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“Ask
not what your country can do for you ... ask what you can do
for your country." US President John F. Kennedy, inaugural
address, 1961
Needless to say, it isn’t Ted
Sorenson, JFK’s speechwriter,
who is remembered for those infamous words. And yet it
seems likely that he was responsible for writing them.
Good speech writing is as indispensable to the executive
or sales person as it is to the politician. Ensuring that
your speeches and presentations are not
just well delivered, but well planned and written is, therefore,
crucial to making a lasting impact on your audience.
What’s
your message?
The key to
persuasive speeches is clarity.
Human beings are fickle
creatures, and an audience does not like to do the hard work – that’s
your job. The brain can only take in so much information
in a short space
of time,
so bombarding your listeners with point after
point, even if they are related, will make them confused,
frustrated and (arguably worse
still), inattentive.
Effective presentations
and informative speeches are built around a single key point – a
hook for your audience to hang its attention upon. Identifying
this central issue is the most important
part of crafting a good speech. But it can
also be the hardest. After all, pruning a key message from
reams of supporting
information is often an extremely demanding process.
Once
the main tenet of your speech or presentation
has been established, that point must be
driven home. The
trick here
is to repeat your point without sounding
repetitive. A paradox admittedly, but one that can be overcome
with intelligent writing
and careful
structuring.
Visual aids
Visual aids, such as presentation
slides, can certainly be a great
asset, particularly when
giving presentations. If used sparingly they can play an excellent
structural role for your audience, ensuring that they see the
big picture even when you are talking about an element of great
detail.
Writing
Machine's approach
Writing Machine has extensive
experience of writing
speeches and presentations. Individual
speeches, such as a keynote
presentations,
need a far more
personal
touch than generic
presentations. Writing Machine’s
unique writing
methodology includes
in-depth client
interviews to
ensure that
the speech
carries with
it the
personality of
the speaker.
Furthermore,
our experience
as professional
writers
means we are
able
to craft intellectually
stimulating,
engaging speeches
that
will be also
be entertaining
enough
to
be interesting
and memorable.
Find out how we can help you engage and entertain your
audiences.
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