how to make speech entertaining

Entertainment Speech

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An entertainment speech is a type of speech designed primarily to amuse, engage, and captivate the audience. Unlike speeches that aim to inform, persuade, or instruct, the primary goal of an entertainment speech is to provide enjoyment and create a pleasant experience for the listeners. This type of speech can be delivered in various settings, such as social gatherings, celebratory events, or professional environments where the mood needs to be lightened or the audience needs to be energized.

What is Entertainment Speech?

An entertainment speech is a type of presentation designed to captivate and amuse an audience. Unlike informative or persuasive speeches, its primary goal is to provide enjoyment, lift spirits, and engage listeners through humor, storytelling, and engaging delivery.

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Entertainment Speech Format

1. introduction.

Greeting : Start with a friendly and engaging greeting. Example : “Good [morning/afternoon/evening], everyone!” Attention Grabber : Use a joke, funny anecdote, or surprising statement to capture attention. Example : “I once tried to write a song about a tortilla, but it turned out to be more of a wrap.”

Main Points : Develop your main points through engaging and entertaining content. Storytelling : Share funny or interesting stories. Humor : Incorporate jokes and witty remarks. Relatable Content : Discuss common experiences or popular culture references that the audience can relate to.

3. Transitions

Smooth Flow : Use transitions to maintain the flow and keep the audience engaged. Example : “Speaking of unexpected moments, let me tell you about the time…”

4. Conclusion

Memorable Closing : End with a strong, memorable punchline or a heartfelt message. Example : “Remember, life is like a camera—focus on what’s important, capture the good times, and if things don’t work out, take another shot.”

5. Thank the Audience

Gratitude : Thank the audience for their time and attention. Example : “Thank you all for being such a wonderful audience!”

Entertainment Speech Example

Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! It’s a pleasure to be here tonight, and I’m excited to share a few laughs with all of you. Now, let’s start with a little confession: I once tried to write a song about a tortilla, but it turned out to be more of a wrap. Speaking of wraps, let me tell you about my first attempt at cooking. I was about 12 years old, and my parents decided it was time for me to contribute to the family barbecue. My job was to grill the hot dogs. Simple enough, right? Well, let’s just say I managed to set the grill on fire and nearly invited the fire department to our family gathering. Now, whenever we have a barbecue, my only job is to bring the napkins—much safer that way! But life is full of these little moments that make for great stories later on. Like the time I was late for an important meeting. I rushed out the door, hopped in my car, and of course, the car decided it was the perfect time to have a flat tire. There I was, in my best suit, trying to change a tire on the side of the road. By the time I got to the meeting, I looked like I had just run a marathon. Or how about the time I finally got to the front of the line at my favorite coffee shop, only to realize I had left my wallet at home. I had to sheepishly tell the barista, “I’ll be right back,” and then sprint back to my apartment. When I returned, the barista greeted me with, “Welcome back, Usain Bolt!” We’ve all been there—those moments when life throws a curveball and all you can do is laugh. And that’s what makes life so entertaining. It’s these shared experiences, these little hiccups, that remind us we’re all in this together. We all have our own unique stories, and those stories are what connect us. You know, there’s a saying that life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important, capture the good times, and if things don’t work out, take another shot. It’s a reminder to not take ourselves too seriously, to find humor in the everyday mishaps, and to cherish the moments that make us smile. So, as we enjoy this evening together, let’s remember to laugh at the little things, share our stories, and most importantly, have fun. Life is too short to be anything but entertained by its unpredictability. Thank you all for being such a wonderful audience. Have a fantastic evening!

Short Entertainment Speech Example

Good evening, Ladies and Gentlemen! It’s wonderful to see all of you here tonight. Let’s kick things off with a little humor: I once tried to write a song about a tortilla, but it turned out to be more of a wrap. Life is full of these funny little moments. Take my first attempt at cooking, for instance. I was supposed to grill hot dogs at a family barbecue. Simple, right? Well, I managed to set the grill on fire. From that day on, my only job at barbecues is to bring the napkins—much safer! Or how about the time I rushed to an important meeting, only to have my car get a flat tire? There I was, in my best suit, trying to change a tire on the side of the road. By the time I got to the meeting, I looked like I had just run a marathon. These mishaps are what make life so entertaining. They remind us not to take ourselves too seriously and to find joy in the unexpected. Remember, life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important, capture the good times, and if things don’t work out, take another shot. Thank you all for being such a fantastic audience. Enjoy the rest of your evening!

Entertainment Speech for Students

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Entertainment Speech for High School

Entertainment Speech About Education

How to Write Entertainment Speech

1. start with a greeting.

Capture the audience’s attention immediately.

Example: “Good [morning/afternoon/evening], everyone!”

2. Open with Humor

Begin with a joke, funny anecdote, or surprising statement.

