How to improve a prepared speech
This week, I will speak at a Rotary club on behalf of one of the charities that I support. This charity provided me with a standard speech to read for the occasion, detailing what the charity does and how the audience can support this charity.
The problem is that the standard speech was not written by a Toastmaster nor a speaker. It reads like a financial report. I tested the speech at one of my Toastmaster clubs and everyone gave the same feedback. Way too much detail, too many statistics and complex words. This script was written for the eye, and not for the ear.
There are differences between writing for the eye and writing for the ear. You can use long and complex sentences when your reader can go back and read the piece again. Your audience only listens to your speech once so you need to use clear words and illustrate concepts with multiple stories and examples. How often have you listened to a speech and been distracted for a moment while a cell-phone rings? If the speaker only mentioned a point once at the very moment that you were distracted, then you have no opportunity to hear that point again. If you are distracted while reading a book, then you simply go back and read the section again.
If you are ever in this situation, then here are the tips to follow as you take a script that is written for the eye, and convert it to writing for the ear.
1. Read the script out loud, to get familiar with it.
2. Record the script into a recorder and play it back to see what stands out at you.
3. Identify the key points of the script. Take note of the best and worst sections of the script. Also get input from your Toastmasters club.
4. Write a new speech, using the key points that you identified. Leave out the worst sections of the previous script. Play up the most important point - repeat it during your speech and illustrate it with multiple stories and examples.
5. Rehearse your new speech 10 times.
6. Go and present it to your audience in support of your favorite charity.
Your audience will be glad that you took the time and applied your presentation skills to convert an statistically correct script into a pleasant and informative speech.
The problem is that the standard speech was not written by a Toastmaster nor a speaker. It reads like a financial report. I tested the speech at one of my Toastmaster clubs and everyone gave the same feedback. Way too much detail, too many statistics and complex words. This script was written for the eye, and not for the ear.
There are differences between writing for the eye and writing for the ear. You can use long and complex sentences when your reader can go back and read the piece again. Your audience only listens to your speech once so you need to use clear words and illustrate concepts with multiple stories and examples. How often have you listened to a speech and been distracted for a moment while a cell-phone rings? If the speaker only mentioned a point once at the very moment that you were distracted, then you have no opportunity to hear that point again. If you are distracted while reading a book, then you simply go back and read the section again.
If you are ever in this situation, then here are the tips to follow as you take a script that is written for the eye, and convert it to writing for the ear.
1. Read the script out loud, to get familiar with it.
2. Record the script into a recorder and play it back to see what stands out at you.
3. Identify the key points of the script. Take note of the best and worst sections of the script. Also get input from your Toastmasters club.
4. Write a new speech, using the key points that you identified. Leave out the worst sections of the previous script. Play up the most important point - repeat it during your speech and illustrate it with multiple stories and examples.
5. Rehearse your new speech 10 times.
6. Go and present it to your audience in support of your favorite charity.
Your audience will be glad that you took the time and applied your presentation skills to convert an statistically correct script into a pleasant and informative speech.
Labels: Presentation Tips
posted by Wayne Botha @ 5:15 PM
3 Comments:
At December 5, 2008 12:37 PM ,
Peter Bowler said...
When your emphasis is on rehearsing and familiarising a presentation you have the ideal opportunity to edit and test your material. Short words. Short sentences. They add up to a longer attention span.
Peter
Presentation Skills
At December 10, 2008 6:49 AM ,
Craig Strachan said...
Doesn't it remind you that writing something that needs to be listened to is different to writing something that is going to be read?
At December 13, 2008 4:00 AM ,
Wayne Botha said...
Yes. I find it easier to transcribe a speech than to write a speech from scratch. The best process for me is to write the speech, then say it out loud. Then go back and edit the speech so that the written speech is easier on the ear.
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