Delivering a speech and writing a speech are two very different skill sets. When writing a speech, you need to concentrate on creating something that the audience will hear and remember. As an expert in a subject, it is important to remember that your audience may not be as well-versed as you are.

These four elements of strategic speechwriting can help you create a presentation that will captivate your audience and ensure that they get your message. 

Know Your Speech’s Key Takeaway Before You Begin

Before you ever put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard), you need to know the purpose of your speech. What is the main takeaway that you want the audience to leave with? Once you have determined your purpose, you can begin outlining. 

If you are having trouble figuring out the key point of your speech, ask yourself the following questions:

  • What do you want the audience to do differently when they leave?
  • What solution are you offering the audience?
  • If you had to summarize your whole speech in one sentence, what would it be?

These questions should help you get started!

Hook Them Early

We have all heard the phrase, “You only get one chance at a first impression.” This is true whether you are meeting someone for the first time or delivering a speech. You need to captivate your audience from the beginning or you risk never capturing their attention at all.

There are a few techniques you can employ to engage your audience. First, you can tell a short but interesting anecdote that relates to your speech and your audience. Opening with a shocking statistic is also a good way to get your audience involved.

Ultimately, it all comes back to tying in your key takeaway in a manner that draws people in.

Know Your Audience

Who are you talking to? How you approach strategic speechwriting is going to look very different based on your audience. For example, you would never deliver the same speech to a group of industry peers as you would to a group of people who are just learning about the topic.

When you understand who you are speaking to, you can tailor your message to reach them. Write the whole speech as if you were just speaking to one person in the audience. Create a persona that matches the majority of the people in your audience and go from there!

End on a High Note

The thing that people will remember most about your speech is how you ended it. Always go out with a bang, whether it is another strong statistic or even finishing the anecdote you started at the beginning of your speech. You need to ensure that you wrap everything up neatly and strongly reiterate your main point. 

Strategic Speechwriting Assistance

If you find that you do not have time for speechwriting or need help crafting a presentation that is both captivating and informational, Applied Development can help. Give us a call today at 410.571.4016 or reach out to us online. 

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