Creating a Speech Part 3

How is everyone today? Excited to learn a bit more about creating a speech? Hope so. I am excited to share the next step that I follow...creating my agenda.

I use the agenda that I create for every speech as the framework that I build around and then as the topic reminder and timer when I present the speech.

Let's say that you have a 90 minute presentation. 5 minutes at the front for your hosts...this goes on your agenda. 5 minutes at the back for your hosts...this goes on your agenda. If the group size is not too large, then you can do live Q&A. In a 90 minute presentation, I like to do 3 of these and schedule 5 minutes for each.

What else to schedule? How about your introduction from your hosts or your assistant and a bit of how is everyone casual chatting with the audience? 5 minutes for this.

How about talking about your offer? I hate speakers that spend too much time using the platform as a place to abuse the audience with an extended commercial for their products or services, but I assume you would like more business or why not stay home? So, put together an offer, that is simple, elegant, and clear and talk about it at the end of your presentation...before your last Q&A session. I call mine "The Let's Stay in Touch" handout and it works quite well and takes around 5 minutes for me to explain and just a couple of minutes for my audience to fill out and return to me. I collect newsletter subscribers, testimonials and permission to use the testimonial and people wanting to have a get acquainted meeting about coaching or consulting from this sheet.

You should also have a priming session somewhere in your speech, allow about 5 minutes for this and also a get up and stretch session...even if your presentation is only 1 hour...again 5 minutes or so.

We haven't even talked about your material yet. You will fit that in only after you have laid out these other elements first.

• Host time at the beginning
• Your Intro
• Priming
• Your material
• First Q&A
• Your material
• Stretch and move time
• Second Q&A
• Your material
• Your offer
• Third Q&A
• Wow them time, if you have a way to wow them
• Host time

So, that is the agenda and next time we will talk about your material.

Upcoming topic in the speaking category in my blog include your material, priming, The Importance of Rhubarb, Your offer and Wow them time.

Bye for now...Jack