Example: “I once tried to write a song about a tortilla, but it turned out to be more of a wrap.”

3. Engage with Relatable Content

Share personal stories or experiences that the audience can relate to.

Example: “Let me tell you about my first attempt at cooking. It was a disaster, but now it’s a great laugh.”

4. Incorporate Transitions

Smoothly move from one point to the next to maintain flow.

Example: “Speaking of unexpected moments, let me share another story…”

5. Use Creative Elements

Include imaginative language, unexpected twists, or vivid descriptions.

Example: “I once tried to change a tire in my best suit—imagine the scene!”

6. Build to a Memorable Conclusion

End with a punchline, heartfelt message, or inspiring thought.

Example: “Remember, life is like a camera—focus on what’s important, capture the good times, and if things don’t work out, take another shot.”

7. Thank the Audience

Express gratitude for their attention and engagement.

Example: “Thank you all for being such a wonderful audience!”

Tips for Entertainment Speech

Know Your Audience : Tailor your content to the interests and preferences of your audience.
Start with a Bang : Use a joke, funny anecdote, or surprising statement to grab attention.
Be Relatable : Share personal stories and experiences that the audience can connect with.
Use Humor : Incorporate jokes, witty remarks, and light-hearted humor throughout your speech.
Keep it Engaging : Use dynamic delivery, expressive body language, and varying tone to keep the audience interested.
Include Transitions : Smoothly move from one point to another to maintain a natural flow.
Be Creative : Use imaginative language, unexpected twists, and vivid descriptions to keep the content fresh.
End on a High Note : Conclude with a memorable punchline, a heartfelt message, or an inspiring thought.
Practice : Rehearse your speech multiple times to become comfortable and confident in your delivery.

Uses of Entertainment Speech

Comedy Shows : Comedians use entertainment speeches to deliver stand-up routines. These speeches are crafted to evoke laughter through jokes, anecdotes, and humorous observations about everyday life, politics, culture, and human behavior.
Award Ceremonies : Hosts and presenters at award ceremonies use entertainment speeches to engage the audience, introduce award categories, and celebrate the achievements of recipients. These speeches often include witty commentary, light-hearted jokes, and memorable stories about the nominees.
Weddings : At weddings, the best man, maid of honor, and even the newlyweds often deliver entertainment speeches. These speeches are filled with humorous stories, heartfelt anecdotes, and well-wishes, making the celebration more enjoyable and memorable for all attendees.
Corporate Events : During corporate events, entertainment speeches can be used to lighten the atmosphere, foster team spirit, and make the event more enjoyable. These speeches might include humorous reflections on the workplace, motivational stories, or entertaining observations about the industry.
Fundraising Events : Entertainment speeches at fundraising events can help engage the audience, making the event more enjoyable and encouraging donations. Speakers might share inspiring and amusing stories related to the cause, helping to connect emotionally with attendees.
Social Gatherings : At parties, reunions, and social gatherings, entertainment speeches can be used to entertain guests and enhance the overall experience. These speeches often include humorous anecdotes, personal stories, and playful commentary on shared experiences.
After-Dinner Speeches : After-dinner speeches at banquets and formal dinners are often entertaining. These speeches aim to amuse the guests with humorous anecdotes, witty observations, and light-hearted reflections on the event or the organization hosting it.
Talent Shows and Competitions : Hosts of talent shows and competitions use entertainment speeches to introduce acts, fill time between performances, and keep the audience engaged. These speeches are typically lively, humorous, and designed to maintain the energy of the event.
Festivals and Cultural Events : During festivals and cultural events, entertainment speeches can introduce performances, celebrate traditions, and engage the audience with stories and humor. These speeches help set a festive tone and enhance the overall experience.
Public Speaking Events : In public speaking events, motivational speakers and entertainers use entertainment speeches to captivate their audience. By combining humor, storytelling, and engaging content, they can make their messages more impactful and memorable.

How do you start an entertainment speech?

Start with a catchy hook or anecdote to grab the audience’s attention and set the tone for your speech.

What are common topics for entertainment speeches?

Common topics include personal stories, humorous events, celebrity anecdotes, and popular culture references.

How do you make an entertainment speech engaging?

Use humor, vivid descriptions, relatable stories, and interactive elements to keep the audience engaged.

What role does humor play in entertainment speeches?

Humor lightens the mood, makes the speech enjoyable, and helps connect with the audience.

How long should an entertainment speech be?

An entertainment speech typically lasts between 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the occasion and audience.

What is the purpose of an entertainment speech?

The purpose is to entertain, engage, and sometimes inform or inspire the audience through storytelling or humor.

How do you choose a topic for an entertainment speech?

Choose a topic you are passionate about and that will resonate with your audience, making them laugh or think.

What is the best way to end an entertainment speech?

End with a memorable punchline, a thought-provoking statement, or a call to action that leaves the audience satisfied.

