The ability to speak concisely and to the point is always valued. In this article we will look at an ultra-short version of speeches from 1 to 3 minutes. Some do not even consider them as a serious presentation, but in vain. Such a short speech also has all the attributes: audience, purpose, structure, the need to interest, etc.
Tight time frames do not allow the speaker to run wild and require him to clean up his speech as much as possible. To speak briefly means:
- Say fewer words.
- Speak in shorter sentences.
- Choose the words in each phrase as accurately as possible.
To complete the task in 1-3 minutes, do the following:
- Formulate the topic of your speech.
- Don't try to say everything. Choose 1 main idea that you definitely want to cover. This thought should be more important than all others. If you don't say it, the speech loses its meaning.
- Make a logical outline (structure) of your speech. If you get confused when moving from thought to thought, you will immediately waste time and the number of words will increase. And in short speeches, seconds count. An extra word is a second. Failure and repetition of the phrase is 10 seconds, and you only have 1 minute.
Having a logical outline of your speech is the main condition for any speech, especially a short one. Without it it will not be possible to say briefly. Therefore, later in the article we will consider several of the most common situations for short speeches and for each of them we will show possible structure options.
Attention! The examples do not give a detailed text of the speech, but rather show the logic of the presentation. Using these examples as a guide, you can structure your speech by adding or subtracting blocks. All video examples are taken from the public domain and are presented as successful.
How to Prepare for a Public Speaking: 8 Tips
Where to begin?
Any example of public speaking begins with proper speech preparation. No matter how wonderful the speaker’s text may seem, you need to understand that behind it lies remarkable work and long hours of practice.
Every successful example of public speaking begins with preparing the speech. It was not for nothing that Mark Twain once said that it takes about three weeks to prepare an impromptu. Any performance, regardless of its type and intended purpose, must be prepared in advance. First you need to make the so-called “skeleton” of the performance. To do this, you need to decide on the following positions:
- Understand the motivation of the people who came to listen to the speech.
- Determine the main idea of the speech.
- Divide this idea into several components (subheadings).
- Identify keywords. They will need to be repeated several times in the speech so that the listeners better remember what is actually being discussed.
- Every speech should have a clear plan and structure. The speech should consist of an introduction, main part and conclusions.
How to Write an Impressive Speech Quickly
Deborah Grayson Riegel is the CEO and head coach of Talk For Support, a communications and presentation skills training firm.
There's nothing worse than staring at a blank screen and agonizing over how you're going to start that speech. Especially if you have a deadline hanging ominously over you. A frightening task, and even under pressure, leads to the fact that one simply gives up.
But be strategic. I help many busy people prepare for speaking engagements, and I've come up with three simple steps that take you from writing a speech to delivering it quickly.
Step 1: Prepare
It's important to spend a few minutes thinking about what you want to achieve with your speech or presentation. As the great Yogi Bera noted, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.” So take a few minutes to think about the following:
What kind of performance is this? Common types are informational (teaching, instructing), persuasive (your goal is to change people's beliefs and behavior), emotional (aimed at an emotional reaction).
Who is your audience? What do they already know about this topic? What do they think is true and what is not? What do they want? What are they hoping for? What are they afraid of?
How should the audience feel? What do you want them to do? Choose 1-3 things you want to convey to them (based on what they already know or believe, hope, want, fear, and what you want them to understand) that will then motivate them do what you want them to do? If possible, stick to three main points. Two encourage choice (“either” - “or”), four are too stressful.
What is your own point of view? Neutral speech is boring speech!
Step 2: Organize Information
Consumer psychology research shows that when you give people too much choice and too much information, their attention wanders and they end up not buying anything. When you expect your audience to "buy" what you're talking about, you want your ideas to be as simple and straightforward as possible. Here's a simple outline you can follow that will keep your audience's attention.
An attention-grabbing introduction . Use a quote, a story, a question, a statistic—something that will hook people as quickly as possible. “Good morning, and thank you for having me” is not a very exciting start. Remember, this is your only chance to convey to your audience that you are worth listening to.
Briefly about the main thing . Let your audience know what you're going to talk about: “Today we're going to talk about...” The old saying, “tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them what you're going to tell them, tell them what you tell them,” is absolutely correct. (You can also add how your audience will benefit from your presentation. This will inspire them to listen more carefully!)
