Using A Speech Template To Best Effect For Your Speech

Today I am highlighting two speech templates from my book to show you how you can adapt a template to suit the occasion and content you want to impart. Once you get comfortable with the process of using a template as a starting point to write your presentation, the template you develop for yourself (from my
previous post) will be indispensible.

Example 1 – Presenting An Award

Here is an announcement template:

Today marks the announcement of ……………………
Firstly I would like to tell you a little about this award and how the winner is determined………………………………  And now it is an honour for me to announce …………….
Please join with me in applause to congratulate……………

Let’s take the template apart and fill in the blanks to write your speech:

Today marks the announcement of ………

Today marks the announcement of our annual Citizen of the Year Award

Firstly I would like to tell you a little about this award ……………

Firstly I would like to tell you a little about this award and how the winner is determined. Each year the committee calls for nominations from the public, reviews the written submissions and makes investigations throughout the community over an eight month period to determine the eventual winner.

And now it is an honour for me to announce …………….

And now it is an honour for me to announce the Community Citizen of the Year for 1825 in recognition of his tireless volunteer work with the homeless is Fred Bloggs.

Please join with me in applause to congratulate……………

Please join with me in applause to congratulate Mr Bloggs (or Fred if you know him personally and it is not a formal occasion.)

So the complete speech is:

Today marks the announcement of our annual Citizen of the Year Award. Firstly I would like to tell you a little about this award and how the winner is determined. Each year the committee calls for nominations from the public, reviews the written submissions and makes investigations throughout the community over an eight month period to determine the eventual winner. And now it is an honour for me to announce the Community Citizen of the Year for 1825 in recognition of his tireless volunteer work with the homeless is Fred Bloggs. Please join with me in applause to congratulate Mr Bloggs (or Fred if you know him personally and it is not a formal occasion.)

Example 2 – Thank You Speech

Here is a ready made template I have prepared for you to use for a thank you speech.

On behalf of all present, I am honoured to be expressing our thanks for ……….

We greatly ppreciate ………………….

In thanking you for …………………….

Now let’s take it apart piece by piece so you can write your thank you speech.

On behalf of all present, I am honoured to be expressing our thanks for ……….

On behalf of all present, I am honoured to be expressing our thanks for your interesting and informative presentation today.

This is a standard thank you speech. If you are not used to public speaking, this can help you get your speech started and if you are overcome by nerves and forget everything else you were going to say, at least you have thanked someone! You can offer a degree of respect by showing your feelings. Be specific about the occasion and something from the activity/presentation.

On behalf of all present, I am honoured to be expressing our thanks for your interesting and informative presentation today. I know we have all been given food for thought particularly the issues you brought to our attention about waste in the office.

We greatly appreciate ………….

We greatly appreciate both your knowledge of the subject and the way in which you made it relevant for us today.

In thanking you for ……………….

In thanking you for speaking to us, I ask everyone to join with me in showing their appreciation by acclamation.

Here now is the complete speech:

On behalf of all present, I am honoured to be expressing our thanks for your interesting and informative presentation today. I know we have all been given food for thought particularly the issues you brought to our attention about waste in the office. We greatly appreciate both your knowledge of the subject and the way in which you made it relevant for us today. In thanking you for speaking to us, I ask everyone to join with me in showing their appreciation by acclamation.

N.B. This is not a “Vote of Thanks” which would be given at a formal meeting. Some situations will require a formal thank you often called a “vote of thanks”. This is usually part of a meeting and thus will follow the meeting conventions of proposing and seconding. Your vote of thanks then becomes a motion – “I move a vote of thanks to …………. (name of person) for …………. (activity just completed).”
Someone else from your group should be ready to second the motion , then the chairman will ask for a vote.

Once you master using the speech templates, you will see how much better you can make your speeches with the right words. Painting word pictures well, gives your audience an impression to take away with them – it makes your presentation “memorable”. A memorable presentation is a logical one – take your
audience along the path one idea at a time by painting a vivid picture for them.

In the next post I will be comparing the requirements for formal or informal presentations…..and why you need to prepare for either!