How do you incorporate anecdotes in an entertainment speech?

Incorporate anecdotes by sharing personal or humorous stories relevant to your topic, making them relatable and entertaining.

Can entertainment speeches be informative?

Yes, entertainment speeches can inform while entertaining by blending humor with valuable information or insights.

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Entertaining Speech Topics

Entertaining Speech Topics for Your Next Debate

14 min read

What is an Entertaining Speech?

An entertaining speech is designed to amuse the audience while delivering the message. These speeches are written to entertain the audience and make them laugh. Like other types of speeches , entertainment speeches should communicate a clear message. However, the manner of speaking is not the formal way and is slightly different from traditional styles.

Although entertainment and funny speeches follow the same speech format as other types of speeches, they can be really fun to write. People who have a fear of public speaking would also love to deliver an entertaining speech.

The entertainment speeches are delivered on specific occasions like entertaining debate competitions, a toast at a wedding, or an award acceptance speech , etc. Comedy films, theater plays, and comedy shows are a few examples of entertainment content.

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How to Choose an Entertaining Speech Topic

When we say the word “entertainment,” we don’t refer to the ‘humor’ only but also the ‘drama’ . Therefore, you need to choose a topic for an entertaining speech that brings joy to the audience and intrigues their emotions.

Here are some basic tips from experts to choose the best topic for a funny and entertaining informative speech:

Think of your interests and your inspiration so that you don’t get bored while delivering the speech. If that happens, your audience will lose interest immediately.
Think of your audience and things that interest them. Choose a topic that is interesting for both of you, i.e., you and your audience.
Conduct research and collect some humorous ideas that are unusual and unique
Pick up a normal issue or subject and give it a dramatic twist .
Tell a funny story about some personal experience.
Laugh at, and ridicule institutions and organizations but do not offend.
Ask what if? And show the possibilities until it becomes amusing.
Decide what message you want to communicate with your speech.

If you use this checklist to choose a topic for an entertaining speech, you can easily deliver a serious message while making the audience laugh.

Entertaining Speech Topics For Students

Now that you know what aspects you need to consider while selecting an entertaining speech topic, let’s choose a topic for your speech.

Entertaining Speech Topics for College Students

When I got caught cheating on my girlfriend?
Boys do more gossip than girls.
Everything that goes wrong with me is because of my horoscope.
When I took an ice bucket challenge for the first time?
A breakup insurance policy needs to be invented.
Explain baseball or football to a foreigner in an exciting way.
Who came first: The egg or the chicken?
How I met your mother?
A monkey snatched my bag.
Boys should not wear skinny jeans.

Entertaining Speech Topics for High School

My favorite misheard song lyrics.
How did I tell my best friend that I love her?
I have a personal experience of watching a ghost dancing on the terrace.
Higher education is a guarantee to be a successful person.
How to get a toddler to go to sleep in 595 easy steps?
My worst encounter with my ex?
Have you ever mixed a pina colada with coffee?
When nothing goes right, go left.
The worst date I ever had.
The day my mom figured out Snapchat.

Entertaining Speech Topics for Middle School

The funniest thing I did to my father
How to eat deep-fried Oreos in 259 easy steps
Once I shot milk out of my nose.
When I don’t want to go to school, I tell my mom that my stomach is hurting.
I popped in my pants on my first day at school.
I want to marry Cameron Diaz.
Don’t eat vegetables; they have feelings too.
Kids should have an hour’s break to watch cartoons in school.
I lied to my teacher about my granny’s death.
Can I have jalapeno on my dark chocolate fudge cake?

Entertaining Speech Topics for Grade 8

Worst Twitter mistakes.
My most embarrassing childhood memory.
What are the major features of the city of the future?
The funniest thing I’ve ever heard.
The most memorable childhood moment.
What is your favorite song?
Worst messages on a birthday card?
Funny informative speech topics.
What your favorite weather says about you.
Tallest basketball players of all time.

Entertaining Speech Topics for Grade 7

The most embarrassing moment in my life and what it taught me
A day in the life of my pet: adventures and misadventures
Epic dance moves and how I perfected them
Fashion trends that should never come back
Funny faux pas: my biggest social blunders
Lessons learned from my most hilarious mistakes
The day I tried to cook: a comedy of errors
My funniest family vacation: stories from the road
The perks and pitfalls of being a middle schooler
The ultimate guide to surviving an awkward school dance

Entertaining/Funny Speech Topics For Kids

The great pillow fight
The secret life of pets
Superhero fashion fails
The misadventures of a tooth fairy
Pirate problems
The case of the missing socks
Alien invasion
The wacky world of wizards
Dinosaur disco
The chronicles of silly science experiments

Entertaining Speech Topics For Grade 5

The adventures of a talking parrot
Superhero sidekicks
My magical time machine
Silly sports mishaps
The amazing world of animal acrobats
Time-traveling tacos
Space explorers and alien encounters
The mystery of the haunted school
Musical mayhem
The great candy caper

Amazing Entertaining Speech Topics

Here are some entertainment speech ideas across various categories. Review them to find the one that best suits your needs.

