Comments on: How to Write a Speech or Presentation

By: Keith Davis

Keith Davis — Sun, 02 May 2010 19:03:31 +0000

Hi Farnoosh
Good point about spreading your best material throughout the speech – help keep the attention of the audience.
Sounds like useful advice to me.
Glad you enjoyed the walk.LOL

By: Farnoosh

Farnoosh — Sun, 02 May 2010 18:32:11 +0000

Keith, what a thorough post – and way to go on drawing parallels to the beloved Paris and to my favorite walk as well – I love the line “Come out punching”. I cannot agree more with all your advice here. The most interesting was “put your best material last” – I can see your validation – yes they do remember the beginning & end very well so I always recommend a strong finish rather than fizzling out – but I tend to divvy up the important points throughout the speech. I think it may also depend on the speech. Great comparison to the love affair too !

By: Keith Davis

Keith Davis — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 17:02:43 +0000

Hi justyna
Thanks for your kind words and thanks for the joke… might use it myself.

By: Justyna Bizdra

Justyna Bizdra — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:22:14 +0000

Hi Keith,

Your post is truly a highly reliable source of information, thorough step by step guide on good public speaking.

When one goes through these steps it is so much easier to speak publicly. It reminds me a nice quote of Henry Ford “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs”

Cheers
Justyna
Justyna Bizdra´s last blog ..Is Wordpress Security of any importance to you?

By: Keith Davis

Keith Davis — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:41:39 +0000

Hi Ryan
I write a speech much the same way as a write a post.
I try and keep it light and conversational.
Know what you mean about a walk through Paris… has to be my favourite city.

By: Ryan Cowles

Ryan Cowles — Mon, 29 Mar 2010 21:41:09 +0000

Hitting the Submit button and presenting a speech hold two very different feelings for me, haha. That’s not a bad way to look at it though. When writing a blog post, treat some aspects like a speech. And then imagine presenting the blog post to a large audience. If you wouldn’t be satisfied presenting it to an audience, maybe the post itself could use a little reworking.

The Walk Through Paris is a nice analogy Keith. Now if only I could experience that first hand!
Ryan Cowles´s last blog ..Taking a Train Across the Country – Part One

By: Keith Davis

Keith Davis — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 19:11:24 +0000

Hi Jeff
Great to see you back and many thanks for your kind words.
I think you are right… writing a speech and writing a blog are similar processes.
The tone of both is conversational but has to be well structured.
Grabbing the attention of the audiece or readers is so important. A great graphic, a compelling title or a first sentence that can’t be ignored. Or why not use all three?
BTW Jeff, sorry you had problems posting and thanks for trying again.

By: Jeff Sargent

Jeff Sargent — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:09:32 +0000

Hey Keith,

I wish I could be in Paris.

I’ll have to settle for looking out my dining room sliding glass doors at all the beautiful fresh white snow that blankets my backyard.

I don’t plan on giving any speeches anytime soon but I can use this same advice for writing articles or posts on my blog.

I’ll have to try and do what you say about breaking down your speech into three parts.

You say grabbing the attention of your audience in the first 30 seconds is critical in public speaking. Well I think the same applies to blog posts and especially sales copy.

If you don’t grab them by the eyeballs in the first 7 seconds with your sales copy you’ve lost them. They have itchy trigger fingers ready to click that mouse to move on to something better so you need to make those first few seconds really count.

I don’t know what kind of speaker you are Keith because I’ve never heard you speak. But what I do know is that you’re a very good writer. This is one of the best articles I’ve ever read and I’ll be referring to it often as I write my own articles.

Thanks,
Jeff Sargent
Jeff Sargent´s last blog ..Aweber Click Tracking – How Not To Do It

By: Sire

Sire — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:59:14 +0000

Yep, it’s totally new. I thought I would look a little more professional if I put some clothes on
Sire´s last blog ..Release The Child In You And Become A Better Blogger

By: Keith Davis

Keith Davis — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 08:34:18 +0000

Hi Sire
Never thought of it like that, but you’re right. When I write a post I try to get some of the ingredients of a good speech – an interesting beginning, short sharp sentences, a bit of humour – well spotted.
BTW is that a new Avatar you have or is my memory playing tricks?