Successful Speeches Blog

There are two main factors that need to be taken into consideration when crafting the start of your speech. Those factors are:

• the audience
• the event

Let’s take a look at each one of those factors more closely.

The Audience

There are a number of things you’ll want to know about your audience. The more information you can get, the better off you’ll be. Here’s a partial list of information you’ll want to know.

• does the audience know you?
• does the audience know why you’re credible to speak on this topic?
• how much does the audience know about the topic you’re going to speak about?
• does the audience share your point of view on the topic?
• what are the job titles and positions of the audience members?
• what other speakers has the audience heard before?
• if this is an association meeting, which organizations are represented in the meeting?
• how many people are expected to be in attendance?
• what is the gender ratio of the audience?
• what is the age range of the audience?
• which topics are considered taboo with this audience?

Answering each of the above questions will give you a better idea of what your audience must hear from you if they are going to be engaged, show interest and participate in your speech. But a study of the audience alone is not enough to determine what functions your opening will serve. You’ll still need to examine the event.

The Event

Will the audience be:

• tired?
• enthused?
• slightly inebriated?
• nervous?
• optimistic?
• hostile?
• receptive?

Very often, you can get an accurate idea of the energy level and enthusiasm of your audience by examining the event. Different events will foster different moods, so you’ll need to prepare an opening that’s appropriate for the mood.

For example, an annual meeting probably won’t take on the same light-hearted approach that would exist in a staff day awards celebration.

A morning networking meeting would most likely have people trying to wake themselves up with coffee. A dinner event, on the other hand, may find people being put to sleep by too many glasses of red wine.

If there are going to be a number of speakers during a full-day conference, you’d be more likely to encounter an energetic audience at the start of the day than you would at the end.

If the event is a multi-day conference and you happen to be speaking on the morning after the big celebration dinner, a hung-over audience may factor into the equation.

What happens during the event will have a significant impact on the type of audience you speak to, so do as much as you can to find out as much as you can about the intricate details of the event.

Once you’ve researched the audience and the event, you will know what to expect in terms of the energy level and attitude of your audience, as well as the possible challenges you’ll be facing when you start your speech. Knowing this information will help you determine exactly what you’ll need to do to make the opening of your speech successful.

This article is excerpted from the special report, “How to Successfully Start Your Speech“. To get the full report and discover the secrets of “How to Successfully Start Your Speech”, visit http://www.wellwrittenwellsaid.com/startspeech.html

Like many others, I was immediately drawn to Barack Obama when he burst onto the national stage with his speech at the 2004 Democratic National Convention. Even when I didn’t agree with what he had to say, I still enjoyed hearing him say it. That’s how good he was.

Last night, it was Michelle Obama’s turn to speak at the Democratic National Convention … and speak she did!

The media is saying Michelle “hit it out of the park”, but I don’t think that’s saying enough. Last night, Michelle Obama hit a “grand slam”. On a night when Senator Ted Kennedy made an inspiring return to the convention, Michelle Obama completely stole the show.

This wasn’t my first time hearing Michelle Obama speak. I’ve viewed clips of her speaking at different events during the past year. But this was a different Michelle Obama. And what she did to bring her to the heights she reached last night is something every executive, business owner and professional speaker should take careful note of.

First, Michelle has worked on her presentation skills. Her gestures, inflection, body language, use of the teleprompter … everything she did last night worked and came across naturally. With every word she spoke, you felt you were getting to know who Michelle Obama really is. I have no clue how many hours went into practicing for that speech, but you can bet there were many. You may not have as much time to practice your speech, but if you plan on making an impact, you’d better be prepared to use the time you do have to practice.

Secondly, Michelle Obama’s speech was written well. For those who are critics of scripting your speech because it doesn’t sound natural, take a good hard look at the video. Every word of that speech — every word — was crafted carefully to fit Michelle Obama’s speaking style. As a result, we were introduced to a sister, a mother, a daughter and a wife. There’s no way an extemporaneous speech or “outlined” speech would have had the same effect. Every word counted in this speech. Every word should count in your speeches.