Points 1-3 . Justify your thesis. These main points should build on what you've prepared before (what you want the audience to know or understand). To make your points resonate with your audience, add stories, statistics, examples from news and popular culture, quotes from experts, and personal experiences. But there is no need to cram all this into every point. Pick one or two ways to spice up each point and move on.
Brief content of the speech . Tell people what you just told them. (This is serious—our memories are short and our attention spans quickly.)
Questions and answers . Some people think that questions should be left until the very end. But in this case, you allow the audience to determine what topic and in what tone the speech will end. You tried too hard to let this happen! Conduct a Q&A before you wrap up your talk so you can end it on your own terms.
Conclusion . The audience will remember best what they heard last. Wrap up unfinished thoughts, offer a final inspirational takeaway that will encourage people to think and act differently, and end with an impactful and memorable statement. What’s even better is that these last words refer to the beginning of the speech, then it will be perceived as completely completed.
Step 3: Speak with passion
Your task is not just to experience your performance, but to demonstrate empathy, humor, and style. Make eye contact with your listeners, use gestures to generate energy, move around the room (not too much), and keep your voice and your face alive: you need to show that you really care about your topic and your audience. Don't stand still - do something.
Original post - www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-write-an-amazing-speech-for-any-occasion
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Muscles
Once the speaker has decided on the basic structure of his speech, it is necessary to build muscle on this “skeleton”. What could they consist of?
- You can use vivid examples from life or literature, the main thing is that they correspond to the main topic.
- To help the listener visually consolidate the information received, it is worth preparing graphs, slides, pictures, videos, etc.
- You can ask the audience a question during the speech, this will help keep the audience's attention on the main topic.
Introductory part
Particular attention should be paid to the beginning and end of the speech. They play the main role in communication between the speaker and the listener. The introduction helps to form a first impression of the speaker, and the summary allows the audience to consolidate the information received.
While preparing your speech, many questions may arise. For example, how to start a public speech? The main thing here is to interest the audience from the very beginning. The first impression of the speaker will accompany him throughout the entire speech, and if you make a mistake, it will be difficult to correct it later.
For example, the introduction to a public speech could be a witty joke or some interesting fact. You can puzzle the audience with a question or intrigue with a pause. The main thing is to attract attention. Just don’t start apologizing for the fact that your voice is hoarse, this is your first speech, etc. The speaker should always be confident in himself, and turn every trouble to his aid. For example, if the speaker is really sick, you should not apologize, but say that due to such and such circumstances, I ask everyone to sit closer so that I can be heard.
Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech
If you have not yet seen the speech of the famous pastor Martin Luther King, then you can start your study of examples of oratory skills with his magnificent speech “I have a dream”. He delivered this speech on August 28, 1963, from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. And it is perhaps one of the most famous speeches, if not of all times, then at least of the 20th century... Watch video
Types of public speaking
Examples of public speaking are divided into several types:
- Informational. For the most part, these are reports, lectures, and oral responses.
- Protocol and etiquette. Such speeches are used when welcoming important guests, making toasts, a funeral speech, or opening a new establishment.
- Entertaining. They are usually used for a good time, they have an entertaining context, but at the same time convey information. As an example, we can cite the performances of Russian pop comedians E. Petrosyan, E. Stepanenko, M. Zadornov and others.
- Persuasive speech. Such a report must have indisputable facts and evidence that will win the audience over to your side. Examples include speeches by famous politicians. For example, Abraham Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in 1863, where he assured citizens that not a single soldier died in vain, and this is a necessary sacrifice on the path to freedom.
Even a talented speaker needs a speech
Here is the simple answer to the “why” in the first paragraph. Because a prepared speech will give the speaker confidence, help him perform well (read “not to fall flat on his face in front of respected people”) and be able to convey his words to the audience.
You can be a master of words, but get lost in public. You can have the confidence of Iron Man, but it's foolish to smile and falter when you're expected to deliver a verbal masterpiece in front of other people. That is why speech, or at least sketches of it, is an integral part of high-quality and memorable live performances.
From children's parties to presidential speeches at international summits, speech is useful in any situation. Therefore, do not ignore writing a speech if the situation requires its proclamation.
