Put your hands up, who hates public speaking? 

Presumably lots of hands are flying in the air as it’s one of the first things you can put yourself through. Some people are perfectly equipped to speak in front of an audience while most of us are not. Unfortunately, there will probably be a time in your life when you need to stand up and make a Speech before a crowd. 

Cue feelings of terror and anxiety sweats! 

It’s a scary situation to be in, especially if you’ve never given a speech before. So, how about we find out how to give a good speech? Here are some great writing tips you can apply to any speech for any occasion: 

Consider the purpose of the speech

First and foremost, why are you giving a speech? Is it a father-of-the-bride speech or a speech at a business conference? Even with two examples, you can see how your speech may differ. Understanding its purpose will help you figure out what to talk about and the overall theme of the speech. 

For example, if you’re giving a speech at a wedding, it’s likely to be more jovial and funny. You can crack jokes and make it really personal. A conference speech will be way more professional, with fewer jokes. 

So, consider the purpose to help you decide on the tone. This will avoid a massive faux pas where you provide a speech in completely the wrong tone. 

Know your audience

Following on from above, you need to know your audience. Who will be receiving your speech? 

Is it friends and family, work colleagues, fellow industry professionals or members of the public? 

Each audience will dictate what you talk about. For example, let’s say you’re giving a speech at an office party in front of your colleagues. You work together, so the speech should be about things everyone can relate to. It could be a thank you speech commending everyone for their great work. 

By contrast, imagine you’re giving a speech at a trade convention in front of members of the public. They do not know you, so the speech should focus more on making a connection with the audience. Talk about things they will find interesting, rather than giving a speech about your sales record over the past year. 

As a general rule, try to make your speeches about things the audience can relate to. 

Keep it short and sweet

Long speeches are the bane of everyone’s lives. Let’s be honest, most of us do not have the attention spans to sit through an hour-long speech. Instead, keep yours short and sweet. 

Yes, the event and audience may play a role in how long your speech should be. In the previous example, a speech at an office party will maybe only last a couple of minutes while one at a convention should be a bit longer. 

Still, try to keep all of your speeches under 10 minutes. That seems aggressively short, but have you ever tried speaking for 10 minutes straight? Keep it brief so you don’t go on tangents and bore the audience. 

With these tips, you should have the framework to compose a killer speech. Set the tone and figure out what to talk about by considering the purpose of the speech and who will hear it. Then, work on making it short and concise, so people don’t start falling asleep. No matter the situation, this will help you become a great speech writer!