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The How of Wow

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The How of Wow

A Guide to Giving a Speech That Will Positively Blow 'Em Away

AMACOM,

15 min read
10 take-aways
Audio & text

What's inside?

You don`t need to be Lincoln or Kennedy to make a memorable speech – but take a cue from their brevity and simplicity.

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Editorial Rating

7

Qualities

  • Applicable

Recommendation

To deliver a memorable speech you need a combination of the right words and a great performance. Both are crucial, but performance often makes the difference between a mediocre presentation and an exceptional one. Author Tony Carlson has written a useful book on how to prepare and deliver a speech to achieve maximum impact on your audience. He covers all the details, from manuscript preparation to rehearsal techniques to post-speech follow-up. He writes in a witty, flowing style, and he includes invaluable anecdotes, useful checklists and a section on dealing with speechwriters. While "wowing" today’s skeptical audiences is no easy task, Carlson’s tips will help you get listeners on your side. getAbstract recommends this book to professionals who want to sharpen their speaking skills, speechwriters and anyone involved in corporate communication.

Summary

Speechifying, Branding and Leadership

Unfortunately, learning to give a good speech ranks pretty low on most executives’ priority lists. Good speakers are rare, perhaps because you need to display emotion in public to make a good presentation. Yet when you have the chance to deliver a memorable speech but fail to do it well, you’ve just blown an opportunity to create your own brand - a big step in getting noticed and promoted.

When a company discovers a good speaker among its managerial ranks, it often grooms that person to become an executive. Good speakers make outstanding leaders because they can get their ideas across to a large audience. The words, actions and appearance of a capable speaker can communicate not only his or her personal brand but also the company’s. Compelling speakers represent more than just themselves.

Giving speeches is big business. About 10,000 people deliver speeches each day. In fact, U.S. companies spend about $120 billion annually on conferences centered on verbal presentations. Despite the high costs, though, most of these speeches fail to make much of an impression. Boring speeches are the rule rather than the exception. To reach...

About the Author

Tony Carlson has 30 years of experience as a communications executive. He is an award-winning journalist, educator and writer. He works in corporate communications for a major Canadian company.

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