The Toastmasters Basic and Advanced Speech Manuals

The Basic Manual

The Entertaining Speaker

Speaking to Inform

Public Relations

The Discussion Leader

Specialty Speeches

Speeches By Management

The Professional Speaker

Technical Presentations

The Professional Salesperson

Communicating on Television

Storytelling

Interpretive Reading

Interpersonal Communications

Special Occasion Speeches

The Basic Manual

1) The Ice Breaker

• Begin speaking before and audience
• Help you understand what areas require particular emphasis in your speaking development
• Introduce yourself to your fellow club members

TIME: Four to six minutes

2) Speak With Sincerity

• Convince the audience of your earnestness, sincerity, and conviction on a subject you thoroughly understand
• Confront and control any nervousness you have

TIME: Five to seven minutes

3) Organize Your Speech

• Organize your thoughts into a logical sequence that leads the audience to a clearly defined goal
• Build a speech outline that includes an opening, body, and conclusion

TIME: Five to seven minutes

4) Show What You Mean

• Learn the value of gestures and body movements as part of a speech
• Explore the different ways of using body language
• Develop a sense of timing and natural, smooth body movement

TIME: Five to seven minutes

5) Vocal Variety

• Explore the use of voice volume, pitch, rate, and quality as assets to your speaking
• Achieve a pleasing natural voice quality when speaking

TIME: Five to seven minutes

6) Work With Words

• Select precisely the right words required to communicate your ideas clearly and vividly
• Avoid lengthy words and sentences and jargon

TIME: Five to seven minutes

7) Apply Your Skills

• Bring together and apply the communication skills you have learned in the preceding projects
• Organize your speech in a logical manner, following one of the suggested outlines
• Research the facts needed to support your speech
• Make a personal evaluation of your progress

TIME: Five to seven minutes

8) Add Impact To Your Speech

• Learn the value of props in speaking
• Learn how to use props effectively in your presentation

TIME: Five to seven minutes

9) Persuade With Power

• Present a talk that persuades the audience to accept you proposal or viewpoint
• Achieve this persuasive effect by appealing to the audience's self interest, building a logical foundation for agreement, and arousing emotional commitment to your cause

TIME: Five to seven minutes

10) Inspire Your Audience

• Understand the mood and feelings of your audience on a particular occasion
• Put those feelings into words and inspire the audience, using all the techniques you have learned so far

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

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The Entertaining Speaker

Includes valuable information on how to give an entertaining or dramatic speech, where to find material, how to make an audience laugh, and what to do when you are asked to speak after dinner.

1) The Entertaining Speech

• Entertain the audience through use of humor and/or drama drawn from your personal experience
• Organize an entertaining speech for maximum audience impact

TIME: Five to seven minutes

2) Resources For Entertainment

• Draw humorous and/or dramatic material from sources other than your own experience
• Adapt your material to suit your topic, your own personality, and the audience
• Use entertaining material as a means of conveying a serious message

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

3) Make Them Laugh

• Prepare a humorous speech drawn from your own experience
• Strengthen the speech by adapting and personalizing the humorous material from outside sources
• Deliver the speech in a way that makes the humor effective

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

4) A Dramatic Talk

• Develop an entertaining dramatic talk about an experience or incident, or give a dramatic reading
• Include vivid imagery, characters and dialogue
• Deliver the talk in an interpretive manner

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

5) Speaking After Dinner

• Prepare an entertaining after dinner talk on a specific theme
• Deliver the talk extemporaneously, using the skills developed in the preceding entertainment projects

TIME: Thirteen to fifteen minutes

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Speaking to Inform

Contains information on the demonstration talk, the fact finding report, the abstract concept, and resources for informing.

1) The Speech To Inform

• Select new and useful information for presentation to the audience
• Organize the information for easy understandability and retention
• Present the in information in a way that will help motivate the audience to learn

TIME: Five to seven minutes

2) Resources For Informing

• Analyze the knowledge level of your audience regarding your chosen subject
• Focus your presentation at the audience's level of knowledge
• Build a supporting case for each major point through use of explanation, examples, and information gathered research
• Effectively use at least one visual aid to enhance the audience's understanding

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

3) The Demonstration Talk

• Prepare a demonstration speech to clearly explain a process, product, or activity
• Conduct a demonstration as part of a speech delivered without notes

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

4) A Fact Finding Report

• Prepare a report on a situation, event, or problem of interest to the audience
• Deliver sufficient factual information in your report so the audience can base valid conclusions or a sound decision on it

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

5) The Abstract Concept

• Research and organize the thought of experts on an abstract concept, theory, historical force, or social/political issue
• Present the ideas in a clear and interesting manner

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

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Public Relations

Covers building good will through a speech, persuading an audience, speaking to a hostile audience, and speaking to the media.

