So You're Going to Make a Speech
by Patricia Fripp
 Meetings
and Conventions magazine named Patricia Fripp "One
of the 10 most electrifying speakers in North America."
Fripp is a prolific professional speaker, and the author
or co-author of four books, including Get What You
Want!, Make It So You Don't Have to Fake It!,
Insights Into Excellence and Speaking
Secrets of the Masters.
In addition to speaking over 100 times a year
to Fortune 500 companies and associations
worldwide, she is an executive speech coach and magazine
columnist. Fripp has won every award and designation the
National Speakers Association gives, including CSP (Certified
Speaking Professional) and CPAE (the Speaker Hall of Fame
award). She was also the first woman President of the National
Speakers Association.
The article by Fripp below, "So You're
Going to Make a Speech," provides a nuts and bolts
approach that consultants can use to develop and deliver
effective speeches and presentations.
* * * *
So You're Going to Make a Speech
Congratulations! You've been chosen (or drafted) to deliver
a speech.
Don't panic -- Fripp is here!
What Do I Talk About?
Start by asking yourself three questions:
1. Who is my audience? (What do I know about
the corporate culture or collective personality of the group?)
2. What do they want or need to know from
me?
3. How long can or should I talk?
Where Do I Get Material?
If you're going to be addressing a particular
group a few weeks from now, keep a small notebook handy
to jot down ideas and situations related to your topic and
audience. Make a list of what you know that can benefit
your audience, all the experiences and situations that could
serve as good (or bad) examples for others, high points
and low points, failures and successes.
Keep adding those sudden and stunning bits
of insight that come to you in the shower or car. Or maybe
you said something on the subject to a friend that was particularly
funny or memorable. Some of these experiences may become
the original stories you use to illustrate a key point in
your speech. When you actually sit down to write, you'll
have plenty of material.
How Do I Outline My Talk?
There are two basic outlines that work well
for both beginning and advanced speakers alike.
1. The Past-Present Journey Formula
Tell your audience a three-part story:
This is where I was.
This is where I am.
This is how I got here.
It's a simple format that helps you tell the
audience who you are and why you are qualified to speak
on the topic you've chosen.
Here's an example of how effective the outline
can be. A successful realtor was asked to deliver a 25-minute
presentation for the local Board of Realtors. I coached
her to open like this: "Twelve years ago, before I
went into the real estate business, I had never sold anything
but Girl Scout cookies, and I hadn't done that well. Last
year, I sold $13 million in a slow market, selling homes
that averaged $100,000 each. Today, I'll tell you how I
built my business." Right away, the audience knew exactly
what she was going to talk about, and they were eager to
hear her story!
2. The Q&A Outline
The members of your audience probably want
to know the answers to the same kinds of business questions
you're asked at parties or professional functions. You can
start with, "The five questions I'm most frequently
asked about investments (or whatever your product or service
is) are…"
Pose the first question to the audience and
answer it for them in a conversational manner, just as you
would with a potential customer or at a party. Even if you've
never made a speech before, you've certainly had a lot of
experience answering questions in your field.
How Do I Start to Write My Speech?
That's easy. To begin with, don't. Gather
and organize your ideas, plan and polish, but don't write
it down word for word. For now, just jot an outline with
key points and ideas on a note pad.
The Speech Itself
1. Open with a bang.
The first and last thirty seconds of your
speech have the most impact, so give them extra thought,
time, and effort. If you haven't hooked your audience's
interest, their minds are going to wander off. Whatever
you do, don't waste any of your precious seconds with "Ladies
and Gentlemen, it is a pleasure to be here tonight."
Open with an intriguing or startling statement: "Half
the people in this room are going to," "As a young
man, my father gave me this valuable advice...", "Of
all the questions I am most frequently asked..."
I helped a neighbor, Mike Powell, with a speech
he was putting together for the Continental Breakfast Club
in San Francisco. Mike was a senior scientist with Genentech
at the time. I suggested that since most of us don't know
what scientists are like or what they do, he should tell
the audience. Mike captured everyone's attention by saying,
"Being a scientist is like doing a jigsaw puzzle in
a snowstorm at night...you don't have all the pieces...and
you don't have the picture you are trying to create."
