em uncomfortable. Let your passion for your topic show on your face and in your words.

Be in control of your gestures
This is not the time or the place to develop a weird twitch or to count the change in your pockets. This is not where you see how quickly you can pace from side to side. Keep your hands and feet still. Don’t touch yourself. I’m not saying you can’t move, just that every movement needs to be a conscious decision on your part. Tape yourself and watch those places where your gestures may distract from your speech.

Your audience wants you to do well
Quite often we mistakenly see our audience as a snarling beast waiting for us to mess up so they can throw things at us and shout obscenities. Know that your audience really wants you to do well. They feel for you. They are rooting for you. They aren

To most people, delivering a speech falls into the category of things most dreaded in life. We’re afraid of what people will think – afraid of looking stupid. And based on the number of horrible speeches I’ve seen in my life, I can understand why. It takes skill and talent to deliver a well-crafted speech and if it’s not a key part of your vocation, you may find the task to be quite daunting. So I’ve put together some key elements to help even the most verbally-challenged construct a winning keynote.

IPQP - Identify, Present, Qualify, Propose
Speeches generally accomplish four objectives:
- Identify their problem. State their problem to them in a way that shows you are addressing those issues specific to your audience. For example: "Employee turnover is at a record high in your industry at this time."
- Present yourself and your information as a solution to their problem. "We have developed a system which will teach your human resource management staff to incorporate a more effective means of strengthening communication."
- Qualify who you are and why they should listen to you. "We have spent the past twenty-five years studying your industry and the issues that you face. Our programs have been proven to lower employee turnover."
- Propose a solution. "Our program consists of five simple steps…"

The Human Element
When speaking from the platform, we all have an objective, whether it is to encourage people to donate money, to recognize top achieving sales people, or to convince an audience to use your new weight loss plan. Our purpose is to share that information with our listener following the basic four objectives (IPQP) listed above. But it’s not as easy as simply informing your listener. If you stood up and simply addressed the objectives, your speech would be flat – boring – and you would fall into that category of one more person telling them what they need to do. That’s where stories come in. Stories are the human element that you add to your speeches so that your audience will embrace your truth. Stories relay your passion, reveal your humanity, engage your listener, and allow people to think for themselves.

Keep it short and simple
The more you cut your speech, the better it will be. Nobody ever complains when a speakers goes under his time. Memorize your speech or have a good outline to follow so you don’t fall into the trap of being nervous and rambling. The very best story in the world can be ruined by adding too many unnecessary words. Remember that less is more and it’s not about how many words you use, but what words you use.

Use Humor
Humor sells. It gets their attention. It makes them like you. People love to laugh and you don’t have to be a standup comedian to put a little humor into your keynote. Just a joke or two will do.

Talk to them not at them
This is not an opportunity for you to get up and try out your new Charlton Heston impersonation. The best voice you can use for your keynote is your natural speaking voice. When we get nervous our voices tend to go up in octave, so concentrate on keeping your voice in a normal range. And just talk. Look at them. All of them. Smile at them. Talk to them not above them. Act as if you are talking to your best friend. Relax and hide any sign of nerves that may make them uncomfortable. Let your passion for your topic show on your face and in your words.

Be in control of your gestures
This is not the time or the place to develop a weird twitch or to count the change in your pockets. This is not where you see how quickly you can pace from side to side. Keep your hands and feet still. Don’t touch yourself. I’m not saying you can’t move, just that every movement needs to be a conscious decision on your part. Tape yourself and watch those places where your gestures may distract from your speech.

Your audience wants you to do well
Quite often we mistakenly see our audience as a snarling beast waiting for us to mess up so they can throw things at us and shout obscenities. Know that your audience really wants you to do well. They feel for you. They are rooting for you. They aren

ent yourself and your information as a solution to their problem. "We have developed a system which will teach your human resource management staff to incorporate a more effective means of strengthening communication."
- Qualify who you are and why they should listen to you. "We have spent the past twenty-five years studying your industry and the issues that you face. Our programs have been proven to lower employee turnover."
- Propose a solution. "Our program consists of five simple steps…"

The Human Element
When speaking from the platform, we all have an objective, whether it is to encourage people to donate money, to recognize top achieving sales people, or to convince an audience to use your new weight loss plan. Our purpose is to share that information with our listener following the basic four objectives (IPQP) listed above. But it’s not as easy as simply informing your listener. If you stood up and simply addressed the objectives, your speech would be flat – boring – and you would fall into that category of one more person telling them what they need to do. That’s where stories come in. Stories are the human element that you add to your speeches so that your audience will embrace your truth. Stories relay your passion, reveal your humanity, engage your listener, and allow people to think for themselves.

Keep it short and simple
The more you cut your speech, the better it will be. Nobody ever complains when a speakers goes under his time. Memorize your speech or have a good outline to follow so you don’t fall into the trap of being nervous and rambling. The very best story in the world can be ruined by adding too many unnecessary words. Remember that less is more and it’s not about how many words you use, but what words you use.

