A Pep Talk for Presenters

2011-10-31

Mark Twain once said, “It usually takes me more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.” Although this may seem like a comical quote, the message behind this statement is extremely important. The “extremely important” lesson is this: When it comes to public speaking, practice is essential.

My high school speech teacher always said, “You must remember the three “P”s of preparing a good speech: Practice, Practice, Practice.” Any accomplished speaker will say there is no substitute for practice. In fact, Winston Churchill said that you should practice one hour for every one minute you plan to speak (which, of course, is excessive in some situations).

When preparing a speech, we should “rehearse it until it doesn’t sound rehearsed.” This is the beauty of preparation. We can rehearse our speeches until they don’t sound overly formal or stilted. We also will know exactly what we plan to say, drastically reducing the chances of making a mistake.

As DECA members, we are given several opportunities to speak in front of people. Many of us will present a project to a judge, deliver a presentation to a community organization, or give a campaign speech. In all of these situations, we must remember the key to success is practice. The more we practice and prepare, the better our speeches will be.

DECA Wishes,

Micah Melling

Central Region Vice President