Lastly, Michelle Obama was herself. Her tone is much different than Baracks, but it’s no less powerful. Her heart-warming stories, inspirational words and conversational style of speaking made you feel as if you were listening to a friend you’d known for a long time. Your style may not be conversational or laid back, but you should always be authentic when you speak. Don’t try to come across as someone you’re not. The audience is able to feel the difference.

You can view the entire video by clicking on the link below. Take some time to watch it. It’s approximately 21 minutes. Every minute will be time well spent.

 Other Media: Download

The reason a cliche becomes a cliche is because it has been overused and lost its originality and impact. For this very reason, presenters are warned to stay away from using cliches in their speeches.

Phrases such as “if it’s going to be, it’s up to me“; “your attitude determines your altitude“; and “whether you believe you can or can’t, you’re right“, were powerful when they were originally uttered. But they’ve been used so often by so many speakers, the words now fall flat and fail to motivate audiences. Looking at the examples I’ve just used, you can see why you would want to stay away from using tired cliches in your speeches.

But before we throw the baby out with the bath water (sorry, I couldn’t resist), let’s look at a couple reasons you should use cliches.

The first reason to use a cliche was demonstrated in my last sentence. Audiences understand what it means to throw the baby out with the bath water. I realize there might be some cultural exceptions, but the phrase effectively conjures up an image and gets your point across. Since you want your message to be easily understood, there are times when an old, tired cliche will work quite well.

Another reason to use a cliche is to challenge your audience to think differently. In addition to being overused, most cliches are generally accepted as being true. “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know” and “knowledge is power” are just two that come to mind.

If you wanted to get your audience thinking, you could say something like:

“We’ve always been told that “knowledge is power”. But is that really true? Does knowing information really make you more powerful?

Well let’s examine that for a minute …

We know we should exercise, eat a balanced diet and get sufficient rest, but that doesn’t mean we do it.

We know we should think before speaking out of anger, but do we consistently demonstrate that in our actions?

We have a lot of knowledge about a lot of things that could make our lives richer and more fulfilling, but we often don’t do them. And if we do them, it’s often not on a consistent basis.

Knowledge puts us in a position of power, but the power truly comes when we take what we know and apply it to our lives consistently.”

Give it a shot (ahem). Take an old, tired cliche and search for a new way to use it in your next speech. It will be like … like … a breath of fresh air to your audience … SORRY!

If you’d like to find more cliches than you can shake a stick at, check out the Cliche Finder website.

When it comes to public speaking, the phrase “content is king” is widely accepted. The problem is, it’s not always true. In fact, most of the content that is delivered in a speech is usually forgotten if handouts aren’t provided for the audience.

In my first blog post, I stated that a successful speech is one the audience remembers, repeats and responds to. In my experience, I’ve learned that most speeches with “solid content” fail to compel people to take action. Yes, content is important, but it’s certainly not king.

In order for content to be remembered, repeated and responded to, the content must be presented with style. When I say style, I’m not referring to platform mechanics. I’m referring to word usage and sentence structure. As an example let’s take a look at a section from the “I have a dream” speech by Martin Luther King Jr.

“Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation.

This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been

seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

But one hundred years later, the Negro still is not free. One hundred years later, the life of the Negro is still sadly crippled by the manacles of segregation and the chains of discrimination. One hundred years later, the Negro lives on a lonely island of poverty in the midst of a vast ocean of material prosperity. One hundred years later, the Negro is still languished in the corners of American society and finds himself an exile in his own land. And so we’ve come here today to dramatize a shameful condition.”

What was King saying in this passage? In a nutshell, the Emancipation Proclamation was signed 100 years ago, but blacks were still not free. My “nutshell” statement is the content. King made it memorable by infusing style.

The first words “five score years ago” were a direct reference to the words spoken by Abraham Lincoln during the Gettysburg Address. He could have just said “100 years ago”, but he chose “five score years ago” to connect his words with the words Lincoln spoke. It made the phrase memorable to those who heard it. That’s style, not content.

Rather than using anaphora and metaphors, King could have made brevity his goal and just stated his point plainly. The problem is, it wouldn’t have been remembered. King knew that you have to have substance AND style.

That’s just one example of style being as important as content, but examples can be found in any successful speech. Content is only useful if you can remember it. And style — word usage and sentence structure — is the key to making content memorable.

