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Van Eperen & Company Chief Executive Officer Laura Van Eperen joined Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley at the Maryland Municipal League’s (MML) annual legislative reception in Annapolis. Van Eperen & Company is a corporate sponsor of MML, which strengthens and supports municipal governments of 157 cities and towns across Maryland.

10 Quick Speechwriting Tips to Help Take the Fear Out!

"According to most studies, people's number-one fear is public speaking. Number two is death. This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you're better off in the casket than doing the eulogy!"
-        Jerry Seinfeld

As funny...and as true as this may be, there is one sure-fire way to take the fear out of public speaking. Arm yourself - or the person for whom you are writing - with a better speech! Here are 10 quick speechwriting tips.

     1. Embrace the mission.


      Know your organization and its unique story, inside and out. Make sure your passion for your work comes through loud and clear, in your words and delivery.

     2.  Capture your stories. 
      
      Don't wait until it's time to prepare for the big speech. Make it a point to capture those success stories and transformational tales on an ongoing basis.


3.  People stories sell.
     
      Give examples of people who have been impacted - or could be positively impacted - by the things you're discussing.


4.  Have an "ask."
      
      It does not have to be as big as "Ask what you can do for your country..." But ask something of your audience, or directly engage them in some way. Even a phrase as simple as: "Tonight when you leave this room, I hope you will keep this thought in mind..." is a guaranteed attention-getter.


5.  Find your voice.
     
      If you are writing your speech for a boss or colleague, be mindful of his or her voice. Just because you - or Winston Churchill, for that matter - might make a point in a certain way does not mean that the person actually delivering the speech would be comfortable with the same tone and terminology.


6.  Know your audience.     
     
     Not just who they are... but also the context in which they will be hearing the speech. Are there folks in the room with an opposing view? Are there folks in the audience who should be acknowledged and celebrated for their contributions to the cause? 


7.  Beware the logistics.
     
     Will there be a podium, with a surface on which to rest the speech? Or will the speaker have to hold a handheld microphone in one hand and not have any place on which to place notes? Will the audience be seated or standing? Take nothing for granted.


8.  Font size matters.
     
     When formatting the speech on paper, use a large enough font size so that it can be easily read, allowing the speaker to only glance down, while maintaining as much eye contact as possible with the audience. Double-space to allow room for last-minute edits, if needed. And never have a sentence run to the next page!


9.  Practice the delivery.
      
    Several times, preferably.


10.  Read it aloud.
     
     No matter how many times you read a speech quietly to yourself, you will not catch everything that needs to be changed or corrected until you hear it read out loud. This will also be the only way to effectively time the speech.

VE & Co. Vice President Steve Simon has written hundreds of speeches for elected officials, college presidents, school administrators, business executives and community leaders. If you are in need of speechwriting support for your organization, contact Steve at 301-836-1516 or ssimon@veandco.com.


Read more at http://veandco.blogspot.com/