Public Speaking tips

Mapping the Content of Your Speech

 

1. The Visible Structure:

The audience should be aware of your speech structure. It's like knowing where you are on a road map--the audience will be happier if they know where you are in your speech at any given time, and where you're headed.

(A) Outline what will be told. Tell them what you're going to tell them.

(B) Let the audience know where you are going. "Next, I'll describe..." "Then, I'll show you..."

(C) Count: "There are three ways..." "I will tell you two stories that illustrate..." Keep track of those numbers!

(D) Refer back to what you said earlier. Tie loose ends together. Remind them.

(E) Use repetition. Begin similar points with the same words (but not excessively!).

(F) Use repetition. Refer to the same things and the same people in the same way each time. The audience cannot flip back a page to check a name.

(G) Assign responsibility. Don't be vague and say, "they believe..." or "they say..." unless you tell the audience who they are. If you are speaking of only your own beliefs, take responsibility and say, "I believe that..."

(H) Give credit for ideas and quotations you use. Speeches don't have footnotes.

(I) Create a motif, if you can ("I have a dream..."), but know when to do it. Don't create a motif if you--or the occasion--aren't up to it.

2. Putting One Foot Before the Other

Ask yourself these questions: Is your order logical? Are you following a route? Are you taking your audience down a road they can visualize?

(A) Does the evidence you give lead to the conclusion you intend to draw?

(B) Don't be preachy (unless you are truly preaching). Don't throw conclusions at the audience. Work up to conclusions with information.

(C) Present events chronologically (or in some other appropriate order).

(D) Do the events or data build to a climax?

3. Be Concrete. Be Metaphorical.

A few specifics are almost always better than many generalizations.

(A) Make analogies . Give examples.

(B) Tell a story that illustrates the point.

(C) Show spatial relationships . Visualize things. Use your hands!

(D) Give details. Only you have this information--what is it (your subject) really like?

(E) Don't hang an entire speech on the hook of a single metaphor (i.e. every aspect of a game of football represents a point you want to make, etc.)

4. In Conclusion...

(A) Check the time discreetly . Be prepared to wind up quickly, or compress final stories.

(B) Reiterate your major points . Did you tell them what you said you would?

(C) Don't fade away. The last sentence should be one of your strongest.