The two most important parts of any speech

Do you want to hit a home run with your speech every time you give one? If the answer is yes, there are two things you must have… an opening that will take their breath away and an even stronger closing.

The closing of your speech or presentation is the most important part.

Why? Because that’s what people remember the most. You want to leave your audience with a very strong statement regarding your presentation, your key points, and your conclusions. You want to craft the closure well and be able to remove it without problems. It takes a lot of practice to do this. There are some speakers at my company who practice their closing speech 30 to 50 times, separate from the body of their speech. Obviously, they want to make sure they have it under control. They do the same with the opening. The opening has the second strongest memory among the public.

How fast should you speak?

My company’s research shows that well-received speakers speak between 185 and 220 words per minute while at the podium. Most people don’t normally speak at 185 or more words per minute. Check your speed and adjust accordingly. You will find that the audience response will be much more positive when you adjust your pace.

The ability to speak is so important that you should look for every opportunity to practice. There are many opportunities to do this. The world craves speakers. Many clubs, groups, and organizations need people to speak up.

For those of you who are nervous at the thought of public speaking, I know experienced speakers who give speeches all the time and say that being nervous is part of the game. I have known people who have given over 500 speeches who are still nervous before they give one. They think of nervousness as something positive. They reframe being nervous and believe it’s just part of preparing. They use energy in a positive way. Public speaking is an important skill that you must commit to developing in order to excel in many fields.

© 2008 Darryl L. Mobley