how to be prepared for an unprepared speech

Internet , Productivity

15 Best Impromptu Speech Tips (With Examples)

An impromptu speech is often the scariest type of speech you can make because you don’t get to prepare or predetermine what you’re going to say.

The speaker only gets a topic given in the form of a quotation, object, or proverb, and they have to do their best to deliver long-awaited answers.

Impromptu speech doesn’t have to be a full speech on its own. It can be a combination of answers to short quotations or terms provided during interviews or live discussions broadcast on the television.

While you can’t prepare yourself for the impromptu speech since you might not have any idea what you’ll be asked, you can still work on improving your speech and dialog with the help of the tips below!

I have also listed some great examples of impromptu speeches to give you an idea of what I am talking about.

Also Read : Common Weaknesses List & Examples

15 Best Impromptu Speech Tips

These 15 tips will let you know exactly how to behave during an impromptu speech, how to know what and when to say, and how to guide your speech without having too many pauses or breaks in between.

1. Hold it Together (Be Confident)

how to be prepared for an unprepared speech

Impromptu speeches might happen suddenly for many reasons, and often, you might find yourself in front of the audience without even agreeing to it.

No matter what happens during the speech, you have to assure yourself that you’ll be alright. This means you should look up, never avoid eye contact, and breathe deeply. Thinking about something positive is a confidence boost you might need to get through the speech.

2. Focus on Your Audience

When you’re starting your impromptu speech, keep in mind that you’re not going against the audience, yet the audience will be on your side.

Therefore, you should work with the audience and focus your speech around something positive and helpful to the audience.

The goal is to have the audience listen and understand what you’re saying in your impromptu speech but also respond to the things you’re saying. Being confident in front of the audience is one thing you should do, while the other is to focus on the audience and plan a structure you’ll learn in the next tip.

3. Plan a Structure

Even though you might not be prepared for a speech, you will still be able to quickly develop a speech structure in your head as soon as you hear the topic, question, or object you’re given to talk about.

Every speech structure should include three steps and the speech can be structured around almost anything. The most popular structures are:

Past/present/future
Cause/effect/remedy
Before/the event/the result

Think of the structure as a guideline of your speech that will help you get from start to finish as smoothly as possible. Another thing to keep in mind is that you can tell your structure/plan to your audience so they can easily keep up with your speech and know what to expect from it.

Check Out : Professional Development Goal Examples

4. Don’t Ramble

When you come up with a quick structure for your impromptu speech, you’re left to deliver the speech, but one thing you should keep in mind is not to ramble.

Rambling won’t get you anywhere; you’ll feel unease, and your audience won’t follow your speech easily.

Instead, it would help if you stuck to the “less is more” saying, stick to the target, and keep things short and to the point.

With a proper structure plan, you’ll have three key points (no matter what they are), so by splitting your speech into three sections, you’ll be able to judge how much time you should spend talking about each section.

5. Stand Out

Many try to stand out by actions, gestures, and confidence during their impromptu speech. While this is also important, there’s something even more important.

The first and the last sentence are the most memorable. It’s all about the primacy and recency, and most of the audience will most likely remember the first and the last thing you say.

Therefore, starting and finishing with powerful sentences that go well with your given topic and are linked to the message you deliver in the speech is super important as it will have the biggest impact if properly executed.

6. Talk as if You Were Talking to a Friend

Talking in front of the audience can be scary, but without preparation, talking in front of the audience can be even scarier.

Instead of feeling the pressure, feeling uncomfortable, or sweating buckets, you should go on with your impromptu speech as if you were talking to a group of friends.

You don’t have to fake anything, as the audience will see right through it. Instead, be yourself and try to do your best as this will always provide a better result.

Also Read : Best Executive Summary Examples

7. Tell a Relevant Story to Personalize Your Speech

The great thing about impromptu speeches is that they can go in your favor. If you don’t know what to talk about or what to include in your speech, here’s one tip that can help change the way you do your speech.

Try to think of a personal story that will be relevant to the subject of your impromptu speech. This will give you a topic to talk about, you won’t have to do any research or try to come up with facts that you will have to somehow back up, and your audience will love a personal story.

Personal stories are always easier to follow, and they’ll always go down well with any audience. Another piece of advice is to include a personal story in the middle section of your speech, but you can place it somewhere near the beginning of the speech.

8. Pay Attention to Your Voice Tone

When you take care of everything else before the speech and during the speech itself, many speakers forget to think of the voice tone.

There’s not much to overthink and you should speak slowly. Rushing might get you near the end sooner, but your speech won’t be a smooth ride.

Instead, take your time, focus on your breathing, rely on pauses, and have an impact while you deliver the key parts of the speech.

9. Make Sure to Follow Your Speech with Confident Actions

Confident actions are the most powerful body language actions that are not hard to get right, yet you might have to remind yourself to be “presentable”.

Standing tall on both your feet, not slouching over, keeping eye contact, using hand gestures, and avoiding fiddling are some of the things that will make you look confident.

Such confident actions will go well with your speech structure, confident voice tone, and relaxed, personalized speech.

Learning a couple of hand gestures will also put you at ease as you won’t have to wonder what to do with your hands during the speech.

10. Don’t Aim for Perfection

Every speaker wishes for their speech to be perfect, but an impromptu speech is the worst time to expect a perfect speech from yourself.

Therefore, it’s okay to lower the bar and focus on the execution and let the main goal be the smooth flow.

Setting the bar too high will only put you under pressure. In reality, most impromptu speeches happen due to unpredicted reasons, so if you’re put under the spotlight unwillingly and unprepared, the audience will notice, and they’ll understand, so there’s nothing to be afraid of.

Explore : Goal vs Objective – Difference & Examples

11. Practice Beforehand

You might not ever be prepared for a specific impromptu speech, but if you’ve been put into the spotlight once, you can be put under the spotlight again.

What you can do is practice quickly coming up with a speech structure on any given topic. Even if you have only a couple of minutes, you can develop a quick and concise structure and rehearse it in your head or in front of a mirror before you go in front of the audience.

And if you have a couple of hours, you can do a lot of practicing and even go through all these tips and be fully ready, no matter what the audience throws at you.

12. Use Humor to Break the Ice

No matter what the speech is about, you can always add a bit of humor to it. Don’t overdo it, but even a tiny bit of humor can help you make a better connection with your audience, ensure they pay attention to what you’re saying, and that they’re intrigued to hear what’s next.

Followed with a personalized story, you’ll have the audience hooked up until the end of the speech.

Of course, humor should come naturally, and you shouldn’t do it if you feel like you have to force it. But keep in mind that humor can be a great ice breaker, so it’s never a bad idea to keep it as a “secret weapon”.

13. The Meaningful Pause

Unfortunately, you’ll likely feel stuck or not know what to say next during your impromptu speech.

Just the thought of this can paralyze many speakers who are put under the spotlight. However, there’s a quick tip you can use to turn the block in your head into an advantage.

Instead of worrying if your audience noticed, try to “fake” a meaningful pause whenever you’re feeling stuck. During this pause, you can relax, and sooner than you know it, you will think of something.

The best thing is, your audience will never notice that “something’s wrong”, and yet this will also give them a breather and help them continue following your speech.

14. Keep Things Short

Less is more, and during impromptu speeches that can go extremely wrong, it’s better to cut your speech short and yet deliver everything you believe is valuable to the audience.

In other words, it’s better to regret not saying something than to say too much and then be on the spot from where you can’t turn back.

Also, keeping things short will help you stay in control of your impromptu speech and even look a lot more confident during your performance!

15. Try Turning the Impromptu Speech into Q&A Session

Since most impromptu speeches happen unexpectedly, not only will you have to come up with something from nothing, but you’ll also have to give the audience something you’re looking for.

Therefore, depending on the setting of your speech, you might try and turn your impromptu speech into a Q&A session, just like the journalistic interview type.

This will help you think less about what your whole speech will look like and focus on things the audience asks you in pieces.

You’ll still have full control over the answer, so turning a speech into a Q&A session is never a bad idea.

Check Out : Motivational, Funny, & Uplifting Sales Quotes

Best Impromptu Speech Examples

We’ll now take a look at some of the best examples of impromptu speeches to draw inspiration from.

University of Kentucky – Speech and Debate Team

In this impromptu speech example, the speaker only took two minutes for a quick structure plan from where she was put under the spotlight straight away.

A great start with a personalized story that leads straight into the argument. During the argument, clear signs of uncertainty are visible, but the speaker did well by slowing the speech down and taking a couple of very short meaningful pauses.

Prepared with examples which is a bonus, the speaker went through her speech structure with ease. There were moments where the speaker was nervous, but she kept it well together and even seemed confident in her speech at times.

Use gestures, confident actions, eye contact with the audience, and all other positive things you can learn from the tips above.

Closing the speech without any rumbling and getting the point straight across to the audience is a memorable way to end the speech, which is why this is one of many perfect examples of an impromptu speech.

Interesting Post : Popular Digital Marketing Quotes

Chris Gurrie Impromptu Speech Example

This is a short yet educative impromptu speech example where the speaker, Chris Gurrie, gets assigned a random topic by the audience and then guides the viewers of this video on how to plan a perfect impromptu speech structure.

While you would usually have around two minutes for the planning and practice process, Chris does it in about 30 seconds.

Chris starts his impromptu speech with many questions that come from a personalized story that then leads into the main topic of the speech.

What Chris also does is focuses on his audience and he shares his planned structure.

Chris’s impromptu speech is full of valuable information the audience might not have been aware of, which then ties to things on a larger scale. Even though Chris only took 30 seconds to work on the speech plan, he looks very relaxed, confident, with a strong game right until the end of the speech.

What’s interesting enough is that if you didn’t know this was an impromptu speech, you might not even know. Therefore, this is a perfect example of how good you can get at impromptu speeches without knowing the subject beforehand.

Toastmaster International – Impromptu Speaking

If you prefer learning from a video example, this four-minute video is everything you’ll need to gain the confidence to do an impromptu speech.

In this example, you’ll learn opportunities where impromptu speaking might be required. Of course, all of the opportunities are the ones where you don’t have much time to prepare.

However, with the techniques covered in this example video, you’ll learn how to manage last-minute speeches.

Lastly, the video will teach you all the benefits of holding impromptu speeches.

Even though this is an educational-type video, if you have a better look, you would notice that this whole video is less than five minutes long, and it’s scripted in a way to serve as yet another impromptu speech example.

Therefore, as you learn how to perform an impromptu speech, you’re watching an impromptu speech which is a brilliant idea.

Preparing yourself for an impromptu speech is only half the job, so in this video, you also learn how to deliver your impromptu speech with more useful tips.

Impromptu Speech Example: Thesis-Point-Story Format

Planning a structure for your impromptu speech is super important. The thing about the structure is that you can develop any three- or four-step process that will get you through the speech.

This video is a perfect example of a thesis-point-story format where Chris, the speaker, gets assigned a random topic from where he creates the thesis-point structure, shares it with the students, and gets down to the speech itself.

With word play, Chris slowly introduces the topic to the audience, and while he speaks to his students as his friends, he is getting down to the story’s main point.

As Chris goes through his impromptu speech, you can also notice that he asks the audience plenty of questions, and by answering his questions, he is slowly revealing the whole story behind the point of his impromptu speech.

Even though this example might be a bit complicated to understand, you can also learn from Chris’s body language, how he speaks, and how he controls his speech as he’s a highly skilled impromptu speaker.

Angel Anderson – Impromptu Speech Example

In this four-minute impromptu speech example video, Angel Anderson teaches you exactly what impromptu speaking is, how to practice it, and even shows an example full of important tips that can help you develop the same skills.

Angel uses a question-style topic, after which he sets the timer for two minutes for his impromptu speech.

With this type of question, Angel starts his impromptu speech with a personal story that gets interesting, which ensures that the audience follows him.

Not only did Angel answer a question, but he also shared an anecdotal story, and even then, he shared some more information connected to this story.

By far, Angel’s video is not the perfect impromptu speech, but it’s a real example of how easily you can work on your impromptu speech, practice, and learn as you progress.

Of course, this example is ideal for all interview-type impromptu speeches, which can be as hard as the topic-type speeches.

Impromptu speech can seem scary at first, but with plenty of preparation and practice, you will be able to speak on any topic without much preparation.

These 15 tips are everything you’ll need to start, develop, and finish your impromptu speech while being confident both verbally and nonverbally.

On top of that, these five examples show you how impromptu speech is done first-hand. Remember that you shouldn’t aim for perfection, but even tiny improvements are a good step forward to achieving a decent impromptu speech.

Tom loves to write on technology, e-commerce & internet marketing. I started my first e-commerce company in college, designing and selling t-shirts for my campus bar crawl using print-on-demand. Having successfully established multiple 6 & 7-figure e-commerce businesses (in women’s fashion and hiking gear), I think I can share a tip or 2 to help you succeed.

How to Deliver an Impromptu Speech: A Comprehensive Guide

Hrideep barot.

Speech Writing , Toastmasters

It was in eighth grade when I gave my first impromptu speech. Being an introvert, delivering a well-rehearsed speech was itself a big deal, let alone an impromptu one.

It was during one of the monthly events in school where we were seated and waiting for the chief guest to arrive. To fill the gap and to keep the audience engaged, the volunteers called out names at random who were supposed to talk about any topic.

My cortisol and adrenaline levels were at its peak when they called out my name. It was more of a ‘say something, and get embarrassed’ or ‘stay quiet and get embarrassed’ situation.

Since either way, the outcome was to ‘get embarrassed,’ I went with the former, and till today, my friends make fun of me. But, it was a much needed push to not be afraid of going on stage. Since then, I tried to learn more about giving speeches on the spot so I could save myself from so-called embarrassing moments!

So, let me save you from such a situation and help you deliver an exceptional impromptu speech. I understand it’s challenging if you’re like me, but hey, it’s the baby steps that matter the most. So, read on to find out more about it.

What Exactly is an Impromptu Speech?

An impromptu speech is a speech delivered with zero preparation. It can be at an office meeting, job interview, or an event. One needs to be vigilant and mentally prepared at all times when it comes to giving an impromptu speech.

Imagine this. You’re at your colleague’s dinner party on a Friday evening. While trying to get ‘in the mood,’ your pal suddenly calls you to come on stage and talk about the evening.

It’s untimely, and you’re unprepared. But, you must present the best version of yourself at the moment. Now, that’s what is called an impromptu speech.

If you’re the type who does not like social interaction or fears being on stage, then delivering an impromptu speech might be quite challenging.

Scenarios Where You Might be Asked to Give an Impromptu Speech

When you’re at an art exhibition, a reporter might come up to interview you.
You might be asked to talk about your friend or colleague during a send-off.
If you’re attending any conference or talks, you get questioned about the event/topic.
Business meetings are a commonplace where you’re interrogated about your ideas or updates on the project unexpectedly.
During events, the speaker might choose you to come on stage and demonstrate or talk about anything.
Dinner parties are a common place where you might have to speak about if the person hosting is close to you.
College farewells and events are also where you might have to speak on-spot.
If you’re interning at an organization, you can be called upon stage anytime to share your experience. It can also be while bidding adieu without prior notice.
Job interviews are also one of the places where your wit is tested. No matter the amount of preparation, you get asked bizarre questions.

7 Tips to Deliver a Captivating Impromptu Speech

1. Understand That You Only Need to Talk About Your Experiences

When someone gives us a topic, we prepare, rehearse it till the last minute and present it at one go. But, in an impromptu speech, you’re not given a topic that you will not know.

The prime focus of the subject will be either you or your surroundings. If you think about it, this is more straightforward.

It can be about your journey with your colleagues, your company’s latest product, or about your best friend. These are always easy to interpret.

Well, If you think about it, impromptu speaking has been a part of our everyday lives unknowingly. When you meet a stranger at a cafe or when you head to a nearby store, it is impromptu.

You might be asked to speak on random topics like “Why should one not be a part of the rat-race,” or “Why is it ideal to embrace adversities?” Though these are just examples to give you an overview, you might be asked to speak on any topic under the sun. It all depends on where you are.

2. Learn to Describe What You See Around

We commute to different places in a day, and we see plenty of things happening around. If your friend tells you to describe that cute guy/girl you met on the metro ride, you would go on and on about him/her.

But, if you’re asked to describe a pretty vase on your table, you end it in a few seconds. Learning to describe is an art.

More than describing, it’s about building strong opinions for issues that concern us. Let’s say, the topic is “Your take on mental health.” Though this is a pretty general topic, it’s about your perspective on that particular topic. The upsides and downsides of the issue, the why and what of it. Forming opinions and describing it with actual facts adds a lot of credibility to your speech.

Once you master it, it’ll be easy for you to deliver any speech. If you’re an introvert, you might be well-versed at playing with words on a blank white sheet, but practicing the same by talking can help you with presenting better.

Be a keen observer, try to watch the details. The more you observe, the better you will be able to relate your personal story to the facts, and your audience will love it when your speech is relatable and not generalized.

3. Organize Your Thoughts

I have this problem where a bunch of things will be going on in my mind simultaneously. It’s complete chaos where I end up speaking irrelevant things.

So especially if you’re new to going on stage unprepared, then more than making points, you might start worrying about what others might think of you.

I’ve gone through that, my face would be as red as a tomato and I completely screw up the speech as my voice would stutter and show that I’m obviously nervous.

So, it’s essential to organize your thoughts and prioritize the ones that you want to talk about first. Also, an impromptu speech is a short speech, so even if you have plenty of things in your mind, filter them and say the best ones. It should be short, engaging, and the audience should resonate with what you say.

A basic strategy is to ask yourself the 5 W’s and H questions when you’re called on stage. Taking the example of “Is it ideal to embrace adversities?” well, you start by asking yourself why is it ideal, how can one overcome, what is the best way to deal with it, and so on.

You can start your speech by speaking about the time when YOU experienced such a situation in your life, move on to tell about how it affected you internally, and finally the ways you overcame your adversity. Conclude by going back to the topic and answering it.

Here, the audience is able to relate to your personal story and also motivate them in the end. This way, you can deliver your impromptu speech more effectively and without much effort. You never know, you might surprise yourself in the end.

4. Try and be as Candid as Possible

Now that you’ve learned to describe things, describing your experiences should be easy. As mentioned above, though describing the lowest point in your life may not be easy, you can add characters to it and speak as a different story.

When someone asks you to deliver an impromptu speech, go straight up to the stage (this is the time to recollect every possible thing) and express what you feel at that very moment.

If it’s about your colleague or mentor, you can start by speaking about one of the most cherished moments with them, what qualities you liked and learned from them, and how they brought in a positive change in your life.

I’ve seen people who try to be extra formal but end up ruining their speech or make it boring. Just breathe and talk your heart out. No amount of preparation can beat the candid speech ever. It’s the one that comes from your soul, and the one, that touches the audience’s heart.

5. Go with the Flow and be Light-hearted

If you’re a newbie, your first few speeches will not be the way you expect it to be. If you want to be the best version of you, then you need to face complicated situations.

Well, not all the time, but if you land in such a position, embrace it. Never let that consume you. You’re not stooping low and disrespecting yourself, you’re saving yourself from intensifying the situation. It shows you’re confident enough too.

I bet, even the best speaker would have been through an embarrassing situation at least once.

6. Set a Brand for Yourself

It was during one of my first few speeches in school where I tried imitating the hand gestures similar to that of my classmate. It was so obvious, and also, it did not go well with my personality. So, never do that.

If you’ve watched TEDx Talks, you might have observed that every individual has a unique way of conveying their story to the audience, whether it’s the tone or the body language.

Thus, be comfortable with yourself and your body. You will see the results for yourself. An impromptu speech judges who you are. It’s those few minutes that shows the world who you are. Give your best shot no matter what.

7. It’s Okay to Screw Up in an Impromptu Speech

You might forget your topic while on stage, or you might end up being blank in between your speech. That’s totally alright. It’s a matter of time and everyone would have gone through the same phase.

Learn from it and avoid making that mistake the next time. Maybe even your fifth speech might not be good, but your tenth or twelfth speech will definitely be better than your previous speeches and no one can stop you from there.

Remember, it’s okay to screw up and it’s okay to be reckless. In the end, you will be happy to have that experience. Here’s former NFL player, Bo Eason, telling his students why being reckless is actually a good thing:

Impromptu Speech Outline

Like any other speech, an impromptu speech has the same structure: the introduction, the body and the conclusion.

Introduction

There are many ways you can start during an impromptu speech. Like always, the introduction should be captivating.

Gone are the days where the usual “Hello Everyone, I’m ABC and so on” was the norm for starting a speech. It gives the impression that your speech will be boring right from the beginning.

One way is by sharing a quick personal story. You can start this way, “I remember the time when I was in a similar situation…”
Another way is to ask questions. You get enough time to recall notable points. Questioning your audience can buy you extra time if you do not remember right away. (Keep in mind that you do not make majority speech a question-answer session. You’re out there to speak, not to make the audience speak).
Also, knowing your audience and the time of the presentation is equally important. It can be at an NGO, a corporate place, or even a party. Start your speech accordingly. Knowing your audience can help you be a lot more contextual.