Don’t take my word for it. Go back and read the transcripts of speeches that have stood the test of time. When you do, ask yourself if certain passages would have been less memorable if they were phrased differently. More likely than not, you’ll be able to boil long passages down to one or two sentences. But when you look at the one or two sentences, you’ll notice they’re lacking in terms of style. The content would still be there, but it wouldn’t necessarily be memorable.

Content is important. You need to say something of substance. But in order for the substance to be memorable, it must be accompanied by style.

According to Michael Sebastian, “money, mortgage and kids” are the major factors in the age difference between corporate speechwriters and political speechwriters. Sebastian notes that, more often than not “Generation Y isn’t writing speeches for the C-suite.” His article was featured today in the Ragan.com daily headlines. I believe the article will go into the archives within a couple days, so check it out while you have the chance.

Sebastien interviewed President Carter’s former speech writer, James Fallows, Hewlett-Packard speechwriter, Ian Griffin and your truly for the article.

What’s the most important part of your speech or presentation?

Is it your content? Your platform skills? Your visual aids? The flow of your speech? The way it’s written? The words you use? Some intangible no one can seem to define?

I’ll tell you what I think the most important part of your speech or presentation is … it’s you. Some people prefer to use the word “authenticity”, but I think “you” is more appropriate. “You” make or break your speech. “You” connect with the members of your audience. And when “you” are part of your speech, your authenticity shines through.

As a speechwriter, I’m a stickler when it comes to organizing and choosing your words with great care, but I’ve seen and heard speakers who defy the rules and still “wow” their audiences.

As a person who’s performed professionally on stage, I’m a firm believer in outstanding stage presence and voice mastery, but I’ve seen and heard speakers with little stage presence and less-than-impressive voices who have audiences hanging on their every word.

As a keynote speaker, I know how important charisma can be when it comes to captivating your audience, but I’ve seen speakers, who are more cuddly than charismatic, manage to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

Now matter how often it happens, I’m always amazed by a speaker’s ability to give a successful speech despite doing the opposite of what “experts” suggest. And whenever I analyze what did make the speech successful, the speaker’s authenticity is always part of the equation. It’s not the whole equation, but it’s always a part of it.

Once of my colleagues, Brad McCrae, recently suggested I watch a video of Malcolm Gladwell, author of “Blink” and “The Tipping Point”. Gladwell delivered the talk at a TED conference in 2004. Although Gladwell is a brilliant man and successful author, he’s not what I would consider “charismatic”. When I watch and listen to him, I feel as if I’m watching a mix of Sideshow Bob and Jerry Seinfeld. He seems to use hand gestures to try and get the words out of his mouth and his movement seems a little aimless. That being said, I couldn’t help watching the speech from beginning to end and then watching it all over again.

 

 Podcast Video: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Why did I find it so compelling to watch? First, the content was original, practical and worth listening to. Secondly, he’s a very interesting character. He’s not “polished”, but he’s himself. Not that I’ve ever met him, but I get the feeling, from watching him, that he’s not trying to be someone he’s not. His “character” is as much a part of his speech as his “content”.

I encourage you to watch the video and find out what you can learn from spaghetti sauce.

The next time you write a speech, make sure you read it out loud. Whether you’re writing the speech for someone else or for yourself is irrelevant. The only way to tell if your speech sounds good is to read it out loud. Just reading it in your head doesn’t have the same effect.

I’ve had clients tell me they don’t read a speech out loud because they speak differently than the person they’re writing the speech for. Quite frankly, it doesn’t matter. You should read the speech out loud anyway. When you read the speech out loud, you are able to tell if it sounds conversational. You’re able to test for the rhythm of the words. You’re able to determine if words need to be reorganized. If you just read it in your head, it will sound fine. When you read it out loud, the words and phrases that sound unnatural and awkward are exposed.

If you’ve read my blog in the past, you know my theory on music and speeches sharing the same elements. Can you imagine a musician charting a song and not actually playing the notes? Of course not. Once the notes were charted, any musician would play the notes to make sure they sounded right. What they look like on the page doesn’t mean squat if they don’t sound good to the ear.

The same is true for your speech. What your speech looks like on paper doesn’t mean squat if it doesn’t sound right. More often than not, what looks good on paper will make you sound like Niles Crane from the sitcom “Frasier”. By the same token, what looks grammatically incorrect on paper sounds perfect when it comes out of a speaker’s mouth.