Use Humor
Humor sells. It gets their attention. It makes them like you. People love to laugh and you don’t have to be a standup comedian to put a little humor into your keynote. Just a joke or two will do.

Talk to them not at them
This is not an opportunity for you to get up and try out your new Charlton Heston impersonation. The best voice you can use for your keynote is your natural speaking voice. When we get nervous our voices tend to go up in octave, so concentrate on keeping your voice in a normal range. And just talk. Look at them. All of them. Smile at them. Talk to them not above them. Act as if you are talking to your best friend. Relax and hide any sign of nerves that may make them uncomfortable. Let your passion for your topic show on your face and in your words.

Be in control of your gestures
This is not the time or the place to develop a weird twitch or to count the change in your pockets. This is not where you see how quickly you can pace from side to side. Keep your hands and feet still. Don’t touch yourself. I’m not saying you can’t move, just that every movement needs to be a conscious decision on your part. Tape yourself and watch those places where your gestures may distract from your speech.

Your audience wants you to do well
Quite often we mistakenly see our audience as a snarling beast waiting for us to mess up so they can throw things at us and shout obscenities. Know that your audience really wants you to do well. They feel for you. They are rooting for you. They aren

ives (IPQP) listed above. But it’s not as easy as simply informing your listener. If you stood up and simply addressed the objectives, your speech would be flat – boring – and you would fall into that category of one more person telling them what they need to do. That’s where stories come in. Stories are the human element that you add to your speeches so that your audience will embrace your truth. Stories relay your passion, reveal your humanity, engage your listener, and allow people to think for themselves.

Keep it short and simple
The more you cut your speech, the better it will be. Nobody ever complains when a speakers goes under his time. Memorize your speech or have a good outline to follow so you don’t fall into the trap of being nervous and rambling. The very best story in the world can be ruined by adding too many unnecessary words. Remember that less is more and it’s not about how many words you use, but what words you use.

Use Humor
Humor sells. It gets their attention. It makes them like you. People love to laugh and you don’t have to be a standup comedian to put a little humor into your keynote. Just a joke or two will do.

Talk to them not at them
This is not an opportunity for you to get up and try out your new Charlton Heston impersonation. The best voice you can use for your keynote is your natural speaking voice. When we get nervous our voices tend to go up in octave, so concentrate on keeping your voice in a normal range. And just talk. Look at them. All of them. Smile at them. Talk to them not above them. Act as if you are talking to your best friend. Relax and hide any sign of nerves that may make them uncomfortable. Let your passion for your topic show on your face and in your words.

Be in control of your gestures
This is not the time or the place to develop a weird twitch or to count the change in your pockets. This is not where you see how quickly you can pace from side to side. Keep your hands and feet still. Don’t touch yourself. I’m not saying you can’t move, just that every movement needs to be a conscious decision on your part. Tape yourself and watch those places where your gestures may distract from your speech.

Your audience wants you to do well
Quite often we mistakenly see our audience as a snarling beast waiting for us to mess up so they can throw things at us and shout obscenities. Know that your audience really wants you to do well. They feel for you. They are rooting for you. They aren

many unnecessary words. Remember that less is more and it’s not about how many words you use, but what words you use.

Use Humor
Humor sells. It gets their attention. It makes them like you. People love to laugh and you don’t have to be a standup comedian to put a little humor into your keynote. Just a joke or two will do.

Talk to them not at them
This is not an opportunity for you to get up and try out your new Charlton Heston impersonation. The best voice you can use for your keynote is your natural speaking voice. When we get nervous our voices tend to go up in octave, so concentrate on keeping your voice in a normal range. And just talk. Look at them. All of them. Smile at them. Talk to them not above them. Act as if you are talking to your best friend. Relax and hide any sign of nerves that may make them uncomfortable. Let your passion for your topic show on your face and in your words.

Be in control of your gestures
This is not the time or the place to develop a weird twitch or to count the change in your pockets. This is not where you see how quickly you can pace from side to side. Keep your hands and feet still. Don’t touch yourself. I’m not saying you can’t move, just that every movement needs to be a conscious decision on your part. Tape yourself and watch those places where your gestures may distract from your speech.

Your audience wants you to do well
Quite often we mistakenly see our audience as a snarling beast waiting for us to mess up so they can throw things at us and shout obscenities. Know that your audience really wants you to do well. They feel for you. They are rooting for you. They aren

em uncomfortable. Let your passion for your topic show on your face and in your words.

Be in control of your gestures
This is not the time or the place to develop a weird twitch or to count the change in your pockets. This is not where you see how quickly you can pace from side to side. Keep your hands and feet still. Don’t touch yourself. I’m not saying you can’t move, just that every movement needs to be a conscious decision on your part. Tape yourself and watch those places where your gestures may distract from your speech.

Your audience wants you to do well
Quite often we mistakenly see our audience as a snarling beast waiting for us to mess up so they can throw things at us and shout obscenities. Know that your audience really wants you to do well. They feel for you. They are rooting for you. They aren’t waiting for you to make a mistake. They’re too busy thanking God they aren’t the ones up there.