Speechwriting Tips

Part 2

Speechwriting Tips, Part 1  

6a. Have a strong opening 

Many professional speakers open with 5-10 seconds of silence. This is hard to do for most inexperienced speakers.  They tend to jump right in. A few seconds of keeping your mouth shut as you look over the audience really helps build anticipation--and attention. You've probably heard you should start a speech by thanking a list of people who made it possible for you to be there, and recognizing all the dignitaries in the room. This old fashioned approach is okay, but if you can give your audience something better, do it.

6b. Immediately give the audience something to think about 

One of the most dramatic--and effective--speech openings I ever saw was done by former Vietnam prisoner of war Charlie Plum. After he was introduced, he took center stage in total silence. The he stepped two paces to the left, three paces backward, two paces to the right and then three paces forward.  In his opening sentence, he explained that he had just stepped off size of the prison cell he lived in for seven years. The audience gasped.

7. Use personal stories, examples and metaphors to connect with your audience 

8. Close with strength, conviction, and a call to action

Remember tip #1 above: start with the end in mind.  The close is where you show your audience your enthusiasm for your topic, and your desire for them to use what you've told them to make their lives better and more meaningful.  Ask something of them.  Give them a goal and encourage to use the tools you've discussed to reach it.

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