Q&A for How to Give a Great Impromptu Speech

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How do I make my impromptu speech more impressive?

Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others.

Lynn Kirkham

Public Speaking Coach

Expert Answer

Act confident throughout your speech to make it sound more prepared. Stand with good posture, make eye contact with your audience, and try to use hand motions to emphasize your points.

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Question

How do I not get stuck on the topic if it is an unprepared speech?

Natalie Tellechea

Top Answerer

For the past few months, I have been giving daily speeches that I prepare only half an hour ahead of time. Sometimes I just go upstage and improvise. The best thing to do is to know basic speaking skills. No matter what your topic is, breathe. Keep your audience in mind and act accordingly. Use pauses and other speaking techniques to your advantage. These are all things you can do before you even know what your topic is!

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Question

How do you make a great opening and closing for a public speaking competition?

Community Answer

For competitive purposes, your opening and closing should be as punchy and effectual as they are brief. Be direct and to the point. Use rhetorical techniques like positing open-ended questions and appealing to your audiences emotions to drive home your main points. The more on board you can get your audience with your chosen manner of presentation, the more convincing you'll be as a speaker.

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Question

What greeting should I say?

Community Answer

Say good morning or good afternoon and introduce yourself.

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Question

I'm running for student council president. How should I do my speech?

Community Answer

Address things people you know are interested about, or things you think should be changed (banning fidget spinners, etc.). For the layout, start with your name, class, and reasons for running. Talk about the things you would do. Conclude with your motto (e.g. "A Vote for Me is a Vote for You, Vote (Name) to Represent You!", etc.).

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How do I start and end an impromptu speech?

Community Answer

Just introduce yourself and go from there. Being impromptu basically means winging it, so wing it.

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How do I start an unprepared speech about an unexpected topic or a topic I have no clue about?

Community Answer

You open by saying what you feel about the topic, even if it is nothing, and perhaps ask for an opinion.

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Question

What if I don't know something about my topic? Should I continue?

Community Answer

The key is to validate the correct people, bring everyone together (as in a toast for example) and be comfortable with some pauses. Be aware of yourself and don't ramble. Pacing is Key. Gloss over the details if need be and go for the greater ideas. Don't take questions.

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How do you make the audience laugh?

Community Answer

Make relatable comments. You could say something like, "We're probably all nervous here, so I'm going to go to get it over with."

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