Have you ever been asked to give a speech after dinner?
I want you to imagine, a room full of 200 college track and field athletes from all over Australia.
It is May 15, 1989 at 9:05 pm at the South Perth Civic Center.
The Vice Chancellor and his wife are seated at the head table.
Athletes are consuming copious amounts of alcohol after three tough days of competition that are now over.
The only events left are the unofficial ones, skull racing Y the naked 400 meters!
I get up to speak as an after-dinner speaker, having been a three-time Australian College Games champion and a little media celebrity.
Throughout the speech, they continually challenge me to drink skull beer, along with the vice chancellor.
The audience was well lubricated, rampant, wild and out of control.
I don’t think they remembered a word from my speech, but it was certainly a memorable evening and despite the invitation, I refused to go back and run in the naked 400 meters after.
The point of this story is that an after dinner speech is one of the most difficult presentations to give.
The duration usually lasts from eight to twenty-five minutes.
If alcohol is served, a key rule of thumb is to never speak for more than fourteen minutes, because what do people want to do at a dinner party or even at a sunset where alcohol is served?
They want to network, they want to meet other people, meet other people, and maybe even flirt a little.
There are eight other multiple speech intelligences; Keynote, Acceptance Speech, Thank You Speech, Panelist, Training, Chairperson, MC, and Facilitation.
Whatever you do, never try to train, teach, or facilitate an after-dinner speech.
Many unsuspecting speakers fail badly because they misunderstand both context and content.
If you ever have to give a speech after dinner, here are thirteen different criteria to help you structure your speech:
1. Starting point
As the after-dinner speeches are given in a relaxed setting, planning is best done by choosing appropriate personal stories that contain humor or war stories, stories that the audience can relate to and keep the mood light.
2. Focus
Light and sweet it should always be the central theme of an after-dinner speech, befitting the occasion.
3. Media
While you may have been chosen because of your knowledge on the subject at hand, be sure to keep your speech witty and charming.
4. Style
The style should be complementary to the dinner theme draw attention to why people are there.
5. Interaction
Depending on the type of role in which you are speaking, the interaction should be maintained low to mediumAfter all, you are the one chosen to speak.
6. Preparation
Although you may not feel like it is necessary to prepare for an after-dinner speech, high Preparation will help you stay in tune with the theme of the night.
Remember that it is an honor to speak and this comes with a great responsibility.
Don’t try to improvise!
7. Entertainment
After dinner, speeches should be very entertaining, remember light and sweet.
8. Content and experience
While it may have been chosen because it has some bearing on the topic, for example. Father of the bride at his daughter’s wedding, he is not expected to give an academic speech, so the content and experience remain relatively under.
9. Scripting
As with preparation, the scripts should high. Make every word count. Eliminate unnecessary words.
10. Essay
TO high The degree of rehearsal will make a big difference when you have to stand in front of an audience.
Always do a sound check and get comfortable with the stage and lighting before your speech.
11. Narrative
As stories often appear in speeches after dinner, the narrative aspect is high. Make sure people can relate to your stories by relating them to the theme of the night.
12. Ends
The goal of an after-dinner speech is usually celebrate The occasion. Incorporate this call to action. For example, if appropriate, you could have everyone load their glasses instead of the situation.
13. Summary questions
Your main task is to entertain, to make yourself as a summary and a review question, ‘they laughed?’
