How to Make a Motivational Speech

A motivational speech should motivate your audience to do something to improve their own lives or, perhaps, the lives of others. It should be uplifting and inspirational in tone. The choice of motivational speeches ranges from self-improvement speeches such as “Learn yoga and relax” to change the world type speeches where you motivate your audience to join a pressure group.

What to include:

• Your speech should be suited to its audience… A teacher might, for instance, motivate his/her pupils to go on to further education. A more general audience might be motivated to increase their fitness by walking more.
• Capture your audience with an intriguing opening such as “Would you like to win the lotto?”.
• Give your audience an objective to meet. Extra productivity might be the motivation in a business speech while lose a stone in a month might suit a general.
• Make it short. A good speech is about content not length.
• Share in their dreams by identifying with your audience. Tell them how you have become happier/more fulfilled/richer and that’s what you want for them.
• Check your facts. If you don’t your credibility will be in doubt.
• Speak positively and with enthusiasm because enthusiasm is catching.

What not to say:

• Don’t be vague. You should motivate your audience to do something concrete by making certain changes in their lives.
• Don’t assume your audience knows the facts you have researched.
• Don’t swamp them with statistics
• Don’t speak for longer than you need. A good speech is about content, not length.

How to End:

• You should end your speech on a challenging note by motivating them to go NOW and make that change or do that thing.