Speech Outline

Can an Outline Make Speech Preparation Easier?

If you do not use a speech outline and it has been your practice to write out your speeches and then to re-write over and over, then there is a better way. There is an easier way. There is a way that will give you greater control, make you more motivational and persuasive.

The easier way is writing a speech outline.

What is an Outline?

Rather than writing out the entire speech word for word, an outline is a brief organization of the main thoughts of a speech. In writing, it allows for faster organization. In giving a speech from an outline, it allows the speaker to speak from the heart. It prevents the speaker being tied to or even worse reading the speech.

You may be assigned a subject, topic or a theme. You may be asked to cover specific information, material, or organizational needs. Perhaps it may be to provide instructions or a ‘How To Speech’. These would be an informational style of speaking. They are well suited for developing into a discourse using a speech outline.

Perhaps you may be required to persuade or motivate. Each of these types of speeches have unique presentation methods, but all can be prepared in the form of an outline. All can be delivered from a public speaking outline.

To prepare a speech outline requires following some simple principles.

Outline Principles

Theme

If your given a theme or allowed to prepare your own, a theme or subject is the central idea you want to convey in your speech. Thinking about the theme requires thinking of the audience. After all, it is for their benefit and not yours. This is the thread that will run from the introduction to the conclusion of your speech outline.

How will the theme benefit the audience? Here are some questions to ask.

So why is this important to them?

Why should it be? What is in it for them?
What is my purpose? What is my objective?
If you don’t know the answers, you will need to find them.

This helps demonstrate the need and benefit of having a narrowly focused theme or subject. If you had a diamond, your theme would be only one little facet. They can remember one, not all 27 facets.

Likewise, it you have only one facet and you discover your angle doesn’t have much appeal, you can quickly look at the material from a different viewpoint. It needs to be practical.

This is the beauty of a speech outline verses writing out a speech. It will save you time when changes need to be made.

The Body

Next Research With these objectives and needs in mind, research your topic. Gather relevant information. Keep it in a file where it can be readily assessed. Remember, your not looking for colorful points to share, your looking to benefit your audience by fulfilling your purpose.

Analyze Which of the points when analyzed seem to best benefit the audience within the purpose of your speech outline theme. Some may be supportive of main points. Others may be interesting. A few may be main points.

Select Separate these in your file. Identify main and supportive points.

Throw away the interesting unless it is supportive. It may be fun, but if it is not on point, it shouldn't be in the speech outline.

Arrange At this point you can arrange your material in the most appropriate manner. It could be chronological order, most important to least important, least to most. Other arrangements could be problem and solution, cause and effect, or a topical arrangement. It could be in natural sequential order. What ever, make it fit the material and the learning style of the audience.

How many points? The fewer the better. Generally three main points but sometimes it is necessary to do more. Try not to do more than five. If more material needs to be shared then it could be given in a hand out.

The space between the points is where you add freshness, a new perspective or a new way to view the subject.

The Introduction

Next, create an introduction that will capture the attention of your audience. Depending on your purpose, you would use the power words that will help you accomplish your goal here.

If I told you in an introduction that when your finished with my lecture you would be able to go out and make a million dollars, you would, and rightfully so, take a yeah, sure attitude with me. Not much more I said would make any difference. You have already labeled me and framed me as a fake.

What if you were told that if you could spend only 20 minutes a week, perhaps spending only 5 minutes every other day reading this web site, you would be provided the mental tools to attain Speechmastery? You would be able to give motivational talks that would reach the heart. You would have the tools to learn how to persuade.

I can make this claim because these techniques have been tested privately and by universities. I know they work because I have tried them. They not only work for me, they also work for many of my friends who are speakers. I am confident they will work for you.

You can attain this if you learn one simple trick master speakers use, giving lectures from a speech outline.

Conclusion

Finally, a conclusion. Here you can sum up what you said. A review of the main points. Most importantly, tell the audience what you want them to do with the information.

If appropriate, make a call to action. Ask for a commitment to try the suggestions, or to put to use the information. Suggest they test and see for them selves that it does indeed work.

In other words, reinforce the singular benefit to the audience and weave this into the conclusion.

Now you have the frame work of your speech outline.

So, in conclusion...

Outline Principles... Benefit to audience

Introduction...Importance of making a speech outline for giving lectures. Benefit...because they will be better speaker.

Body...Theme or subject One facet of diamond...three views.

Create Body- Research...Analyze...Select....Arrange.

Introduction

Conclusion...Make an outline of this page & review.

The reasons for creating an outline are many. The benefit, an outline allows you to speak from your experience and from your heart. The words are not spelled out for you. You must fill in the blank spaces.

Most importantly, you can do this. That can make your speech more motivational and persuasive. Is that not one of your speech goals?

Finally, writing and presenting from a speech outline is a requirement of your Speechmastery.

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