Preparing After Dinner Speeches in 5 Steps
Be it a family gathering for birthday celebration or formal meet to promote a charity event, an after dinner speech is the time where you get to share personal views. And, there are many of us who get nervous with this sheer thought of speech deliverance. But the question is- if this fear is actually worth it?
To some extent, being afraid of public speaking is justified because it is an in-built talent that comes with practice and experience. But, if you are confident and clear about what you want to speak then, you can consider that half the job is done. Further, you can follow the 5 step procedure discussed below to prepare an interesting after dinner speech.
1. Getting an overview about the occasion: It is extremely important that you are very well aware of the occasion for dinner, as it will help you in understanding mindset of the type of audience you are addressing. This way topic selection, word usage, speech length, language and other such factors can be addressed appropriately.
2. Topic selection is the key: Once you are familiar with your listeners, the next step is topic selection. For instance, if you all have gathered to celebrate the achievement of a friend then, there is no point in discussing topics like global warming. So, be relevant and make a wise choice that can engage everyone present at the event.
3. Writing the script: No doubt, you must speak from your heart but, it is always good to write a script in advance so as to create a better impact. For this, you can research speech giving ideas on the Internet for reference. When writing an after dinner speech, do not forget to quote important facts that are relevant in context with your topic of discussion so as to make it more innovative.
4. Rehearsals count: After you have written your speech, the next step is to rehearse it well so as to sound original. During rehearsals, keep a check on your body language and make sure that you have done in-depth research on the topic, if in case it is a formal meeting. And remember, you must keep your facial expressions normal.
5. At the time of speech: When delivering your after dinner speech, you must be ready for some instant distractions. To make it interesting, it is wise enough to:
- Prepare a few funny anecdotes, but always use humor with discretion
- Keep it short and steer clear of statements that can spoil the mood of event
- Be interactive and passionate about whatever you quote
Once you keep a track of all the essential requisites, you can be rest assured that your speech is going to be a major hit.