Thus, start with a relatable quote or come up with one. Share a story that is relatable to all. Your introduction is a gateway to you as an individual. Keep it simple yet effective.

Related Article: 15 Powerful Speech Opening Lines (And How to Create Your Own)

Now since an impromptu speech is only for a couple of minutes, you need not rush to conclude your speech. Honestly, I even dread to talk continuously for 2 minutes, so a couple of minutes on stage is a big deal for me. Breathing helps to calm my nerves. I remind myself to live in the moment and continue my story.

If you’re speaking on “Mental Health,” make 3 to 4 informative points like when did you realize mental health is important, how important is it to focus on our overall well-being, in what way does it affect our day-to-day lives, why is there a stigma around it, how can everyone join as a community and offer help, and so on.

If you have gone through any mental health issues, you can share your story and deliver the speech. You can also talk about personal experiences.

If it’s a light topic, go on about the details of it, what made you despise or love that phase of life, relate it with the current topic, add facts, quotes, references from movies, or stories if you remember that very moment.

The body of the speech should be informative and engaging. Try not to make it too long. Keep it to the point with all the details included.

Conclu sion

The conclusion is as essential as your introduction. Maybe a little more valuable as your audience will remember your conclusion more than anything. You can either make a gist of your speech and stress on the important points in the end or end it by speaking something that is motivating and inspirational.

If it’s on Mental Health, you can probably end it by saying “Let’s push the pause button and not be too busy to not care about the one’s next to us. The least we could do is to ask ‘How are you? Are you OK?’ to the people around us. You never know, it might make a huge difference and bring positivity and hope among everyone.”
If it’s a wedding party, be energetic and lively. You can simply end by congratulating the couples and telling the audience to enjoy the evening.
If it’s business-related, you can end it with a ‘success’ quote or something compelling enough that is contextual to a business setting.

Keep your speech short, crisp, and sweet.

Related article: 5 Ways to End Your Speech With Maximum Impact!

I came across this video and loved every bit of the impromptu speech. The speaker starts with a story as an example, relates it to our lives, and explains why we should live like the character in the story ending on a positive note with a great message.

How to be Better Prepared for Impromptu Speeches

“The very best impromptu speeches are the ones written well in advance.” Ruth Gordon

Though an impromptu speech is delivered straight away without preparation, if you practice for a couple of minutes every day, you will definitely nail it. Here are some of the ways to improve your impromptu skills and gain confidence by speaking on-spot on a daily basis. It will help you think fast and deliver your thoughts effectively.

1. Practice at Home With Your Family

The best way to deliver an impromptu speech is to practice more. Ask your family members to give you a topic on-spot every day. It can be a short 5 min session where you practice one topic or one-hour session where each family member takes turns and speaks on any given topic. A perfect bonding moment as well. Once you develop the confidence to speak in front of your family members, you will be much more comfortable speaking in front of strangers.

2. Call a Friend

You can call your friends and play pick-and-speak . It will definitely be fun and everyone can improve their impromptu skills. It’s always entertaining with friends when they come up with cool topics.

Call your friend up and give her a topic. Let her speak on the topic for a minute or two. After she’s done, switch your roles and allow her to give you a topic. Once you both are done speaking, evaluate each other and give feedback on how you can improve each other’s speeches.

This is a short, effective and fun way of practicing and gives you a buddy to practice and track your progress with.

3. Attending Toastmasters

You can join a Toastmaster’s club near as they help you in improving your speaking skills. You meet like-minded people, and here, you are supposed to pick a topic and present it in front of the members under the Table Topics section. It’s a perfect opportunity to improve your impromptu skills.

Here is another video where a member of a Toastmaster club speaks on a Table Topic. The flow of the speech is natural, and she presents it with grace and autheticty, which is laudable.

Related Article: How to Best Perform the Role of Table Topics Master in a Toastmasters Meeting?

4. Attend an Event or Volunteer at Your Neighborhood

You can also volunteer at NGO’s and take part in conducting campaigns, reaching out to people, and hosting events. It boosts your self-confidence and gives you a chance to host events or speak on stage at certain occasions.

Impromptu Speech Delivery

Here are a couple of things you need to keep in mind to be prepared for delivering a speech. Even though you cannot prepare for the topic, you can prepare yourself for any topic.

Read, Read and Read a Lot

Now that you know that an impromptu speech is unplanned, it’s a test to your knowledge. Though you will be sharing personal experiences, the more you add quotes and facts, the better your speech. So, it’s essential to read a lot. Pick up any book, newspaper, or magazines every day and read. Make notes on points you could connect, or the ones that you feel would help you in your speeches.

Work on Your Body Language

When it comes to body language, it’s okay to not be comfortable in your first few speeches. But come home and practice it in front of the mirror. Make sure to not repeat the same mistakes again. A few basic rules to remember are to not keep moving around too much or standing completely still, to not cross your hands, keeping it authentic, etc.

Realted article: Body Language Guide to Public Speaking (The Do’s & Don’ts)

Practice Voice Modulation

When you’re anxious, you might want to get done with your speech so end up speaking in a monotonous tone. Voice modulation is essential while delivering a speech. Another crucial thing is while describing your experiences, try to bring in various tones rather than being monotonous. Explain how a mother narrates a story to her child.

Read aloud at home, narrate a story to kids, or record your speech and listen to it repeatedly. Find out where you’re going wrong. Recording your voice will help you understand the areas where you need to work more.

Related Article: The Incredible Impact of Video Recording Yourself While Practicing a Speech

Related article: All You Need to Know about Voice Modulation & Tonality for Public Speaking

Impromptu Speech Topic Examples

Do you think self-love should be given more priority than any other form of love?
Does engaging in journaling ensure productivity?
Why is there a stigma around mental health? What should be done to spread awareness?
Why should one not be indecisive in life?
Is it true that if a person masters one skill, he is capable of mastering every other skill?
Why is it essential to obtain physio-mental stability for everyone?
Is it ideal to follow your passion even after knowing the rapid changes happening in the world?
What is the most significant thing in life to succeed: persistence or hard work?
Should one always go with the flow in life?
What should one do to find one’s true potential at the earliest?

Impromptu Speech Online Course

While I encourage you to practice impromptu speaking by yourself, sometimes, a little help can go a long way.

If you want to learn impromptu speaking in a more structured format, check out this course by Shola Kaye on Udemy :

Public Speaking Success: IMPROMPTU public speaking

The course is quite handy when it comes to understanding impromptu speaking at deeper level. I personally like this course for two reasons:

The instructor makes you practice impromptu speaking within the course framework itself. So you’re practicing AND learning, not just learning
You get familiarised with various impromptu speech topics and scenarios. This helped be more sensitized to different topics and situations I could face where I would have to rely on impromptu speaking

I really like the instructor, Shola Kaye, as well. Being an introvert herself, she’s quite a relatable instructor.

She’s also familiar with Toastmasters’ Table Topics. So all you TM members out there, this will be a great match! The curriculum is set out for only 7 days. So the content is extremely snackable and easy to watch. Check it out!

Bottom Line

An impromptu speech may not be as daunting as you expect it. A little belief in yourself and a never give up attitude is all that is needed to master it.

Sometimes, well, most of the time, it’s all the chaos in our mind stops us from being the best version. It’s the thought about what others think of us put a full stop to our personal growth. Get that thought off your mind, and you’re half-way there.

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How to Ace the Impromptu Speech

Several readers sent in questions related to impromptu speeches, including Matthias K.:

I’m pretty comfortable when I have days or even weeks to prepare a speech, but I REALLY struggle when I’m asked to speak at a moment’s notice. Do you have any tips for impromptu speaking?

In this article, you’ll find a set of tips that will make you shine the next time you are asked to speak on the spur of the moment.

Impromptu Speech Scenarios

Impromptu speaking may not be as glamorous as prepared speaking, but it is an equally vital skill simply because there are so many scenarios where you find yourself speaking without more than a few moments of preparation. It’s no surprise that “impromptu speaking sessions” are found within Toastmasters meetings , college communications courses, and public speaking seminars.

Consider just a few situations where you find yourself speaking off the cuff:

The scheduled speaker is unavailable (or late), and you’ve been asked to fill in.
You are sitting on a panel answering questions from the audience.
You are fielding questions after your own talk (yes, your Q&A session is impromptu speaking)
You are being interviewed on television, radio, webinar, or telephone.
You are invited (at the last moment) to say a few words at a company gathering.
You are asked to provide a brief status report for your project at a department meeting.
You are motivated to join the debate at the parent association meeting for your child’s school.
You decide to give an unplanned toast at an event with family or friends.

It’s also worth noting the irony that the better you are at giving prepared speeches, the more often you will be invited to speak with no time for preparation at all. Your friends and colleagues will recognize your speaking skill, and when they need “someone” to say a few words… you’ll be that someone!

Winning Strategies for Impromptu Speeches

Although you may only have a few seconds to prepare for any particular impromptu situation, you certainly can prepare yourself to be ready when called upon.

Here are a few strategies you can use:

Anticipate situations where you may be called upon to speak. For example, if you are attending an engagement party for a close friend or family member, there’s a reasonable chance that you might be asked to speak. Similarly, if one of your close colleagues is scheduled to speak (e.g. your boss, your peer, or your report), it’s also reasonable to assume that you will find yourself speaking. As you head to the event, do a few mental exercises, trying to guess what you might be asked to speak about, and how you would respond. Even if your guess isn’t accurate, it’s amazing how those prior thoughts will help you think on your feet when you are asked to speak.

Wrap your response around a simple template, or framework. If you practice this a few times, you will find that your mini-speeches are much more polished and coherent. A few easy frameworks include:

P.R.E.P. (Point. Reason. Example. Point) – Start off by clearly stating your point. Share the primary reason (or reasons, if you have more time). Then, share an example (preferably in story form) where your main point or reason is supported. Finally, conclude by summarizing your central point again. The template works well in many situations, and is easily adapted.
Issue, Pros vs. Cons, Conclusions – Start off by framing the issue. Talk about the benefits, and then talk about the drawbacks. Conclude with your recommendation.
5W – In this pattern, you cover your topic by addressing the Who, What, When, Where, and Why elements. For example, if you’ve been asked to speak briefly about a fundraising initiative, you could talk about [1] who started it, and who is involved now; [2] what the goals are; [3] when it started, and the schedule for the future; [4] where does it take place; and [5] why are you involved. This template works nicely, largely because the “why?” comes last, because this is often the most critical information.

Turn your impromptu session into a Q&A session. In situations where you are asked to fill in when the schedule speaker is absent, it may not be wise to launch into a 45 minute impromptu speech. Even the most accomplished speakers are prone to meander in that situation. Instead, reframe the session as a Q&A session, which breaks it up into a series of very small impromptu speeches that are probably easier for you to answer individually. Plus, the content comes directly from the audience, so you are guaranteed to deliver what they are seeking.

Use personal stories. Storytelling is an essential skill for prepared speaking, but it is equally useful for impromptu speaking as well. Stories are emotional, real, and interesting. If you stick to personal stories, you’ll find that it is much easier to speak (even without preparation) because the events happened to you.

Avoid the tendency to go on, and on, and on. Craft a coherent message, and then be quiet. Rambling on will only weaken your overall speech. If you must fill more time, shift into a Q&A.

Go easy on yourself. We all want to speak perfectly every time, but demanding perfection from yourself in an impromptu speech is setting the bar too high. The audience (probably) recognizes that you’ve been thrown in at the last minute, and they will understand.

Your Turn: What’s Your Opinion?

Do you have any proven strategies for mastering the impromptu speech?

Please share in the comments .

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21 comments.

Great ideas – and I like the simple structures PREP, I-P&C-C, 5W – quick tools to put structure into your talk 2 minutes before standing up.

The real challenge is closing an impromptu speech – so often the lack of preparation of a good opening leaves it difficult to do a great closing – and you end up with a tepid “well… that’s it… thanks”

Always try to be prepared for the “Impromptu Speech.”

A Police Chief once told me he takes it as a given that when attending Chamber and other events, the emcee will usually say, “And let’s hear a few words from our city’s Top Cop. Come on up here, Chief!”

I like your idea, Andrew, of the Q&A Session. If you don’t know the answer, or just want to involve more people, the answer to the question can be thrown back to the audience.

Thanks for the Post!

I have always been an impromptu speaker. I loose my confidence when I prepare my speech. Which I do well, but at times, I miss out on important issues and also I can’t time my speech

At one point in my career, I was constantly confronted with impromptu speaking situations–the speech literally being planned between chair and podium.

The challenge was how to make the speech coherent and focused with no time to labor over an outline.

One speaker suggested simply picking an object on the way…and using the elements of that object as points for the speech. We might use an object that has an obvious connection with the topic, say a “ball point pen” used for points on communication, but that is not necessary, a shoe or a flower arrangement could be used as well.

So, it begins, “this common shoe tells us everything we need to know about time management…..” –first, like a good shoe, it has to fit you and your distinctive personality… –second, like the sole, it must both protect you from the dynamics of the outside world, and give you traction… –Finally, like the shoe in its totality, you must use it or it cannot fulfill its function no matter how well designed…

This actually works so well, I have used it to create outlines for writing and prepared speeches…a structured brain storming.

God bless and Merry Christmas

hi thanks so much for addressing an issue I had requested for too, only not so articulately.

If it is impromptu it is a not really a speech. It is more you giving your off the cuff thoughts about something. By the very nature of being unprepared you can be prepared for them. But you can learn to be good communicator and share your well organized thoughts about something *whenever* you are asked.

An “impromptu speech” is no different than a coworker or a spouse asking you your opinion about something.

The ‘template’ advice is spot on Andrew. A well structured speech will always sound professional. To what you’ve said here I’d add that when time to prepare is short, make best use of it by working out the opening (an arresting attention getter) and the close (something they’ll always remember). Somehow you’ll be able to speak your way from one to the other!

excellent suggestion! Will give it a go 🙂

I always enjoy your write ups. Impromptu speaking is the monster in many people’s nightmares. . . Your suggestions are very valid.

Nice! I remember my speech teacher getting me to use the 5W’s when doing impromptu speeches years ago. I’ve never been as strong with impromptu side of things in comparison to prepared speeches, so thanks for sharing your excellent strategies! Will use.

I really have a hard time getting my confidence. I thank you for sharing this knowledge and may help any body who wants to be a good public speaker. May God Bless You!

hi your articles are really great.they will be helpful during the public speaking competitions

I have an impromptu speaking competition coming up. I get any topic in the world from the adjudicator and have 5 minutes of preparation. I must speak for at least 2 minutes. I had a practice round yesterday, but it went really badly. My topic was ‘Know Your Limits’ and it came out a bit disastrous. Do you have a fully formed plan or something I could follow in regards to any topic that could come up? Thank you.

Hey Ashley, I realize you posted your comment months ago, but I also have an impromptu speaking competition coming up in days, just like yours. You must have finished your competition by now, and I was wondering whether you have any tips you could give me? I have the same problem you do. Thanks.

If you start with an intro Attention Getter – grab your audience Thesis – what is my topic Preview of Points – then talk about each point specifically then conclude with Review – what did i just talk about Thesis – what was the topic and a Tieback to the attention getter

This helps my students succeed. At least a minute of talking with an introduction and conclusion and a minute on each point, you have a minimum of a 4 minute speech! Just think, process and come up with points about your topic and you will do great!

I find the articles very interesting and informative.

I SOMETIMES EXPERIENCE SOME CHALLENGES WHEN REQUESTED TO GIVE AN IMPROMPTU SPEECH. I WOULD BE GLAD TO SUBSCRIBE SO THAT I CAN EQUIP MYSELF WITH SKILLS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING.

IMPROMPTU 1 Pick topic from here and now–I usually talk about talking impromptu 2 Quickly pick ending to guide your talk–I usually invite them to give an impromptu talk soon.

Love these tips. Spot on!

I have developed this website for practicing impromptu speech with an active time. Please feel free to use it impromptuspeech.net

This was helpful for a project in working on for the next few days

Recent Tweets

How to Ace the Impromptu Speech – https://t.co/lDPj5JHbRB — Rainmakers (@RainmakersIndy) Oct 28th, 2015

#CentralDelhiTM #TableTopicsContest TIPS to Ace the Impromptu Speech https://t.co/b6mgrbfoP3 by @6minutes — @CentralDelhiTM Mar 8th, 2016

Leaders: You are always on stage. Be ready! https://t.co/mFOuZ4n1Nw — @KurtGreene Jun 13th, 2016

#WednesdayWisdom Good article by @6minutes about impromptu speeches. Be confident off the cuff! https://t.co/zeLiJ8jY07 — PitchVantage (@pitchvantage) Jun 15th, 2016

How to Ace the Impromptu Speech https://t.co/vEKxFQcUED by @6minutes — @MarysReflection Oct 20th, 2016

https://t.co/pE1a9QxnEL この記事のP.R.E.P. (Point. Reason. Example. Point)の部分をPPAP的なノリで参考にしようと思った(意味不) — @mikueigo Nov 2nd, 2016

very helpful https://t.co/aPNHorseHb — @jonmarc_gordon Feb 21st, 2017

How to Ace the Impromptu Speech https://t.co/6yAangvFFJ by @6minutes #publicspeaking #coaching — @Seb_n_CHS Oct 17th, 2017

https://t.co/f9ZHdZCGH6 — @SpeakClearComm Jul 27th, 2018

Love the idea of using an (ironically-named) acronym – PREP – to give structure to impromptu speeches. @6minutes, d… https://t.co/EDuBwglGL9 — @speakupcamb Jul 31st, 2018

4 Blog Links

How to Ace the Short, Impromptu Speech | EFL Tips - Resources for EFL Students — Jan 19th, 2012

Impromptu speaking – strategies for winging it « Speak well, do well! — May 10th, 2012

Useful resources to help you get ready for the contests « Toast of CIBC Toastmasters Blog — Sep 12th, 2012

Donn King's Corner » Blog Archive » Prepare to speak without preparation — Nov 12th, 2012

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10 top tips for delivering an impromptu speech

No time to prepare take heart – and take note..

For many of us it’s the worst-case scenario – suddenly having to deliver an impromptu presentation. Being asked to speak in public is a major challenge for many leaders. Being asked to speak spontaneously as well as publicly can catapult the task straight into the very-difficult, to-be-avoided-at-all-times-I’d-rather-die category. The negative possibilities appear grave – your brain freezes, you mumble incoherently, or you appear to lose all gravitas.

Yet these scenarios happen all the time – introducing yourself at networking events, giving a toast at a company party, unexpectedly being pulled into a meeting to give an update, having a colleague directly turn to you in the middle of a presentation for input or being asked an unexpected question on a panel.

While you may wish for thorough preparation, giving an extemporaneous speech can mark you out as an excellent communicator. It’s how you handle yourself when you are least prepared that often demonstrates your leadership and influencing abilities.

Here are 10 top tips for performing – and presenting – under unexpected pressure.

Be confident – look up, breathe deeply, say to yourself something positive – ‘I’m going to be fine’.
Focus on the audience – Every presentation, including impromptu ones, need to be audience centric. The audience will be on your side – focus on what will be useful to them.
Less is more – Avoid the tendency to ramble. An audience is far more likely to listen if you stay on target and are succinct. In fact, they’ll love you for it. Keep it short and to the point. Remember the Power of 3 – stick to three key points.
Have a structure – Tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them. In the main section use a simple structure. For example:
Past / Present/ future
Cause / Effect / Remedy
Before / The Event / The Result
Primacy and recency – The audience will remember the first and last things you say. Make sure these are therefore powerful and linked to your key message.
Talk conversationally – imagine you are speaking to your best friend and let yourself be authentic and natural.
Personalise your speech & have a relevant story . Share from personal experience. No need to research, no need to investigate, and no need to memorise anything. When in doubt about what to say, just tell a story from your past related to the situation. Stories are memorable.
Demonstrate powerful body language – Stand tall on both feet, resist the urge to slump or fiddle, use big gestures, smile and get eye contact with your audience.
Use a credible voice tone – Go slowly! Hurrying will increase any feelings of unease you have. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Deliver your words slowly and use pauses.
Turn your impromptu session into a Q&A session – For lengthier impromptu speeches re-frame the session as a Q&A session, which are probably easier for you to answer individually and breaks a session up into a series of very small impromptu interventions. Also, the content comes directly from the audience, so you are guaranteed to deliver what they are seeking.

Whilst we can still enjoy the famous tongue-in-cheek Mark Twain quote ‘it usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech’, you now know what to do when confronted by the dreaded impromptu business presentation. Now all you have to do is practise on the edge of discomfort.

Appeared in Management Today – April 2018

Previous post authenticity: how to be genuine when you present, next post how to engage an audience in 3 minutes flat, contact jeremy:.