Easy Entertaining Speech Topics

The worst pickup lines.
Fashion trends and the embarrassing moments they create
How to lie efficiently?
Adults are a weird species.
How to tell someone to get lost without saying the word ‘get lost’?
You need to be young and stupid to get old and wise.
From disco fever to TikTok trends
Life should come with background music and pleasant air.
I don’t need to make notes; I’ll remember everything.
Whenever I need expert advice, I talk to myself.
A day in the life of a fashion faux pas

Good Entertaining Speech Topics

How to become friends with a 3 years old baby?
A silent woman is more dangerous than an angry tiger.
How to win an argument when you know that you are wrong?
Lessons learned from fashion fails
I regret all those naps that I didn’t take as a child.
A man’s “I’ll be there in 5 minutes” is the same as a woman’s “I’ll be ready in 5 minutes”.
How to control your laugh at a serious moment?
The day I tried to impress with my dance moves.
If you don’t like me, raise your standards.
How to keep your parent off of Facebook?

Motivational and Interesting Entertaining Speech Topics

I’m not weird; I’m just the limited edition.
My life seems to me like a test I didn’t study for.
People make mistakes, just to be sure.
Always keep smiling; it drives people crazy.
We should have a day every week in which we can be as useless as a “P” in psychology.
If you don’t like me, no problem, everyone doesn’t have good taste.
Before you decide to marry someone, you should see how they react to traffic congestion.
Cinderella is proof that a pair of shoes can change your life.
There is a woman rolling her eyes behind every successful man.
How to love Mondays?

Informative Entertaining Speech Topics

The best things in life are not free.
We cannot live without the English language.
The new American dream is to balance work and social life.
Girls are beautiful, even without makeup.
Why we should not completely rely on autocorrect?
How to be the center of attention?
The correct way to lie?
The right way to make your spouse do the dishes?
How to make the best pancakes?
How to fall out of love in 508 steps?

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Impromptu Entertaining Speech Topics

Why I’m still single?
My weekend plans mean that I want to stay at home, watch Netflix, and chill.
How to make a horrible Valentine's Day card?
Why do women treat their faces like a coloring book?
The biggest fashion fail of the year.
How to behave like a princess?
How to win an argument?
How to play with someone’s feelings?
I can’t believe I got the job.
When to give up?

Entertaining Persuasive Speech Topics

Most people are all bark, but no bite.
Autocorrect can ruin your life.
Money does not talk, but it loves to say bye-bye all the time.
The good news is nothing lasts forever; the bad news is nothing lasts forever.
Worst Instagram mistakes that everyone should avoid?
How to pretend that you have understood everything?
How to pretend to be interested?
How to be patient when you just can’t?
The world has real superheroes.
Most of the famous people out there are crazy.

Demonstrative Entertaining Speech Topics

How to deliver a speech in the most funny way?
How to tell a lie and not get caught by your mother?
How to steal your professor’s glasses?
How to embarrass your childhood friend in 36 ways?
How to make fun of your brother’s snickers?
How to get dumped by your girlfriend?
How to ruin your first date?
How to find the love of your life on a blind date?
How to blame your dog for ruining your prom night?
How to eat nachos with vanilla ice cream?

Unique Entertaining Speech Topics

The art of stand-up comedy: Making people laugh through laughter therapy.
The unbelievable history of magic and illusion: Secrets revealed.
From myth to reality: The science behind superheroes.
The world of competitive eating: Chomping records and chasing glory.
The language of memes: A new form of global communication.
Inside the world of extreme sports: Thrills, risks, and triumphs.
The mystery of unsolved mysteries: The art of investigation.
The evolution of video games: From Pong to virtual reality.
The power of laughter: How comedy can heal and bring people together.
The peculiar habits of famous inventors: Where genius meets eccentricity.

Entertainment Speech Topics About Love

Why is it always the wrong person who seems like your perfect match?
Is chivalry truly dead, or are we just looking for it in the wrong places?
The science of love: Butterflies, breakups, and everything in between.
From Netflix and chill to forever and a day
Can social media actually help you find love, or is it just a recipe for disaster?
How to say "I'm sorry" and actually mean it.
Love languages: decoding the secret code to a happy relationship.
Funny first date stories
Is getting married a happily ever after, or just the beginning of the adventure?
To pet or not to pet? The surprisingly important role of animals in love.

