Being asked to give a speech when you weren’t expecting to feature high on the list of many people’s worst nightmares.
When faced with only a few minutes to prepare it is easy for clear thinking to go out the window.
Panic can take over.
Instead of worrying about the enormity of the task see it as a simple opportunity to communicate an idea, persuade your audience or motivate the action you want.
Here are 5 steps to help you to ‘say a few words’ and seize this opportunity.
1. Just. Get. Started.
This is a simple rule that can be applied to tackling any task that may seem too daunting or too difficult.
Procrastination is no friend of good performance.
If you only have five minutes to prepare then calm your breathing and try to use every one of the 300 seconds you have.
Getting something down on paper will make you feel a lot better.
2. What is the purpose of your speech?
When you know this, it informs you on your content and tone.
Think about what you want your audience to do after they have heard you speak.
Change their opinion? Buy your products? Invest in your business? Vote for you?
From here you can decide on the main point you want to deliver and build your content around this.
3. Structure your speech as a list of three
A proven way to structure any piece of communication, to make it memorable for your audience and simple for you to deliver, is by using a list of three.
Ask yourself what the three points are you want to make that will help achieve your purpose.
These three points are not a series of topics but supporting evidence for your main argument.
This supporting evidence – whether a fact, statistic or example - should always be relevant to your audience.
4. Tell a story
For you and your speech to be remembered (and for it to achieve its purpose) make a connection with your audience by telling a story.
Neuroscientists have found that storytelling causes a chemical reaction in our brains as we listen to a story.
This chemical reaction becomes an emotional connection which builds trust and empathy for the storyteller.
So, telling a good story gets your audience to listen to you andbe on your side.
5. Know how you are going to start
Have a jump off line that will grab attention.
This is probably the only part of the speech that you need to write down in full. Practice saying it out loud to polish and perfect it.
Deliver this well and it will settle your nerves.
And set you on your way to perform at your best to deliver a great speech that no one will know you only had a few minutes to prepare.