Help! I Have to Write a Speech FAST!
Maybe you’ve been asked to speak at an event tomorrow or to present a speech at work, school, or Toastmasters. Maybe you are filling in, or maybe you procrastinated. No fear! You can write a speech quickly! Below is a 2-minute video and a PDF for you to use to create magic in 5 minutes! […]
Top 7 Most-Desired Public Speaking Skills
Do you relate to these public speaking concerns? In the video below, I address the top 7 responses to my recent survey question, What do you most want to improve in public speaking skills?
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 7: Focused Practice
Time limit: 5 minutes Ideally, you would have time to practice your presentation both in parts and as a whole a few times, but if you are truly in a hurry, you will need to focus your practice on the 2 parts that will make a first impression and leave a lasting impact: your opening and […]
Speech Zero to Hero: Speech Delivery Tips
1. Don’t read. Don’t read your notes. Don’t read your slides. Follow the rule “Talk to People Not to Paper.” If you speak from an outline or brief keyword notes (in a large font), pause, stop speaking, mentally grab the next point, look up at the audience and then speak. When you read, you lose […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 6: Speech Notes
Time limit: 5 minutes If you are running out of time, you can simply take your notes from steps 4 and 5 and use them as your speech notes. However, I suggest that you condense your notes onto one page Make sure to write or type your notes so that you can easily read them at […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 5: Open, Close
Time limit: 10 minutes The opening and closing of your presentation are critical components, and the only parts I suggest memorizing. Your opening is the first impression and your closing is the final impact. By memorizing them, you will sound and feel more confident. You want to open in a way that gets the audience’s attention, […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 4: Support Points
Time limit: 15 minutes Now we have come to the meat of your presentation, supporting your points. A few common ways to support your points include: Anecdotal evidence: essentially telling a story or offering a case study—make sure they are relevant! Empirical evidence: research and statistics Logical: reasoning based on facts Demonstration: show how something works […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 3: Main Points
Time limit: 5 minutes If you are preparing to give a speech in an hour, you don’t have time to figure out a lot of main points, so keep it to 2 or 3. By limiting the number of main points to 2 or 3, not only will they be easier for the audience to […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 2: Big Picture
Time limit: 5 minutes The big picture is knowing your purpose for the presentation and your overall approach to presenting it. #1 Select ONE Specific Purpose (keeping in mind your audience) Decision 1: What is the main general purpose of your presentation? Pick one (you may include all three, but pick a MAIN one): To […]
Speech Zero to Hero–Step 1: The 2 “Knows”
Time limit: 5 minutes Before you plunge into creating your speech there are a couple of critical things you should know to save time and frustration later: #1 Know: The requirements These may be obvious, but these are things you don’t want to overlook! Date: Time: Location: Length of presentation: Topic: What you are expected […]