2. Develop strong supporting stories.
If you're using the Past-Present outline format,
the middle of your talk is where you expand on your key
points, and develop personal stories that support where
you were and where you are now. In the Q&A format, develop
one or two strong anecdotes to support each answer. Personal
anecdotes are best, but you can also insert some of the
ideas and examples you've been gathering in your journal
or computer.
3. Close on a high note.
Your close should be the high point of your
speech. First, summarize the key elements of the investment
process (or whatever your topic is). If you're planning
to take questions from the audience, say, "Before my
closing remarks, are there any questions." Answer them
then.
The last thirty seconds of your speech must
send people out energized and fulfilled. Finish your talk
with something inspirational that supports your theme. My
scientist friend Mike talked of the frustrations of being
a scientist. He closed by saying, "People often ask,
why should anyone want to be a scientist?" Then Mike
told them about a particularly information-intensive medical
conference he had attended. The final speaker rose and said,
"I am a thirty-two-year-old wife and mother of two.
I have AIDS. Please work fast."
Mike got a standing ovation for his speech.
He was telling his audience what they needed to know.
How Do I Polish My Speech?
Your next step is to make a written draft
of your speech. You can assemble your notes, or you may
prefer to talk your ideas into a tape recorder and transcribe
the words. Then read your draft to confirm that it is:
- Interesting: After every point you
make, ask yourself, "Who cares?" If no one does,
edit it out.
- Concise: Delete redundancies and
clichés.
- Effective: Are your supporting examples
strong and on target? If not, replace them.
- Personal: Does it have a high I-You
Factor? Be sure you've connected yourself with your audience
by putting them into your speech.
- Politically correct: "PC"
is sometimes overdone, but it is essential. You lose listeners
if you unintentionally offend them.
Vigorous polishing makes your talk tighter,
more powerful, and less likely to bore or irritate your
audience.
How Do I Rehearse?
You've edited and fine-tuned a written version
of your talk. Now you're going to practice it. (You may
think this is too much trouble, but you'll be glad you did.)
1. Tape yourself reading your talk out loud
to check on timing and emphasis.
2. Prepare outline notes. Even though you've
just gone to a great deal of trouble to prepare a written
speech, you're NOT going to read it! Nothing puts an audience
to sleep faster. Instead, you're going to speak directly
and spontaneously to the audience, maintaining essential
eye contact.
The secret is to prepare easy-to-read notes.
Write your key points on a pad or card that you'll keep
on the lectern or table. Use a bold felt-tip pen or a large
typeface on your printer. As you speak, you'll follow your
road map with quick glances. An easy-to-read wristwatch
or small clock on the lectern lets you keep track of the
time so you can speed up or slow down, cut or add material,
so you finish on time.
3. Tape your "impromptu" talk.
Again, check for timing. As you play it back, notice repetitive
phrases and non-words like "er" and "ah."
Try again, minus these distracting irritants, until you
are speaking smoothly and confidently.
4. Practice in front of an audience. Ask one
or two perceptive people for their feedback. Make it clear
that you want constructive criticism, not just praise. Did
they understand the points you were making? Was there a
lack of logic or continuity? Did they think you spoke too
quickly or slowly? Use their feedback to polish your presentation.
5. Write your own introduction, and bring
a printed copy! Even if you're speaking for free, you want
the emcee to pronounce your name right, mention your company's
name, and tell people how to get in touch with you.
The Big Day
If you're speaking from a stage, explain to
the introducer that you'll come on stage from the wings
before they leave the lectern after introducing you. They
need to get off the stage before the audience stops applauding.
This way, the audience looks at you instead of the emcee.
You've taken center stage -- now take it away!
Find out more about Patricia Fripp and her
services at www.Fripp.com
You can contact her at Pfripp@Fripp.com
or 1-800 634-3035.
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