Writing a speech is like mapping out a holiday. You generally know what you want to see while you're there but you'll want to schedule your days so you get to everything. Similarly, when making a speech, unless you organize your thoughts somehow, it will seem disorganized and not make much sense to your audience. Eighty percent of a presentation's success is in the planning. Going into a presentation well prepared, reduces your nervousness and increases your success rate. Use this fact sheet as a checklist when planning your next speech.

What's your topic?

ü Have you found out as much as you can about the topic you are speaking on?

ü What is the purpose of this speech? To:

§ educate,

§ persuade,

§ motivate,

§ introduce or

§ thank.

ü Are you sending your audience home with a key message?

Who's your audience?

ü Have you considered the unique interests of your audience?

ü Do you know why you are speaking to this audience?

ü What does the audience need or desire from your speech?

Design a catchy opening

ü Does your introduction put your audience at ease?

ü Do you grab your audience's attention and maintain their interest throughout the presentation?

ü Does your opening tell your audience what the speech is about and lead smoothly into the body of the speech?

Building the body

ü Have you kept your speech to 3 or 4 main points?

ü Have you listed all your main points and developed them further in a logical sequence? Some techniques that are used are: a traditional outline, order of events, or most important first.
Example of outline:

o Major content area

§ Key point

§ Minor point supporting key point

Ending the speech

ü Have you summarized the main points of your speech in your conclusion?

ü Have you added some zest to your ending? One technique is leaving your audience with a question.

ü Is there a humorous story you could tell that ties in with your message to add punch?

ü Would a famous quotation be appropriate to end with?

ü Remember that saying "thank you" after you have presented a speech is inappropriate. If you are invited to speak, the "thank you" should come from the audience.

Using Notes

ü Have you rewritten your speech in point form so you don't have to read every word?

ü Have you underlined or highlighted key words so you won't lose your place in your speech?

ü Do you only use your notes as a guide so you can speak directly to the people in the audience?

ü Have you practiced your speech in front of family, friends or a mirror until you are comfortable with how it sounds?