How to give a speech?

Being asked to prepare and give a speech can seem intimidating when you’ve never done it before. Don’t worry! You’ll be a public speaking pro in no time if you follow these simple tips.

1. Write a succinct, single-sentence statement about your subject. Try to write something that will hook your audience so that you immediately grab their attention.
2. Choose 3 to 5 supporting points for your topic. Make sure that your points are concise and direct.
3. Choose how to keep your speech on point. Decide whether you want to write out your speech or outline the speech on index cards.
4. Decide whether you want to use visual aids.
5. Prepare handouts, if your subject is detailed and technical.
6. Write a brief biographical introduction about yourself.

As with a presentation, so with a speech: prior preparation and planning prevent poor performance.
Once you have gathered your material, the next step is to put it together.
Keep it simple. Three main points or stories are enough. You want to focus on the essentials, and get your message across.
You have to practice your speech a day before, speak slowly and enunciate clearly, make a video recording and practice a few times, if you’ve delivered your speech in rehearsal multiple times, then you will feel much more confident on stage.

During your speech
• Look around the audience
• Speak slowly and try to breathe normally.
• Laugh at yourself if something goes wrong.
• Give your audience a chance to interact with you.

Remember, when you’re giving a speech, the audience is (usually) on your side (the exception might be in politics). As a general rule, they want you to succeed, amuse them, and make everyone smile.
But there is one very useful rule of thumb to bear in mind :
Stand up, speak up, shut up, sit down.
Abide by that and you will find your speeches are likely to be much more successful.