Ep. 5. Get vulnerable
Confidence isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. If you want to truly connect with your audience, a little vulnerability in your speech can go a long way.
Ep. 4. Plot Your Emotional Arc
We’ve talked about your speech’s one big story, the narrative arc. But running in tandem with it is something at least as important to your audience: the emotional arc.
Ep. 3. Tell one big story… with your audience as the hero.
No matter how you write your speech, it boils down to a story where the audience can identify with the protagonist — one that pulls them forward to the conclusion. Here’s how to make your speech’s story powerful and compelling.
Ep. 2. Know your audience
Before you can move an audience to where you’d like them to be, you need to know them. Here’s what to look for, and where to find it — so you know exactly how to reach and move them.
Ep. 1: Know what you want to accomplish
The first thing you need to know before you start crafting a speech is this: what’s your goal? What do you want your audience to think, feel and do at the end of your speech?
Tidings of discomfort and joy
You probably have the same instinct I do when you’re speaking to an audience. You want to make them feel at ease. Happy. Comfortable. That’s understandable. The most immediate sign that a speech is working is audience approval: nods, applause, even cheering. And we’re...
Why, yes — I’d LOVE to speak at your event
Public speaking and speechwriting: the essential guides
Looking for advice on public speaking, speechwriting and leadership communications? Here are some of my most comprehensive posts, on topics that people ask me about most often.
