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The Number One Mistake That Newbies
Make When Planning A Speech
The Number One Mistake That Newbies
Make When Planning A Speech
I want to ask
you a question. If you have several topics to cover in a single speech where
would you put the most important? First or last? I want you to ponder this
question whilst you continue reading this article.
Let’s imagine
what a complete beginner would do when planning their speech. First they
pick the topic. Then they brainstorm ideas for their topic. They look at
what they have brainstormed and ranked them from best to worst. Then they
put their best one as their first paragraph, then their second best as their
second paragraph and so on.
BIG BIG
MISTAKE! – But did you pick it up?
Was their
mistake made when they selected their topic?
NO!
Was their
mistake made when they brainstormed ideas for their topic?
NO!
Was their
mistake made when they ranked their ideas from best to worst?
DEFINITELY
NOT!
Was their
mistake made when they put their best idea first?
YES!
The biggest
mistake that newbies make when planning a speech is that they put their best
arguments first, and their worst arguments last! What they should be doing
is putting their worst arguments first and their best arguments last.
Why?
Think for a
moment. Which should be the most important part of a story or a play? The
beginning or the ending? If it is the early part, why should any one read on
to the end? Why would they stay watching the performance until the end, when
they know that the best is over? Same principle applies to a speech.
So in speeches
the importance of topics should always increase as the speech progresses.
This is the most important principle of planning. Arrange your topics in an
ascending order of importance. Work up to the climax at the end.
Here is another
example. If I listed ten or so items, which one would you most likely
remember most? Of course, the last one! So why would you want to present
your weakest argument when the audience would remember it? Surely it would
make more sense to present your best argument at the time where the audience
will remember it?
So what are you
supposed to do when you plan a speech? You pick your topic, you brainstorm
ideas, you rank them from best to worst, and then you put your worst
argument first, followed by your second worst argument, all the way until
your best argument at the end.
So, going back
to the question that I asked you, did you say first or last? If you said
first, don’t worry, because 90% of people would have agreed with you. But
now that you know where you should put your best arguments, the impact and
lasting effect that your speech has with your audience will improve
dramatically.
My Name Is Christopher
Carlin And I Want To
Give You Twenty Free Public
Speaking Tips
You will receive the first
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