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Impromptu speaking tips
Impromptu speech outlines

Impromptu speech outline: 7 formats

How to prepare for an impromptu speech.

By: Susan Dugdale

Using a speech outline to prepare an impromptu speech seems counterintuitive, doesn't it? After all, impromptu means of the moment, spontaneous, without preparation. So, what is an impromptu speech outline?

Quite simply it’s the structure, or format of your speech. It’s how you order your material from the time you open your mouth at the beginning of your speech, until you close it at the end.

An outline doesn’t need to be a written document or put on note cards to be effective. An experienced impromptu speaker will have an assortment of structural patterns memorized. When they’re asked to speak, they’ll mentally flick through them and choose the most appropriate.

Following an outline lessens the possibility of rambling aimlessly off topic. And, given my flibberty gibbet tendencies it's vital! Maybe yours too?☺

What's on this page

Seven structural patterns , each with example impromptu speech outlines and a printable blank outline template to download.

How to use these structural patterns : guidelines for practice

About the printable impromptu speech outlines

How to reframe a topic : examples of openings showing how to adapt a topic.

The patterns are:

Point, Reason, Example, Point (PREP)

Past, Present, Future

Problem, solution.

Pros/Cons, Positives/Negatives, For/Against, Advantages/Disadvantages

Cause, Effect, Remedy

Before/The Event/The Result

Local, National, International

Graphic: 7 colorful retro fabric scraps. Text: 7 impromptu speech outline patterns.

How to use these structural patterns

To become a competent impromptu speaker you need to get familiar with them. So initially just play with them for practice either with a friend or by yourself.

Get a subject to talk about. (Click for 150 impromptu speaking topics ).
Choose yourself a pattern to form the body of speech.
Now go. Open your mouth and speak.

You’ll need an introduction followed by your material organized according to whatever pattern you’ve selected, and then a conclusion.

Keep it simple. You don’t need to try hard to say devastatingly intelligent insightful things. The starting goal is to get used to thinking, then speaking, without a great deal of prior preparation.

This is impromptu speaking, ‘off the cuff’, largely spontaneous. Be honest and where you can, add personal stories. Your own experiences, plus your knowledge of the subject, will establish rapport and credibility. Don’t be afraid to experiment, or 'fail', as that's how you'll learn.

If your content at this stage is trite nonsense and you putter out of ideas too soon, so be it. At the beginning it’s more important to learn to let go of feeling anxious, inadequate and the need for perfection.

Once you’re used to a pattern, and can follow it easily without having to stop and think about which part comes next, you’ll naturally come up with better material.

Along with examples of each impromptu speech outline structure there's a link to a blank printable. There are seven of them: one for each pattern. They are there for you to use as a guide. You'll find the links for them below the example outlines.

Each outline has the same four step format.

The first step is mentally preparing yourself: sorting out your topic, considering your audience and working out what tone best fits with them, as well as your speech purpose.

The second step covers preparing the introduction, the third, the body, and the fourth and final step, the conclusion.

Your chosen structural pattern is the body

The third step, the body of your speech, holds the specific pattern you’re working with. It’s this step, the body, you’ll want to focus on first when you’re practicing. After you’ve set your topic allow yourself a few minutes to think it through (or make notes) using the pattern headings as a guide.

Once you feel comfortable with the body, you’ll find the openings and conclusions become much easier.

Getting the time and content balance right

The overall length of your speech or the time you take to deliver it is, to a large part, determined by how much information you put into the body. Obviously one or two main points and their supporting material will take less time than three or four.

( Practice will help you confidently and reliably get the balance of time to content right. Click the link for examples of one minute speeches prepared using the Point-Reason-Example-Point (PREP) pattern. They'll give you an idea of what's required.)

Practice, practice, and then do it some more

You don’t need to follow each of the four steps of the outline slavishly. However, to use that old cliché, before you can run, you need to know how to walk. So before giving yourself permission to try to improvise and dazzle publicly, ground yourself in structure. Give yourself a solid baseline to work from.

There’s no secret behind becoming more confident and competent reasonably quickly. It’s practice. Lots of it.

Time and record yourself. Play it back and listen carefully.

Is there a good opening? Have you followed the pattern you chose in the body of the speech? Is it clear? Have you got clean transitions between each part of your speech and the one following it? Is there a strong ending? And are the words you’ve chosen, as well as the way you use them, right for your subject, the purpose of the speech and your intended audience?

And lastly, learn one pattern well before you work with another.

Effective impromptu speech activities

If you teach a public speaking or communication class or lead a public speaking group, here's a comprehensive bundle of 17 proven fun and effective impromptu speech activities , complete with full guidelines and printables. They ease, rather than jettison, students into impromptu speaking one step at a time.

How to reframe a topic

Sometimes when you're asked to speak on a topic you'll find yourself needing to modify it before going ahead.

Or maybe you want confirmation that you've understood what you're being asked to speak about.

Here are examples of three ways to reframe the topic as part of your opening. They are particularly useful for Question and Answer sessions.

Add them to your practice too.

1. Give the topic a scope. This establishes what you're prepared to cover.

For example: Thanks. That’s a great question. I am happy to share what has happened since I joined the organization in 2020.

Or: Thanks, that’s a great, and very big question. I don’t have time right now to cover all aspects of it. So here’s the first part. If anybody would like me to follow up with the second and third, please see me later and we’ll make a time.

2. Summarize and ask for confirmation. Use this technique to make sure you’ve understood what’s being asked of you before you answer.

Example: Thank you for your question. It's an important one and I want to make sure I’ve understood it correctly before answering. You want to know why we’re not mobilizing the Defense Force to clear protesters from the streets, is that right?

3. Redirecting, reshaping the question or angle, before responding . This can be useful when you want to give a bigger picture, or establish context - something the original question didn't allow for.

Example: You’ve asked about using the Defense Force to clear the streets. Let’s consider the precedents for that: the 1951 Waterfront Dispute, Bastion Point, 1978, and the anti-Springbok rugby tour protest in 1981. What have they taught us?

7 impromptu speech outline patterns

Please note, these examples are not complete speech outlines. In most instances they don't include the opening or the conclusion. What they do is illustrate seven ways to organize material in the body of the speech. And some of the examples are more fleshed out than others.

PREP: Point, Reason, Example, Point

PREP is an acronym for: Point, Reason, Example, Point. The pattern adapts well to most situations.

Here are two PREP impromptu speech outline examples: one for a social setting and one for business or workplace audiences. You can also see it in action on this page of one minute speech topics where I've used it in three sample one minute speech outlines.

PREP impromptu speech outline: workplace

Topic: Cameras off during a virtual team meeting

Point: Human Resources are reporting numerous requests from employees to be allowed to leave their cameras off during routine virtual (zoom) meetings.

Reason: The reason most frequently given is fatigue due to strain

Examples: It is hard to:

maintain focus while looking at a grid of faces for the length of an entire meeting,
see yourself on camera and NOT respond to it,
be physically constrained in a small space in order to remain on camera,
arrange life so it doesn’t intrude in the form of kittens, babies or anything else while on camera,
have your colleagues in your home without having issued the invitation yourself.

Point: And that’s why we’ve asked Human Resources to develop a set of guidelines to cover when cameras should be on, and when they can be turned off. If you have any suggestions or points you’d like them to consider, please get them by Friday.

For more:

Bailenson, J. N. (2021). Nonverbal Overload: A Theoretical Argument for the Causes of Zoom Fatigue . Technology, Mind, and Behavior, 2(1).
Should We Require Students to Turn Their Cameras On in the Zoom Classroom? Anna Lännström, Stonehill College. Published by Wabash Center, 2020

PREP impromptu speech outline example: social

A toast to acknowledge friend’s engagement

Point: It’s a joy to join you celebrating Ryan and Mary’s engagement.

Reason(s): There’s dozens of reasons for my being pleased to be here. We haven’t got time for them all. So here’s three. The first goes back a long way to when we were ten years old. I’m never going going to get married, he said. Thanks to Mary, look at you now! I am delighted you have to eat those words. The second reason is quite selfish. At least the field is cleared now because he’s well and truly spoken for. Hi ya singletons out there! And the third and most important is because I’ve never seen Ryan quite so deliriously crazy happy, ever, in all the years I’ve known him.

Example(s): This is the man who has spent all his weekends for last year renovating the house they share. You know it’s got to be the real thing when unclogging drains, getting rid of rat nests and replacing rotten window frames is better than time out with me and the boys. When you add making significant positive changes to his eating and drinking habits, throw in running a kilometer or two or three or more, several times a week, it’s proof. You’ve got be happy to do any of that!

Point: Which in turn, makes me happy too. Here's to Ryan and Mary!

Download PREP impromptu speech outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: PREP impromptu speech outline

PREP impromptu speech outline download banner

Use this pattern if you want apply a time line treatment to a subject.

Topic: In your experience what's an effective way of getting children to eat vegetables?

In the past:

When I was a child not eating whatever was served was not an option. It didn’t matter if it was something dreaded like cauliflower, broccoli or spinach. It was on the plate. Therefore it needed to be chewed and swallowed. If it wasn’t you were in for a long sit at the table. Because both you and the plate of food remained in place until the plate was cleared. This as a technique was a failure. It built resentment rather than a love of vegetables.

That kind of stand off would not happen nowadays. I have more tolerance than my parents for children whose taste buds do not thrill to strong tasting vegetables. The only thing I ask of my kids, is that they try a little of each new one when it is served. If they don’t like it, they can put it to one side. Alongside that, we use vegetables as snacks, sneak them into purees and sauces, get the kids involved in choosing and cooking them, and set an example by eating copious quantities of them ourselves.

Our diets are changing. They are becoming increasingly plant based. Vegetables are no longer an accompaniment, an after-thought. Instead they’re center plate – up front and proud.

Perhaps the infamous battle over vegetables will disappear entirely. It’s my hope that through showing greater tolerance of our children’s preferences and by being more creative with how we introduce them into their diets, that the issue will simply cease to be one.

Vive la broccoli!

Topic: What are the most popular and enduring toys for children?

Past : Toys that sold well: Teddy bears, named after Theodore Roosevelt 1902, yo-yos – 1928, Silly Putty, 1955, GI Joe – dolls for boys, 1960s, including two that have kept right on selling;

Present: Lego from Denmark, 1932, and Barbie from USA, 1959

Future : More Lego, more Barbies who are more diverse, more skin types and shapes. Both seem set for along time yet.

Download Past, Present, Future outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: Past, Present, Future impromptu speech outline

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This is a simple two part pattern: here’s the problem. Now here’s the solution.

Example: The problem is congestion on our main city roads during peak hours.

The solution is to:

reroute heavy vehicles over those hours
look carefully at the current design of the roundabouts, on and off ramps and laybys and update them if necessary
adjust the speed limit

Example: The problem is maintaining a work routine while working from home

make yourself a dedicated work space.
set yourself regular hours for getting up, having breakfast, being at your desk, lunch etc.
establish clear boundaries around your work time for family and friends. Being in the same room or the next one, doesn’t mean you’re available.
prioritize your tasks for the day each morning.

Download Problem, Solution outline

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Pros and Cons, Positives and Negatives

This is a useful beginning point toward answering the classic ‘what shall I do?’ dilemmas.

Setting out the pros and cons * of a situation gives us an overview, which we can then use to help make a rational, considered decision.

* 16th century: from Latin prō for + con, from contrā against

Dilemma: Whether or not to go to university

New experiences, new people, broadens outlook
Builds networking opportunities, long term friendships, & professional relationships
After graduation enter workforce at different level – a leg up because core competencies already established
Scholarships available
Leadership and extension activities/clubs available
High levels of personal debt
Difficult to sustain oneself mentally, physically and financially without support
Doesn’t guarantee a job on graduation
Doesn’t train you for a specific vocation
Doesn’t automatically mean entry into higher paying job

Dilemma: Whether or not to buy cheap or fast fashion

Affordable – instantly gratifying
Up to the minute clothing – democratization of fashion – not just for elite rich
Can follow the trend – included rather than excluded on price
Can change mind and buy more if don’t like what you have – not going to cause you hardship
Profitable for retailers and manufacturers
pollution: people throw out their clothes which then enter land fills
waste: breeds throwaway mentality – chuck rather than mend
loss of skills: how to mend clothing: sew on buttons, fix a fallen hem, patch a rip etc.
exploitation of woman and children in 3rd world countries: low wages, and unsafe workplaces

For more: Fast Fashion by Adam Hayes, April 2021, investopedia.com

Download Pros and Cons outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: Pros and Cons impromptu speech outline

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This is a three-part problem solving pattern.

What is the cause of something?
What is its effect?
And what is the remedy?

Topic: Public speaking anxiety

Cause(s) of public speaking anxiety:

feeling self conscious in front of others
fearing repeat of past poor experiences
fear of being judged
fearing not being as good as you’d like to be, or as good as others
breathing poorly which doesn’t support the voice
becoming overwhelmed by symptoms of fear: shaking limbs, quivering voice, racing heart beat, forgetting what had been practiced
gabbling through speech at break neck speed
becomes a cycle which intensifies each time a person has to speak in public
limits personal potential in many ways: at work and socially
take a public speaking course, join a public speaking club
practice a great deal, get good support and practical feedback you can use
and take every opportunity to speak in front of others as it will lessen the fear.

Topic: Procrastination

Cause(s) of procrastination:

boredom: not being interested in the task that needs completing
fear of failure: thinking the task will prove too difficult - would rather not begin it, than risk failure, perfectionism
unable to prioritize what needs to be done against what isn’t so urgent
overwhelmed: too many things to do, and too little energy

Effect(s) of procrastination:

pressure: rushing to catch up on what should have been done which leads to poor decision making
failure: letting oneself, friends, family and workmates down, compromised work standards, reputation
losing time, opportunities, limiting your career options
escalating low self-esteem issues and health risks
Create incremental to-do lists – a bit at a time rather than one huge overwhelming piece of work.
Create a stimulating work-place for yourself – surround yourself with what you genuinely like to see.
Time-line your work realistically - what needs to happen. today, tomorrow and the next day to arrive at the due date with the work completed to your satisfaction.
Get rid of the temptations you know you are distracted by. Put your phone on mute. Remove bookmarked sites.
Find a mentor, someone you admire and who will hold you to account.

Download Cause, Effect, Remedy outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: Cause, Effect, Remedy impromptu speech outline

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Before, The Event, The Result

This three-part pattern is a time line centered around an event. The result of event (eg. a natural disaster or a personal or societal change, large or small) profoundly changes what came before it. Sometimes the end result is much better, and sometimes far worse.

It’s a pattern much loved by advertisers who imply that the event (the purchase and use of whatever product or service they are selling) will result in whatever is desired: health, wealth, beauty, popularity, longevity, peace, love, intelligence... It's the classic Before and After format.

Topic: Covid-19 - its impact on the tourism industry in NZ

Total annual tourism expenditure had increased by almost $15 billion, or 55%, in the seven years prior to 2020.

Tourism was New Zealand’s biggest export industry, contributing 20.1% of total exports.
Tourism generated a direct annual contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of $16.4 billion, or 5.5%, and a further indirect contribution of $11.3 billion, another 3.8% of New Zealand’s total GDP.

Then along came Covid–19. The borders were closed in an effort to keep it out for as long as possible. Good for the population: fewer deaths and hospitalizations compared to other first world countries: USA, UK, Australia but not so good for tourism.

The result:

total tourism expenditure was $26.1 billion, a decrease of 37.3 percent ($15.6 billion) from the previous year.
international tourism’s overall contribution to New Zealand’s total exports of goods and services fell to 2.1 percent from 20.0 percent
tourism generated a direct contribution to GDP of $8.5 billion, or 2.9 percent, a decrease of 47.5 percent ($7.7 billion), or 2.6 percentage points

Reference: https://www.tia.org.nz/about-the-industry/quick-facts-and-figures/

Here’s a feel-good-hard-work-pays-off story using the format, the sort you might hear on your local TV or radio station.

Topic: the house makeover

Before the makeover:

dark and dingy – very few windows, dated décor
very poor heat retention – no insulation
no outdoor – indoor flow
small poky kitchen with limited storage
one bathroom – not adjacent to either living areas or bedrooms

The Event: the makeover of the worst house in the best street, a perfect project for husband (builder) and wife (interior decorator), 12 month time line, carefully planned

The Result:

jump in value of property
a house which is a pleasure to live in, fabulous garden, everybody is happy, reporters come calling for house and garden magazine before and after spreads☺
an inspirational example of talent plus effort

Download Before, The Event, The Result outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: Before, The Event, The Result impromptu speech outline

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This structure is excellent for comparisons and overviews spanning spatial areas.

Topic: Deaths from Covid-19 in New Zealand as at 22nd February 2022

Local: none

National: 56

International: 5,905,942

Reference: Google News - Covid 19 map - New Zealand

Topic: Who follows the news? A survey of 38 countries, 2018

Local news : Global median = 78%. 78% of respondents are more likely to follow the news if in own area and own country.

National news : Global median = 86%. 86% of respondents are more likely to follow if the news is about own country.

International news : Global median = 57%. Comparatively significantly less of the respondents are likely to follow the news. That changes with the amount of education a person has. If they have more education, they are more likely to follow the news.

Reference: Publics around the world follow national and local news more closely than international : Pew Research Center report, 2018

Download Local, National, International outline

Click the link to download a printable pdf file to use: Local, National, International impromptu speech outline

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Off the cuff: How to give an impromptu speech without embarrassing yourself

“And now I’d like to invite him up here to say a few words. David, take it away.” Words that to this day fill me with dread.

Impromptu speaking

When prepared, I’m a decent public speaker. As a speech pathologist and lawyer, I know a fair bit about voice control , effective gestures , good enunciation , and the need for compelling content . But impromptu speakers – speakers who are great at standing up and giving speeches without much preparation time – need additional qualities, including:

an understanding of the mechanics of speech structure; and
the ability to put thoughts together on the spot (Billings & Billings, 2014).

I’ve never been good at speaking off the cuff. But, after more than a few lacklustre efforts over the years, I decided to read up on how experts in competitive impromptu speaking do it.

Why does it matter?

In most businesses, good oral communication skills are essential . On this, universities, government agencies and employers agree (e.g. Robles, 2012). But in high school and university, most students receive more practice with writing than speaking (e.g. Nelson et al., 1992; Russ, 2009). Impromptu speaking practice prepares students to communicate intelligently on the spur of the moment (e.g. Preston, 1990), e.g. when called by an irate client, when asked to brief senior stakeholders at short notice, or when unexpectedly called on to give a speech at a work or social event.

It turns out that there is a whole speaking circuit dedicated to the art of giving a speech on the spot. Impromptu speaking coaches have developed a few tricks along to way to help students/competitors to do it well.

Here’s a few tips and tricks from the experts:

1. Use the Unified Analysis Structure

Many competitive impromptu speakers structure their speeches using a “unified analysis structure” (e.g. Billings & Billings, 2005). This structure is built on the idea that, in an impromptu speech, you should “tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, and then tell them what you told them”.

This basic structure was designed for arguing a point or “thesis” without notice, e.g. based on a famous quote. But, as the name suggests, it can be adapted for any speech. It goes like this:

Attention-getter : a story, anecdote or colourful example that relates to the topic of your talk.

Thesis (argument) : the “nugget of truth” you want to convey – the thesis of the talk.

Preview main points : why and how you agree or disagree with the statement.

Point 1 : argument supporting thesis.

A. Example A supporting point 1

B. Example B supporting point 1

Point 2 : argument supporting thesis

A. Example A supporting point 2

B. Example B supporting point 2

Conclusion : tied back to the Attention-getter.

2. Use the “Newspaper Trick” to come up with good examples to support your argument/comments

Some competitive public speakers use the “newspaper” approach to generate concrete examples quickly. Back in the olden days, when we all read physical broadsheets or tabloids, newspapers were divided into lift-out sections, e.g.:

current news;
money/economics;
entertainment/arts.

These four areas can be used as a framework to generate your four examples.

If you have no knowledge about one or more of these areas, simply substitute it with something you do know about, e.g. history, poetry, science, or technology.

3. Pre-prepare concrete examples for unprepared remarks

Some researchers recommend keeping an “impromptu notebook” to record colourful, interesting examples of things that might work well in a speech at some point. I love this idea. It reduces the risk you’ll go blank (which has happened to me).

Sources for your notebook could include the news, movies, books, plays, current and historical events, theories, laws, poetry, philosophy, song lyrics, sports, amusing anecdotes, and even jokes you overhear on the bus or memes read on social media.

4. Practice, practice, practice

Competitive impromptu speakers in training might practice 3-6 speeches in an hour. As with many skills , practice and feedback improves performance. It can also “desensitise” nervous speakers to public speaking pressures, reducing anxiety in the process (Yale, 2014).

