3 Tips For a Great Speech

The difference between a good speech and a great speech is in the minor details. Follow these 3 tips to take your speech to the next level.

1. Include specific details

People love it when they can see the scene you’re describing. Include vivid details when you give your speech. Paint a picture.

2. Don’t get too fancy

A great writer once said, “don’t use a big word if a small word will do.” This is especially true when giving a speech. Your audience will connect with you if you speak their language.

3, Make it personal

Share personal details and emotions to really hook your audience. Nothing keeps an audience interested more than heartfelt feelings simply expressed. Audience love stories. Give examples of the points you want to make from your own experiences.

What is a Valedictorian Speech?

Graduates

A valedictory is a speech that is delivered at the graduation ceremony. The speech is usually performed by the valedictorian or the person with the top grades in the graduating class.

How many words are in a 2 minute speech?

Woman giving a speech

The average person speaks at somewhere between 125 and 150 words per minute. It's always better to speak more slowly than quickly. Thus, if you're speaking for 20 minutes, you want a total word count of about 2,500 words. 

When Delivering a Speech, Practice Makes Perfect

Practice your speech

Most people are a little nervous when they have to stand in front of a group and deliver a speech. Some people are really nervous. Practice won’t entirely get rid of nerves, but it will do a lot to make the process of delivering a speech less painful and scary.

Step 1.

Craft an excellent speech. (Or hire a speech writer to craft one for you)

Step 2.

Practice. Practice. Practice. Read your speech out loud. Change the words that cause you to stumble. Read your speech in front of a mirror. Practice looking up from the page. Sometimes, printing the speech with extra large font helps with this.

Step 3.

Deliver your speech to a friend or loved one. Ask for feedback. Repeat Step. 2.

Tip for Giving a Great Speech

Audience listening to a speech

One thing to remember that can make the chore of giving a speech less scary.

Some people are born knowing how to deliver a speech. For the rest of us, it’s a bit more of a challenge. Most people would rather scrub themselves with sandpaper and bathe in a vat of vinegar rather than speak in front of a group. But the time comes for almost everyone when they have to deliver a speech.

Remember: The Audience wants you to succeed

When you are up there at the podium it might feel that the audience is scrutinizing you to find every flaw. In most instances, that is not the case. The audience wants you to succeed. They want to be entertained or informed. Remember that no one wants to sit through an uncomfortable speech. If you make a mistake, just keep going. The audience will forgive you.