central message

Congratulations! You’ve made it to the final step in the I Need A Speaker Five-Day Challenge! Over the past five days, you’ve fine-tuned your message, considered your audience, learned from others, and developed a compelling speech outline. I bet you know what’s next …

DAY FIVE: PRACTICE

There is an old joke about a man who asked someone for directions while in New York City. “Excuse me,” the man asked a stranger who seemed to know his way around. “Can you tell me how to get to Carnegie Hall?” The stranger replied, “Practice, practice, practice!”

Silly, but true. And it’s the same with public speaking. To get where you want to be, you’ve got to practice.

When you’re ready to debut your work, ask a trusted friend or colleague to watch your presentation. Have them share honest, constructive feedback.

Ask if the reviewer could easily follow along. Find out if they felt an emotional connection. Were you perceived as relatable? Was your presentation delivered with authenticity, value, and effectiveness?

Listen to the feedback with an open mind. Afterward, develop a plan to strengthen your weaknesses and celebrate your successes.

We’re so proud of you! Keep up the great work!

Woo hoo! You’re almost there! If you’ve been participating in this challenge since day one, you’ve had a chance to fine-tune your central message(s), consider your audience, and learned from other speakers you admire. Today, let’s do some work on writing an engaging speech outline.

DAY FOUR: CRAFT A COMPELLING SPEECH AROUND YOUR MESSAGE

Let’s work on crafting a compelling speech using powerful elements.

Create an outline as your starting point:

• Attention-grabbing introduction (stories and anecdotes work well)
• Transition to central statement and preview of main points
• Three to five main points, supported with credible sources and smoothly linked
• Transition to summary/conclusion
• Memorable conclusion (most effective when referencing introductory story)

As you write, focus on delivering value to your audience. If this is informational, are your word choices appropriate for the audience members’ level of knowledge on the subject? If this is motivational, have you included a call to action when necessary?

Use active verbs and descriptive language.

Infuse the presentation with appropriate emotion and enthusiasm.

Name your sources.

Check back tomorrow for the last step of our five-day challenge. Know someone who might benefit? Pass this along!

Welcome back to the five-day public speaking challenge! We hope you’re feeling as inspired and energized as we are!

By now, you’ve had a chance to fine-tune your message and think carefully about your audience. Today we’re going to focus on role models.

DAY THREE: LEARN FROM THE BEST

Watch speakers whose work you admire and take notes on their organization, delivery, and ability to connect with the audience.

How do those speakers connect with their audience using verbal and non-verbal language?

How do your role model speakers bring energy and enthusiasm to the presentation?

What kind of language do they use?

How, if at all, do the speakers use visual or audio aids?

Do they incorporate storytelling in their talks?

Do the speakers infuse their remarks with appropriate emotion?

How do these speakers make you feel?

Now consider how you can apply the most effective techniques to your presentation.

Check back tomorrow for the step four of our five-day challenge. Know someone who might benefit? Pass this along!

Welcome to the second day of the I Need A Speaker Five-Day Public Speaking Challenge! Hopefully you have fine-tuned your message (day one lesson) and are ready to tackle the next step.

DAY TWO: IDENTIFY YOUR AUDIENCE

Think about who you hope to reach and what result you seek.

Ask yourself these questions: Who is the best audience for your message? What change do you hope to create? What matters to the people you hope to reach? What are your audience members’ values? How, if at all, must I adapt my key messages for various audience types?

Check back tomorrow for the third step in our five-day challenge. Know someone who might benefit? Pass this along!

I Need A Speaker is here to help you achieve your public speaking goals. We believe that a powerful message and a passion to share it are the foundational elements of an effective public speaker.

Whether you’re a seasoned professional who engages audiences regularly or a newcomer to the (virtual) stage, there is always opportunity to examine your approach and make changes as needed.

Are you ready to polish your presentation skills? If so, join us for this challenge – and become a better public speaker in just five days!

DAY ONE: FINE-TUNE YOUR MESSAGE

What do you want to say? Ask yourself what takeaways you want your audience to recall. Next, finalize your central message(s).

Write it out and test it on potential audience members if you can. Use results-oriented language to express your message in a compelling, attractive way.

For example, rather than writing something like “Why It’s Important to Build a Strong Team,” consider language like, “The Five Keys to Building a Cohesive, High-Performance Team.”

What result do you deliver?

Check back tomorrow for the second step in our five-day challenge. Know someone who might benefit? Pass this along!