So does it work? An “off the cuff” example

Just say you’re at a work function to celebrate your team’s stellar results for the quarter. Just before the speeches, your boss gets an urgent call from head office. As she leaves to take the call, she asks you to say a few words to the team. How could we use the tips above to generate a passable speech?

Here’s my attempt (I gave myself 1 minute to think about it to emulate the scenario. I was going for solid, rather than amazing speech, and resisted the urge to edit it so you can see me trying to apply the tips above as I go):

[Attention-getter] : “When I first joined [company], I immediately started looking for a new job somewhere else. Team morale was low. Cultural clashes and mis-communications were everyday events. Meetings went forever, but nothing seemed to change. We all spent a lot of the day gossiping about each other; blaming each other for all the problems. Our competitors were crushing us like bugs, and we were miserable.

[Thesis] : But, as I got to know you all at the coal face, I discovered that, buried under all this bureaucracy, and sniping and frustration and fear, was a wealth of real talent. A diamond mine. We just had to uncover it. I realised that the main reason everyone was so irritated was that you all wanted us to succeed, even though we weren’t. I think two things helped us turn things around: our diversity and team spirit.

[Point 1] : Recognising that our diversity was a strength.

Example 1 (news): When I look at the news, and social media, I sometimes despair. People reading news only from sources that they agree with. People exchanging views with like-minded people on Twitter and Facebook, ridiculing others who disagree with them as idiots and “trolls”. What makes me so proud to be part of this team is our willingness to respectfully disagree with each other, to compromise and to find solutions to accommodate multiple points of views. Our clients benefit from this creativity, and from the energy created by our sometimes animated internal discussions. We’re not an echo chamber filled with yes women and men shouting in unison.

Example 2 (economics): At a time of economic uncertainty – e.g. Brexit and growing rhetoric about a US-China trade war – we are operating seamlessly across borders better than ever before. Our ability to bring in multiple work teams across time zones to deliver complex services under-budget and before deadlines leaves our competitors in the dust. I’m proud of the fact that, regardless of our different local conditions, we’re able to exceed client expectations.

[Point 2] : It’s a cliché but true: A champion team beats a team of champions. Now it’s no secret that many of the stars of our industry work for our competitors. But we smashed them this quarter. We may not have the industry show ponies. But we’ve got the champion team.

Example 1 (sport): Barbora Strycova and Lucie Safarova: who’s heard of them? But they took out Venus and Serena Williams at the Rio Olympics in the first round. Because they worked well together.

Example 2 (entertainment): I’m going to show my age now: Melanie Brown, Melanie Chisholm, Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, Victoria Adams. All solid, hard workers. Fairly talented in their own way. Put them together, though, and you had the Spice Girls. For those of you a bit younger than me, my kids tell me you could say the same thing about One Direction. Well that’s us. And, as our results show, we’re no one-hit wonders.

[Conclusion] : So when I look around the room, I’m immensely proud of what we’ve achieved. And it’s all because of our diversity, and our team work.

[Tied back to Attention-grabber] : When I first joined this company, I couldn’t wait to get out. But now I can’t think of working anywhere else. Why would I leave the A-Team? Thank you all and congratulations on your fantastic numbers. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

Now have a go yourself – you can use my scenario or one more likely to happen to you.

I hope these tips help when you are next hauled up to the mike without notice. Good luck! Let me know how you get on.

“What did you say?” 10 evidence-based ideas to help others understand your speech

Principal sources :

Yale, R. (2014). The Impromptu Gauntlet: An Experimental Strategy for Developing Lasting Communication Skills. Business and Professional Communication Quarterly, 77 (3), 281-296.

Billings, A.C. & Billings, A.C. (2000). Pedagogical and practical applications of coaching a limited preparation event. The Rostrum, 76 (1), 31, 38, 67.

Turnipseed, I. (2005). Understanding Limited Preparation Events. National Forensic Journal, 23 (1), 37-44.

Image : http://tinyurl.com/jqbwbqq

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Examples of How to Give an Impromptu Speech

Did you know that the most memorable part of one of the most famous speeches in history was not part of the script?

An impromptu speech can feel intimidating. After all, you’ve probably heard that you need to prepare well in advance to give an effective speech. But in truth, a short speech that you give directly from your heart can reach your audience and stir them to action .

How to Give an Impromptu Speech

An impromptu speech is a public address that the speaker hasn’t planned on giving beforehand. As such, it can be an intimidating prospect, especially for those who feel they lack public speaking and communication skills. Impromptu speaking means you didn’t prepare for the moment, meaning you have to do everything on the fly. Even with experience, you’re not always guaranteed a successful speech. It truly is one of the most difficult public speaking skills to master.

Impromptu Speech Topics

An impromptu speech example.

First, understand that the stakes are fairly low in this type of setting. You don’t need to stress over what to say, but that’s not an excuse to ramble on about whatever comes to mind. That would be an impromptu speaking failure.

The Advantages of an Impromptu Speech

Even if you’re still nervous about giving an impromptu speech on a specific topic, there are several advantages you should know about. As mentioned above, people are generally forgiving when it comes to spur-of-the-moment speeches derived from personal experience. You don’t have to worry about being overly eloquent or super organized. As long as you practice charismatic leadership , you’ll have their attention all the same.

Your story should indicate what drives you and motivates your decision-making . Over time, you can refine that story until you’re ready to share it at a moment’s notice. In that way, you can be sure your impromptu speech will leave a lasting impact.

Need a little extra help with a speech? Check out these articles.

Speech Outline: How to Get the Most Out of Your Next Speech

Most people have the following reactions when they have to give an unprepared speech- there’s fear, nervousness and anxiety, and sometimes with a mixture of excitement.

There's different types of ; sometimes it can be a kind of ‘prepared for’ version of an unprepared/impromptu speech, wherein the speaker learns before hand that they will be required to do one. This type is often done in school competitions. They are prepared for because the speaker knows in advance that they are going to do it, but the topic will usually be a surprise.

But sometimes you are just put on the spot – your name is called out at a function and you are requested to say a few words.

The best way to prepare for an impromptu speech is to analyze the nature of the function you are attending and examine any possibilities of someone asking you to do something or say something. Always be prepared. If it is a close friend, relative’s or a work function, be prepared for any “Mr./Ms. X, would you please say a few words”.

1. Ask yourself: “if this situation does occur, how would I like to handle it?” That way you are exchanging worry for advanced planning, thinking and courage.

2. The best way to be ready for impromptu speeches or any public speech for that matter- is to invest in a good public speaking book or audio. They are a very good investment since most of us will be called out to speak unprepared at some stage in our lives.

3. Have a few opening lines, quotes or humor, up your sleeves, just in case. Better still, have a funny phrase about being put on the spot.

Improve your practice.

Enhance your soft skills with a range of award-winning courses.

45 Impromptu Speech Topics and Ideas

October 29, 2017 - Dom Barnard

Impromptu speeches are a great way to practice quick thinking and concise speaking – you usually have only a couple of minutes to prepare a speech lasting around five minutes. Even in this shorter form of speech, you still need to have a structure to what you are saying to ensure your message is understood by everyone.

If you struggle with lack of confidence, practicing with these impromptu speech topics can be a great way to build confidence for all types of speeches and conversations, whether you’re talking to someone at a business networking event or speaking at a wedding.

What is an impromptu speech?

For an impromptu speech, you’ll generally have 1-3 minutes of preparation for a speech lasting 5-8 minutes. Tougher speech events can reduce this preparation time down to 30 seconds and require you to plan your speech mentally, without any paper to write notes on.

Impromptu speech often used at Oxford University debates

Impromptu speeches are often given as part of university and college debates. Oxford Union event shown above.

These types of speeches are usually found in public speaking courses, speaking organisations such as Toastmasters and debating competitions (both professional and student based).

They are a great way of testing a range of communication skills, from organisation to clarity to creativity, and are becoming a popular way to practice general public speaking skills.

Practice Impromptu Speaking

Practice your impromptu speaking skills by talking about a series of random slides for 30 seconds each. Receive feedback on your performance. Learn More

Tips for picking an impromptu speech topic

Here are some quick tips and considerations for picking an impromptu speech.

Pick a topic you are familiar with, have knowledge of and want to talk about. Personal experience on that topic is a bonus as you’ll be able to speak more naturally about it.
Your organisational skills will be tested to come up with a powerful introduction and conclusion in your preparation to back up your argument.
Pick a topic where the scope is limited (or you can easily limit it) as you’ll only have 5 minutes to discuss it.
Your goal is to either inform or persuade your audience so choose a topic that suits these criteria

Impromptu speech topics

There are a huge amount of topic to choose from so we’ve compiled a short list of interesting topics below, some of which will hopefully inspire you or give you talking points you hadn’t previously considered.

A non-biased news site is impossible
The Romain Empire was the most important empire to have existed
Keyboards will be replaced by speech-to-text technology in 10 years
Performance enhancing drugs should be allowed in sport
Colour affects the way people feel
Poor health begins in the mind
Team sports build strong individuals
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder
Poverty is a state of mind
What characteristics make an ideal villain?
How would you describe an average person?
In what situation is lying a good idea?
Who has been the most influential person in your life and why?
Pets are for people who don’t have children
Real learning doesn’t occur in a classroom
It is better to be influential than rich
Do violent video games contribute to youth violence?
School uniforms removes individuality
Children should not watch television
Art is not important to the future of the human race
Future conflicts will be confined to online hacking
Social customs are a waste of time
My biggest concern for the future is…
Climate change is a natural occurrence
What is the most important skill for starting a business
Space exploration advances the human race
Parents are the most influential factors in our lives
Sports people salaries are justified by viewing figures
Reading fiction is a waste of time
Going to university / college is not necessary anymore
Facebook makes society less happy
Anyone can be a millionaire if they work hard enough
No extra-terrestrial species have found us because…
Translation technology will replace the need to learn a language
Colonizing Mars is necessary to ensure human survival
Presidential / Prime Ministers time in office should be lengthened
Social circles and friends are the most important factors for happiness
Real wealth is not measured in money or possessions
The minimum wage should be doubled
Should adults have the right to carry a concealed handgun?
Is sexual orientation determined at birth?
Junk food’s popularity relies on marketing
Both snooker and darts are sports
Being a vegetarian is healthier than eating meat
Renting a house is better than buying

Use any of these topics for your next impromptu speech or just as personal practice to improve your communication skills.

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How to Prepare a Speech

Last Updated: May 6, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Patrick Muñoz . Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association. There are 12 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 731,726 times.

Preparing a speech isn't difficult if you have a process you can follow. There are tried-and-true steps for putting together a talk, so relax and read on to get your speech in order and your speech anxiety under control.

Sample Speeches

Starting With Your Audience

Types of speech broken up by their occassion.

Personal narrative. A narrative is just another word for story. If you're asked to tell a story about yourself, find out if the intention is to use something that's happened to you in order to teach a lesson, convey a moral, offer inspiration or simply to entertain.
Informative speech. [3] X Research source There are two kinds of informative speeches: process and expository. If you're charged with doing a process speech, the idea is for you to explain how something is done, how something is made or how something works. You take your audience step-by-step through the process. If your speech is meant to be expository, your job is to take what might be a complex subject and break it down into sections as a way of educating your audience about the topic.
Persuasive speech. [4] X Research source If you're meant to persuade, then your job is to convince your audience to adopt a particular way of thinking, a belief or a behavior that you advocate for.
Ceremonial speech. [5] X Research source Ceremonial speeches run the gamut from wedding toasts to eulogies, from graduation speeches to farewell addresses. Many of these speeches are intended to be short and the focus is often on entertaining, inspiring or increasing the audience's appreciation for someone or something.

Step 2 Pick a topic that will interest your audience.

Read the newspaper. If you can find a way to link your speech topic to something that's happening in the news, you can highlight the relevance of what you have to say to your audience.
Translate numbers. Using statistics in your speech can be impactful, but they can be even more meaningful if you translate them in a way the audience can understand. For example, you could say that worldwide, 7.6 million people die of cancer every year, but to make it more relatable, you might want to follow it up by saying that that number represents the entire population of Switzerland.
Express the benefits. It's a good idea to let an audience know exactly what they'll get out of your speech, so that they're primed to listen. If they'll learn how to save money, tell them. If the information you're about to share will make their lives easier in some way, make that clear. If they'll gain a new appreciation of someone or something, let them know.

Researching and Writing Your Speech

Outlines can be written in complete sentences or they can be a series of abbreviated phrases and reminders. Another approach is to begin by writing complete sentences and then transferring your outline on to note cards on which you abbreviate those sentences using just the words and memory prompts you need.
Pull out your old English textbooks and review things like similes, metaphors, alliteration and other kinds of figurative language. These kinds of devices can add to the impact of a ceremonial speech.
Beware one pitfall of the scripted speech: having a page full of words in front of you can cause you to fall into the trap of simply reading from your script without every looking up, making eye contact or engaging with the audience in any way. Thorough practice should help to eliminate your chances of falling into this trip.

Step 5 Be sure you have all the pieces in place.

Offer a preview. Think of a preview as kind of the "coming attractions" of your speech. Plan to tell your audience the main points you'll talk about in your speech. There's not need to go into any detail here; you'll get to that when you come to the body of your speech. You can write a preview that's simply one sentence in length to cover what you need to say here.
Body. The body is where the "meat" of your speech resides. The points you outlined or the information you scripted make up the body. There are several ways to organize the information within the body of your speech--in time sequence, in step order, from most important point to least important point, problem-solution, to name just a few. Choose an organizational pattern that makes sense based on your speech goal.
Give a summary. One of the ways an audience remembers what a speech was about is through intentional repetition. In your introduction, you gave a preview of what you'd be talking about. In your speech body, you talked about those things. Now, in your conclusion, you remind your audience what you talked about. Simply offer a brief review of the main points you touched on in your speech.
End with a clincher. A clincher is a memorable, definitive statement that gives your speech a sense of closure. One easy way to do this is to write a clincher that refers back to what you said in the attention-getter of your speech. This helps bring your presentation full circle and provides a sense of closure.

Choosing Visual Aids

Step 1 Choose visuals to benefit the audience.

Don't write everything you plan to say on your slides. We've all suffered through speeches where the speaker did little more that read off of his or her slides. That's boring for the audience, and they soon disengage. Instead, use word charts to preview, review or highlight key information. Remember, the sides should be a supplement to what you're going to say rather than an exact copy of it.
Make your slides readable. Use a font size that's easy for your audience to read and don't overcrowd your slides. If your audience can't see or get through the material on your slides, they won't have served any purpose.
Use animations sparingly. Having graphics fly around, zoom in and out ,and change colors can be engaging but can also be distracting. Be careful not to overdo the special effects. Your slides should be a supporting player rather than the star of the show.

Rehearsing Your Speech

Leave yourself time to practice. If you're given to procrastinating, you could find yourself with very little or no time to practice before you deliver your speech, which could leave you feeling unprepared and anxious.

Look at your audience. Almost nothing does more to keep an audience engaged than eye contact from a speaker. As you rehearse your speech, be sure to look at the family members or friends who've agreed to be your audience. It takes a bit of practice to be able to look at your outline, script or note cards, capture a thought or two and then come up and deliver that information while looking at your audience. It's yet another reason why rehearsal time is so important.
If you don't have the opportunity to practice in front of people, be sure that when you do rehearse, that you say your speech aloud. You don't want your speech day to be the first time you hear the words of your speech coming out of your mouth. Plus, speaking out loud gives you a chance to double-check and correct any mispronunciations, practice articulating your words clearly and confirm the timing of your speech (We speak more quickly when we simply recite a speech in our heads).

Reducing Speech Anxiety

Clench and release. Ball up your fists really, really tight and hold for a second or two and then release. Repeat this a few times. You can do the same thing by squeezing the muscles in your calves very tightly and then releasing. With each release, you should feel a reduction in your adrenaline-induced symptoms.
Take deep breaths. The adrenaline in your system causes you to take more shallow breaths that, in turn, increase your feeling of anxiety. You need to break the cycle. Take a deep breath through your nose and allow the air to fill your belly. Once your belly is full, let your breath fill and expand your ribcage. Finally, allow your breath to move fully into your chest. Open your mouth slightly and begin to exhale starting first with the air in your chest, then the air in your ribcage and finally the breath in your belly. Repeat this inhale-exhale cycle five times.

Negative thoughts are incredibly powerful--one estimate is that you need five positive thoughts to counteract every one negative thought you have, so steer clear of them.

How Do You Practice a Speech Effectively?

Expert Q&A

Reader Videos

Use your own language style. Do not use the words that you have never said in your life. Take it easy. Thanks Helpful 6 Not Helpful 0
Try to keep the majority of your topic entertaining, or at least interesting, so that the audience won't get bored. Thanks Helpful 5 Not Helpful 0
Make sure your speech hangs together well and makes sense. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 0

↑ Patrick Muñoz. Voice & Speech Coach. Expert Interview. 12 November 2019.
↑ https://westsidetoastmasters.com/resources/powerspeak/ch03.html
↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/informative-speaking
↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/persuasive-speaking
↑ https://opentext.ku.edu/speakupcallin/chapter/chapter-15-ceremonial-speaking/
↑ https://www.comm.pitt.edu/oral-comm-lab/audience-analysis
↑ https://liu.cwp.libguides.com/c.php?g=913567&p=6581500
↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/5-most-effective-methods-for-avoiding-plagiarism/
↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/speeches/
↑ https://www.toastmasters.org/resources/public-speaking-tips/preparing-a-speech
↑ https://counseling.uiowa.edu/self-help/30-ways-to-manage-speaking-anxiety/
↑ https://fscj.pressbooks.pub/publicspeaking/chapter/benefits-of-visual-aids/

About This Article

To prepare a speech, start by writing an introduction that grabs the audience's attention with a surprising or interesting fact, quote, or question. Then, include your most important points in the body of your speech, making them as clear and easy-to-follow as possible so your audience stays tuned in. Finally, wrap up your speech with a conclusion that summarizes your main points and ends with a memorable, definitive statement. To learn the best ways to research and outline your speech, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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10 top tips for delivering an impromptu speech

No time to prepare take heart - and take note..

For many of us it’s the worst case scenario – suddenly having to deliver an impromptu presentation. Being asked to speak in public is a major challenge for many leaders. Being asked to speak spontaneously as well as publicly can catapult the task straight into the very-difficult, to-be-avoided-at-all-times-I'd-rather-die category . The negative possibilities appear grave – your brain freezes, you mumble incoherently or you appear to lose all gravitas.

Here are 10 top tips for performing – and presenting – under unexpected pressure.

1. Be confident - Look up, breathe deeply, say to yourself something positive – ‘I’m going to be fine’.

2. Focus on the audience - Every presentation, including impromptu ones, need to be audience centric. The audience will be on your side – focus on what will be useful to them.

3. Less is more - Avoid the tendency to ramble. An audience is far more likely to listen if you stay on target and are succinct. In fact they'll love you for it. Keep it short and to the point. Remember the Power of 3 – stick to three key points.

4. Have a structure - Tell them what you are going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you told them. In the main section use a simple structure. For example:

- Past / Present/ future

- Cause / Effect / Remedy

- Before / The Event / The Result

5. Primacy and recency - The audience will remember the first and last things you say. Make sure these are therefore powerful and linked to your key message.

6. Talk conversationally - Imagine you are speaking to your best friend and let yourself be authentic and natural.

7. Personalise your speech & have a relevant story - Share from personal experience. No need to research, no need to investigate, and no need to memorise anything. When in doubt about what to say, just tell a story from your past related to the situation. Stories are memorable.

8. Demonstrate powerful body language - Stand tall on both feet, resist the urge to slump or fiddle, use big gestures, smile and get eye contact with your audience.

9. Use a credible voice tone - Go slowly! Hurrying will increase any feelings of unease you have. Take your time. Breathe deeply. Deliver your words slowly and use pauses.

10. Turn your impromptu session into a Q&A session - For lengthier impromptu speeches reframe the session as a Q&A session, which breaks a session up into a series of very small impromptu interventions which will be easier for you to answer individually. Also, the content comes directly from the audience, so you are guaranteed to deliver what they are seeking.

Jeremy Cassell and Tom Bird are co-authors of The Leader’s Guide to Presenting (Pearson, UK Business Book of the year 2018).

Image credit: Matej Kastelic /Shutterstock

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The firm takes very seriously the physical and mental health of its employees and partners.

HR Director

Slough, England

£105000.00 - £115000.00 per annum + 20% bonus, car allowance

Excellent HR Director opportunity. Up to £115k + bonus + car allowance. Hybrid working.