Tips for Writing a Hilarious Entertaining Speech

Hopefully, you will have chosen the topic for your speech by now. Let’s compose an entertaining speech structure. The following tips will help you organize your speech:

Start the speech by introducing yourself.
Conduct research and collect some fun facts and details about the topic.
Craft an outline to organize your content logically.
Hit the audience with a humorous and attention-grabbing statement.
Give some reasons for the audience to listen to or agree with what is being said.
Include some funny and humorous things to make your speech interesting and entertaining.
You can use funny quotes and dialogue to make your speech effective.
Once you are done with the writing process, practice delivering it.
Practice as much as you can and try to include some funny gestures.

To Sum it Up,

Entertaining speeches are really fun to deliver, but the speech writing process might stress you out. If you're feeling overwhelmed, you don't have to tackle it alone. You can effortlessly relieve the stress by asking us to ' do my paper for me '.

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Frequently Asked Questions

How can i make my speech more entertaining.

To make your speech more entertaining:

Use humor and personal anecdotes.
Incorporate vivid descriptions and expressive body language.
Engage the audience with rhetorical questions or interactive elements.

What is the most famous entertaining speech?

One of the most famous entertaining speeches is "The Gettysburg Address" by Abraham Lincoln.

What is a fun way to start a speech?

A fun way to start a speech:

Start with a humorous or unexpected anecdote that relates to your topic.
Begin with a surprising fact or statistic to grab attention.
Use a relevant quote or a joke that sets the tone for your speech.

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A Guide To Making Your Speech Interesting

Hrideep barot.

Speech Writing

Everyone knows how to talk, but only a few know how to speak .

The words, however clichéd they might sound, are true.

As is the fact that, even if you know how to speak , no one’s really going to recognize it unless you manage to spark enough interest to make them actually listen to your speech.

Listen to. Not hear .

Just like the words ‘talking’ and ‘speaking’, there’s a subtle but important difference between listening to something and merely hearing it.

Delivering a speech that’s both powerful and persuasive is a tricky job. Add interesting to the mix and to most people (especially if you’re an introvert by nature) the task begins to sound downright torturous.

But, worry not!

The secret to both, delivering an interesting speech and cooking a lip-smacking dish is the same: it’s not a single ingredient, rather an amalgamation of them that makes it magnificent.

An interesting speech needs not only to pique your readers’ interest but also to sustain it. There are a variety of factors that go into its making, ranging from the length and phrasing of your speech to your skill with storytelling techniques and using props.

Still confused? Stick till the end of this article and I guarantee you’ll be out of your quandary.

What Makes A Speech Boring?

Before we delve into how to deliver a speech that’s going to leave your audience speechless, let’s skim over the other side of the equation: what makes a speech boring?

Continuing with the lip-smacking dish metaphor, a boring speech isn’t the consequence of a single but multiple elements that go into the making of it. A few of them are:

You’ve messed up the beginning

The beginning of the speech is one of its most important components. It’s also where most people tend to mess up.

While introducing yourself is important, you don’t want to spend a quarter of your allotted time providing information about yourself or telling your life story. Try to get to the point as quickly as possible.

Many inexperienced speakers tend to start off their speech by thanking someone. While showcasing your gratitude as a speaker is important, save your thanks for the end of your speech instead of its beginning.

It’s Too Complex

Another factor that makes a speech boring is making it too long or too complex or worse: both. Try to keep your speech to the time limit or slightly under it. Whatever you do, don’t exceed the time limit.

You haven’t structured it properly

Another common ingredient in boring speeches is the structure. Or rather, a lack of structure. A lot of speakers tend to throw points around without tying them together.

Or they might end the speech abruptly, perhaps after realizing that they’ve run out of time, pilfering the audience of a satisfactory conclusion. Just like beginnings, endings matter too, and this is another area where most speakers tend to make mistakes–or downright ignore it.

There’s nothing unique about it

If there’s nothing in your speech that stands out or makes it unique, then the odds are in the favor of your viewers forgetting about the speech the moment you finish delivering it. You can practice your speech a hundred times, but if there’s nothing distinctive about it, then your efforts are for nothing as nobody’s going to be actually hearing it.

So, next time you’re practicing your speech in front of the mirror, ask yourself: what’s different about my speech than the hundreds of other speeches that are delivered everyday?

No Storytelling

Churning out information without giving it some form of a narrative structure is another factor that guarantees for a boring speech. If you’re simply mentioning facts and figures, you’re going to lose your reader’s interest before it’s even piqued. If you wish to captivate your audience’s attention, then one of the best ways to do it is delivering your speech like you’re telling a story.

After all, who doesn’t like a good story?

Steps To Make Your Speech Interesting

If you’ve ever daydreamed through a drab speech delivered by insert-the-name-of-a-random-authoritative-figure in your school days, you know exactly how long a thirty (or if it’s your lucky day, sixty) minute talk can be.

I’ve been there. You’ve been there. We’ve all been there.

And I’m certain that none of us want to be there again.

Especially not if we’re the ones delivering the speech.

