Three Great Ways to Structure Your Speech

I'm often approached by others for speaking advice. After working as a aircraft maintenance instructor, avid participation in Toastmasters international, and speaking on behalf of charity; I've learned a thing or two about public speaking. Of all the questions I answer, the following is the most common.

I know what I want to talk about, but how do I write it?

Content is easy. Everyone has at least one story to tell, it's my job to help you tell it. Here are three time tested ways to get your message organized.

The Speech 101 Class Special

This is the easiest way to structure your speaking. The best part is, you a
Ready know it if you've ever written an essay. Introduction, main point 1, Main point 2, main point 3, and conclusion.

Your introduction should, you guessed it, introduce the topic. Introduce yourself and your thesis. Also, briefly list your main points. Follow the essay recipe and you'll be fine.

Main points are where you give your information. Remember: introduce the point, talk about the point, summarize the point with a sentence, and finally transition to your next point.

The conclusion is simple. reword your introduction, saying the same material. It's simple, basic, and takes out a lot of work.

This format works well for most speaking ventures. You can be as fancy or as simple as your taste dictates. However, this format is basic and often times boring. There are better ways.

The Toastmasters International Speech Contest Formula

I have watched every single first and second place speech from the Toastmasters international speech contest. Through my viewings of each speech I've distilled the elements that create a champion speaker.

It starts with a profound question or statement before the Introduction. 2014's winner Dananjya  Hettiarachichi , in his speech "I See Something", used a powerful visual to paint a picture of being broken." This instantly grabbed our attention and our interest before his story.

Make your speech personal. We, the human animal, respond best to stories about people. We don't want fact after fact, we want a tale. Not only does telling a story keep us interested, it also allows the audience to connect with the speaker on a deeper level. Don't convince the mind,  convince the heart. Your speech will be more likely to stick.

Use a repeated phrase or gesture. People remember things that get repeated. You want people to remember you and what information is presented. We are very visual creatures and if you can mark your points with a phrase or gesture then those points become reinforced. Make the audience remember you by repetition.

Learn the power of humor. Emotion is a powerful element to bring into your speaking. It connects the speaker to the audience and the audience to each other. Unlocking this potential of connection turbocharges the speech and brings the audience to your side almost instantly. Humor is the easiest technique to use this power. Everyone loves to laugh. When people are doing something they love, persuasion becomes much easier.

All these elements combined make an exceptional formula. Year after year, this formula has produced champions. However, the pinnacle of speaking is the TED talk. Let's look at that style.

Ted Talk; Every Talk.

Adam Braus, four time TEDx organizer, has written a fantastic breakdown of what makes a great TED talk and it's real world applications posted on Medium here. I'll briefly list the main points:

-Vulnerability hook
-Credibility shim
-State your idea worth spreading (Pay attention to this point. Braus's breakdown is superb ).
- 3-5 Personal stories
- Sign off

Making sure these elements are present in a speech will ensure a great experience for the speaker and the audience. Again, I highly recommend the actual article.

Any one of these three methods will help you develop your idea. We've gone from the most basic format to one of the most highly regarded methods. I firmly believe following these tips will boost your speaking confidence and the quality of your speaking endeavors. From a school presidency presentation to the board room I wish you great success.