Senior Procurement Consultant / Best-In-Class

GBP60000 - GBP75000 per annum + Bonus

Senior Indirect Procurement Consultant / FTSE 250 Consultancy Organisation / Rapid Career Progression / Home Based Contract / £60,000 - £75,000 + Benefits inc. Bonus

CAPEX Category Manager - Global Utilities Company

Saudi Arabia

GBP60000 - GBP70000 per annum +

Procurement Category Buyer - CAPEX (Engineering & Construction) - Global Consultancy - Global Waste Management Project - 20-35,000 SAR - Riyadh Saudi

Major Waste Management/Utilities project - Category Manager

Leading Saudi Arabian Utilities company - Major construction project Role: Buyer Salary: 25-35,000 SAR Location: Saudi Arabia This Leading Procuremen

Procurement Senior Manager - Global Blue-Chip

World renowned professional services firmRole: Senior Consultant - Indirect GeneralistLocation: London - WFH / Occasional travelSalary: £60-70k + Pack

Safeguarding Trustee

Flexible location

Save the Children

Are you motivated by our vision of creating a world where every child doesn't just survive, but thrives, and can go on to change the world?

Grade 10 - £63,673 to £69,561 (appointment is normally made at lowest point on scale)

The Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education - EAUC - has a unique opportunity to be our CEO. Are you that person?

Deputy Young Transport Workers Officer (London)

Starting at £54,879 – £64,730 (plus a bonus of 1/12th of annual salary)

International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)

The Deputy Young Transport Workers Officer, based in our London office will develop strategies for organising young transport workers, ensuring tha...

Innovative Procurement Manager - Media Production

GBP55000 - GBP65000 per annum + + Package

HRIS Specialist

£50000.00 - £65000.00 per annum + Bonus, negotiable, work abroad

This is a fully autonomous role, where you will have full ownership to design, implement, and bring to life an established but underutilised HRIS system.

Head of Human Resources - Part Time

SW3 6JJ, London (Greater)

£60,000 - £70,000 FTE + Benefits

Job description Job Purpose The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity (RMCC) raises money solely to support The Royal Marsden, a world-leading cancer centre...

Head of People

Wallington, London (Greater)

Cognus Band 6 £39,872.04 (0.6 FTE of £66,454.84)

Cognus Limited

We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced Head of People to lead our HR department, develop our teams and provide strategic direction.

Construction Category Manager

£570 per day (inside IR35)

Langley Search & Interim

The Opportunity:- Our client is currently recruiting for an interim Construction Category Manager to deliver commercial strategy and tendering / ...

Senior Indirect Procurement Consultant / FTSE 250

Hr business partner - hybrid working.

Salisbury, England

£47000 - £53000 per hour

Are you an experienced HR Business Partner with Public Sector experience who can commute to Salisbury 2-3 days a week? Are you available to start a new interim role at relative short notice? If so please apply today.

Global Mobility Senior Manager

£70000.00 - £95000.00 per annum + Bonus, cash allowance, negotiable

We are looking for a Senior Manager to join our Financial Services Global Mobility Services (GMS) Technology team in London. Our Global Mobility Service (GMS) practice is a diverse and fast-growing area of our Tax business.

Junior Business Partner

Your new company This company is one of the world's leading technology communication companies. They have a large international presence, leveraging 12,000 employees in the UK alone.

Head of External Affairs: Fair By Design

£47,013-£56,415 pa + up to 10% contributory pension

Barrow Cadbury Trust

Seeking a talented individual with an outstanding track record of successfully delivering impactful communications and public affairs strategies.

Associate Director B2B technology PR

£65000 - £80000 per annum

Are you an Associate Director ready to change agencies? Looking to work with industry defining clients? Are you an individual with the ambition to become...

Tewkesbury, England

£45000.00 - £55000.00 per annum + full range of benefits

HR Manager, to £55k pa + bens, hybrid working, Tewkesbury based organisation, HR generalist post, perm. Proud to be the exclusive recruitment partner for a superb leading,well established and growing retail organisation.

GBP50000 - GBP65000 per annum +

Direct Procurement Specialist- Leading Automotive Firm- £40-50K+ Package- London Based Procurement Consultant Role- Leading Top 100- Forbes Procurement and Supply Chain Consultancy Specialist- £65K+ Exciting Benefits Prestigious Central Lo

MD for an ambitious PR agency

£120,000 - £150,000

f1 Recruitment

An incredible opportunity for an MD to join this award winning integrated agency. Reporting into the CEO, this is an exciting opportunity to lead t...

HR & OD Business Partner

£54223 - £60316 per annum

Are you an experienced HR Business Partner looking for a new challenge? With a refreshed HR & OD Strategy and senior leadership team this is a great time to join.

Head of Development

Clerkenwell, London

£45-50k per annum

Art Angel Trust

The role has a strong understanding of the funding landscape in the UK and has successfully fundraised from trusts and foundations and private patrons

Oxfordshire, England

£50000 - £60000 per annum

A newly created Head of HR role within a post-transformation setting.

Procurement Manager - Travel and Events

USD120000 - USD130000 per annum +

Procurement Manager - Travel and Events Procurement - $120,000 - $130,000 - Global Leader in Food and Beverage - RemoteIf you want to hear more about

HRIS Project Manager (iTrent)

£400 - £500 per day

1 My London based healthcare client is looking for an experience HRIS Project Manager (iTrent) to join the team on an interim basis. (Hybrid working)

Director of Communications

Avon & Somerset Police

We support the lives of millions of people across our diverse communities, and have a workforce of over 6,000 inspiring and dedicated staff,

Head of Digital

City of London, London / London

£100000 - £120000 per annum

Head of Digital (B2B Marketing)**NEW ROLE** The CompanyAn international law firm with an exceptionally strong brand platform and a reputation for exce

Interim Head of HR

£70000 - £75000 per annum

We are looking for a Head of HR to join a unique organisation in central London for 12 months.

FM / Construction Procurement Manager - Global FTSE 250

Dublin City Centre

EUR75000 - EUR85000 per annum + bonus + flexi working

FM & Construction Procurement Manager - Global FTSE 250 FMCG - 85,000 EURO + package Location: Berkshire (flexible working available)

Procurement Manager - Production and Special Projects

GBP55000 - GBP60000 per annum + + Package

Procurement Officer - Global Mega City

GBP50000 - GBP60000 per annum +

Procurement Officer - Flagship Mega Project in Saudi Arabia - Raw Materials and Direct Procurement - Riyadh - 15-20,000 SAR per month + benefits - ARA

FM Procurement Manager - Global FTSE 250 FMCG

GBP75000 - GBP80000 per annum + bonus + flexi working

FM Procurement Manager - Global FTSE 250 FMCG - £80,000 + package Location: Berkshire (flexible working available)

Recruitment Partner - Technology / Digital

£45000 - £55000 per annum + bonus, benefits package & hybrid working

We are looking for you to be a great team-player who enjoys working with others to achieve exceptional team results.

Procurement & Supply Chain - Management Consultants

GBP70000 - GBP90000 per annum + bonus + excellent package

Procurement & Supply Chain - Management Consultants - Multiple Opportunities Rapidly Growing Management Consultancy London + Flexibility + Some Travel £70,000 - 90,000 (depending on experience)

Director of Finance and Operations

£77,500 - £85,000

We are looking for a strategic inspiring leader with substantial experience in delivering financial and operational leadership.

Global Hard FM Procurement Manager

GBP70000 - GBP80000 per annum + bonus + excellent package

Global Hard FM Procurement Manager - Global FMCG - London - £70,000 - £80,000 + Package

Senior Facilities (FM) Procurement Manager

GBP75000 - GBP85000 per annum + Package, Rapid Progression

Senior Facilities (FM) Procurement Manager - Global Property Giant - London - £75,000 - £85,000 + Package

Generating over $600 million in annual revenue, this dynamic food and beverage organization are undergoing progressive internal transformation - buil

Head of Innovation and Partnerships (Health)

£50520 - £51468 Per Annum

Head of Innovation and Partnerships (Health) We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Innovation and Partnerships to drive innovation to support the work in integrated health and care delivery, and progress opportunities to build new partners

Taxation Accountant

Sandy, Bedfordshire (Hybrid)

£42,768.00 - £52,124.00 per annum

This role will become the charity's internal tax expert, providing advice on all taxes that affect the organisation and its entities.

Head of Business Development

£49584 - £50520 Per Annum

We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Business Development to deliver the charity’s ambitious business development goals.

Finance Manager (maternity cover, 15 months)

E2 9DA, London (Greater)

£50 - £60k depending on experience

ISEAL Alliance

ISEAL is looking for an experienced and motivated 15-month maternity cover for the position of Finance Manager. The role encompasses all responsibi...

Director of Talent & Learning

Essex (Hybrid)

C£90,000 basic salary plus Excellent Benefits

Essex (Hybrid: 2/3 days per week Essex with travel/WFH) Our client is a multi-site, fast paced service organisation with strong values. The busines...

Global Indirect Procurement Specialist

GBP50000 - GBP60000 per annum + Excellent Bonus, Rapid Progression

Global Indirect Procurement Specialist - World-Leading Professional Services Organisation - London + Flex. - £50,000 - £60,000 + Excellent Package

Head of People and Organisational Development

Location: Bridgwater College Academy

Salary: £65,000 - £75,000 per annum

Bridgwater & Taunton College

Bridgwater and Taunton College Trust is seeking to recruit an outstanding colleague to the position of Head of People and Organisational Development.

Head Of Procurement

St Helena Island, South Atlantic

£75k pa (Salary of £60k pa, plus International Supplement)

St Helena Government

Enjoying unique lifestyle opportunities, St Helena Island is a self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

Contract Manager

£60k pa (Salary of £45k pa, plus International Supplement)

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR | Corporate Reputation, Brands

£75,000 - £80,000

This global communications agency is seeking a proven corporate and business media strategist, with solid editorial relationships and deep expertis...

Associate Director / Senior Associate Director – Energy & Sustainability

London (Central)

Depending on experience

Premier Resourcing UK

Associate Director / Senior Associate Director – Energy & Sustainability GV5409 Exciting London agency looking to recruit someone with publ...

Director (Financial PR - Tech, Natural Resources, Financial Services )

Up to £150'000 + benefits

Brook Street

Director (Financial PR - Tech, Natural Resources, Financial Services ). Leading Corporate & Financial PR Agency. Competitive Salary.

Procurement Manager - Strategic TV Production

GBP60000 - GBP65000 per annum + + Package

Head of People, Organisational Development and the Workplace

Hybrid Working with Head Office at Euston, London NW1 1BS

Circa £80,000 pa plus excellent benefits

Origin Housing

Origin Housing are now seeking an exceptional individual to join them as their new Head of People, Organisational Development and the Workplace.

Senior Procurement Manager - Indirects - Global Law Firm - Leeds & Hybrid working - £70-75k + package This globally recognised law firm, renowned for

Strategic Sourcing Manager - International TV Production

Senior media relations manager.

Senior Media Relations Manager Seeking a new in-house challenge leading a team to create and deliver media relations strategies for a global profes

Interim Resourcing Advisor

Your new role You will be joining this multinational market leading brand as they prepare to launch an exciting new project across the UK.

Senior Manager - Pay & Reward

Hybrid flexible working with office locations nationally

£55000 - £65000 per annum + generous benefits

My highly respected national Charity client has an exciting opportunity for an experienced Pay and Reward specialist to join their organisation.

Senior HR Advisor

Bournemouth, England

£20.58 - £28.64 per hour

Seeking an experienced HR Advisor / Senior ER Advisor to join a large organisation managing a complex case load of ER 3-6 months +

Programme Manager

£55k per year

Implement key organisational change initiatives which are critical to the achievement of the Charity's strategic aims and objectives.

Director of People & Operations

Hybrid working. Largely home-based, some in-person expected. Some flexibility for hot-desk locations

Are you an ambitious, innovative, and values-led leader who could form a key part of this charity's Senior Leadership Team?

Account Director

£400 - £450 per day

Head of Finance

£52,404 - £62,573

We are looking for a Head of Finance to lead on the development and implementation of financial strategy, financial planning and budgeting

Head of P2P Outsourcing (BPO)

EUR100000.00 - EUR120000.00 per annum +

This international FinTech organization provides technology and consulting services to its clients around the world including the implementation of customized Procure-to-Pay (P2P) and Source-to-Contract (S2C) solutions that digitize and simplify purchasin

Indirect Marketing Procurement Manager / Best-in-Class

Indirect Marketing Procurement Manager / FMCG / Nationally Loved Brand / London / £60,000 - £70,000 + Benefits inc. Bonus

Resourcing and Data Analytics Manager

£65000.00 - £80000.00 per annum

Resourcing and Data Analytics Manager, Leading FTSE 250 Firm, London, Hybrid, Permanent, 65K - 80K

Head of HR/HR Director

Abingdon, England

£75000.00 - £100000.00 per annum

We are looking for a Head of HR/HRD with M&A experience to join our life science client in Oxfordshire.

Category Manager

Senior Procurement Category Manager- Global FMCG London Based- £60-70K + Package

Flagship project - Procurement Buyer - Tech

GBP60000 - GBP80000 per annum +

Procurement Buyer- (IT, Hardware, Software) (Multiple Roles) - Working with a leading Global Procurement Consultancy on a Flagship Project in Saudi

Leading Saudi Arabian Utilities company - Major construction project Role: Buyer Salary: 25-30,000 SAR Location: Riyadh This Leading Procurement & S

Interim Benefits Manager EMEA

£300.00 - £600.00 per day

Interim Benefits Manager EMEA - Financial services - London Hybrid Competitive day rate - inside scope of IR35 Interim Benefits job Interim Benefits Specialist Interim Benefits Consultant

Interim HR Talent Partner / HR Business Partner

Procurement category manager - indirects.

Global Procurement CPS Lead - £multibillion FMCG Major - LONDON / WFH - £70-77k + Car and other package details Global FMCG brand is seeking a bright

Global Procurement Category Manager - Professional Services

Title: Procurement Category Manager - Professional Services and Business IntelligenceCompany: Global FTSE 100 Financial Services FirmLocation: WFH - L

Interim HP BP - Technology

£427.00 - £518.00 per day

Interim HR BP to support a Tech population - 9-12 months + - London Hybrid up to £518 per day inside scope Interim HR Business Partner job Immediate start

Regional HR BP - 12 M FTC

£65000.00 - £70000.00 per annum

Interim Regional HR BP - 12 month FTC - Facilities Management - London - c£65,000 - £70,000 plus car allowance Interim HR BP - 12 month FTC - Facilities Management - London - c£65,000 - £70,000 plus car allowance Interim Human Resources Business Partn

Interim Reward Manager

£400.00 - £500.00 per day

Interim Reward Manager - Global Law Firm - London/Remote - up to £500 per day inside scope Interim Reward Manager - Global Law Firm - London/Remote - up to £500 per day inside scope

Procurement Consultant

GBP60000 - GBP65000 per annum +

Procurement Consultant - Forbes Top 100 Procurement and Supply Chain Consultancy Specialist-£65K+ Exciting Benefits- Prestigious Central London Office Location Procurement Consultant Forbes Top 100 Procurement and Supply Chain Consultancy Speciali

Talent Acquisition Partner - Technology

An international Investment Management Firm

Procurement - Managing Consultant

GBP40000 - GBP60000 per annum + package

Procurement - Managing Consultant - Global FTSE 100 Professional Services Firm - London - £40 - 60k + Excellent Benefits Package

Global Procurement Consultant (multiple roles)

GBP30000 - GBP60000 per annum + package

Global Procurement Consultant (multiple roles) - Management Consultancy - London - £30,000 - £60,000 + Excellent Package + Personalised Career Plan + State of the Art Offices

Global Junior Procurement Consultant

Global Junior Procurement Consultant - GNFR- International FMCG Firm - London - £40,000 - £60,000 - Excellent Package - Fast Track Career Progression

Strategic Sourcing Manager, IT & Technology

EUR60000 - EUR90000 per annum + bonus + benefits

Strategic Sourcing Manager, IT & Technology - Global FTSE 100 FMCG Player - Dublin- £50,000 - €90,000 + Bonus & Benefits

Procurement Category Manager, HR & Professional Services

Procurement Category Manager, HR & Professional Services - Iconic Brand - Dublin with Flexible Working - €90,000 + Benefits

IT Procurement Team Lead

EUR60000 - EUR80000 per annum + package

IT Procurement Team Lead - Global FTSE 100 Conglomerate - Amsterdam - €80,000 + Package

Software Technology Procurement Manager

EUR55000 - EUR90000 per annum + bonus + benefits

Software Technology Procurement Manager - Strategic Growth Initiative - £25bn+ Professional Services Giant - DUBLIN

Reward Manager - Analytics

Bonus, car cash allowance, hybrid

The Reward Manager (Analytics) role requires a professional with a broad and detailed working knowledge of compensation processes with the expertise to implement change using complex reward analytics.

Reward Analyst

Bonus, hybrid, negotiable

The scope of this role is to support the Reward Director in the delivery of group wide annual pay and performance review, share plans across the organisation, the provisions for pension arrangements and the employee benefits offering across the Group.

Procurement Consultant - Forbes Top 100 Procurement and Supply Chain Consultancy Specialist-£65K+ Exciting Benefits- Prestigious Central London Office Location Senior Procurement Consultant Forbes Top 100 Procurement and Supply Chain Consultancy S

Part home/part office (London) based

£90,000 per annum

The UK Committee for UNICEF

This is a great opportunity to join the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) as the Director of Communications.

Non-Executive Directors

£4,800 p.a.

Raven Housing Trust

We’re looking for two people to join our Board...

In House Media Relations Manager Role at Top Law Firm

Exceptional In House Media Relations Manager wanted for top tier global Law Firm! Salary: £70k DOE - our client will flex for the right candidate

Head of Foundation Partnerships

£60,000 per annum

This is a great time to join the UK Committee for UNICEF (UNICEF UK) as we have ambitious plans over the next five years.

Bradford, West Yorkshire

Bradford Council

City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council – Head of Procurement Bradford is an extraordinary city. Vibrant and diverse, it’s a place of opport...

£50000.00 - £60000.00 per annum + full range of benefits

Trainer, to £60k pa, permanent, hybrid with Bristol/Birmingham/Bracknell or Guildford office. Finance sector, leading, long standing and award winning company.

HR Consultant - TMO Change Project

Cheltenham, England

£350.00 - £400.00 per day + WFH/remote working

HR Consultant - Target Operating Model change project, up to £400 per day, remote working, interim asap. FTSE 100 multi-national engineering organisation which has its headquarters in Cheltenham.

Principal Commercial Manager

Canary Wharf, London (Greater)

£51,810 - £59,405 pa

Exciting opportunity for a proven senior commercial professional, with extensive experience of delivering end to end procurement activity.

Senior Procurement Manager - Professional Services

GBP60000 - GBP75000 per annum +

Senior Procurement Manager - Professional Services - Multinational Communications Firm - £80-90K + Bonus - London based (hybrid model working) One of

Procurement Category Manager - Professional Services & HR

GBP60000 - GBP75000 per annum + Benefits

Blue chip FMCG firm seeks a strong Professional Services sourcing expert to join its world-class procurement function.

Procurement Category Manager

GBP55000 - GBP65000 per annum + + Car & Benefits

Iconic FMCG brand seeks a high-achieving procurement expert to join the ranks and drive a crucial spend category towards best-in-class.

Belper, England

A Permanent HR Manager Job in Belper, Derby Paying up to £60,000 + 10% Bonus Depending on Experience

Deputy Development Director

Cambridge, Cambridgeshire

£45,000, - £50,000, depending on experience.

This is a great opportunity for an enthusiastic & motivated professional to develop their fundraising skills in one of the most friendliest Cambridge.

Senior Procurement Consultant

Senior Procurement Consultant - Forbes Top 100 Procurement and Supply Chain Consultancy Specialist-£65K+ Exciting Benefits- Prestigious Central London Office Location Senior Procurement Consultant Forbes Top 100 Procurement and Supply Chain Consult

Head of Communications and Engagement

Gatwick, West Sussex

Circa £70,000 per annum + excellent benefits, including flexible working and 33 days annual leave +

KENT SURREY SUSSEX AHSN LTD

KSS AHSN is seeking to appoint a dynamic Head of Communications and Engagement to join their team!

Head of People Support Services

West Midlands Region

£70,086 - £73,333

West Midlands Fire Service

Head of People Support Services West Midlands Fire Service £70,086 - £73,333 Who we are West Midlands Fire Service is an ambitious and progressive ...

Strategic Partnerships Director - Remote

Up to £80,000 per annum + benefits

Micro:bit Educational Foundation

Partnership is a key value of the Micro:bit Educational Foundation and has been central to our success from the very start of the organisation, hel...

Procurement Administrator / Riyadh

GBP15000 - GBP22000 per month + living allowances

Procurement Officer Arabic Speaking - supporting a Flagship Mega Project in Saudi Arabia - Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies - Riyadh - 15,0

Procurement Consultant opportunity, Saudi Arabia

Expat Procurement Consultant opportunity - Flagship Mega Project in Saudi Arabia - Renewable Energy & Sustainable Technologies - Saudi Arabia - £60-75

Mid/Senior Backend Developer

£50000 - £110000 per annum

I am working with a UK mobile app, website and branding agency looking for an engineer to join their team.Skillset:Expertise in NodeJS and Javascript,

Deputy Head of Knowledge and Evidence

Cardiff (Caerdydd)

£58,611 - £63,522

Natural Resources Wales

Role Purpose As a member of the core Leadership Team of Natural Resources Wales (NRW), you will fulfil a key strategic role, alongside your funct...

