The way you organize a speech is crucial to let your message get through to the audience. Speech organization is not just the order in which you introduce the points in your speech.
When you organize the words in your speech in the right way, those words will allow you to obtain and keep the audience’s attention. At the same time, the order of the words is important too. In fact, the right order of words lets the audience know the importance of each speech section.
Here is a common speech organization technique that one can apply.
Basic speech organization
The basic speech organization is made up of the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. This basic organization will help you and your audience to know where you are in your speech.
You could use the basic formula organization, as follows :
- Tell what you are going to tell them.
- Tell them.
- Tell them what you have told them.
By using this basic organization method it is possible to create a traditional outline.
Fundamentally, the “tell them what you’re going to tell them” section is the equivalent to the introduction section of a traditional outline.The first two minutes of a speech must be compelling enough that the audience is eager to hear more. The introduction informs the audience about the topic and helps establish the speaker as an authority on that topic.
Then, the “tell them” section is the equivalent to the body of a traditional outline.
After the speaker’s attention has been captured, he (or she) must focus on the presentation’s central point. You can do this by using main idea or points and supporting material, such as statistics, quotations, or other researched information.
Finally, the “tell them what you have told them” section is the equivalent to the conclusion of a traditional outline. Use the final moments of your allowed time to sum up what you have just said.
Keep in mind
Lots of people think that the most difficult part of a speech to write is the beginning. Instead, sometimes the best place to begin creating a speech is in the middle. In fact, next time try to begin creating your speech with the main idea and then gradually develop other sections of your speech.
