Formal Presentations and Speeches

I.         Get organized

1.             Write your specific goal, a statement that begins, "I want my audience to . . . [know] [understand] [do, take action]"

2.            Assemble all source materials

3.            Identify your audience and the time frame

4.            Based on your specific goal, audience, and time limit

determine . . .

•       How you can relate to them

•       How you show them that your subject is important for them

•       What main points you want to make

•       What details support each main point

•       The stories you want to tell and where they best fitinto the speech

•       Visual media for support  PowerPoint slides, posters, pictures, banners, etc.

•       Handouts  what you may distribute at the beginning to help the audience take notes and follow along; what you may distribute during the speech for impact at the moment; what you distribute at the end, such as an evaluation form or useful marketing gifts

5.            Plan everything

•       Know your audience's profile.

•       Decide when to distribute handouts for best effect and what elements of your speech appear on the evaluation form.

•       Have business cards ready to give out.

II.       Use the standard structure for a speech

1.             Introduce yourself and your topic  build rapport with your audience and establish your credibility. Use a story or anecdote, a tasteful and relevant joke, or go for thesurprise effect with one evocative word, unexpected fact or astonishing statistic.

2.            State your message  identify your specific goal.

3.            Tell the story of your involvement with the topic  why you care, how you became involved, what the rewards have been. Reiterate your specific goal.

4.            Hit the highlights  introduce the main points you're going to elaborate on.

5.            Elaborate on those points  use stories, examples, demonstrations.

6.            Lead up to the conclusion  help your audience think their way to the specific goal or impact you identified in step 2.

7.            Clinch your goal  state the conclusion you want the audience to reach or the action you want them to take.

8.            Talk with them  initiate a question and answer period.

9.            Wrap it up with thanks  make your closing statement, usually a reiteration of your specific goal, and thank the audience for their participation.

10.          Get written feedback  during your wrap up, distribute a onepage evaluation form with statements of the key elements of your presentation, each with checkboxes on the effectivetoineffective or 'loved it'to'hated it' or 'totally agree'to'totally disagree' spectrum. Tell the audience you care about their response to your topic and ask them to complete the evaluation. Allow audience members the choice of handing you the form or placing it on a table anonymously on their way out

III.     Practice, Practice, Practice

Rehearse in front of a mirror or with a trusted colleague or two. Either way, you'll get feedback, polish your content and delivery, and gain confidence. Keep these attitudes in mind  :

•              Focus on your specific goal.

•              Show the audience how your topic relates to their concerns.

•              Share with the audience the path of logic you followed from the information you present to the conclusion you want them to reach  draw them the map.

•              Use simple words and phrasing for most audiences. Adapt your language to the audience's sophistication about your topic.

IV.       Keep the audience interest and make your point  tricks of the trade

•              Involve the audience in activities  individually, with each other or with you.

•              To sell your point, sell yourself  your experience and knowledge of the subject, your personal involvement with a cause or organization.

•              Set expectations and then exceed them.

•              Give the audience something related to the topic and likely to support your specific goal  a desk item emblazoned with a slogan or websites or phone numbers to tickle their memory and give them a means to take action.

•              Offer to send more information by email. Ask permission to contact your audience on relevant topics after you've sent the promised item.

•              You can make a first impression only once, but your final impression is the one they'll remember  end on time and with a memorable clincher that engages the audience.

Now all you need is a coach to  

•           Help you get started

•           Guide you through the process

•           Give supportive and creative feedback at your rehearsals