To make sure you land on the sweet spot named ‘the-most-interesting-speech-I’ve-ever-heard’ and keep you from stumbling into the deep, deep pit of ‘a lecture’, I’ve listed out some points for you below.

1. Keep It Short & Sweet

Studies have shown that the optimal attention span for an audience (that is, the attention span that can be retained by an interested human listening to a speaker) is about twenty minutes.

This doesn’t mean that people will be unerringly focused on your speech for twenty minutes and then promptly lose interest the moment the time is up. What it means is that you need to structure your speech in such a way that you can optimize your audience’s attention span.

Look, I know that most speeches are going to last longer than twenty minutes. However, you don’t have to necessarily speak for twenty minutes non-stop. To get around the 20 minute barrier, you can break your talk into different components, with each constituent lasting for around twenty minutes.

Make a smooth transition between the different components by giving your audience enough time to relax and then begin to refocus their attention on what you’re saying.

This way, not only will you be able to hold their interest for longer, but you will also increase the chances of them remembering important bits of your speech long after you’ve finished speaking.

2. Choose your words wisely

“ Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”

These words by Martin Luther King Jr. are a great example of how a sentence doesn’t necessarily have to be long and employ eloquent language to be powerful.

On the contrary, concise sentences where no word is redundant but rather every character is handpicked so that it adds to the overall meaning have a far greater impact as well as reach.

I’m not asking you to cut down on important points or to use banal words in order to fit the above description.

Rather, I’m asking you to ask yourself while you’re writing the speech: is there anything that I’ve said in fifty words that could be better said in ten or five words?

Go through your speech multiple times to make sure that no word or sentence is redundant. If you find a paragraph or sentence that you feel doesn’t really add anything impactful to your speech, cut it out. It may actually be taking something away from your speech, and after deleting the extra part, you might find that your speech sounds better.

You can also take the use of Thesaurus or other online dictionaries to discover new words or phrases that might help you express your ideas more concisely.

3. Grab Their Attention In The Beginning

I’ve got a question for you: how do you decide whether you want to buy a particular book?

Most people (many more than who care to admit it, anyway) either choose the much-denounced path of judging-a-book-by-it’s-cover or they read the synopsis at the back of the cover or skim through the first couple of pages to glean an idea of whether it’s worthwhile to spend their precious time or money on a particular title.

Because authors/agents are smart, they know that if they can’t hook you in the beginning, you’re going to drift away. This is why the first line in a book is always an attention-grabber.

The same rule can be transcribed to a public speech: grab their attention in the beginning or stand to lose it before you even reach the end of the beginning.

Make the opening lines of your speech one of the most—if not the most—intriguing parts of it. There are many ways to do this.

You could start with an anecdote, for one. Or you could ask your audience a question. You could even go with a joke or a fun-fact.

What matters is the shock-value. You want to give the audience a taste of what the rest of your speech is going to be like. You want them to feel like the time and/or money that they’ve invested is going to be worthwhile.

4. Make Them Laugh

A day without laughter is a day wasted.

While I certainly agree with Charlie Chaplin’s famous words, I have altered them into my personal motto: a speech without laughter is an opportunity wasted.

Now, I’m not saying that you want your audience to be rolling on their stomach throughout your speech (unless you’re doing a stand-up comedy). I understand that might be counter-productive. I also understand that sometimes cracking a joke during a speech might not even be encouraged or even appropriate.

However, if there is nothing to stop you from adding a dose of humor to your speech but uncertainty about your own comic timing, then my friend, you have wasted a glorious opportunity.

Some of the best speeches in the world, which have been viewed by millions of people all around the globe besides standing the test of time, have humor in them. A majority of the most successful public speakers in the world have natural charisma, charm, and a good sense of humor.

Take Barack Obama, for instance. Many of his speeches are punctuated with comic jabs and funny anecdotes, and that is a key factor that makes his speeches so interesting to hear, besides making him more relatable—more human, like them—to the audience.

5. Tell Them Stories

Who doesn’t love a good story?

Stories not only help make your speech more interesting, but they might also strike a personal chord with your audience, thus making you more relatable and increasing the chances of cementing your speech in their minds.

Anecdotes, when used as examples, can also make it easier for your audience to understand a complex message or point.

Besides, you can use stories as a transition when you’re moving from one important or critical component of your speech to another. This will give your audience a break from the more serious bits of your speech and allow them to return to the next part in a fresher state of mind.

Stories make you more human in your audience’s mind. Especially if they resonate with the audience’s own experiences, they might make the onlookers think of you as one of them.

However, make sure that your transition into storytelling territory is smooth. Don’t randomly add a story to any part of your speech. This will not only make your speech sound awkward but might also throw off your audience and confuse them.

