Tips to be a better speech writer
Alanna Adamko, BA.J, CMP?, MBA Candidate
Communications and Media Relations leader with 13+ years experience, with a focus on Community Relations.
1. Tie into a larger theme.
Using a larger theme that is mentioned at the beginning of the speech and is woven throughout the speech and is used for a strong conclusion can be a strong anchor to set your speech apart. Themes like strength, resilience, teamwork, perseverance are examples of strong themes with universal appeal that will be relatable and impactful to a wide breath of audience and will ensure that your speech flows and stays on point.
2. Know your company’s key messages and weave in.
It is not only important to know your companies stance or position on an issue you are writing about but how that event or issue ties into the larger context of your company mission and values and past policy stances.
Develop 3-5 key messages that tie into the larger organizational key messages that will be interwoven throughout the speech. Work with department heads and subject matter experts on this topic to find out about past key messages on a similar or same topic and the culture and context before diving into the speech.
3. Use emotional, visual words.
Would you rather listen to a speech where the person is working towards or they are striving towards their goal? Do you want your organization leaping towards its goals or setting their goals.
Word choice matters. The more active verbs used with a subject-verb-outcome structure is more exciting and appealing for people to follow along. Tell a visual story which people can tie into, resonate with and remember. Strong emotional words like hope, fear, sadness, gratitude, optimism will create a greater emotional response in listeners and make the speech connect more.
4. Write an Internal Question and Answer (Q&A).
Anticipate the questions that your audience may have, write them down along with the responses which are tied into key messages developed. Having this internal Q&A will not only help field potential questions after the speech but will identify potential gaps in the speech where those areas need to be fleshed out more in the speech and add to the overall flow and continuity of the writing.