Buyer CAPEX OPEX - GAB

GBP5000 - GBP6000 per month + Benefits

Buyer - Capex / Opex Procurement Consultant - Global Consulting firm working on site with a Waste Management organisation - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - 25-

Senior PR Manager (UK and Australia)

£65000 - £72000 per annum + Bonus

Senior PR Manager (UK & Australia)Up to £72,000 + annual bonus We are proud to be a partner for one of the world's leading dating brands in their sear

Head of Finance & Operations

£50k - 58k per year

Harris Hill is recruiting for a Head of Finance & Operations for this Children's Charity based in London (Hybrid)

Head of Programme - Diversity & FIR

£60,000 - £70,000

Recruitment Revolution

We are seeking an experienced leader to help us drive change in the construction and engineering industry.

Senior Outsourcing Consultant - Global Consultancy

GBP65000 - GBP75000 per annum + Package

Role: Senior Technology Outsourcing Consultant Firm: Global Consultancy Salary: £65,000 - £75,000 Location: London / Hybrid Working Contact: Tabitha -

Senior Indirect Procurement Manager / Best-in-Class

Senior Indirect Procurement Manager / Best-in-Class Professional Services Organisation / Rapid Career Progression / London / Flexible Working / £57,000 - £67,000 + Benefits inc. Bonus

Global Procurement Consultant - Manager Grade

GBP80000.00 - GBP100000.00 per annum + Car Allowance, Bonus

Global Procurement Consultant - Manager Grade - Industry-Leading Procurement Consultancy - London + Hybrid Working - £80,000 - £100,000 + Excellent Bonus Scheme + Car Allowance If you are a Senior Procurement Consultant at either a 'Big 4' or a Bo

Procurement Consulting Opportunities / Leading UK firm

Business director.

£75000 - £90000 per annum

Job Title - Business Director The Role / Company A fashion and entertainment agency are looking for a Business Director to work on a US fashion brand!

Director of Fundraising

£80k - 85k per year

Harris Hill are thrilled to be partnering with a much-loved British veterans charity to recruit their new Director of Fundraising.

Supply Chain Coordinator

GBP200.00 - GBP400.00 per day +

Supply Chain Co-Ordinator - Global FMCG - London + Flexible Working - £400/day (flexible dependent on experience) - Initial 6-month contract Market-leading consumer goods company, responsible for some of the most recognizable brands on supermarket

Head of HR Part Time

£80000.00 - £100000.00 per annum

Head of HR in Wealth Management & Financial Planning, based in Mayfair Part Time - 3 Days a week

Interim Reward Manager - Global Law Firm - London/Remote - up to £500 per day inside scope

Interim HR Project Manager - Remote UK

£500.00 - £600.00 per day

Interim HR Project Manager job- 6 month duration - Remote working in the UK - £400-£600 per day outside of scope HR Program Manager job / HR BP job

Global Procurement Lead - Supply Chain

GBP75000 - GBP80000 per annum + Benefits

Iconic brand seeks a high-achieving procurement expert to join the ranks and drive a crucial spend category towards best-in-class.

Indirect Procurement Director - Procurement Consultancy

GBP100000.00 - GBP110000.00 per annum + Excellent Bonus

One of the largest specialist procurement consultancies in the UK is looking to bring on a Director level procurement professional with a strong track record across both delivery and sales within a management consultancy environment.

Interim Regional HR BP- 12 month FTC - Facilities Management - London - c£65,000 - £70,000 plus car allowance

Associate Director of Resourcing

Gloucestershire, England

£257.00 - £292.00 per day

In this strategic post you will be a key member of the senior People & OD leadership team and you'll be implementing effective resourcing strategies that support the workforce transformation plans for the organisation and enable the recruitment, supply an

Senior Recruitment Manager

£75000.00 - £85000.00 per annum

Partnering with NASDAQ listed business to deliver expert support to their global talent acquisition function.

Head of Operations

London, E1, with scope for flexible working

£45,000 - £50,000 per annum

SPAB (The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings)

Could you bring senior level support for financial management and operational resilience, enabling us to fulfil our charitable purpose effectively?

Head of TA - Europe

£75000.00 - £90000.00 per annum

Head of TA - Europe, International Recruitment Agency, 75K - 90K, Hybrid, Permanent.

Head of HR in Wealth Management & Financial Planning, based in Mayfair

Communications Lead

NEW Communications Lead position with the TNFD.

Director of Development

Murray Edwards College, Cambridge

Murray Edwards now seeks to appoint a new Director of Development

MG2-3 £52,225 - £68,532 per annum depending on location

Avanti Schools Trust

This is an exciting opportunity to join Avanti in a forward-thinking, dynamic and strategic role to drive our ambitions about our people and culture.

Assistant Director - Education and Equalities

London Fields, London (They promote a flexible, hybrid way of working)

This is an exciting opportunity to join the charity as an Assistant Director to lead their highly skilled and passionate Education and Equalities team

Chief People Officer

London (Central), London (Greater) - Agile/Hybrid - Homeworking,

£97-£100k FTE plus 6% contributory pension. 27 days plus bank holidays

Anna Freud Centre

Within this role, you will have an opportunity to create and shape the new role of Chief People Officer within the Centre.

Managing Director - Leading Consumer Lifestyle PR Firm - London

Based in the heart of central London

Up to £130'000 + benefits, bonus and E MI Share Option Scheme

Are you an entrepreneurial M.D or highly experienced Director looking for more creative control at a top Consumer Lifestyle PR Firm? If so, read on!

Performance Marketing Manager

London, City of London

£50000 - £70000 per annum

Performance Marketing Manager - Financial Services - London£50,000 - £70,000I am excited to be working with a Global Financial Services business that

Talent Acquisition Manager

Talent Acquisition Manager - Central Oxford - Hybrid - Up to £55,000

Resourcing advisor

£24.09 - £26.83 per hour + Hybrid working

Full-time Resourcing Advisor - £24.09 - £26.83 This is a great opportunity to join a non-profit organisation within the education sector as a Resourcing Advisor. Hybrid working available.

Buckinghamshire

£50k per year

Harris Hill is recruiting for a Permanent Head of Finance for this well-established charity based in Buckinghamshire -Only 1 day a week in the office

£65000.00 - £75000 per annum

Head of Production

Up to £90k plus benefits

This full-stack consultancy and communications company is looking for a Head of Production

HR Business Partner/Associate HR Business Partner

Portsmouth, Hampshire

See job advert

University of Portsmouth

The University of Portsmouth are looking for talented and ambitious people to join our HR Partnering Team.

Associate Director B2B technology and sustainability

£75000 - £80000 per annum

Consider yourself a tech savvy individual? Are you looking to move into an industry defining agency? Are you fascinated by all thing’s sustainability, healthcare, and...

Director of Corporate Communications - FTSE 100 - 6 month FTC

Windsor, Berkshire

£80,000-£120,000

Fantastic 6 month FTC for a Corporate Communications Director to joing a FTSE 100 business in the Travel/Hospitality sector.

Senior Tech Recruitment Partner

£60000.00 - £65000.00 per annum

An international strategy consulting firm for more than 50 years

£80,000 - £85,000

The Great & The Good

London-based network agency seeks entrepreneurial Business Director to play a key role in their future growth.

Internal Communications Manager

Up to £60000.00 per annum

We are looking for an Interim Internal Communications Manager to join a scientific organisation with a clinical purpose, aiming to set the standard for the future of pathology.

Strategy Director - Consumer creative clients

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Impromptu Speech: Meaning, Tips And Skills

Whether it’s tackling unexpected job interview questions or bidding farewell to a colleague, we have all been in situations where…

Whether it’s tackling unexpected job interview questions or bidding farewell to a colleague, we have all been in situations where we were asked to talk about a subject on the spot. These are some examples of impromptu speech, which means exactly how it sounds.

Even though it’s often unexpected, you can always practice impromptu speaking. It not only helps you be confident in your delivery but also makes meaningful speeches that leave a lasting impression on your audience.

Meaning Of Impromptu Speech

The good and bad of impromptu speaking, how to give an impromptu speech.

When you deliver a speech without any prior preparation, it’s known as an impromptu speech. The word impromptu means without preparation or organization. While impromptu speaking may seem intimidating and not as glamorous as a well-prepared speech, it’s an essential skill to master. You may find yourself in various scenarios where you’re asked to share a few words. Here are some common instances that often encourage an impromptu speech:

Small talk at networking events or parties

Exchanging opinions in business meetings

Weddings and other celebrations

Sharing your experience when you’re leaving an organization

A speaker goes missing and you need to fill in at the last minute

As you can see, an impromptu speech can be as professional as sharing opinions in a meeting or as informal as a toast at a party. Either way, you’re expected to say something smart and meaningful.

The Good And Bad Of Impromptu Speaking

In an impromptu speech, you’re in an advantageous position as you get to choose the topics you want to talk about. You can enhance the quality of your speech by using personal anecdotes and real-life examples. As you aren’t prepared, you’re likely to deliver your speech as if you were in a conversation with another person. Speaking with conviction makes you sound confident and impresses your audience.

At the same time, impromptu speaking means not being well-prepared. Collecting your thoughts may be time-consuming if you don’t have much knowledge about the topic. Even if you’re familiar with a topic, your speech may lack relevant details. Moreover, if the audience doesn’t engage or ask questions, you may miss out on significant content.

However, speaking without prior preparation shouldn’t be so difficult. There are several strategies that can help you brush up on impromptu speaking skills and deal with any situation confidently.

Communication is an integral part of our lives and speech is one of its fundamental components. Language wouldn’t have evolved like it has without the help of speech. Impromptu speech, in particular, gives you the liberty to explore ideas, opinions and perspectives while sharing them with an audience. Here are some impromptu speech tips that’ll help you deliver your content confidently while captivating and convincing your audience of your thoughts:

Organize Your Thoughts

If you’re speaking in front of an audience unprepared, the first thing you should do is collect and organize your thoughts. When you start making points in your head, you gain clarity and direction regarding your topic. This further helps you prioritize and filter out unnecessary elements from your speech.

Go With The Flow

While formal situations such as business meetings and conferences may require you to be mindful of the information you share; informal situations like parties and gatherings can be candid and light-hearted. It’s best to be as candid as possible and not force yourself to behave in a certain way. This further helps you feel relaxed and use a conversational tone with your audience.

Share From Personal Experience

It’s best to focus on yourself and your surroundings. When you speak from personal experience, you’re not only familiar with the topic, you don’t require much preparation time. Storytelling is a great way to increase audience engagement. Personal anecdotes and examples can make a huge difference.

Start A Q&A Session

If you’re caught off-guard and you’re unsure about what to say or present, you can start your speech by engaging in a question-and-answer session. An interactive start will not only involve the audience but will also keep them captivated till the end. This is particularly helpful in situations where a speaker is absent and you’re filling in for them.

Use A Written Paragraph Approach

Speaking successfully involves the same outline as a written paragraph. There is an introduction, main idea discussion, supporting examples and conclusion. This structure is generally followed by people who prepare their speeches in advance. Following such an outline can help you organize your thoughts and improve the flow of the speech.

Working on your speaking skills should be a part of your career-development strategy. Harappa’s Speaking Effectively course will teach you how to strengthen your communication skills and create ever-lasting impressions on people. The PAM Framework will help you understand your Purpose, Audience and Message better, while the Non-Verbal Cues framework will help you exhibit confidence. Be the speaker that everyone takes notice of. Start your learning journey today!

Explore topics such as Art of Public Speaking , What is Business Communication , Importance Of Speaking Skills , Presentation Techniques and Audience Analysis from Harappa Diaries to build a personal brand that inspires, motivates and guides others.

EXPLORE Random Article

How to Give a Speech Without Preparation

Last Updated: May 29, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Lynn Kirkham . Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 88% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 63,399 times.

Public speaking is daunting for many people, and having little time to prepare just increases the pressure. If you're called on to give a speech at a wedding, funeral, or other similar situation, stick to pre-set ideas like personal anecdotes and quotations, and keep things brief. If you have to give a speech in a professional situation, follow a tried-and-true method for quickly organizing your thoughts to keep things to the point. Take a breath, stay confident, and you can deliver an effective speech on the spot.

Using an Anecdote

At a wedding, you could tell a funny story about growing up with the bride or groom.
At a funeral, you could tell a story about how kind or generous the deceased was, or about how they influenced you.

For example, imagine you're giving a toast at Frank's 70th birthday. You could say something like: “They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Frank here's proving them wrong. Who else would have the courage to start running marathons in retirement?”

For example, if you're toasting the groom at a wedding, stick to just two good stories about your friendship.
If you see people in the audience do things like turn away, talk to each other, check their phones or watches, or fidget in their seats, you might be rambling on and losing their attention.
If this happens just quickly cut to your main point and say “thank you” as a way to close.

You can also look out in the audience and find a few friends or people who seem supportive, and focus on them.
If you're nervous, you could also try the old standby of imagining everyone in the audience naked!
Above all, just remind yourself that most people will naturally admire the courage of someone who shows the confidence to get up and speak in front of a crowd.

Creating a Quick Speech Structure

Step 1 Make a quick outline, if you have time.

If you don't have time to write even a few notes, just make a quick mental outline, telling yourself something like: “First I'll say how generous Jim is. I'll tell the story about the time he fixed my flat tire in the middle of the night, then the one about how he baked me a birthday cake when I was sick in bed with the flu.”

Step 2 Focus on delivering a strong introduction and closing.

A moving story
A convincing fact or statistic
An inspiring quotation

Step 3 Structure your ideas around pros and cons.

Begin by saying that casual Fridays boost morale, lead to greater productivity, and will make your company seem up to date.
Follow up by acknowledging that casual Fridays mean that employees will appear less professional at the end of the week, and that they may need guidance on what kind of casual clothing is acceptable.
End with your position that since most client meetings happen early in the week, casual Fridays overall will be good for your company and not create a disruption.

Step 4 Reframe the speech as a Q&A session.

You could start off with something like: “I know we've all been thinking about casual Fridays, and there are a lot of opinions out there. Let's get the conversation going by airing some of those. Does anyone have any questions, or want to share their point of view?”
You can also call on someone in particular, if you want or need to: “Frank, you've been with us the longest. Why don't you start?”

Using the PREP Method for a Topical Speech

Begin by saying you think casual Fridays are good because they boost employee morale.

Step 2 Follow up with a statement about why your point is important.

Expert Q&A

↑ Lynn Kirkham. Public Speaking Coach. Expert Interview. 20 November 2019.
↑ https://debate.uvm.edu/NFL/rostrumlib/impcox0998.pdf
↑ https://www.thoughtco.com/impromptu-speech-1857493
↑ http://sixminutes.dlugan.com/how-to-impromptu-speech/
↑ https://www.toastmasters.org/Resources/Video-Library/impromptu-speaking

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50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches

Illustration by Catherine Song. ThoughtCo.

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M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
B.A., History, Armstrong State University

For the many people who break out in a sweat at the very idea of speaking in front of an audience , the prospect of speaking on an unknown topic with little to no preparation is likely terrifying. But you don't have to be afraid of impromptu speeches. As it turns out, the secret even to off-the-cuff speeches is preparation.

Impromptu Speech Tips

Decide on your topic
Come up with three supportive statements related to your topic
Prepare a strong conclusion

Use this list of impromptu speech topics to practice making a quick speech outline in your head. For each of the topics below, just think of three main points you'd like to make. For example, if your speech topic is "Your least favorite chores," you could quickly come up with three statements:

I don't know anybody who likes to fold laundry, so the first task on my list of unhappy chores is folding laundry.
Taking out the trash is another chore that most people dread, and I'm no different.
The worst chore in the entire household has to be cleaning the toilet.

If you go into your speech with these statements in your head, you can spend the rest of your time thinking up supporting statements as you speak. When you've identified your three main points, think of a great finishing statement. If you end with a great closer, you'll really impress your audience.

Start Practicing With This List

My three favorite animals.
What you would find in my closet. Make something up.
What you'd find under my bed.
The best letter of the alphabet.
Why your mom/dad is special.
A day that stands out.
The best surprise ever.
If I had a million dollars to give away.
If cats/dogs ruled the world.
A trip to remember.
My favorite day of the year.
If I could only eat three foods forever.
If I could design a school.
Why books are important.
Three surprising facts about me .
How to impress your parents.
How to plan a party.
A job I'd love to have.
A day in my life.
If I could have dinner with anyone.
If I could travel through time.
My favorite book.
An important lesson I've learned.
What I've learned from cartoons.
The smartest cartoon character.
Three things I'd change if I ruled the world.
Why sports are important.
The worst chores at home.
Why I deserve an allowance.
If I were in charge of school lunches.
If I had invented school.
The best theme park rides.
Whom do you admire most?
What is your favorite animal?
How to achieve your dreams.
Why you need a baby brother.
How to annoy an older sister.
How to save money.
Three things that scare me.
Great things about snow days.
Things you can make out of snow.
How to spend a rainy day.
How to walk a dog.
Great things about the ocean.
Things I'll never eat.
How to be a slacker.
Why I like my town.
The best parts of a parade.
Interesting things you see in the sky.
Things to remember when you're camping.
An experience with a bully.
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How to Prepare for a Speech in 5 Simple Steps

Want to know how to prepare for a speech?

First, you need to understand that the ONE thing most successful speeches have in common is this:

The best speeches seem effortless. That is, most impactful speeches are often those that seem like they weren’t prepared for, as if they are impromptu, passionate talks that capture the attention of listeners.

These speeches come across as eloquent, but not stiff. Conversational, but passionate. Clear, but with depth.

Preparing for a speech means putting in hours of prep work to ensure your speech doesn’t feel stiffed and rehearsed for the audience, or for you.

But the the reality is that successful speeches DO require consistent, careful preparation. From crafting a compelling message to perfecting your delivery, here’s a step-by-step process you can follow for preparing an impactful speech:

Define Your Purpose and Audience
Narrow Down Your Message
Polish Speech Structure and Organization
Prepare the Opening and Closing
Master Rehearsal and Delivery

BONUS Tips to Prepare For a Speech

#1 – define your purpose and audience.

When preparing for a speech, clearly defining your purpose and understanding your target audience are essential steps. You first have to determine why you are writing the speech, and who the speech is for. This will help you build a solid foundation as you begin to write and prepare for your speech.

First, define your purpose. Ask yourself the following questions:

Why are you writing this speech?
What do you want to achieve with your speech?
Do you aim to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire your audience?

Depending on your answers to the above questions, you’ll want to ensure that you’re considering the purpose of the speech before you even begin writing.

For example, maybe you’re writing a speech for your best friend’s wedding. In this case, you’d likely want to create a memorable, touching speech that highlights your friend’s best qualities and elicits excitement for their marriage journey. You’d want to leave a lasting impression that makes everyone laugh , entertains, or inspires the wedding guests for years to come. Knowing the purpose before you start writing, will help you craft a speech that considers your end-goal.

Determining your speech’s purpose will help you guide your message towards a specific direction and ensure that your content remains focused and impactful. Clarity in your message is key to effectively conveying your ideas. By emphasizing one key message and structuring your speech around it, you can help your audience grasp the main point you’re trying to convey.

Second, define your target audience. Ask yourself these questions:

Who are you speaking to?
What do they care about?
How do they fit into your speech’s purpose?

Understanding the answers to these questions will help you prepare a speech that resonates with your target audience – the very people who will hear your message. Additional details such as their age, background, interests, and level of knowledge about your topic will help you tailor your speech accordingly.

Consider the previous example of writing a speech for your friend’s wedding. Your target audience in this case might consist of people from all ages and backgrounds who share a commonality: they love and care for the newly wed couple. They are there to witness a celebration of love, and want to be part of the couple’s special day. Therefore, as you prepare for your speech, you need to consider the audience and what you can say that will resonate with them.

Audience analysis plays a vital role in tailoring your speech to help reach your listeners. You can use strategies such as empathy mapping techniques , you can get more insight into your audience’s perspectives, thoughts, feelings, actions, pains, and gains. This understanding allows you to craft a speech that speaks directly to their interests and concerns which helps increase audience engagement.

Once you’ve determined your speech purpose and target audience, you can move on to the next step of the speech preparation process.

#2 – Narrow Down Your Message

Sometimes, it can get overwhelming when you start to think of what to write. Maybe you don’t know exactly what you want to say, or how to say it. Or maybe you have an idea of your speech’s overall message, but you don’t know how to communicate it.