A good place to add an anecdote is at the beginning of your speech or the end of it (the middle also works, but as I mentioned before, provided that your transition is smooth). If you add a story to the beginning of your speech, it can act as an attention-grabber

If you add it in the end, try to choose something that will resonate with your audience and make your speech linger in their minds long after you’ve finished speaking.

6. Express Yourself Expressively

If there’s one thing that’s worse than a sixty-minute uninterrupted speech, it’s a sixty-minute uninterrupted speech with a speaker that is as expressive as a rock.

Speaking isn’t the only component of a good speech.

How you speak is just as important as what you speak.

Facial gestures, hand movements, body language, the pitch and timbre of your voice…all these are as crucial to the delivering of an interesting speech as the speech itself.

No matter how intriguing the contents of your speech, if you deliver them monotonously and in an unanimated way, then you can kiss capturing your audience’s attention goodbye.

To understand, try remembering a speech that really moved you. Now recall the most boring speech you’ve ever heard in your entire life.

Ask yourself: what makes these two speeches so different?

Chances are, one of the key points that made the first speech especially interesting and memorable and the second speech especially uninteresting and drab was the manner in which the speaker delivered the talk.

7. Use Concrete Evidence & Simple Language

An important thing to keep in mind is using concrete evidence. This includes things like numbers, statistics, real-life incidents, facts, photographs, etc. If you don’t ground your story in real life, then it might be too abstract for your audience to connect with.

While using grandiose language might make you sound impressive, using complex grammar or words plucked from some random page off of a thick dictionary is going to make it difficult—if not impossible—for the general public to connect with you. If they cannot understand what you’re saying, how will they remember it?

Thus, it is always wise to be cognizant of your audience’s intellectual capacity or their familiarity with the particular language you’re going to be delivering your speech in. If your audience is not native to the language, try to keep your word-choice as humble as possible. And even if they are, it’s best not to flaunt your verbosity.

8. Know & Understand Your Audience

What’s your audience going to consist of? Is it going to be mainly comprised of college-going adults or school-going kids? Do a majority of them belong to a minority community or do they share some common privileges?

By doing prior research on your audience, you can structure your speech in such a way as to incorporate things that they are familiar with and will be able to relate to. This will help them formulate a connection with you, the speaker, and thus increase chances of them remembering you in the future.

9. Interact With The Audience

The more involved your audience is in your speech, the greater the chances that they will remember it. People like being made to feel like their opinions—and they—matter. Try to ask questions to your audience, and also to encourage them to ask questions to you. You can do this by adding a question-answer round at the end of your speech.

Tell funny stories and ask them to share their own experiences with you. As mentioned before, cracking jokes is another good way of connecting with your audience.

10. The Ending Matters Too

The ending of your speech is just as important as the beginning. While the beginning helps set the tone for your speech and give the audience an idea of what to expect from their speaker, the ending is the big takeaway after you’ve finished speaking.

The note that you end your speech at is going to determine whether your audience thinks and discusses about your speech long after you’ve finished speaking or if they mumble a few words and forget about it a couple of moments after it finishes.

Like disappointing book or movie endings, a substandard end to a speech can leave a bitter taste in your mouth—to make matters worse, a bad ending might also ruin everything that came before it. On the contrary, a good ending can have the exact opposite effect and make your story resonate in your audience’s mind long, long after you’ve finished speaking.

Need some inspiration for a resonant ending? Check out our article on 15 Powerful Speech Ending Lines (And Tips to Create Your Own) for some inspiration!

7 secret ingredients to spice up your speech

“Memory is a strange thing. It doesn’t work as I thought it did.”

These lines, enunciated by the amazing Louise Banks in the movie Arrival, perfectly capture the elusive nature of human memory. We remember things we’re supposed to forget. We forget things we’re supposed to remember (like where you kept those goddamned car keys). The human brain works in mysterious ways, period.

Since we’re not yet smart enough to out-smart our own brain (if that makes any sense), how do we side-step the obstacle of the ever-changing nature of memory and cement your awesome speech in your audience’s mind for years to come?

Well, for starters, the above-listed points are a good means to not only make your speech interesting but also interesting enough to be memorable. But there are a few additional things that you can do to increase the chances of immortalizing (or getting as close to it as possible, anyway) your speech in your audience’s mind.

A few other things you can do to make your speech memorable are:

1. Using Props

The apt use of a well-suited propped can add that extra kick that can catapult your presentation from good to awesome. For example, if you’re giving a speech on environmental degradation, you can take the model of a forest with you to physically demonstrate the effects of the degradation of forests.

However, while using props, you need to keep a few things in mind. Make sure that the prop that you use is relevant to the message. Also, don’t use too many of them. Another thing to keep in mind is that your prop is appropriate for and clearly visible to your audience.

2. Playing a game

Adding a short game round in the middle of your speech is another great way of making yourself stand out, besides giving the audience a chance to promote themselves from mere spectators to active members of the event.

