7 simple steps to engage your audience by writing a winning speech
Use these steps for writing any form of content.
Public speaking is an art. It takes years to master. To strike a chord with your audience, you need to make them feel it’s their story you’re unfolding before them.
I was a Toastmaster for more than 3 years. Toastmasters International is an organisation that helps develop public speaking and leadership skills. I got the opportunity to witness mesmerising speeches whose impact is still fresh in my mind. Some of those speeches still flash before my eyes.
One lesson I learned after listening to these speeches is that speech delivery depends on speech writing. No matter how well your delivery is, it can’t make up for a poorly written speech. A great speech starts as a great write-up, without which the speaker goes unheard.
In this article, I’ll share the 7 effective steps for writing winning speeches.
What makes a winning speech?
Every speech format has an introduction, body, and conclusion. But at the heart of every speech lies the audience’s experience. Before starting to write a speech, every public speaker asks one question:
Why would the audience listen to me?
When you find the answer to this question, you’re ready to cast a spell of mesmerisation on your audience. Here’s how I found the answer to this question every time I wrote a speech. Let’s look at the 7 steps for writing a winning speech to ease your speechwriting process.
1. Understanding your audience
When I joined Toastmasters, I used to think people would listen to what I had to say. It’s the other way around. You need to speak what they’d like to listen to. Does this mean you seal your real voice and speak only that which appeals to everyone?
Never! It’s every speaker’s responsibility to use the platform to spark conversations and make a difference. But has making a difference ever been easy?
You need to craft your speech such that the audience will appreciate it. It’s the power of the speaker to deliver speeches that make the audience think, ‘This is what I needed to hear.’ You need to convey your ideas through the words your audience would like to hear.
How to do that? By understanding your audience. When you know your audience, you can mould your thoughts in a way they’d find appealing.
Every public speaker deals with two types of audiences:
- Known: If you deliver a speech in a known environment, you can predict your audience’s reaction to your speech. It makes it easy for you to craft your speech to tailor to their needs.
- Unknown: The real difficulty is when the audience is unknown. You might have to speak in front of people not your age, who have different ideologies, beliefs, values, and demographics. You can never take a blind shot in front of an unknown audience.
This is where research comes to your aid. Visit the place before writing the speech, talk to the organisers of the event and collect as much information as you can about your audience.
2. Selecting a topic
Once you’ve understood and researched your audience, comes the next stage of selecting and modifying your key topic. Circling back to the question we asked earlier, think of what is there for the audience in your topic.
Ask yourself these questions.
Why would the audience invest their time in the speech?
What is their takeaway?
How can it transform their life?
After understanding your audience, if you feel the answers to these questions don’t hold power to grab their attention, modify the topic.
Your audience will only listen to you until you have something to offer them. If your speech has nothing for your audience, they won’t indulge it.
Think of what your speech offers to your audience. Does it:
- Entertain them
- Educate them
- Inspire them
Even a personal story needs to have a message or takeaway for the audience.
Once you’ve found a topic that resonates with your audience, move on to the next step.
3. Ideation
I always prefer free writing when it comes to ideation. Intentionally thinking of pointers and connecting them might make us forget some important points.
To avoid that, use free writing to jot down every idea that comes to your mind. Don’t think of finding transitions, connections, or structure. Just write down everything that comes to your mind about your topic. And leave it aside for some time.
4. Outlining and writing
Revisit your notes after a few hours with a clear mind. You’ll start seeing structure and transitions in those notes as you read on. You might also recall a few more points to add. Place them all together and create an idea map.
Start outlining your speech with your introduction and transition through the body to the conclusion.
Now you can start writing your speech. Having an outline and map ready makes the writing process easier and faster.
There, you have your first draft ready!
5. Editing
Here comes the most challenging part. I can vouch that editing can make you miserable. As a writer, you love every line of your speech. But you need to step into another soul to edit the speech.
You have to get harsh at times and objectively remove everything unnecessary. Cut all the fluff and repetitions, simplify complex terms, and step into your audience’s shoes to see how your speech sounds.
Remove adverbs and filler words which don’t add any meaning. But remember, it’s a speech. So, some filler words can add to the beauty of speech delivery. Mindfully keep only those words which will make your speech impactful.
The best way to edit your speech is to read it out aloud. The speech should sound like a conversation between you and your audience. When you read it aloud, you can pick out the words that sound odd and remove the sentences that don’t flow with others.
You can make the speech conversational and more effective.
6. Taking input from others
Often we can’t get out of the writer’s role and look at the speech objectively. Getting someone to read your speech can help you add a fresh perspective to it.
In Toastmasters, you have a mentor who reads and helps you modify your speeches. But you can always find one person who knows you well and can add good input to your writing.
No need to worry if that’s not possible. You can become your own harsh critic with practice. After each sentence, ask this question:
‘Will removing this sentence change the message of the speech?’
If the answer is yes (and be completely honest here), remove that sentence. No need to keep words that don’t add meaning to your writing.
Use these steps for writing your winning speech. Once the final draft is ready, you’re set to practise the speech delivery.
7. Practise speech delivery
Practising speech delivery is as important as writing a winning speech. You need to use proper voice dynamics and evoke emotions in your audience.
Facial expressions, gestures, and body language play a crucial role. Record yourself delivering the speech and watch the recording. It might look creepy watching yourself (it does!), but it helps you understand the movements you make unknowingly.
Keep recording and observing yourself till you’ve let go of the unnecessary gestures.
Are you ready with your steps for writing winning speeches?
Every great speech is a great read first. And when you write for your audience, they’ll not fail to make your speech great. It’ll resonate with them long after you’ve delivered it.
Every listener wants to take away something from a speech. Give them a chance to take something back from your speech, and you’ve earned a valued audience.
Use these 7 steps for writing winning speeches and indulge your audience.
Thank you for reading!
