QUICK, EASY, and FUN

(The best way to prepare a speech)

Produced by Walter W. Beveridge, DTM on November 6, 2010

Get the most out of this slide show

• Reading the slides and looking at the pictures can be interesting, fun, and even educational.

• You will derive far more benefit if you actually do for yourself what I have done in the slides.

• It will take you more than 15 minutes, but by the end you will be prepared to give a speech.

• In the future, the entire process will take you only 15 minutes for a 5 to7 minute speech.

How long does it take

YOU to prepare a speech?

I can prepare a 5-7 minute speech in 15

minutes!

And I’ll show you

how.

It will not be a perfect speech.It will not be written out in sentences.

It will be a good speech, that can easily be given after reviewing the notes.

What makes speech preparation difficult?

• Not having a good method• Trying to be perfect• Discarding good ideas

I start with a simple exercise:

Brainstorming!

I think of a word. Any word. Preferably a noun or an action verb.

I write it in a box.

AWARD

AWARD

MONEY

FAMEEFFORT

I think of 3 words related to the first. I write them in circles.

For each word in a circle,I think of 3 related words.

I write them in ovals.

EFFORT

MUSCLE FATIGUE VALUE

It is important to work fastand not discard any ideas.

MONEY

FREE FUN WORRY

FAME

PHOTOS TABLOID SMILE

It doesn’t matter what the words are.I may or may not use any of them.

There are 3 parts to preparing a speech:

1 – Determine the overall objective

3 – Plan the delivery

2 – Determine the specific content

Each part consists of 4 steps

There are 4 steps for determiningthe overall objective:

1 – Generate ideas2 – Select a topic3 – Identify a purpose4 – State the essential message

Generating ideas

• I have already generated some ideas, producing 13 words.

• The words “effort” and “fun” suggest to me a topic idea.

Selecting a topic

I choose for my topic:“The comfort zone”.

Identifying a purpose

I now need to choose betweenfive possible purposes:

1 - Entertain2 - Inform3 - Persuade4 - Motivate5 - Inspire

Entertain

• An entertaining speech is usually humorous.• It can also be an interesting story.• It can be very difficult to write a speech whose

ONLY purpose is to entertain.

Inform

• An informative speech conveys information and ideas.

• If that is all it does, it can be quite boring.• It helps if the speech is also entertaining.

Persuade

• A persuasive speech is an attempt to change how the audience thinks.

• It is important to appeal to emotions as well as logic in this type of speech.

Motivate

• A motivational speech attempts to get the audience to do something.

• It usually ends with a call to action.

Inspire

• An inspirational speech stirs up feelings, even passion.

• It can include entertainment, information, persuasion, and motivation.

Purpose

• The primary purpose of my speech is to motivate the audience to move out of their “comfort zone”.

• This will entail some persuasion.• I also want it to be entertaining.

The essential message

The essential message should be statedin a single sentence.

My essential message is:We grow by taking “safe” risks.

There are 4 steps for determiningthe specific content:

1 – Design the opening2 – Select a title3 – Identify 3 main points4 – Select illustrative stories

Designing the opening

• The opening should get the audience’s attention.

• It can be very dramatic.• I don’t write out what I plan to say, I just make some notes.

For my opening, I will ask “Who is willing to walk on hot coals!”

Selecting a title

The title of the speech shouldarouse interest.

For this speech, my title is:“Do You Dare?”

Identifying main points

For whatever reason,the number 3 works well for speeches.The main points need to supportthe essential message.

My 3 main points are:1 - What a comfort zone is2 – Why we should leave it3 – How we can leave it

Selecting stories

• Stories can be entertaining.• They can also make a speech memorable.• Personal stories are particularly effective.• Again, I will just make notes, not write the

entire stories out.

In this speech I will talk about my “fire walk” experience.

There are 4 steps for planning the delivery:

1 – Plan to use your voice2 – Select body language3 – Choose words and phrases4 – Choose visual aids

Plan to use your voice

• The speaker’s voice is very important, particularly when telling a story.

• I will make notes about how I plan to use my voice.

For this speech I will use my voice to build drama in the fire-walk story.

Select body language

• Facial expressions, hand gestures, and position on the stage are all part of body language.

• They can help to make a speech memorable.

In this speech I will move across the stage as I describe walking on hot coals.

Choose words and phrases

I use notes to remind me of key words or phrases that I want to use to make the speech memorable.

In this speech I want to talk about “safe risk”, “support”, and “finding a new comfort zone”.

Choose visual aids• When using technology it is important to

have a backup plan, because things can and will go wrong.

• I make notes about the illustrations and props that I plan to use.

In this speech I will use a circle on the floor to represent my “comfort zone”.

FINALE

• I have the objective, content, and delivery.• All I need to do now is remember the

opening, closing, and 3 main ideas

• Each idea can be presented as a table topic, so I won’t need notes.

• Each idea will take 1 to 2 minutes.• Adding the opening and closing brings it to

5 to 7 minutes for the entire speech.

This process is quick, easy, and fun.

It is intended to produce a good speech, not a masterpiece.

If you want to give better speeches, start with this method. Get feedback about better ways to achieve your purpose. Then give the speech again, incorporating the recommendations.