 

 Niles Crane: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I know my clients think I’m patronizing them when I tell them to read the speech out loud before commenting or asking for any changes, but I do it because you can’t tell a successful speech by the way it looks on paper … you have to read it out loud.

It may sound like an oxymoron, but it beats sounding like a moron if one of your ad-libs comes off the wrong way.

Mike Huckabee, an ordained baptist minister and presidential candidate, found that out the hard way while giving a speech to members of the National Rifle Association at their convention in Louisville, Kentucky.

When a loud noise from backstage interrupted him in mid speech, Huckabee departed from his script and said:

“That was Barack Obama. He just tripped off a chair. He’s getting ready to speak and somebody aimed a gun at him and he — he dove for the floor.”

His words rang out like a shot. Even the majority of the audience didn’t know how to take his comments.

 

 Mike Huckaabee's Barack Obama Joke Backfires: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

It only took five hours for him to issue an apology for his inappropriate and offensive statements. Ironically, Huckabee said he didn’t even remember saying the line and that he had to watch the recording of the speech to realize he had said it. You know what? I believe him.

I’m not excusing him, but I do believe he had no clue what he was saying when he “misspoke”. I know I’ve given speeches and immediately forgotten some of what I had just said. If you’re fully involved when you’re presenting, there are so many things going on in your head that you often operate on auto pilot. That’s why I suggest planning your ad-lib remarks in advance.

Distractions and unexpected events are bound to come up if you regularly give speeches, so you should plan some quick one liners in advance of giving your speech instead of trying to think up something clever on the spot. Off the top of my head, here a list of scenarios you should plan for:

unexpected loud noise (breaking glass, etc …)

PowerPoint slides freeze up

lights going out

audio equipment fails or doesn’t play on cue

laughter, music, distractions from another conference room can be heard in your room

you trip or drop something

The list is endless. Maybe you can add some that I’ve missed.  Unexpected things can and will happen when you present. Don’t wait for those moments to try and come up with something witty. Plan your ad-lib in advance.

Do you find it difficult to come up with effective openings for your speeches? If you do, you’re not alone.

The opening of your speech is often the most difficult to develop and deliver. It’s the most difficult to develop because there are a number of potential objectives the opening has to achieve. It’s the most difficult to deliver because the opening of a speech is when we are most nervous.

Not only is your opening the most difficult to develop and deliver, it’s arguably the most important part of your speech. You see, if you don’t have your audience’s undivided attention when you open your speech, it’s unlikely you’ll have their attention at all.

In this 60 minute teleclass, “How to Successfully Start Your Speech”, I’ll show you a number of strategies which will help capture audience attention, pique their curiosity and build interest in your topic during the crucial first moments of your speech.

The Teleclass takes place on Wednesday, November 21, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. EST

For all the details, visit http://www.wellwrittenwellsaid.com/teleclass.html

Even if you can’t attend the live call, you’ll be able to receive a full transcript and recording when you register.

I hope you’ll be able to make it.

Is it too late to say “I don’t want to do this anymore”?

After reading Paul Lima’s book “How To Write A Non-Fiction Book In 60 Days”, I felt motivated, energized and up to the task. Eight days later, I’m wondering what the heck I’ve gotten myself into. Actually, I think I started feeling that way three days into the process.

So far, I’ve written the introductory chapter and created eight chapter outlines. There’s a possibility I’ll be adding two to four more chapters.

As I mentioned in my first post, I’m a little hesitant to do some of the writing exercises Paul has suggested in his book, but I’ve been finding it difficult to get my creative juices flowing recently. If this keeps up, I may just break down and do the exercises in hopes the Muse will want to come out and play.

So far, I’ve found my greatest moments of creativity happen when I’m riding the subway. That’s right … I ride the subway from one end of the line to the other and then back again. I find it much easier to write while riding the subway than when I’m sitting at my desk. While some people would find the subway to be too distracting (the Toronto subway system is always busy), I find it easy to get into a groove. With the exception of being kissed by a crazy lady (not that you have to be crazy to kiss me), my rides have been distraction free and very productive.

Now that I think about it, I should probably go for a ride …