Regardless of your situation, it’s important to get any and all ideas out first through a process of brainstorming. Then, once you’ve added all of your ideas to paper, you can prioritize the most important ones.

Just like an effective conversation or presentation, a speech must have a central theme, or core message.

What is the keway you want your audience to remember after your speech?

The goal is to decide on one central core message, so you can build up your speech around it.

Then, you can begin to craft a compelling message with clear significance. This will help you to captivate your audience and convey your ideas effectively.

Once you have your central message defined, you can start brainstorming which elements to include that help build that message. Here are some examples:

Engaging anecdotes: Share personal stories or relatable experiences to connect with your audience on a deeper level and make your message memorable.
Impactful quotations: Integrate quotes from reputable sources or well-known figures that support your key points and add credibility to your message.
Emotional appeal: Appeal to the emotions of your audience by evoking feelings of empathy, joy, or even urgency to make your message resonate and leave a lasting impression.
Credible research: Gather evidence like facts, statistics, quotes, or anecdotes to substantiate your points.

Once you’ve done that, it’s time to move on to the next step.

#3 – Polish the Structure and Organization

Now that you have most of your main ideas formulated, you have to consider the right placement of your content so that everything flows coherently.

The key is to help your audience follow along, so they can understand what you’re trying to say in your speech. The last thing you want is a speech that doesn’t have clear flow, or feels jumbled. This is the easiest way to lose your audience’s attention!

Writing a well-structured speech is crucial for effectively conveying your message and engaging your audience from the start.

Begin by outlining your speech, including your clear topic, purpose, and main points to guide your content arrangement. Ensure that your speech flows smoothly by incorporating clear transitions between ideas and emphasizing your main points.

Organize your content in a logical sequence to help your audience follow along easily. Structuring your speech in a coherent manner won’t only keep you on track but also aid in delivering your key messages effectively. By creating a solid framework for your speech, aligning it with its purpose, and maintaining a logical flow of information, you can effectively convey your message and engage your audience’s attention.

Here are some common speech structure formats:

Chronological: Organize your speech in a sequential order, following a timeline or series of events.
Problem-Solution: Present a problem or challenge, then propose solutions or ways to address it.
Cause and Effect: Discuss the causes leading to certain effects or outcomes, or vice versa.
Topical: Group information by topics or themes, presenting each one separately.
Comparative: Compare and contrast different ideas, concepts, or perspectives within your speech.

Remember that a well-organized speech sets the stage for a successful delivery and helps you make a lasting impact on your listeners.

Once your structure and organization is outlined, you can combine everything and begin the writing process. As you write and refine your speech, use clear and concise language. Avoid jargon and complex sentences that your audience might not understand.

Once you have a draft you can work with, move on to the next step!

#4 – Prepare Your Speech’s Opening and Ending

To captivate your audience from the start and leave a lasting impact, mastering the art of crafting a strong opening and ending is essential.

Don’t underestimate the power of your opening and closing remarks. For many speeches, these lines are the equivalent of a “first and last impression” on your audience, so it’s important to take your time refining them.

Your opening and ending should be written AFTER you’ve structured and organized your content – so don’t skip this process!

When preparing your speech’s opening and ending, keep in mind the following key points:

Use an attention grabber: Begin with a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a surprising fact to immediately capture the audience’s interest and curiosity.
Leave a lasting impression: Your ending should summarize key points concisely, reiterate the main message, and leave the audience with a strong call-to-action or a memorable quote that resonates with them.
Create connection: By using storytelling, personal experiences, or emotional appeals in both the opening and ending, you can establish a deeper connection with your audience, making your speech more relatable and impactful.

You might have ideas for more than one opening and closing statement – that’s okay! If that happens, try to narrow your selection down to two ideas. You can let your draft “simmer” and get insight and opinions from close family and friends that you practice your speech on.

#5 – Master Rehearsal and Delivery

Once your speech is 90% written, it’s time to start practicing your rehearsal and delivery with your internal network of family and friends. Ideally, your practice audience should consist of your target audience, so that you can get the most effective and relevant feedback.

When preparing for a speech, prioritize thorough rehearsal and confident delivery to engage your audience effectively. Start by incorporating vocal exercises to warm up your voice and improve clarity. Pay attention to your body language, ensuring it’s open, confident, and matches your message.

Building confidence through positive affirmations and visualizing a successful delivery can help calm nerves. Utilize rehearsal techniques like practicing in front of a mirror, recording yourself, or seeking feedback from a friend. Remember to focus on key points rather than memorizing the entire speech to maintain authenticity.

When it comes to delivery, maintain good eye contact, vary your pace for emphasis, and use gestures to emphasize key points. Remember to breathe and pause when needed to allow the audience to digest information. By following these tips, you can deliver a compelling speech that resonates with your audience.

To summarize, here are some tips to master your speech rehearsal:

Practice in front of others: Get feedback and overcome any anxieties.
Practice Regularly: Dedicate consistent time to rehearse your speech, ideally multiple times leading up to the event.
Practice out loud: This helps you refine your delivery, timing, and flow.
Record yourself: Use audio or video recording tools to capture your rehearsals and review them for improvement.
Time yourself: Practice delivering your speech within the allotted time to ensure it fits the allocated slot.
Focus on delivery: Pay attention to your tone, pace, and body language while rehearsing to enhance your delivery.
Memorize key points: Memorize the key points or main ideas of your speech to maintain a natural flow and connection with your audience.
Seek feedback: Ask trusted friends, family members, or colleagues to provide constructive feedback on your delivery and content.
Rehearse in different settings: Practice your speech in various environments to adapt to different acoustics and audience sizes.

Tip #1 – Manage your nerves

Sweaty forehead, shaky voice, stuttering, and word stumbling… we all know the feeling of being nervous during a presentation. And unfortunately, it’s not easy to hide nerves once the physiological response sets in, meaning your audience can pick up on your anxiety. It’s okay to be nervous, but you want to prevent yourself from being too nervous that your audience can pick up on your nervousness and anxiety.

The good news? You can learn how to calm down before a presentation and avoid stage fright.

Here are some tips to combat nerves when preparing for a speech:

Take deep breaths: Slowing down your breathing can help calm your nerves.
Visualize success: Imagine yourself delivering a confident and impactful speech .
Focus on your message: Remember, your passion and knowledge about the topic can overshadow any anxieties as long as you can stay focused.

Tip #2 – Prepare delivery aids (optional)

A delivery aid, often referred to as a visual aid or presentation aid, is any supplementary material used by a speaker during a speech or presentation to enhance the audience’s understanding and engagement. These aids can take various forms, including slides, charts, graphs, props, videos, or handouts. The primary purpose of delivery aids is to complement the verbal delivery of the speaker and reinforce key points or concepts being discussed. If you’re incorporating technical concepts into your speech, or trying to explain scientific or abstract points, delivery aids can be helpful.

Common types of delivery aids for a speech:

Slides: Presentation software like PowerPoint or Keynote allows speakers to create slides with text, images, and multimedia to support their speech.
Visuals: Charts, graphs, diagrams, and infographics can visually represent data or concepts for easier understanding.
Props: Physical objects or models can be used as props to illustrate points or add a tactile element to the presentation.
Videos: Short video clips or animations can be integrated into the speech to demonstrate processes, showcase examples, or tell a story.
Handouts: Printed materials such as handouts, worksheets, or summaries can provide additional information or resources for the audience to reference during or after the speech.

Tip #3 – Choose your speech outfit (and rehearse in it!)

When choosing what to wear for a speech , it’s important to consider professionalism, comfort, and appropriateness for the occasion.

Your outfit should convey confidence, professionalism, and respect for the audience. It should also align with the tone and formality of the event. Choose attire that makes you feel comfortable and confident, allowing you to focus on delivering your speech effectively.

Here are some tips for choosing what to wear for your speech presentation:

Dress Professionally: Choose attire that reflects the formality of the event and conveys professionalism. Opt for well-fitted clothing in classic styles and neutral colors so you can look polished and put-together.
Prioritize Comfort: While it’s essential to dress professionally, make sure your outfit is comfortable to wear for an extended period. Avoid clothing that is too tight, restrictive, or uncomfortable.
Consider the Audience and Venue: Take into account the audience demographics and the setting of the event when selecting your outfit. Aim to dress in a way that’s respectful and appropriate for the audience while also considering factors such as the venue’s dress code and climate.
Minimize Distractions: Avoid clothing with loud patterns, flashy accessories, or overly revealing styles that could distract the audience from your message. Opt for simple, understated attire that allows the focus to remain on your speech and delivery.
Pay Attention to Grooming: Don’t forget to pay attention to grooming details such as hair, nails, and hygiene. Ensure your appearance is neat and tidy, and consider factors such as makeup and accessories to enhance your overall look without being distracting.
Test Your Outfit: Before the event, try on your outfit and practice moving and speaking in it to ensure it’s comfortable and doesn’t restrict your movements. Make any necessary adjustments or alterations ahead of time to avoid last-minute wardrobe issues.
Bring a Backup: As a precaution, consider bringing a backup outfit or accessories in case of any wardrobe malfunctions or unexpected changes in plans. This’ll give you peace of mind and ensure you’re prepared for any unforeseen circumstances on the day of the event.

You’ve laid the groundwork for a successful speech preparation journey. By understanding your purpose and audience, crafting a compelling message, organizing your content effectively, and practicing diligently, you’re well on your way to delivering a memorable and impactful speech.

Embrace the challenge, stay focused, and remember that the key to success lies in your dedication and commitment to delivering an effective, impactful speech that gets your core message across.

And don’t lose sight of what matters throughout the journey: Your speech matters, and you have the power to impact many lives with your message. No matter what happens, your efforts and persistence in overcoming any obstacles when it comes to preparing and delivering your speech will make it all worthwhile.

Good luck on your speech preparation endeavors!

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Preparing For An Unprepared Speech

Preparing for an unprepared speech.

By Caroline Nderitu HSC , Public Speaking Coach

“Success always comes when preparation meets opportunity” - Henry Hartman.

An impromptu request to speak does not mean that you should be caught with your pants down. Here are some strategies you could adopt to ensure that you are never running on empty .

ALWAYS EXPECT TO SPEAK

Have it in the back of your mind that you could be asked you to speak. Whether you are at a company cocktail party, launch of a combined harvester, or a cousin’s wedding; as long as you attend, you are a candidate for public speaking. It could be to introduce yourself, move a vote of thanks or to offer a prayer. In any event, you will have to socialize and that still counts as public communication.

LEARN HOW TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF PROFESSIONALLY

Have a routine, well-rehearsed self-introduction or elevator pitch . You cannot afford to begin by stalling, “Err, my err, name err, is err…” Polish your self-introduction script and to work on its dynamic delivery in advance.

INVEST IN YOUR SPEAKING BANK™

Keep equipping yourself with material that could one day come in handy. To accomplish this, keep brushing up on your knowledge of topical issues as well gradually expanding your vocabulary and use of language. Other face-savers to keep in stock include statistics, customizable jokes, quotes and interesting anecdotes. If you have nothing in your speaking bank™, chances are you will go blank. Do not expect to harvest where you have not invested. Borrow a leaf from Mark Twain who confessed, " It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech."

NEVER LOSE FACE

If you are invited to speak, maintain your composure and wear a confident smile. Do not fidget or, even worse, burst out in shock, “What? Me?…” and a host of other confidence-eroding phrases. For starters, do not apologize for not expecting to speak or for being unprepared. Do not publicize how inadequate you feel. Just K.I.S.S. - Keep It Short and Significant.

SPEAK CLEARLY, PROJECT

Speaking up makes you look confident and lends credibility to your utterances. Do not whimper. If you speak, speak to be heard – be visible and audible to all present. Make it count! Or to put it in Oliver Wendell Holmes ’ words: “Speak clearly, if you speak at all; carve every word before you let it fall.”

GET THE EVENT INTO YOU BEFORE YOU GET TO THE EVENT

Carry out some research before you get to that function. Know before you go! Make it one of your habits to ask yourself these questions: Who will be present? What the event is all about? What issues are likely to be floated, on and off the podium? By way of example, supposing you are a Kenyan fashion designer attending an ICT conference in Portugal hosted by the World Bank, and the guest of honour is the United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. Then, out of the blue, you are asked to say a few words. What would you speak about? "It's not the will to win that matters—everyone has that. It's the will to prepare to win that matters." — Paul Bear Bryant. After all is said and done, the audience is on your side. They do want you to succeed. Ride on that goodwill, rise up and say something. Be fair to them, be prepared.

--- Public speaking can be daunting, but the good news is, these skills can be acquired and polished to perfection. How? I am glad you asked. It is all covered in our Public Speaking and Business Presentation Skills course. This course is also available as one-on-one coaching , in-house trainin g as well as for children/teens . "Public speaking is not a talent – it is a skill." George Torok

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How to Prepare for a Speech: Strategies for a Successful Speech

Are you nervous about your first public speaking experience?

Or are you excited and can't wait to express your thoughts to the audience?

Whatever the case, it is crucial to learn how to prepare for a speech so you can deliver a successful, heartfelt oration.

Whether speaking in a seminar, a board meeting, or a classroom, the better you prepare, the more confident you feel.

So, what are different useful strategies that can help you prepare better? Let's find out!

Things to Consider Before Preparing the Speech

There is a lot more that goes into preparing a speech than simply writing some notes and reading them out loud in front of the audience.

Here are some crucial things to consider before starting to write your speech.

Learn Your Audience

Knowing your target audience is essential to prepare an excellent speech that adequately conveys its message. You first need to check where you will deliver the speech and who your audience is.

Learn about your audience's different backgrounds and cultures . Avoid making cultural remarks during the speech, as what seems insignificant to you may stir others' emotions.

Try to find out their interests to make your speech light and relatable. Find out the age range of your audience. Speaking to young students requires a different game plan than speaking to experienced professionals.

Learn about the audience's knowledge and expertise on the subject of the speech. Is it something new, or are they well-versed on the subject?

It is best to avoid using thick jargon if the audience is inexperienced and new to the field, whereas with an experienced audience, you can take things to the next level.

Knowing your audience will also help you include relatable experiences from your own life, making the speech more interesting and fun to listen to.

Furthermore, from the audience's point of view, there must be a reason to listen to someone speak. In essence, you have to make sure that the speech you're going to give will offer value to the audience and their current situations. This feeds directly into the next point.

Understand the Purpose of Speech

What do you wish to achieve with this speech? What message do you need to deliver? The answer to these questions will help you shape your speech.

Take your audience on a step-by-step journey with your speech, and in the end, ensure they understand your end goal.

Sometimes, you want to deliver specific messages as is, whereas other times, you only wish to convey a thought-provoking speech.

Knowing the purpose or purposes of the speech will help you include interesting and relatable anecdotes that draw the audience's interest.

Try Out the Speaking Medium Beforehand

Technological advancements have touched every medium. You may present the speech to your audience face to face or via a virtual medium .

For instance, in the recent past, many companies and organizations conducted their conferences, meetings, and interviews via Zoom .

It is best to know what your speaking medium is beforehand. Knowing whether you will be presenting on the stage in front of a live audience, speaking via video platform, or going on the TV or radio can help you prepare accordingly.

Calculate the Duration of Your Speech

Knowing the duration of the speech is essential to prepare a targeted, engaging speech. The preparation for an hour-long speech is different from that of a five-minute-long speech.

Knowing the time duration will help you understand how many anecdotes, interesting facts, or examples you can include and how to structure your speech, so you keep the audience's attention throughout.

How to Prepare for a Speech

Next comes up writing the speech. A speech consists of the introduction of the subject, the main body, and a conclusion.

An engaging and meaningful speech contains a mix of facts, statistics, interesting anecdotes, fun phrases, and loads of relatable content. Here are a few easy and valuable tips for writing a powerful speech.

Step #1: Thoroughly Research Your Topic

A full grasp of the topic is essential to delivering a successful speech . Knowing every detail of the subject matter will give you the confidence to stand in front of your audience.

Whether you are presenting as a student in your classroom or as a president in your board meeting, the topic's knowledge will give you authority over the listeners. The same goes for presenting a subject with other group members.

You must thoroughly know the issue, whether you are presenting the introductory, central, or concluding parts of the speech. This knowledge will also help you later in the question/ answer session.

Step #2: Start With an Interesting Story or Question

Capture your audience's attention with an enticing and ear-catching introduction. Avoid going straight up to introduce your subject. Instead, start your speech with something fun, light, and breezy.

You can share an interesting fact, include any amusing little personal incident, or propose a mind-boggling idea.

The first few minutes of your speech are essential as they can make or break the audience's attention to what comes ahead. Deliver the most important pointers of your speech within this period and let the audience know they are in for a treat.

You might also like: 10 Engaging Ways to Start a Speech

Step #3: Take the Hook Down the Body of the Speech

Indeed, the first impression is the last impression . But all the high of the attention-grabbing introduction can go down the drain if the body of the speech lacks meaning, pull, and purpose.

Hence, it is necessary to give every part of your speech equal importance during preparation and at the time of delivery as well.

You will present your speech's main idea or purpose in the body. Therefore, you must make your content clear, easy to understand, intentional, and well-organized. Avoid adding unnecessary information.

Here's how to ensure the body of your speech is as good as your introduction.

How to Ensure Interest in Your Speech

Make a String of Ideas : Create a chain of thoughts leading to the main idea or purpose of the sitting. An unorganized and haphazard speech will distract your audience, and they will lose interest. Aim for this part of your speech to connect with your audience .For instance, if you are preparing for a motivational speech , then this part should allow the audience to connect with your speech emotionally. They should start thinking about the main idea and purpose of this speech.
Be Logical and Coherent : You should be logical, to the point, and clear while introducing and connecting different concepts. Make a central connection point of additional facts, statements, and ideas in the speech, and combine them with the main topic.
Repeat Your Main Point Several Times : Repeat your main point throughout the main body without being obvious. Let the idea sync in the back of the audience's minds. Avoid using the same words repeatedly; use synonyms or relatable analogies instead. Listening to the repetitive logic will help the audience grab the core idea.
Avoid Adding More Than Three Points : Try adding no more than three points to make the speech simple and easy to remember. Plus, include relevant examples explaining these points.
Properly Arrange Different Ideas : Go through the central part of the speech and check if all the ideas or pointers are arranged systematically. The central part should take the listener on a journey that concludes with the final part of the speech.
Write Main Part Before Introduction : The body comes next to the introduction of the speech. But it is best to research and write this part before the introduction. Writing this part will give you a clear idea of what you will say in the introduction and the conclusion.

Step #4: Remind the Audience of the Speech's Purpose in the Conclusion

A well-written and efficiently delivered speech keeps the audience captivated throughout.

If it's effectively presented, a speech hooks the listeners right from the introductory sentence, goes hand in hand through the central body, and becomes part of the memory with a great ending.

Hence, continue working on the speech's conclusion with the same zeal and effort as you have worked on the introduction and the body.

The primary purpose of the conclusion is to wrap up the whole speech. Recap your speech here and convey the main idea in simple and understandable words.

Create a little summary of the pointers you spoke about in the main body and condense them into simple phrases that the audience can remember more easily.

As stated earlier, every part of the speech holds immense significance.

So, prepare a coherent, clear, and firm conclusion . Adding lousy or unnecessary comments in this section can break the spell you created with a powerful introduction and body.

Useful Tips for Effective Delivery Style

After preparing a well-researched and well-written speech comes the delivery style. Public speaking is especially challenging for introverts and shy people. On the other hand, enthusiastic and lively people may need to tone down a little.

No matter your personality, you can confidently present before any audience after learning a few basic tips and tricks for an effective delivery style.

Work on Your Body Language

Before you even say a single word, the first thing the audience will judge you on is your body language. How you present plays a crucial role in how the audience will remember you.

Many people are naturally confident and can lead the room with their charming presence. Contrarily, many people need to work on their body language, gestures , and delivery style. Whichever category you fall into, it is essential to practice.

speaking-infront-of-mirror-to prepare for a speech

You can practice your speech in front of the mirror to learn how your body moves. Stand straight and upright, move around, use your hands and show your authority. Learn where you can improve and keep on practicing until you're satisfied.

Practice With Your Friends

Indeed, practicing before a mirror is a fruitful exercise; but practicing before a group of people can boost your confidence.

With this practice, you won't be overwhelmed by the live audience when you present your speech.

Moreover, this practice will help you observe the reactions of the people. Plus, your friends can give you feedback on your speech and body language .

A Toastmasters club is perfect for this.

Use Visual Aids

Visual aids such as PowerPoint slides, short videos, or pictures can help convey the message effectively.

Instead of only imagining what you are saying, the visuals aid people see what you are saying.

If you plan to use any visual aid during the speech, rehearse with them beforehand.

Maintain Eye Contact With the Audience

Look directly into the eyes of your audience when speaking. This gesture will reflect that you are confident about what you are speaking. Plus, your audience will remain engaged with your content.

