To Create a Great Speech or Presentation – Don't just Research the Content

By: Bronwyn Ritchie
Submitted: 2007-01-17 16:43:05
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To create a great speech or presentation you certainly need content that will appeal to your audience and support the impact you want to make. Research will find you that content. But you also need to research vital details about audience, venue and context if that speech is to be successful and is to have the impact that you want it to create.

Once you have articulated the purpose of your speech, you can go about collecting the material you need. It may be that you have a specific message to present or you may have to create your own. If the latter is the case you will need to range wide in your research to cover the whole subject until a suitable message becomes clear. Then you will see sub-themes developing and you can direct your research along those lines.

Research on the internet. Use search engines, and include databases and blogs. Opinions in the blogs will give you some ideas for your own message.

Use libraries and include magazine articles as well as reference books and fiction or non-fiction.

While you research, be sure to note your sources. Head each new document of notes with the name of your resource then if you want to quote ideas you can refer to the source.

If you are speaking regularly, you will develop the habit of collecting material on your subject areas – articles from magazines or the internet, quotes, sayings and anecdotes. Keep a paper file of notes and save useful websites in your favourites file of a tagging system like del.icio.us.

And never forget your human resources. You cannot interview a website or book for clarification or for a quirky perspective that just might give you the winning angle on a topic.

Finally, if you are a visual person you can use mind mapping to record your ideas and information. (You can visit my article on the subject.) It will be a great tool to help you create a logical structure for your speech and to help you remember that structure.

Once you have content for your speech, you will also need to extend the range of the research. It is also vital to find out as much as you can about

  1. The audience
  2. The venue
  3. The context
1. Research the audience

Find out as much as you can – their age range, gender, income levels, dreams, needs, wants, culture.

You can gain much from a registration form.

You can ask the event manager.

In your preparation routine, you can mingle with them before your speech.

Then you can use that information in constructing your speech. If you need to persuade, for example, you can use your knowledge of their interests and dreams.

You will choose language that they understand, and that is not irritating or offensive to them, and subject matter to suit that audience - themes, supports, anecdotes all will be tailored to them.

2. Research the venue

Research the equipment available if you can, and the area.

If you can visit it before your presentation you will be able to incorporate it into your visualisations.

Apart from becoming familiar with the operations of the equipment, you may need to structure your presentation around what is available. The way you present using PowerPoint will be very different from the way you present without it, for example.

The location of your presentation, and of the equipment, in the room may also add constraints or possibilities to how you organise your material.

3. The Context

If you can find out the details of the programme you will have an advantage.

Ascertain, if you can, any other speakers on the programme and their subject matter … and the theme of the event.

And in your dealings with the organizers of the event, ensure that you know just what it is that they expect of you. A satisfied event manager is a powerful ally.

You must also know the time of day, so that you can either write for an audience that is alert, or one that is ready for an after-banquet nap, and the expected length of your speech or presentation. If you hope to have a positive, lasting impact on the audience and the organizers, you will stick to that time limit and write your speech accordingly.

So the research you have conducted to find content and to familiarize yourself with your audience, the venue and the context of your presentation has given you the information you need to present a great speech that will create impact with your audience.

Find more articles on speech writing and presentations - and resources to use in your speeches - at Pivotal Public Speaking

© Bronwyn Ritchie. Bronwyn has over 20 years’ experience in speaking to audiences and training public speakers – from community groups to corporate executives and those so nervous they could not say their own names to an audience. Build your public speaking with free tips, advice and articles. Subscribe now to the Pivotal Public Speaking ezine, delivered fortnightly.

Article source: Expert Articles

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