Today I want to give you an easy, clear structure for a speech.
- Start with something which grabs the audience’s attention. This can be your choice of a compelling story, a startling statistic, calling out to a relatable problem, and so forth. You want to be catchy within the first minute of your talk.
- Follow this with a “what if…” or “imagine if…” statement. This is the intriguing game-changing idea which solves the problem with which you began your talk.
- Explain and explore this idea. Much of your presentation is here – bring in your expert advice, do interactive activities, introduce concept and statistics which you illustrate with stories.
- Now, give people actual tools they can use to implement your game-changing idea.
- Finish with a call to action. I like a call to action, depending on what you have been invited to talk about (and what is permissible), to have two forms: if you’re allowed to pitch a product or service, this is a specific invitation call-to-action. I also like a call to action to give hope and encouragement where you affirm and validate the work they do in the world. Doing both will be effective.
Give this a try. It’s easy to do and simple to keep in mind if you are prone to ramble!