The audience will lose interest if you start fumbling or looking timid. So, don't remain standing in a single place; move around, and move your eyes all over the room.

Related: Importance of Eye Contact in Public Speaking

Be Natural but Interesting With Your Voice

Use the rise and fall of your voice wisely. But try not to be overdramatic. Avoid sounding too mechanical, and use your natural tone.

Many speakers get over-excited during delivering the speech and increase their speed. Don't go too fast or too slow; neither sounds pleasant. Try to add natural pauses while speaking.

Try to add relevant expressions in your sentences using your voice. If you are asking a question, it has a question mark at the end. Similarly, when there is an exclamation mark at the end, then exclaim.

Remember Good Looks Always Grab Attention

If there is a dress code, then follow that dress code. Otherwise, be well-dressed and look smart and sharp.

If you dress up too casually or inappropriately, you will lose the audience's interest without speaking a single word.

Final Thoughts: How to Prepare for a Speech

Public speaking can be thrilling for some while difficult for others. Whether you are shy or are brilliant at expressing your thoughts, delivering a triumphant speech requires preparation.

At first, it may seem exhausting to deliver the best speech possible.

But once you get a grip of the basics of speech preparation, it will be a seamless journey ahead. Following the strategies mentioned above can help you deliver the message effectively.

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Forecasters project active hurricane season as homeowners remain unprepared for damages

Hurricane damage to homes can be minimized with this less-than-$1,000 upgrade.

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Securing openings in your home, especially the garage, could protect your home from severe hurricane damage, a recent survey said. ( iStock )

Homeowners can take steps to prepare their homes against hurricane damage, yet many still need to do so, a recent survey said.

In 2023, 47% of respondents said they had no plan to strengthen their homes against hurricanes, according to the Federal Alliance for Safe Homes (FLASH) survey . Moreover, 59% of respondents said they do not have a plan against what is brewing to be a very active hurricane season this year.

Colorado State University hurricane researchers forecasted 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes and five major hurricanes during the 2024 season, which starts on June 1 and continues through Nov. 30. A typical Atlantic hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

Most respondents said they skipped preparation because they didn't think hurricanes would impact their homes, yet inland communities are still at risk of storm damage. Hurricanes have the potential to travel up to 100 to 200 miles inland and can pose a flooding threat to these communities, so preparing for residual storm damage could help homeowners save money if they sustain weather-related damage.

Other reasons respondents chose not to prepare their homes included affordability, cost and a lack of knowledge about how to prepare.

"The above findings indicate that targeting messaging about wind and flood risk potential (especially inland), affordable preparedness options, and how to prepare can help increase the number of those that take action," the survey said.

Homeowners should be prepared for what's shaping up to be an active hurricane season. If you want to make sure you have enough insurance and the right coverage for your needs, you can visit Credible to check out plans, providers, and costs .

HOMEOWNERS COULD SAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS IN DAMAGES BY USING SMART DEVICES

Time to check your policy

The first step for homeowners should be to check if they have enough coverage, according to a report by the Insurance Information Institute.

Rising inflation has increased the costs of fixing damage or replacing a home. For some homeowners, rising costs could bring the nasty surprise that they are underinsured. Being underinsured means owning an insurance policy that only covers a portion of losses in a claim, often because of exclusions or coverage limits. Policy owners could face higher out-of-pocket costs if their coverage hasn't increased to reflect higher replacement values, the survey said.

"With home replacement costs escalating more than 55% since 2019 due to the higher costs of construction materials and labor, you should ask your insurance professional if you have the right amount of coverage to rebuild or repair your home, to replace its contents, and to cover temporary living expenses if your property is uninhabitable," Triple-I CEO Sean Kevelighan said. "You should also ask about flood insurance, which is an additional coverage to standard homeowners, condo and renters policies, as well as a small business insurance policy. Nearly 90% of U.S. natural disasters involve flooding so most areas of the country are prone to flooding."

If you have a mortgage, you're typically required to carry homeowners insurance, but you don't have to stick with any particular insurance company. If you want to save on your home insurance costs, you could shop around for the best rate. Credible can help you compare home insurance rates from top insurance carriers all in one place.

BUY A HOME IN THESE STATES TO GET STUDENT LOAN DEBT RELIEF

Here's how to get your home hurricane-ready

Other steps to adequately protect your home from damage are to make your property more resilient. Homeowners should take simple steps like trimming trees around their property and securing any loose yard furniture and other equipment to minimize potential damage.

The FLASH survey said that a growing number of homeowners are willing to spend upwards of $1,000 to prepare their homes against hurricane damage compared to the last storm season. One key element that homeowners should consider is protecting all the openings in their homes: the doors, windows and the garage. Reinforcing the garage door, in particular, offers the greatest protection against high-speed winds and is one of the most important ways to mitigate catastrophic and costly hurricane damage.

"Garage doors are the largest and weakest opening on a home, and our post-storm investigations show that more than 90% of the time that hurricane winds and debris impact homes, garage doors are the first elements to fail, leading to progressive damage or even complete destruction," FLASH President and CEO Leslie Chapman-Henderson said in a statement. "We need to help homeowners understand how an investment of less than $750 can spare their home from the most extensive and expensive damage."

Whether your concern is hurricane damage, tornado damage, wind damage, flood damage or beyond, it's best to obtain multiple quotes from several insurance companies to compare prices and what is and isn't covered. To help you find the best insurance rate for your situation, visit Credible to compare multiple providers at once and choose the right option for you.

SECURE 2.0: OPTIONAL PROVISIONS KICK IN TO HELP RETIREMENT SAVERS WITH EMERGENCIES AND STUDENT LOAN DEBT

Have a finance-related question, but don't know who to ask? Email The Credible Money Expert at [email protected] and your question might be answered by Credible in our Money Expert column.

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Baby, it’s Hot Outside. New Toolkit to Help Reduce Heat-Related Health Problems

As summer heats up, with heat domes already causing record-breaking temperatures across the country, the North Carolina Office of Recovery and Resiliency (NCORR) has issued a heat action plan toolkit for local governments to help their citizens avoid heat-related injury.

The toolkit contains guidance for local governments on when to implement mitigation strategies like cooling centers, templates for public health announcements about heat, and materials for public distribution.

The Abstract sat down with N.C. State Climatologist and project partner Kathie Dello to talk about how the toolkit came about, the dangers of extreme heat and how the toolkit may help us safely navigate another North Carolina summer.

The Abstract (TA): What was the impetus for this project?

Dello: This project was sparked by our collaborator and partner Anne Lowry, the environmental health director in Chatham County. She reached out to NCORR for some assistance in planning for extreme heat. Andrea Webster, NCORR’s resilience policy advisor, approached me in April 2023 and I remember saying, “It would be great if we didn’t have to do this 100 times for all 100 counties – how can we help Anne and also make this a statewide effort?” So we called up our partners at the NC Department of Health and Human Services and the Duke University Heat Innovation Policy Hub and convened a July workshop in Fayetteville to bring some of our local government partners together and ask them what they needed. We plan for hurricanes and floods a certain way, but heat is different, and less in your face than a flooded road or a tornado.

TA: Have we seen a jump in the number of heat-related deaths?

Dello: Recent analysis showed that more Americans died from extreme heat last year than ever before (that linked AP article says the number was more than 2,300). It’s our number one weather-related killer – more than the things we tend to think of as weather disasters, like tornadoes or hurricanes. We also know that the actual count is likely much higher than the article states. Heat can exacerbate other conditions in the body, and people may get sick or die and it’s not counted as extreme heat. In a warming climate with more hot days and hot nights, we can expect to continue to see this trend continue. The good news is that these illnesses and fatalities are largely preventable.

TA: What do we mean by “extreme heat?” North Carolina’s summer months can be pretty miserable – I’ve even heard summer here described as “Hell’s front porch.” How much hotter has it gotten in recent decades and what are we likely in for in terms of summer heat in the future?

Dello: North Carolina’s summers have always been hot. But they’re getting hotter. And these hot days aren’t just confined to the “Hell’s front porch” months of July and August anymore. We’re seeing 100 degrees Fahrenheit in September, even as late as October in recent years, as was the case here in Raleigh in 2019. And here in North Carolina, it’s not just the days, but our nights are warming at a faster rate. This may not mean much to you if you have air conditioning – but not everybody has air conditioning, and not everyone can afford to run their air conditioner. We also don’t want to get to the point where extreme heat has become such a problem in the state that we’re unprepared. We’ve seen fatal and historic heatwaves in places like Mexico in the past few weeks. We want to prepare for extreme heat the same way that we prepare for the more in-your-face disasters like hurricanes. We plan for the worst, and hope for the best. We want to keep North Carolinians safe and thriving.

And we know the climate is changing. The 5th National Climate Assessment, which came out last year (I was an author) shows that if the planet warms 2 degrees Celsius from the preindustrial era, Wake County will see 17 more days over 95 F than we did over the last 30 years. The North Carolina Climate Science report from 2020 (I was also an author on that) shows that we’re getting more humid – and we know the combination of the two here in North Carolina is what makes those hot days incredibly uncomfortable, and even unsafe.

TA: Who is most vulnerable to heat, and what are the signs of heat stroke?

Dello: Anyone can get very sick from heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Children and elderly folks are more vulnerable, and people who are exposed to heat for longer periods of time like outdoor workers, but we can see otherwise healthy people succumb to heat-related illnesses or even death. The signs to look for are cramping, chills and dizziness.

TA: Which communities are most at risk from extreme heat, and what are some things individuals can do to help?

Dello: We know our most vulnerable communities are our outdoor workers, our elderly, and low-income families that can’t afford or access cooling. But there are some simple and low-cost mitigation measures people can employ, like using fans, soaking clothes and feet, and using ice towels. Athletes need more water breaks and sometimes earlier or later practice times. And communities can open cooling shelters on the hottest days of the year.

TA: How do you hope the toolkit will help North Carolina communities?

Dello: We hope that this will help communities keep people safe, but also take one thing off their plate. We know that local government officials do everything – from putting up the main street Christmas decorations to hurricane recovery efforts. Heat deaths and illness are preventable.

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'The eyes of the world are upon you': Eisenhower's D-Day order inspires 80 years later

Gen. eisenhower's order of the day on june 6,1944 is among history's most inspiring military addresses. "the eyes of the world are upon you," read the order, given to troops ahead of the invasion..

In addition to overseeing plans for the D-Day invasion, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower also spent months writing a message to encourage troops at the outset of the invasion.

Eisenhower's Order of the Day , which he had begun writing in February 1944, started off with, "You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months.

"The eyes of the world are upon you," continued the order, copies of which were given to the 175,000 member expeditionary force on the eve of the invasion as they boarded ships, planes and otherwise prepared for combat, according to the National Archives .

"The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world," it read.

Return to Normandy: On D-Day, they changed the world. 80 years later, an incredible journey takes them back.

Eisenhower also recorded a radio broadcast version and a message to be broadcast to those living in German-held Europe. It started off with “People of Western Europe! A landing has been made this morning on the coast of France …"

In this address, Eisenhower also instructed “patriots” outside of recognized resistance groups to continue "passive resistance," but he added, "do not needlessly endanger your lives; wait until I give you the signal to rise and strike the enemy," wrote Tim Rives , the deputy director and supervisory archivist of the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas.

Read the full text of Eisenhower's Order of the Day for D-Day

SUPREME HEADQUARTERSALLIED EXPEDITIONARY FORCE

Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen of the Allied Expeditionary Force!

You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months. The eyes of the world are upon you. The hope and prayers of liberty-loving people everywhere march with you. In company with our brave Allies and brothers-in-arms on other Fronts, you will bring about the destruction of the German war machine, the elimination of Nazi tyranny over the oppressed peoples of Europe, and security for ourselves in a free world.

Your task will not be an easy one. Your enemy is well trained, well equipped and battle-hardened. He will fight savagely.

But this is the year 1944! Much has happened since the Nazi triumphs of 1940-41. The United Nations have inflicted upon the Germans great defeats, in open battle, man-to-man. Our air offensive has seriously reduced their strength in the air and their capacity to wage war on the ground. Our Home Fronts have given us an overwhelming superiority in weapons and munitions of war, and placed at our disposal great reserves of trained fighting men. The tide has turned! The free men of the world are marching together to Victory!

I have full confidence in your courage, devotion to duty and skill in battle. We will accept nothing less than full Victory!

Good luck! And let us beseech the blessing of Almighty God upon this great and noble undertaking.

Courtesy of the National Archives.

IMAGES

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Top Tips on How to do a Prepared Speech
Prepare speech in 8 steps: Xmind mind map template
🐈 Unprepared speech topics for grade 10. Unprepared Speech Topics For
how to write an unprepared speech

COMMENTS

How to Give a Great Impromptu Speech: 12 Steps (with Pictures)
Confront the reality of your situation to avoid being blindsided by panic. Accept that you have to give a speech and then focus all your resources on giving a good one. 3. Project a confident aura. Face your audience boldly and smile. Make eye contact with those closest to you.
How to Give an Impromptu Speech, with Examples
Tips on giving an impromptu speech. If you are about to make an impromptu speech and have a few minutes to prepare, follow these two tips: 1. Make some quick notes. The first thing you should do when asked to speak is to grab a pen and a piece of paper (or napkin - whatever you can find to write on). Jot down a few initial ideas, or even just ...
15 Best Impromptu Speech Tips (With Examples)
Thinking about something positive is a confidence boost you might need to get through the speech. 2. Focus on Your Audience. When you're starting your impromptu speech, keep in mind that you're not going against the audience, yet the audience will be on your side. Therefore, you should work with the audience and focus your speech around ...
How to Give an Impromptu Speech (Public Speaking)
Grab a pen and a piece of paper. If you have a few moments before your speech is expected to begin, grab a writing utensil and something to write on, whether it's a napkin, envelope, or the back of a receipt you have on hand, and jot down a few thoughts. Highlight a few interesting or significant points. Keep in mind, your impromptu speech ...
Impromptu Speaking Skills
Make sure that you're always prepared for the possibility of an impromptu speech. Keep a pen and paper with you, so that you can take notes and draft a plan. As you speak, use the PREP method to remember the points that you want to make. 3. Slow Down. Last-minute speaking opportunities can make you feel stressed, unprepared and anxious.
How to Deliver an Impromptu Speech: A Comprehensive Guide
1. Practice at Home With Your Family. The best way to deliver an impromptu speech is to practice more. Ask your family members to give you a topic on-spot every day. It can be a short 5 min session where you practice one topic or one-hour session where each family member takes turns and speaks on any given topic.
How to Ace the Impromptu Speech
Craft a coherent message, and then be quiet. Rambling on will only weaken your overall speech. If you must fill more time, shift into a Q&A. Go easy on yourself. We all want to speak perfectly every time, but demanding perfection from yourself in an impromptu speech is setting the bar too high.
10 top tips for delivering an impromptu speech
Here are 10 top tips for performing - and presenting - under unexpected pressure. Be confident - look up, breathe deeply, say to yourself something positive - 'I'm going to be fine'. Focus on the audience - Every presentation, including impromptu ones, need to be audience centric. The audience will be on your side - focus on ...
Impromptu speech outline: 7 structural patterns with examples
How to use these structural patterns: guidelines for practice. About the printable impromptu speech outlines. How to reframe a topic: examples of openings showing how to adapt a topic. The patterns are: Point, Reason, Example, Point (PREP) Past, Present, Future. Problem, Solution. Pros/Cons, Positives/Negatives, For/Against, Advantages ...
Off the cuff: How to give an impromptu speech without embarrassing
3. Pre-prepare concrete examples for unprepared remarks. Some researchers recommend keeping an "impromptu notebook" to record colourful, interesting examples of things that might work well in a speech at some point. I love this idea. It reduces the risk you'll go blank (which has happened to me).
Examples of How to Give an Impromptu Speech
Talk about experiences from your life. Keep the speech short and don't take up too much time. Start with a story. Make eye contact with portions of the audience, not individual people. Do this by dividing the audience into halves or quarters. Don't tell the audience you were asked to give an impromptu speech.
PREPARING FOR AN IMPROMPTU SPEECH (unprepared speeches)
The best way to be ready for impromptu speeches or any public speech for that matter- is to invest in a good public speaking book or audio. They are a very good investment since most of us will be called out to speak unprepared at some stage in our lives. 3. Have a few opening lines, quotes or humor, up your sleeves, just in case.
45 Impromptu Speech Topics and Ideas
For an impromptu speech, you'll generally have 1-3 minutes of preparation for a speech lasting 5-8 minutes. Tougher speech events can reduce this preparation time down to 30 seconds and require you to plan your speech mentally, without any paper to write notes on. Impromptu speeches are often given as part of university and college debates.
7 Ways to Prepare a Speech
1. Give yourself plenty of time. The more time you have to practice your speech, the more prepared you'll feel, and as a result, the less nervous you'll feel. One guideline for the amount of time to spend on preparing a speech is one to two hours for every minute you'll be speaking.
10 top tips for delivering an impromptu speech
10 top tips for delivering an impromptu speech. No time to prepare? Take heart - and take note. by Jeremy Cassell and Tom Bird. For many of us it's the worst case scenario - suddenly having to deliver an impromptu presentation. Being asked to speak in public is a major challenge for many leaders. Being asked to speak spontaneously as well ...
Impromptu Speech: Meaning, Tips And Skills
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3 Ways to Give a Speech Without Preparation
4. Speak clearly and calmly. [3] Even practiced speakers can get nervous when asked to give a talk on the spot. Control your nerves by taking a deep breath before you begin, and taking brief pauses every so often while you are talking. Focus on pronouncing your words clearly, and not speaking too quickly. [4] 5.
50 Topics for Impromptu Student Speeches
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Preparing for an Unprepared Speech
For starters, do not apologize for not expecting to speak or for being unprepared. Do not publicize how inadequate you feel. Just K.I.S.S. - Keep It Short and Significant. SPEAK CLEARLY, PROJECT. Speaking up makes you look confident and lends credibility to your utterances. Do not whimper.
Unprepared Speeches
In this lesson we learn about unprepared, or impromptu, speeches and you'll see that they can actually be fun. By the end of this lesson, you should be able to plan an unprepared, or impromptu, speech and approach it with confidence. Learner Video. English First Additional Language / Grade 10 / LS - Formal Prepared Speeches.
How to Prepare for a Speech: Strategies for a Successful Speech
Calculate the Duration of Your Speech. How to Prepare for a Speech. Step #1: Thoroughly Research Your Topic. Step #2: Start With an Interesting Story or Question. Step #3: Take the Hook Down the Body of the Speech. Step #4: Remind the Audience of the Speech's Purpose in the Conclusion. Useful Tips for Effective Delivery Style.
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15 Best Impromptu Speech Tips (With Examples)

15 Best Impromptu Speech Tips

1. Hold it Together (Be Confident)

2. Focus on Your Audience

3. Plan a Structure

4. Don’t Ramble

5. Stand Out

6. Talk as if You Were Talking to a Friend

7. Tell a Relevant Story to Personalize Your Speech

8. Pay Attention to Your Voice Tone

9. Make Sure to Follow Your Speech with Confident Actions

10. Don’t Aim for Perfection

11. Practice Beforehand

12. Use Humor to Break the Ice

13. The Meaningful Pause

14. Keep Things Short

15. Try Turning the Impromptu Speech into Q&A Session

Best Impromptu Speech Examples

University of Kentucky – Speech and Debate Team

Chris Gurrie Impromptu Speech Example

Toastmaster International – Impromptu Speaking

Impromptu Speech Example: Thesis-Point-Story Format

Angel Anderson – Impromptu Speech Example

How to Deliver an Impromptu Speech: A Comprehensive Guide

What Exactly is an Impromptu Speech?

Scenarios Where You Might be Asked to Give an Impromptu Speech

7 Tips to Deliver a Captivating Impromptu Speech

1. Understand That You Only Need to Talk About Your Experiences

2. Learn to Describe What You See Around

3. Organize Your Thoughts

4. Try and be as Candid as Possible

5. Go with the Flow and be Light-hearted

6. Set a Brand for Yourself

7. It’s Okay to Screw Up in an Impromptu Speech

Impromptu Speech Outline

Introduction

Conclu sion

How to be Better Prepared for Impromptu Speeches

1. Practice at Home With Your Family

2. Call a Friend

3. Attending Toastmasters

4. Attend an Event or Volunteer at Your Neighborhood

Impromptu Speech Delivery

Read, Read and Read a Lot

Work on Your Body Language

Practice Voice Modulation

Impromptu Speech Topic Examples

Impromptu Speech Online Course

Bottom Line

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Speech Critiques

How to Ace the Impromptu Speech

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Winning Strategies for Impromptu Speeches

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10 top tips for delivering an impromptu speech

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Impromptu speech outline: 7 formats

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About the printable impromptu speech outlines

Past, Present, Future

Cause, Effect, Remedy

Local, National, International

How to use these structural patterns

Your chosen structural pattern is the body