How to Prepare your Speech Part 2
by Sandra Schrift
©2004 by Sandra Schrift.  All rights reserved


How to Prepare your Speech Part 2

1. Move from any woulda, coulda, shoulda thinking. Don't 
wait for the perfect time just DO IT! Remember, there is 
no right time to begin writing your speech to begin your 
speaking career.

2. Before each speech, review the demographics (age, sex, 
socioeconomic status, and educational level) and the 
psychographics (belief systems and values) of your 
audience. Retrieve this information from a pre-program 
questionnaire you provide to your program chair.

3. Know your message so that you can decide whether to 
inform, persuade, motivate, or entertain the audience. 
Sometimes, you may combine all four. Be creditable by using
facts, statistics, and true stories.

4. Begin with a knock-out opening. You may tell a short 
story or a funny or sad incident, or use a startling 
comment or ask a question. Grab the audience's attention 
within the first minute and then sustain your delivery 
through out the speech.

5. Identify three points you want to get across the essence
of what you want the audience to remember about what you said.

6. Be clear. No one should ever leave the room uncertain 
about your main points. A good rule is to tell them what you 
are going to say, tell them what you have to say, and then 
tell them what you said. Keep your message simple.

7. Help the audience see what you are saying. More people 
absorb information by sight and touch than by hearing. Talk 
at a reasonable pace and project your voice.

8. Avoid being the wizard of ahs, ers, ums, and you knows. 
To eliminate these, maintain eye contact with your audience 
and keep your face open. Pauses are good.

9. Modulate your voice and use a full range of facial 
expressions (just as yu would when reading a story to a 
child). These are the ways you get your audience to like 
you and become energetically involved with you.

10. Make your closing memorable. You may go from belly 
laughs to tears. This is a good time to elicit emotions 
from your audience. It is also a time for you to announce 
a call to action. What do you want them to do after hearing
your speech?

11. Never assume anything.  Arrive at least one hour early.
Carry an extra copy of your speech( and an extra set of 
any slides). Check out the microphone and any projectors 
sued form PowerPoint or overhead presentations. Don't let 
Murphy's Law strike!

12. Be approachable. If possible, greet your audience at 
the door or stroll through the room as they arrive. This 
will create familiarity and reduce the tension for you and 
your audience.

13. Are you developing the skills necessary to enjoy a 
long term speaking career? Embrace ongoing relationships 
with your clients. Build your networks and constantly add 
value.

14. Don't do it alone. Company makes it more fun! Hire a 
coach now and cut your learning curve.

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Sandra Schrift 13 year speaker bureau owner and now career 
coach to emerging and veteran public speakers who want to 
"grow" a profitable speaking business. I also work with 
business professionals  and organizations who want to 
master their presentations.
To find out HOW TO MAKE IT AS A PROFESSIONAL SPEAKER, go to
http://www.schrift.com/success_resources.htm
Join my free bi-weekly Monday Morning Mindfulness ezine
http://www.schrift.com/monday.htm
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