Make Your Message Powerful and Memorable

How do you make YOUR presentation “memorable” for your audience?

Every speaker has their own way of pulling a speech together and they tweak it when changes are needed. Over the years, through feedback and sharing of ideas, I’ve created my own template to organize my thoughts and plans. I’ve outlined below what has worked for me. I encourage you to use this outline then revise it to suit your own style and personality.



There are basically three main parts to a speech: Opening, Body and Conclusion.

OPENING
•    Your first sentence (or first few sentences) should GRAB the attention of your audience so they WANT to stop what they are doing and listen to you. In Toastmasters, we call this an “attention getting” statement.
•    Keep this opening statement short but powerful, memorize it (without skipping a beat) and say it confidently. What is a powerful statement?
1. Open with a quote that fits your message (especially by a famous person so the audience connects with you quickly), or
2.  Ask your audience a question to get them immediately involved (keep them short and to the point):
a.  How many of you drive farther than 30 miles to your job everyday?
b.  Raise your hand if you are confused by the recent change in health care?
c.  Who wants to improve their memory?

After your opening statement, PAUSE a few seconds, then transition into the BODY of your speech with a sentence relating to your opening statement. A few examples are:

1. Today, I will share with three easy ways to make your commute much more enjoyable!
2. This evening, I will explain the key changes that will impact you most….
3. I am excited to share with you several ways to jog your memory when you need it most!

BODY
  • A well organized speech will keep you moving along easily and effectively.
  • Keep the body of your speech simple but informational.
  • Depending on the amount of time you are allowed to speak, be sure you have enough time to cover each main point.
Note: Rushing through your points will give the audience the impression you are not adequately prepared, nervous or running out of time.

  • I recommend no more than three main points because more points may confuse your audience, rush your delivery or you might forget your points.
  • Pause before you transition to your next main point to allow time for your audience to absorb what you’ve said (and keep their attention).
  • After your last main point, transition to your conclusion so you audience knows you are nearing the end of your speech.
  • A transitional statement could simply be “What I want to leave you with today is………..”.  It is a statement that says, Hey, I have something to say so listen up!

CONCLUSION
  • A few sentences that is a powerful message.
  • Say them strongly, slowly and confidently.
  • Can be a quote, a “call for action” or simply a statement why you shared your knowledge.

  “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

 
Taking time to organize your speech, rehearsing it out loud and delivering it with your own personal style, will make you a dynamic and successful leader and speaker!

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