Speech Guidelines

How to make a speech.

• Focus on your message. Make sure you know what you talk about - be well prepared.
• Make eye-contact. Look for a friendly face near the center of the room and deliver your opening to that person. Then continually move your gaze around the room, giving each thought to a different person.
• Talk - don't read. Only use key-words in yourmanuscript.
• Body language. Be sure to act and move in a way that does not take focus away from your message.
• Speed. Don't talk too fast. If you make eye-contact with your listeners you will be able to see that they can follow you.
• Be precise. Don't use verbal fillers such as "um", "uh" and "you know". Instead, pause silently.
• Surprise your listeners. Don't start by saying "I'm going to talk about global warming..." Say, "Global warming does not exist. It is invented by the media."
• Last words. Save your best material until the end of your speech. Your listeners will remember your last words best.
• Quote someone. Give somebody else's opinion about the topic of your speech. Remember to state this person's name and the source where you got the information from.
• Repeat. Say your most important points several times.
• A circle. Your speech is like a circle. What you say at the beginning and at the end should connect.

Good luck!