Elements To A Successful Keynote Speech

In my experience as a public speaker, I have spoken to audiences worldwide on a variety of subjects. I have spoken to businesses, non-profit agencies, entrepreneurs and families. And with each keynote speech I give, my objective is to always personalize my message to each audience through content structure and delivery.

Content Structure

Content structure is important to a successful speech so that your message is well received. Here is a basic outline to follow so that your audience will follow you:

Introduction – Part A. Introduce yourself. Although someone has probably done so already, take a moment to acknowledge the audience.

Introduction – Part B. Tell the audience what you will talk about and what the benefit(s) they will receive from listening.

Main Points. I prefer this to having a formal “body” of my keynote speech. By utilizing main points, I can reorder or remove information to best engage my audience. This flexibility requires that I know my material and can read my audience.

Conclusion – Part A. Concisely recap the main points of the speech and connect any dots that some listeners might miss.

Conclusion – Part B. This is your call to action. Tell audience members what they can do to best utilize the information you’ve presented. Encourage them to take appropriate actions and what resources are available.

Conclusion – Part C. Thank the organization for inviting you to speak and your audience for their attention.

Delivery

A significant element of a successful keynote speech is the delivery. To engage your audience you must:

Know them. Speak with event organizers and conduct research to learn about your audience and their interest in your topic.

Make appropriate eye contact. Demonstrate that you see them as a specific group, not a generic audience.

Modulate your voice. Vary your tone of voice so you don’t put anyone to sleep or speak as if there are exclamation points at the end of each sentence.

Vary your speech pattern. You want to speak relatively slowly but speed it up from time to time to share your excitement about a point or finding.

While these tips may seem simple and obvious, it is important to maintain focus when giving a keynote speech. A successful keynote speech merges your words and delivery into an informative and compelling presentation. Be prepared, be yourself, and engage your audience to assure your words have the desired effect.