DELIVERING YOUR SPEECH
OK, you’ve written your speech or received it from your speechwriter, now what?
Here are some key points that will apply whether you’re using prompt cards or reading from a prepared speech.
• Microphone availability – Contact the venue or organiser in advance to ensure that there will be a microphone available and that someone will take responsibility for ensuring it works correctly. Don’t automatically assume this will be the case. If you don’t have a big strong voice and are not accustomed to projecting it, a microphone will be essential. Practise speaking into it when you arrive so that you can check the height is right and you’re close enough to the microphone to be heard clearly. Also check if there will be a podium.
• Can you hear me? – Some people in your audience may be hard of hearing, or you may not be audible to people at the back of the room. Ask at the beginning if people can hear you.
• Vary the tone of your voice. We’ve all experienced the horrors of listening to someone speaking in a dull monotone that drones on . . . and on.
• Don’t move around too much or rely excessively on hand gestures. This can be disconcerting for your audience and distract them from listening to what you’re saying.
• If you’re introducing someone else, keep it brief – you’re the warm-up, not the act. It’s not your gig. If you’re introducing a writer, don’t read excerpts from their work to illustrate a point, that’s not your role.
• Engage with your audience. Make eye contact. Look up regularly from your reading. Smile when it’s appropriate. Don’t be a robot. If you’re delivering serious information then reflect an appropriate expression to reflect concern or empathy.
• Figure out your timing – If you’ve been asked to speak for a specified time, ensure you don’t go over time. This will annoy the organisers, as well as anyone speaking after you and risk testing the audience’s patience.
• Choose your messages – if you over complicate your speech and make too many points you risk losing your listeners.
If you’re using prompt cards
• Note down initials of people you’re thanking or acknowledging or write down any names you find difficult.
• Use bullet points for the introduction, key messages and conclusion.
• Practise pronouncing the names in advance so they don’t trip you up. Take advice about the correct pronunciation of difficult names.
• Don’t overdo your hand gestures.
If you’re reading from a pre-prepared speech
• Practise reading your speech aloud and timing it – Do this until you feel confident about delivering your speech in public.
• Frequent pauses – Highlight the areas in your talk where you need to pause for a reaction or for the information to be processed. Pausing reflects confidence.
• Get feedback – Persuade someone to listen to you practise your speech and give you feedback about any weaknesses in your delivery, such as saying ‘Um’ or ‘Ah’ or gesturing too much.
• Visual aids – If you’re delivering a very technical speech full of facts and figures and statistics, do you need to prepare a PowerPoint presentation to illustrate your information? If so, do you have the skills to do this yourself, or do you need to delegate or commission someone to do it for you. Practise running through your slides from your laptop to ensure that there will be no hiccoughs on the day.
