How to give a speech worthy of a standing ovation?

We all have heard those unique and super powerful speeches that were able to change the direction of humankind, like for example Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I have a dream”. 

What's the secret? Are these people blessed or do they have some sort of strategy.

The reality is that we all have the ability to perform a breath taking speech, we just need to understand what to trigger and add to it the level of emotion needed to reach that intensity of reaction. 

In this short article I will share with some of the secrets I believe will help you to create that amazing speech worthy of a standing ovation. 

1.) Tell a story 

Everyone loves a good story. Every time you have the chance to share your words with an audience make sure you can put the main subject inside a captivating story. Doing it correctly, your audience A.) will be hooked to you from the very beginning until the very end and B.) they will retain your information more effectively. 

2.) Connect with individuals 

Always remember, you are there for them. “Them” as a group of distinct individuals not as one group of the same people. Talk to your audience as if you were talking to each one of them individually. Try to look at each one of them. Give each one of them your spirit. Connect with each one of them. 

I know very often you feel nervous and anxious before you go on stage, but just know this, none of those people are waiting to listen a boring unqualified speaker. It’s actually the opposite! They are expecting someone who is an expert and someone who has the authority to be on stage. Your audience is in awe with you even before you step on the sage. 

Go in, be authentic, share your best knowledge and connect with each one of them by speaking to “one” at a time and looking at “one” at a time. 

3.) Start from the “start” 

What does that mean?

Have you heard that it takes less than a second for a person to have an opinion about you? Well, on stage it happens the same but the difference is that it happens “on steroids”. The bigger the audience the bigger the reaction.

The most important part of your speech is your first sentence! You must put 80% of your preparation in your first seconds of the entire speech. 

Why? 

Because you want to “open” your audience to receive your message. You can have the best message and content to share with them but if they are not ready to listen to you they won’t. Period.

On my Free Case Study I share how to open the speech with a “bang”. How to transform a group of strangers into a group a followers with one sentence! This video is complementary so take advantage, watch the phenomenal case study and use the same strategies for your next speech.

When you are able to put these three secrets together with the right message your speech will be worthy of a standing ovation. 

Never forget that every time you speak to a group of people you have the opportunity to change someone's life forever. 

Don’t take that for granted. Do the very best you can. 

Be great. 

Filipe Goncalves