cheered her loudly throughout her own speech. Former US President Barack Obama gestures as he speaks on the second day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois, on August 20, 2024. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images hide caption 🎧 Michelle addressed something that hadn't come up on stage much: The racism and sexism she knows from experience Harris will face a lot more of in the weeks to come , NPR’s Tamara Keith tells Up First . She also spoke about the fear that America isn’t ready for a woman of color to be president. Her message to Democrats was to "do something" — volunteer, counter lies and not be complacent in what is expected to be a close race. Barack also mocked Trump about his obsession with crowd size on a night where Harris supporters filled not one but two arenas. Harris held a rally in Milwaukee in the same arena where Trump made his RNC acceptance speech . ➡️ The Obamas, Bernie Sanders and Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff were among the DNC night two speakers. Watch them here . ➡️ The DNC roll call featured a musical salute to each state. Here’s what song — or songs , in some cases — repped your state. ➡️ Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will accept the Democratic nomination for vice president tonight. Here are five things to know about him . In Michigan, Trump emphasized crime and public safety at a rally that’s part of his and running mate Ohio Senator JD Vance’s plan to visit vital swing states every day this week. The goal: to get the message across to voters as to why they should choose them in November. 🎧 “This wasn’t your typical Trump rally,” NPR’s Danielle Kurtzleben says. He spoke to a small group of between 100-200 people at the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office in Howell, hammering home the crime theme. He focused on boosting law enforcement , as opposed to defunding police. Trump talked of beefing up law enforcement against criminals, but it’s not clear that he would have the power to do all he’d want. Kurtzleben says Trump has ramped up the usage of the phrase “common sense.” This could be seen as a counter to the “weird” attacks that Democrats are launching at him and Vance. Leaders of an Army Reserve unit failed to “reduce the threat” posed by a gunman who carried out Maine’s deadliest mass shooting, according to an investigation report released yesterday. Nearly 10 months ago, Robert Card opened fire at two popular Lewiston night spots with an assault rifle and killed 18 people, before taking his life in a town nearby. His family also raised concerns about his increasing paranoia and access to guns. 🎧 Kevin Miller with Maine Public Radio says Reserve leaders ordered Card to undergo an evaluation and he spent two weeks in a psychiatric hospital. But after his release, Reserve leaders didn’t do enough, according to the special commission. The report also says the local sheriff’s department had “sufficient probable cause” to take Card into protective custody . Maine has a yellow flag law, where if a medical professional and judge agree that someone poses a high enough threat, that person could be forced to temporarily give up their guns. But that didn’t happen. Sheriff’s officials say Card hadn’t committed any crimes and his Reserve leaders downplayed the threat he posed. The commission didn’t make any policy recommendations and said that’s the job of elected officials. Today's listen A barrier to deter migrants from crossing from Mexico into the U.S. floats in the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, Texas. Guillermo Arias/AFP via Getty Images hide caption A barrier to deter migrants from crossing from Mexico into the U.S. floats in the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, Texas. Eagle Pass, Texas, often finds itself at the center of the conflict between federal authorities and the state over immigration enforcement. But a new art exhibition aims to reframe the border city's image beyond the barbed wire and lawsuits that often capture headlines by highlighting the perspectives of people who call the area home. “The Border is Beautiful” art exhibit opened earlier this month, featuring works of nearly 50 artists. Each artwork celebrates the artists’ own interpretation of what it’s like to have roots in communities that are bilingual, binational, and bicultural. 🎧 Listen to what the exhibition means to the featured artists and what its organizers hope visitors learn from it. Life advice Solar panels are installed on the roof of a home in Frankfort, Ky. in 2023. Residential solar is booming in the U.S. but customer complaints have increased even more. Michael Conroy/AP hide caption Solar power is booming and it could help the country meet its climate goals for replacing fossil fuels. But in recent years, customer complaints about fraud and forgery when trying to go solar have increased. U.S. prosecutors are investigating high-pressure sales tactics and misleading financing arrangements and The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warns potential solar customers recently about hidden fees and deceptive statements about its financial benefits. So if you’re interested in solar, how do you stay safe? Here are some things to consider : ☀️ Consumer advocates say you should be skeptical of anyone who knocks on your door selling solar. ☀️ Most experts NPR consulted suggest finding an installation company that’s been in business in your community for years. ☀️ You should get at least three quotes and ask each company to give you quotes for both financing and paying in cash. ☀️ Solar isn’t for everyone. Here’s why . 3 things to know before you go Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J. stands in an elevator after leaving his office in Washington, DC. on Sept. 28, 2023. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images North America hide caption New Jersey U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez resigned Tuesday , about a month after a federal jury found him guilty of taking bribes and acting as a foreign agent. Gov. Phil Murphy will appoint Menendez’s replacement ahead of the November election. A search is ongoing off Sicily’s coast , where a luxury sailing yacht sank early Monday. Among the missing are British tech tycoon Mike Lynch and his daughter, and Morgan Stanley International Chairman Jonathan Bloomer and his wife. Here’s what we know about the missing . Disney no longer wants a wrongful death suit tossed over its Disney+ fine print. The media giant is being sued by Jeffrey Piccolo, whose wife died after eating at a Disney World restaurant. Disney originally wanted his claims handled out of court based on the terms of his years-old Disney+ trial. This newsletter was edited by Obed Manuel. To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories . What Is Cinema? Hillary Clinton Says Her DNC 2024 Speech “Was Cathartic”: Exclusive Of all the electrifying speeches at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago this week, Hillary Clinton ’s was perhaps the most unexpected. At an event that would include Michelle and Barack Obama , Doug Emhoff , and Lil Jon , the prospect of Clinton—before her speech, anyway—evoked the specter of 2016—something to forget, something too painful to revisit in this high-water moment of good vibes. For the past nearly eight years, Clinton has been a kind of walking, talking reminder of not just her own loss to Donald Trump , but of everything the country lost to him, her every word freighted with that sense of loss and the fear and unhappiness that followed. But from her opening lines, her words had a special power. “Something is happening in America—you can feel it,” she said. “Something we’ve worked for and dreamed of for a long time.” “It certainly is a speech that I felt I needed to give, and only I could have given,” Clinton, whom I spoke to this morning, tells me. From the start, Clinton appeared more relaxed than many people had seen her before. Gone were the headwinds of previous Clinton eras, the melodrama of an embattled Bill and Hill against the world. Now in semi-retirement, Secretary Clinton could speak her mind without fear of attack—and tap into her emotions more frankly than ever before. “There still is this sense of 2016 being unresolved,” she says, “and that’s one of the common themes I hear. It certainly is what people tell me.” The first sign of that shared feeling was the crowd response at the United Center , a cathartic roar that lasted a full minute. Though the room was huge, it felt intimate for Clinton, who saw friendly faces in the rows before her. “The way that the stage went out so close to the first row of delegates, I could literally see their faces, and see the faces of people going back 120 rows,” Clinton recalls. “I didn’t feel like I was up on a stage apart from the crowd, but that I was really right in the midst of the crowd. And so it was a really emotional sense of embrace that I felt from the moment that I walked out there.” “Overall,” she adds, “it was even more emotional than I thought.” Clinton worked on the speech for two weeks, collaborating primarily with speechwriter Dan Schwerin, along with aides and writers Nick Merrill, Caty Gordon, and Lauren Peterson, an assigned DNC writer. Her first reader, of course, was Bill Clinton. “Originally, it was going to be Joe Biden ’s convention,” Clinton says, but the mission had changed: “How would I feel when another woman would be hopefully on the brink of getting into the Oval Office?” she says. “And I felt really good.” Clinton’s mandate was to pass a torch to Kamala Harris, to place her in the arc of history and the women’s rights movement, from the runs of Shirley Chisholm and Geraldine Ferraro to that of Clinton herself. On the day of the speech, says Schwerin, Clinton “was sitting around a table where she was reading and editing and practicing and putting her stamp on it, because it was, in the end, a deeply personal speech, her life’s work.” This invariably made it, at least in part, about the dashed hopes of 2016, when Clinton had been holding the torch and women and girls across America had expected to wake to news of the first female president of the United States the morning after Election Night. “When I was working on the speech and practicing the speech, I got emotional numerous times,” Clinton says, “and had to kind of work through it so that I could get through it up onstage.” “It certainly was cathartic for me,” she continues, “and based on both the reception I got in the hall and the follow-on outreach that I’ve gotten, it was cathartic for many, many people.” Afterward, she says, people told her they had to “force themselves to watch it,” because of how painful the memory of 2016 was, but then found it “therapeutic” to hear her not just revive the feminist storyline of her own campaign but reinvent it for Harris, envisioning her taking the oath through the nearly 66 million cracks in the proverbial glass ceiling that Clinton herself had put there. “I mean, I have just been swamped by people—both online, on text, on email, in person—really expressing how what I said made them feel in the moment, made them feel about all of their unresolved emotions around 2016,” she says. “So it was a collective experience, and that made me feel like I had done what I came to do—that, you know, don’t be afraid. Don’t be in a crouch. Do everything you can to try to elect Kamala because it’s the right thing to do, it’s the best thing to do, and it’s what our country needs right now.” Firework content This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from. Clinton was uniquely suited to telegraph to voters the “urgency” of the moment