Developing the Theme in Your Speaking

Move smoothly from introduction to the development of your main points when you’re speaking….

1. State each main point clearly…. and develop them smoothly and easily… tell your audience where you are going to take them.
2. Illustrate each point vividly… use examples, stories, comparisons, etc.
3. Use imagination to expand possibilities suggested by the illustrations… personal experiences with those of friends are easy to work up…. tell a story.
4. Don’t exhaust all possibilities… stimulate your audience to think as well.  Audiences like to think, but not too much.
5. Prove your point… use statistics, actual experiences and quotes.
6. Restate each main point for emphasis before going on to the next point… transitions are key.  Your challenge is to repeat your point without the audience realizing that you are repeating.
7. Don’t forget to tie the beginning and the end together…

The next caution is to maintain a high level of interest….

• Humor spices up the presentation… but no one wants a full meal of spice
• Be sure each story or illustration makes a point which advances the theme
• Use easy, short quotations to support your points
• Be enthusiastic… enthusiasm is contagious!
• Familiar situations used as illustrations make the best comparisons and keep the audience awake!