Speechwriting

Want to motivate yourself as a public speaker? Read motivational speeches that inspired action. This is part two of a five-part series showcasing speeches throughout history that changed the world.   SPEECH: “The luckiest man on the face of this earth” SPEECH DATE: July 4, 1939 SPEAKER: Lou Gehrig BIG IDEA: I am grateful for the […]

Want to motivate yourself as a public speaker? Read motivational speeches that inspired action. This is part one of a five-part series showcasing speeches throughout history that changed the world.   SPEECH: “Give me liberty, or give me death!” SPEECH DATE: March 23, 1775 SPEAKER: Patrick Henry BIG IDEA: We can no longer hope for peaceful […]

Are you getting ready to speak in public for the first time? Or perhaps you speak in public now and then but would like a fast refresher on how to make your next speech come off poised, polished and professional? Here’s your quick and easy guide to effective public speaking – complete with nine simple […]

If you’re an executive, you’re likely giving speeches and presentations with important messages related to your company’s mission, vision and expectations for your team. But how effective and efficient are your speeches and presentations? Take this simple quiz to find out. First, think about the last speech or presentation you gave on mission, vision or […]

Speakers deliver motivational speeches for one reason: to provide the insight, guidance and encouragement people need to achieve a defined goal.  For a B2B company, that goal might be taking risks to innovate and then launch an exciting new product – or responding fast to build on momentum gained in a niche market. But unless […]

Executives who need speechwriting services will typically approach the engagement in one of two ways: They’ll either have a rather clear idea of what they want to say — or they won’t, so they’ll begin by sharing ideas that are literally all over the place. It’s the speechwriter’s job to help their speakers vet their original […]

Every speaker I know wants to write and deliver an award-winning speech. But what makes a speech award-winning? The best of the best? Worthy of recognition or a prize (like a standing ovation, perhaps)? It boils down to three simple things: An award-winning speech innovates. An award-winning speech communicates. An award-winning speech resonates. Let’s dig […]

CEOs and other leaders who’ve never worked with a speechwriter before sometimes wonder about the process. “How will this speechwriter get my ideas to resonate with the audience I need to influence?”   It’s an important question in executive communications. Because when you work with a speechwriter, it’s the speechwriter’s job to do the hard […]

Have you ever heard a speaker say this? “Today I’m going to share a lot of information with you about Topic X, and I apologize in advance for throwing so much stuff at you all at once – but it’s all very important.” Yikes. Sharing a lot of “stuff” without a clear message or main […]

Sometimes speakers like to put some initial thoughts on paper for their speechwriters to use as a starting point. It’s the speechwriter’s job to first decide whether this material should be used, and if so, how it should be used. Yes, I’m talking about ethics in public speaking. Here’s a true story: Recently I wrote a speech for […]