and to give them “permission to be 100% invested” without worrying whether they were going to get fooled again. “Don’t be afraid,” she says of her message. “You know, a lot of weird things happened in 2016—we have to be prepared. We have to be smarter, quicker.” Clinton put a few rhetorical daggers into Trump, most notably her line about Trump falling asleep at his own trial and waking up to find he’d “made his own kind of history” as a convicted felon. But the line that best crystallized the feeling inside the room in Chicago led to giddy cheers. That line was: “We have him on the run now.” It was a line Democrats wanted and needed to hear—especially from Hillary Clinton. “I think Democrats have been kind of in a crouch,” Clinton tells me, “with our hands over our head, not wanting to get hit again by, you know, the chaos, the corruption that Trump brings in his wake, the overwhelming attention that he demands from the press, which just floods not just the airwaves but the brain waves.” Merrill, Clinton’s longtime adviser, thinks the speech “broke the fever dream” of Trump’s hold on the Democratic psyche. And that may be true. Hillary Clinton , rising to a moment nobody dreamed of a month ago, had liberated Democrats to move forward—and, in doing so, liberated herself as well. More Great Stories From Vanity Fair DNC 2024: Live Updates From the Democratic National Convention September Cover Star Jenna Ortega Is Settling Into Fame Listen Now: VF ’s DYNASTY Podcast Explores the Royals’ Most Challenging Year Exclusive: How Saturday Night Captures SNL ’s Wild Opening Night Inside Prince Harry’s Final Showdown With the Murdoch Empire The Twisted True Love Story of a Diamond Heiress and a Reality Star Special Correspondent 267 IMAGES PPT How to write a great speech 7 Keys for Writing a Strong Speech for Public Speaking What makes a great speech? Informative Speech Outline: Best Way to Perfect Structure Infographic: 10 Ways to Prepare for a Speech COMMENTS How to Write a Good Speech: 10 Steps and Tips Create an outline: Develop a clear outline that includes the introduction, main points, supporting evidence, and a conclusion. Share this outline with the speaker for their input and approval. Write in the speaker's voice: While crafting the speech, maintain the speaker's voice and style. What Makes a Great Speech? ‹ Literary Hub The wartime speeches of Hitler and Italian dictator Mussolini were also preposterously long. "Speeches measured by the hour," said Jefferson, "die with the hour." Pitt the Younger's speech lasted a few seconds but is sublime. The power to bore an audience is a classic manifestation of tyranny. The freer an audience the less it will ... Here's How to Write a Perfect Speech Step 4: Practice, practice, practice. The more you practice your speech the more you'll discover which sections need reworked, which transitions should be improved, and which sentences are hard to say. You'll also find out how you're doing on length. Step 5: Update, practice, and revise your speech until it has a great flow and you feel ... How to write a good speech [7 easily followed steps] Tell them (Body of your speech - the main ideas plus examples) Tell them what you told them (The ending) TEST before presenting. Read aloud several times to check the flow of material, the suitability of language and the timing. Return to top. A step by step guide for writing a great speech. The 8 Key Elements of Highly Effective Speech Kind facial expression. Warm tone of voice. Expressive hand and body gestures. Relaxed disposition. Slow speech rate. Brevity. The words themselves. Effective communication is based on trust, and ... How to Write a Speech: 6 Tips for a Powerful Address Second Part: Describes a possible solution or set of solutions. Third Part: Summarizes how the solutions will solve the problem. 3. Write in the same tone as you speak. One of the most important public speaking tips is to remember that you are writing something that you will be speaking out loud for people to hear. Speeches Ethos refers to an appeal to your audience by establishing your authenticity and trustworthiness as a speaker. If you employ pathos, you appeal to your audience's emotions. Using logos includes the support of hard facts, statistics, and logical argumentation. The most effective speeches usually present a combination these rhetorical strategies. 11 Tips for Giving a Great Speech If you don't want to inflict the same sort of experience on others, here are our top tips for giving a great speech. 1. Practise your microphone technique. Correct spacing is key - you want to be heard but don't want to end up deafening your audience! Nothing ruins a speech more than bad microphone technique. How to write a perfect speech Cody Keenan, speechwriter to Barack Obama, shares his top tips for how to deliver a speech that will be remembered. He says a great speech is authentic, spea... Five Tips to Give a Great Speech 3. Prepare with Relaxation Techniques. If you're nervous before approaching the stage, take a few deep breaths. Picture yourself delivering a successful speech. Most people will be nervous for the first few minutes, but you want to channel that adrenaline into positive energy. 4. Don't Read Your Speech. Characteristics of a Good Speech What makes a speech good is a difficult question to answer. In some cases, it's humor. In others, it's a powerful call to action, and in other cases, it is simply the speaker's comfort, presence and energy that the audience finds infectious. However, whatever the case, good speeches have the same things in common. How To Give A Great Speech Practice your speech beforehand. "You would do better practicing in the shower and running the speech in your head rather than practicing in front of a mirror, which is distracting," Praeger ... 