Get there in three minutes
In general, the audience's attention lasts only 15-20 minutes, this is due to psychophysiological reasons. Depending on the variety, oral presentations can last from a few minutes to 1-2 hours. However, there are also speeches that need to be delivered in 3 minutes. In most cases, these speeches are wedding toasts or press conferences. In total, the length of the speech should be between 200 and 405 words. Here is an example of a public speech for 3 minutes:
“Today the Dalai Lama gave a unique interview to a Russian blogger for the first time. For his YouTube channel, business blogger Dmitry Portnyagin was the first in the CIS to interview the Dalai Lama. Communication with the famous Buddhist took place in a Delhi hotel, where the monk often stays with his followers. Before communion began, the premises were checked twice: first by the Indian security, led by a Sikh, and then by His Holiness’s personal security.
The interview lasted only an hour. During this time, the conversation participants were able to discuss political problems, including questions of the competence of Gorbachev, Yeltsin and Putin. Predict the future of Russia, talk about material and spiritual values, mutual understanding between people and the secrets of success. Each question received a detailed answer. The Dalai Lama spoke openly and with humor. At the end, he gave some advice for entrepreneurs and talked about personal safety.
Dmitry Portnyagin did not remain indifferent during the conversation. He showed the Dalai Lama a photograph of his grandfather and said that a photograph of the Supreme Head of Tibet always hung in his office, so he also became interested in this topic. Saying goodbye to His Holiness, Dmitry gave the Dalai Lama a hat with earflaps as a souvenir. The monk immediately put on his new clothes and appeared in this form in front of the camera lenses. The full version of the interview can be viewed on the Transformer channel.
Suitable or not?
This sample public speaking text follows all the rules. Such a short speech fully reveals the topic of the video presentation on the YouTube channel. It tells about the participants, the location of the interview, the questions that were raised and the general mood that was present during the conversation.
At the end of the press release, the speaker invites listeners to watch the full version of the video. Although the ending can be supplemented with one more sentence or two, saying that the interview turned out to be successful and informative for everyone.
Alexander I
To be effective, speech must be precise and expressive. And these may not always be large amounts of text. You can get your point across with a few strong sentences and vivid comparisons. For example, Alexander I’s public speech to the French ambassadors even before the start of the war sounded as follows:
“Here is small Europe, and this is big Russia (he shows all this on the map). In case of failure, you can retreat only to Paris, and I can run to the edge of Kamchatka! But at the same time, every meter of this land will be hostile to you, even the women will not stop fighting. Russia may lose some battles, but it will never be defeated.”
To say that the ambassadors left under the impression is an understatement. An example of the text of a public speech by Tsar Alexander I amazes readers today. There is not a drop of arrogance here, just facts served with the right “sauce.”
Underwater Chess Championship
In August 2021, the 8th World Underwater Chess Championship took place in one of the London swimming pools.
And this is not a joke, but a very real type of competition in which you need to be able to think very, very quickly.
Underwater chess was invented in 2011 by American Ethan Ilfeld living in the UK. The number of fans of the new game grew so rapidly that a year later, in 2012, the first world championship in this sport was held.
The championship participants play according to classical chess rules. The game board and pieces are attached magnetically to the bottom of the pool. One by one, the opponents dive and make a move. However, they should not have scuba gear or other aids.
The player must make a move in one dive. If a move is not made, the game is considered lost.
Each athlete had to quickly think about his next move - until there was enough oxygen in his lungs. At this championship, on average, each game took 30-40 minutes. As a result, the winner of this unusual competition was the Briton Mirko Vujatovic.
Read the continuation of this collection at the link below.
Interesting stories and facts for presentation →
We recommend watching the video of our School of online training in public speaking
Ready performances
Public speaking, ready-made speeches for every taste, for any audience. Ready-made speeches for speakers.
It is useful to read on this site:
- Ready-made speaker speeches
- Topics for speaker's speech
- A good example of a speaker's speech
- How to learn to “force” your interlocutor to listen to me with his mouth open
- How to learn public speaking faster
- Prepared speaker question
Steve Jobs
A striking example of modern oratory are the speeches of Steve Jobs. Public speaking was definitely not his strong point - it was just a hobby, but he began every presentation of a new product with his own speech. Examples in its execution look like this:
These are just small fragments of one of his speeches. But how does a person motivate?
