Whether you’ve been asked to give a wedding
toast, a retirement party roast, a funeral eulogy or some other kind of special
occasion speech or presentation, here are 5 questions you should consider
before you speak:
Sign up to receive more public speaking and networking strategies from Gilda's e-newsletter: http://www.gildabonanno.com/Pages/newsletter.aspx
1.
What
is the goal of the event?
Think about the overall goal of the event – is
it a happy celebration or a sad remembrance? Do you want the audience to laugh,
cry, ponder, be entertained….?
2.
Who
is in the audience?
What is the background of the people in the
audience? How many people are expected? Are they work colleagues of the guest
of honor, friends or family? What are their ages? For example, the insider
jokes and industry jargon that may be appropriate for work colleagues may not
make sense to family members in the audience.
3.
What
is your message?
What is the one point that you want people to
remember from your speech? Every story and statistic you share should relate to
that one core message, which should be in tune with the overall tone of the
event.
4.
How
much time do you have to speak?
What is the time limit for your presentation?
What comes before and after you? Will someone introduce you? Whatever your time limit, prepare to speak
for less time and have a backup plan in case a previous presenter goes over the time
limit. One of my clients prepared a
funny limerick to present at a colleague’s retirement roast, but the previous
speaker rambled on well beyond his time limit, so my client had to rush through
his limerick.
5.
What
is the environment like?
What is the room size and layout? Will you
present sitting or standing or from behind a podium? Is there a microphone for
you to use? What is the lighting like? (I’ve seen speakers struggle to read
their notes because the room is dimly lit).
If you can’t practice in the room before the event begins, at least try
to find a picture of it, so you can be more comfortable in the space when you
present.
Asking these questions will help ensure that
your speech or presentation is successful and that you convey a message that is
appropriate to that audience and aligned with the overall purpose of the event.
Sign up to receive more public speaking and networking strategies from Gilda's e-newsletter: http://www.gildabonanno.com/Pages/newsletter.aspx
Gilda Bonanno's blog
www.gildabonanno.blogspot.com