How to come up with a performance

Very often, failed performances are the result of poor preparation and not an inborn fear of the audience. Therefore, if you have to make a presentation at a conference or make a speech at a friend’s wedding, stop worrying and get down to business.

You will need

paper and pen (or computer), information sources, video camera

Instruction manual

one

Decide on a topic if you have not been asked. If possible, choose one in which you are well oriented.

2

Answer your question: "What do I want to convey to the audience?" If you do not set any goals, the performance is knowingly failed. Options may be as follows:

• make it clear to the commission that you are an excellent specialist who has prepared a good project, you need to give the highest rating;

• inform guests that the groom is a true friend who will never let you down;

• talk about the brilliant prospects of your business project so that you are given money to implement it.

3

Analyze your potential audience. How to communicate with them and what to talk about? Factory workers will be attracted to some words and examples, and large businessmen to others. Students have their own interests, and housewives have their own. It is also necessary to take into account the specifics of the event. At the birthday party and at the student seminar - different atmospheres. Keep in mind that in any audience there may be a person more competent than you, therefore you should not abuse the facts and put yourself above others.

4

Gather materials for the performance. The topic should be covered from at least two points of view. Then your presentation will become more voluminous and interesting. But do not forget about the goal that you are pursuing. Use at least 3-4 sources of information. And be sure to analyze all the data. Otherwise, there will be a list of facts not supported by personal understanding.

5

Create a performance plan, write it down. It should consist of 3 parts. In the introduction, you should interest the audience and tell what you will talk about. The main part should lead the audience to the solution you need. Facts, statistics, excerpts from the media (if any) must be included here. In conclusion, you make a resume, give recommendations, and again push the audience to a decision.

6

Rehearse the performance. Your task is to find out how much you own the topic, whether you are capable of improvisation, whether there are contradictions in the speech, whether there are difficulties over time (everything is told too short or too long). Take yourself on the camcorder. Looking at the presentation from the side, you will find many unexpected things.

7

Take a break for a day or two. Take a fresh look at the performance and create the final version, removing all unnecessary and, possibly, adding the necessary.

Useful advice

In the presentation, facts and figures must be alternated with vivid examples, jokes or stories from personal experience (or the experience of acquaintances). Thus, you give the audience the opportunity to relax and at the same time make the performance memorable. There should be no rush in selecting stories. Each example must be chosen very carefully.

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How to write a speech