Oratorical speech. Example of Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs' speech on June 12, 2005 at Stanford University has already gone down in history and become a shining example of rhetorical art, but why?
Let's start with the title: "Stay Hungry, Stay Foolish." These phrases evoke several emotions at once: interest, surprise, some misunderstanding. But in any case, find out what is hidden behind this topic. The goal is achieved - the audience is intrigued.
This speech is an example of simplicity and openness. It is replete with figures of speech and simple sentences. The style of speech is conversational, which brings the speaker closer to the audience - graduates, yesterday's students. Constant pauses allow you to comprehend what has been said, but not get bored.
Cicero wrote: “There are two arts that can place a person at the highest level of honor: one is the art of a commander, the other is the art of a good orator.” His statement is still valid today. Especially in our time, when agreements are preferable to wars.
Correct solution
You can give a speech on any topic. Examples of public speaking are easy to find in print and other media. Typically, speakers address important social, political and economic issues. Recently, it has become fashionable to give training on ways to make money on the Internet, present various training programs, or draw attention to advertising campaigns. Sometimes speakers conduct psychological trainings, discuss religion or philosophy. But no matter what the speaker talks about, his main goal is to captivate the audience.
A speaker is not a person who professionally manipulates pathetic speeches, but one who is able to conduct a simultaneous dialogue with thousands of listeners. He must speak the language of the people who listen to him, understand their problems, find common ground and skillfully lead them to making the right decision.
Business communication
It may seem that it is varied and has no clear boundaries, this public speech. The examples of speeches presented above give the false impression that the speakers' texts have nothing in common. In fact, they all have the same goal: the listener must agree with the speaker's point of view. And this can be done using completely different methods, including provocation. Although this method is used mainly in court proceedings.
The founder of the Russian legal profession, A.F. Koni, once defended a disabled hunchback. For many years, his neighbor mocked him, and then one day, unable to bear it, the hunchback grabbed a stone and threw it at him, thereby causing serious bodily injury. In his public speech, A.F. Koni was original like no one else. He, as expected, addressed the jury: “Gentlemen of the jury!” Then he paused and repeated this phrase four more times, making minute stops after each address. After the fourth appeal, one of the jurors could not stand it and furiously blurted out: “Are you kidding me?!” A.F. Koni was not taken aback, this is exactly the reaction he expected: “I addressed you politely and only 4 times, and you were already starting to get nervous. My client listened to insults directed at him for many years. How was he supposed to feel?
This speech achieved its goal - the defendant was acquitted.
Who, comrades judges, feeds you?
History knows many cases of such original performances. Even in literature you can find good examples of oratory speeches that can be used to teach this art. Thus, in A. M. Gorky’s novel “Mother,” the convicted Pavel Vlasov spoke at the court hearing. He was convicted under a political article and refused to carry out the escape prepared by his comrades only in order to make a speech in front of the large people who had gathered at the trial.
His speech was full of refrains, where he spoke on behalf of the people, but the main “highlight” of the speech was the climax: “How can you destroy the workers, those who feed you, comrade judges?” It costs a lot to create such a speech.
Speech plan
The plan helps to make the speech logical, clear, as concise and informative as possible. It allows you to fully highlight the problem raised in the speech. You need to make a plan from the moment you start work. Gradually, of course, he will change, but this will only benefit him. Let's see what the plan looks like when our goal is informational speaking. Example:
- We describe a phenomenon or problem.
- The reason why the phenomenon or problem occurred.
- We determine the pattern or randomness of the occurrence of a problem or phenomenon.
- How the different components of this problem are interconnected and interact.
- We determine the prospects for solving a problem or developing a phenomenon.
- Conclusion or practical suggestion.
If your task is to prove something, then a common technique is to move by contradiction. That is, first you make a statement, and then you refute it, leading your listeners to the opposite truth. However, we must remember that you should not use compelling arguments to convince you. It is possible to not only inform, but also prove something only by providing sufficiently compelling reasons. You need to select such arguments based on the audience you are speaking to. Only then will your oratory have an effect.
Examples of how to write a speech can be found in specialized literature. But there are two laws of its construction that should not be violated: to convey the main idea, use as few means as possible; The audience must be constantly on edge.
