- Speak a little more slowly than you would in conversation.
- Pause before speaking important points.
- Make sure of your pronunciation.
- Structure your speech into three sections:
- Introduction (10% of your time) It should start with “a hook” (a sentence or question that grabs the attention of your audience). After that, give the topic of your speech.
- Body (main points and supporting details.
- Conclusion (10% of your time) Say something inspiring at the end.
The body is where you give your stories, reasons, and examples. The body is where you will inspire your audience.
Use transitional words to connect your ideas.
Examples are:
Then, after that, and finally (for your last point, but not your conclusion). For your concluding sentence, you can use phrases like: To sum up, in conclusion, and to conclude.
It is okay to write out your speech word for word when you start planning it but do not memorize your speech. Later on, throw your notes away and just follow an outline that you have on a card or (better still) an outline you have in your mind.
—
Barb De Wit
