Page 69 - Between One and Many The Art and Science of Public Speaking

36 Part 1 Foundations

3. Connect with your audience. In this step you let the audience know “what’s in it
for them.”
4. Preview the body of your speech. This is where you tell your audience what you
are going to tell them in the body of the speech.
5. Present your main points. In this step you present the body of your speech. This
step constitutes the bulk of your presentation.
6. Summarize your main points. In this step you tell the audience what you’ve told
them.
7. Close with impact. In this step you leave your audience with a lasting
impression.

Let’s briefl y examine each of these steps and how they relate to the traditional
www.mhhe.com/brydon6
introduction–body–conclusion format of a speech. This relationship is illustrated
To help you prepare your in Exhibit 2.1.
speech outline, go to our
Online Learning Center Web
site and click on the Outline
Tutor link.
Introduction
Although you will present the introduction fi rst, in actually writing your speech
you normally begin with the body or main points. It is diffi cult to know how to
best introduce a speech before you write it. What follows, therefore, is the order
of presentation, not the order of preparation of your speech. To present an effec-
tive introduction, you should follow four steps.

Open With Impact
Introduce your presentation dramatically or humorously. There’s no surer turn-
off than beginning a speech, “Uh, um, well, I guess I’ll talk about dorm food to-
day.” Begin the speech with something that captures your audience’s attention,
such as an appropriate joke, a startling statistic, an anecdote, or a reference to
current affairs.

Tips and Tactics
Ways to Open Your Speech With Impact

1. Tell a brief story.
2. Use a quotation.
3. Make a startling statement.
4. Refer to the audience, the occasion, or a current event.
5. Use appropriate humor.
6. Relate a personal experience.
7. Ask a thought-provoking question.