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5 MAGIC KEYS TO CREATING ANY SPEECH!

Knowing the answers to these Five Questions will enable you to create a fabulous speech for almost any occasion.  Download your Free Report now and make creating your next speech so much easier! 

  It's About Them, Not You          

            If you were asked to make a list of all the reasons why people hate to speak in public, what would be on it?

            "I'm afraid I'm going to forget something important."

            "I get so nervous, I can't think."

            "I can't stand to have all those eyes looking at me."

            "I know they're not going to like what I say."

            "I'm not funny enough. People like speakers who make them laugh."

            "I don't like the way I look."

            "I don't know how to write a good speech."

            "I never know what to say."

            "I'm afraid I'll make a fool of myself."

            "They'll see how nervous I am and won't respect me."

            You can probably think of many more, but let's go with these for a start. Take a few minutes and look at them carefully. What do all these statements have in common?

            These are all real complaints that you've heard someone else say or you've said yourself. It matters not whether they're men or women, what business they're in, whether they're facing an annual meeting, company conference, sales presentation, holiday or retirement party or if it's a birthday party, bar/bat mitzvah, wedding, anniversary celebration or funeral. Whatever the occasion, the fear of speaking in public rises up like an angry black bear on a mountain path, causing the potential speaker to freeze in fear and then back away as fast as he can and run like heck in the other direction at the first opportunity.  

            What is so frightening about standing up in front of a group and saying a few words?

            Breaking it down into its simplest elements, giving a speech is simply offering your expertise to a few people who need and want to hear it. You know something they don't, they need to learn it, and you're there to educate them. You're going to gain their attention, tell them what you know, make sure they understand what you said, and ask them to do something as a result. You do this every day when your colleagues ask for information and you supply it, when you tell your kids stories about your family or talk with a voice in India trying to figure out why your cable TV isn't working.

            Your job is to make sure they get it. How do you do that? What are you thinking while you're speaking? Chances are you're focusing totally on the information you're presenting and the audience who's receiving it. Your goal is to make sure whoever is listening understands clearly and correctly what you have to tell them. In other words, your focus is on getting your message across to your audience. You're thinking about them, not about yourself.

            By now you've figured out what all those statements at the top have in common. They all begin with "I", or have "I" in them somewhere. In every one of those statements, the speakers are thinking about themselves, not about the audience.

            When we concentrate on giving the audience the gift of our knowledge, we don't have time to think about ourselves. When all our attention is focused on making our message land, when we believe in our subject and are passionate about presenting it, we're thinking about giving the audience a gift that is valuable. We're thinking about them, not about ourselves.  

            Concentrate on making your message land, and you'll never worry again about receiving anything but admiration and respect. Focus on giving to the audience. It's really all about them.