MEMORABLE SPEECHWRITING – KNOW YOUR AUDIENCE
When writing and preparing your speech it’s vital to know your audience. You need to be clear about their expectations and how you will accommodate them. This means customising your speech to suit your audience so that you stand a better chance of grabbing their attention.
You want people to listen to you, right? Then make sure your speech is relevant, interesting and informative. Here are some points to bear in mind. If it’s appropriate, don’t forget to inject a little humour.
• Who will be your audience? – Will it be made up of a cross-section of people from different ethnic backgrounds, ages, interests and industries? Don’t make assumptions – do your homework. Make sure you get all the facts from the event organiser in advance so that you’re well prepared.
• Language differences – Will English be a first language for all of your audience? If not, ensure that your speech is written in clear, plain English with short sentences. Consider using stories to illustrate your points. Don’t use difficult words or colloquialisms that may cause confusion.
• Cultural differences – Are there any words and phrases in your speech that could be misconstrued? Do you need to use a greeting that reflects the ethnic composition of the audience?
• Age of the audience – If you’ll be addressing a young audience, use the kind of language they’ll relate to or use themselves.
• Jargon – Will the audience be comprised of people from your industry or area of specialty? If not, avoid jargon and acronyms. If you confuse people, they will quickly stop listening.
• Environment – where you deliver your speech may affect how formal or informal it is.
• Protocol – Do you know the order of speakers? Find out something about them so that you can graciously acknowledge them. Are there people, such as sponsors or organisers whom you need to acknowledge or thank?
• Need to know factor – how important is the information you’re delivering to your audience? Get your facts right.
• Will someone be introducing you? – If so, make sure that you supply them with an updated CV and any recent media clippings or reviews they’ll need to accurately represent you.