7 Keys for Writing a Strong Speech What Makes a Good Speech. No matter what your speech is about, you should ensure that your audience will understand you easily and that your speech will be engaging. Here are the main ingredients for writing a great speech. Make it concise A good speech is concise. You don't want to waste your audience's time with lengthy introductions and ... Good Speech One of the most important qualities of a good speech is nonverbal communication. You may believe that your words do all the work. But your posture, facial expressions and gestures are equally, if not more, important. Imagine someone making a speech with a blank expression on their face or just reading their words off a page without emotion. 7 Keys for Writing a Strong Speech What Makes a Good Speech. No matter what your speech is about, you should ensure that your audience will understand you easily and that your speech will be engaging. Here are the main ingredients for writing a great speech. Make it concise A good speech is concise. You don't want to waste your audience's time with lengthy introductions and ... 7 Steps to Writing a Great Speech Practice and revise. Great speeches take time to write, so you should plan to practice and revise your speech as needed. You can practice your speech in front of a friend or family member, ask for their feedback, and then adjust your speech accordingly. As you're revising, focus on using conversational language and short sentences. How to Give a Great Speech Every Time Good volume communicates confidence. A monotone is boring, so change volume and pitch during your speech. Absorb this technique by listening to newscasts and commercials on radio and television. Note how they create interest by changing voice pitch and emphasis. Work to develop enthusiasm and "sell" in your voice. 10 Tips for Improving Your Public Speaking Skills Make sure to grab the audience's attention in the first 30 seconds. 4. Watch for Feedback and Adapt to It. Keep the focus on the audience. Gauge their reactions, adjust your message, and stay flexible. Delivering a canned speech will guarantee that you lose the attention of or confuse even the most devoted listeners. 5. Examples of a Good Speech: Learning from 10 Famous Speeches Speeches have a powerful influence, shaping opinions and educating audiences. They connect through persuasion, vulnerability, sincerity, and imagery. A good speech addresses people's interests, values, or concerns. Clear, concise points backed by evidence make speeches influential. They can evoke strong emotions and stimulate critical thinking. 2023: What makes a great speech? "Even in university assignments, including a bit of humour is a good idea as a speech is a medium different to writing, as you need to help the audience along." Provide structure . A clear structure is critical for any good speech, and you'll notice a pattern when looking back on the best. Just like a story or essay, Dr Gardiner says a speech ... What makes a great speech? Uncovering the five simple secrets great presenters use to deliver and create a great speech. If you're a public speaker or a keynote speaker this is for you... Lesson Plan Booster: What Makes a Great Speech? Grade level: 6-12. Student learning objective. Getting students to understand the components that make up a great speech and identify these traits in famous addresses. Preparation. Teachers should familiarize themselves with at least three famous speeches from a variety of sources. Presidential addresses like the Gettysburg Address are a good ... How to Write and Deliver an Encouragement Speech: 13 Practical Tips To make storytelling effective, focus on moments of overcoming obstacles or achieving something against the odds. Narratives like these illustrate resilience and possibility. Language and Word Choice. The words we choose can build up or tear down. In crafting your encouragement speech, opt for language that empowers and uplifts. Michelle Obama makes reference to Trump's 'Black jobs ... Former First Lady Michelle Obama delivered remarks on the second night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. Barack Obama DNC 2024 speech: What it was really about But his speech was more than just a partisan broadside: It was a philosophical brief in defense of liberalism, a kind of first-principles moral argument that no other major convention speaker offered. What to expect as Tim Walz makes keynote speech at DNC Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will have his big moment at the Democratic National Convention Wednesday night, where he will deliver the keynote speech and accept the party's nomination for vice president. How to Write a Graduation Speech: Tips and Examples Most graduation speeches go for an inspirational tone, pushing graduates to take on the world with confidence. But humor works too, and it can make your speech stand out. Conan O'Brien's speech at Dartmouth is a great example of how jokes can connect with the audience while still packing in some solid advice. The trick is to find the right ... Steve Kerr's DNC speech shows why he's one of the great activists of Kerr is one of the great activists of his generation. Golden State coach Steve Kerr electrified the Democratic National Convention with his speech. Your inbox approves 🏈's best, via 📧 Who's ... Up First briefing: Obama DNC full speech; Maine mass shooting update The Obamas headlined DNC night two, challenging America to make history by electing the first woman to the White House. And, a final report released on what led to Maine's deadliest mass shooting. Exclusive: Hillary Clinton Says Her DNC 2024 Speech "Was Cathartic" Clinton worked on the speech for two weeks, collaborating primarily with speechwriter Dan Schwerin, along with aides and writers Nick Merrill, Caty Gordon, and Lauren Peterson, an assigned DNC ... assignment essay homework paper phd report review speech thesis