However, just like while using props, make sure that the game you choose is appropriate and relevant to the topic. Another thing to keep in mind is to not make the game too long or complicated. Remember that you want whatever game you chose to add to your speech and not distract your audience from it.

3. How about a video?

While you can certainly include an interesting video or clip that you found on YouTube or from the internet, one way to make your speech stand out is to record something beforehand and include it in during your speech.

The video can comprise anything, from a factual documentary to a short movie to a speech that you’ve given in the past to a personal attempt at stand-up comedy! Not only will it give your audience a break from listening, but it will also allow you a chance to breathe and grab a quick sip of water or just a moment to yourself before you dive into the next part of your speech.

4. Using Different Storytelling Approaches

As mentioned before, telling stories are a great way of engaging your audience. You can also take this advice a step further by specifically incorporating various storytelling techniques in your presentation.

For example, the Rags to Riches Approach is focused on portraying a certain character (generally the protagonist) rise from poverty to achieving, not without a good deal of struggle, wealth, and status.

By inculcating this technique in your speech or presentation, you increase the chances of connecting with your audience, as life struggles are something that most people can resonate with. For more similar techniques, check out our article on 9 Storytelling Approaches For Your Next Speech Or Presentation.

5. Adding Impromptu Activities

An impromptu game is exactly what it sounds like: it’s a spontaneously chosen game that hasn’t been predetermined by you, the speaker. Instead, any time during course of your speech, ask your audience members to pitch in with any game suggestions that come to their mind.

If there are many suggestions, then go with the one that gets the most number of votes. Let the audience be the decision makers for once!

6. Use Audience Polls

This is another great way to increase increase the audience’s involvement even further! Not only this, but an audience poll can also help you glean an insight into your audience’s mind! You can use the poll to ask a variety of questions. For eg. if you’re delivering a speech about facing racism at workplace, you could ask the audience if any one of them has faced racism in their own workplace before.

7. Get People To Join You On The Stage

You can do this in two ways. First, you could invite other experts of or people related to your topic.

For instance, if you’re launching a beauty product, you could invite on the stage people who’ve used your product in the past and can vouch for it. Another way to do this is to invite members of the audience to join you on stage!

This will take your audience’s involvement to another level, as you are inviting them to be a part of the space that’s been traditionally reserved for speakers. You could ask them for their feedback, or ask if they’ve got any questions for you, or even if they want to pitch in with a short speech on the topic themselves!

Examples of Interesting Speeches

I’ve linked below videos to some of the most popular speeches in world history. As you watch them, focus on how the speaker is delivering the speech. Note their body language and facial expressions, their hand-gestures, and intonations. Study the videos and try to inculcate what you learn from them into your own speech.

1. T he Speech That Made Obama President :

Without a doubt, Barack Obama is one of the most gifted orators of our time. This is one of the best speeches that he delivered.

As you watch it, notice how he interacts with his audience, keeping them engaged throughout the speech and making them feel involved in it.

Use what you learned from your observation of the former president to understand how you can keep your audience involved in your speeches and make it a better experience for them overall.

2. Martin Luther King Jr.: I Have A Dream :

This remains one of the most-watched and admired speeches throughout history. And for good reason! The speech employed flawless rhetoric. Not a word used in this speech was redundant. Although it lasted merely sixteen minutes, it got across more information in that time than speeches that last twice as long. Listen to the words used in the speech very carefully.

For a more in-depth analysis of the language, you can also lookup the transcript of the speech online.

Use the information gleaned from this analysis to learn how to use language more effectively as well as efficiently in your speech.

Check out our article on Drawing Public Speaking Lessons From ‘ I Have A Dream ‘ for a more detailed analysis of the speech.

3. Michelle Obama Final First Lady Speech :

This is one of the best speeches that I’ve heard.

As you watch it, keep an eye on Michelle’s body language and facial expressions throughout the speech. For example, the way she uses hand gestures to emphasize a point, or how her expression changes when she’s talking about something serious versus when the topic is something lighter.

You can use this as a guideline to understand how to effectively employ body-language during your speech to increase it’s impact.

4. Inside The Mind Of A Master Procrastinator :

This is one of the most interactive Ted Talks I’ve come across.

Especially notice how the speaker makes use of comic caricatures and other attractive visual imagery on the screen behind him to make his presentation more engaging.

Also, notice how he keeps involving his audience in his speech, making frequent references to them and mentioning things that are easily relatable, to make it a more lively experience. You, too, can make use of visuals that your audience can easily relate to in order to make it easier for them to connect to what you’re saying.

To sum it up, an interesting speech is a result of a successful combination of factors. These include having a powerful opening as well as ending, the effective employment of language, humor and storytelling techniques, respecting the time limit as well as your audience, and adding sprinkle of uniqueness to make it truly memorable.

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