1) The Public Relations Speech

• Prepare a talk that will build goodwill for your organization by supplying useful information of interest to the audience
• Favorably influence the audience by the skillful and friendly delivery of your talk

TIME: Five to seven minutes

2) Resources For Goodwill

• Research the operation and benefits of an organization or company
• Prepare a talk designed to build goodwill toward it by presenting factual information
• Analyze the common interests of your audience and focus your presentation on those interests
• Effectively use at lease one visual aid to enhance the audience's understanding

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

3) The Persuasive Approach

• Direct a persuasive appeal to the audience's self-interests using a combination of fact and emotion in a speech delivered in such a manor that it appears extemporaneous
• Persuade the audience to adopt your viewpoint by the use of standard persuasive techniques

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

4) Speaking under fire

• Prepare a talk to persuade a hostile audience at least to consider your position on a controversial issue
• Conduct a question and answer period on the speech subject

TIME: Six to eight minutes for speech ? Eight to ten minutes for question period

5) The Media Speech

• Write a speech script on behalf of a social cause
• Using the script, present the speech to persuade a general television audience

TIME: Eight minutes, plus or minus 30 seconds

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The Discussion Leader

Provides instruction in the four different methods of leading a group discussion. An ideal manual for managers, trainers, teachers, and administrators.

1) The Seminar Solution

• Present an introductory short talk or brief lecture describing a theory, model, or information about a topic that will be discussed by a group following the presentation
• Organize the information so that it is easy to understand and can be remembered
• Orient the group to think about the specific goal of the discussion that follows
• Use a buzz session discussion technique to promote group participation in deriving information leading to a solution to the problem

GROUP SIZE: Club members

TIME: 20 to 30 minutes

2) The Round Robin

• Establish the meaning of a question with a discussion group
• Using a problem solving pattern, lead the participants in a brain storming session
• screen the possible solutions and lead the group in deciding what action to take

GROUP SIZE: Club members

TIME: 20 to 30 minutes

3) Pilot A Panel

• Select a problem for panel discussion, select not less than three members in advance to speak on the panel
• Define the common goals and the purpose of the panel
• Acting as a moderator, monitor the panel discussion to inform the audience

GROUP SIZE: One discussion leader and three panelists selected in advance from among the club members

TIME: 30 to 40 minutes

4) Make It Make-Believe

• Understand what role-playing is and how to use it effectively in group communications
• Select a problem involving human relations in which you may use the role-playing method to illustrate and explore the problem
• Create a plot and characters relevant to the discussion problem, select a cast from among the group members
• Direct the role-play, relate it to the discussion problem, and lead the group in arriving at a solution

GROUP SIZE: One group leader and participants selected from club members.

TIME: 20 to 30 minutes

5) The Workshop Leader

• Build group unity, guide the workshop participants in investigative discussion of the problem
• Follow a problem solving pattern to arrive at a solution
• Bring the group to an agreement before the discussion ends

GROUP SIZE: One discussion leader and club members

TIME: 30 to 40 minutes

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Specialty Speeches

Covers impromptu speeches, sales presentations, introductions, inspirational speeches, and oral interpretations.

1) Speak Off The Cuff

• Develop an awareness of situations in which you might be called upon to deliver an impromptu speech
• Understand how to prepare for impromptu speaking
• Develop skills as a speaker in the impromptu situation by using one or more patterns to approach a topic under discussion

TIME: Five to seven minutes

2) Uplift The Spirit

• Identify and understand the basic differences and similarities between inspirational speeches and other kinds of speeches
• Learn how to evaluate audience feelings and establish emotional rapport
• Develop a speech style and delivery that effectively expresses inspirational content by moving the audience to adopt your views

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

3) Sell A Product

• Understand the relationship of sales technique to persuasion
• Skillfully use the four steps in a sales presentation: attention, interest, desire, action
• Identify and promote a unique selling proposition in a sales presentation
• Be able to handle objections and close a prospective buyer

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

4) Read Out Loud

• Arrive at an understanding of the elements that comprise oral interpretation and how it differs from preparing and giving a speech
• Learn the preparation or planning techniques of effective interpretation
• Learn the principals of presentation and develop skill in interpretive reading with regard to voice and body as instruments of communication

TIME: Twelve to fifteen minutes

5) Introduce The Speaker

• Focus on the special occasion talk from the standpoint of the introducer (function chairman, toastmaster, master of ceremonies)
• Become knowledgeable and skilled in the functions associated with the master of ceremonies
• Handle the introduction of other speakers at a club meeting

TIME: The duration of the club meeting

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Speeches By Management

How to handle a variety of speaking situations managers encounter in the working environment. Topics covered include giving briefings, technical speeches, motivational speeches, and status reports.

1) The Briefing

• Apply the key steps in the preparation of a briefing and the organization of material
• Give a briefing according to a specific objective so the audience will have an understanding of the information
• Effectively handle a question-and-answer section following the briefing

TIME: Eight to ten minutes for speech — Five minutes for question period

2) The Technical Speech

• Convert a technical paper of technical material and information into a technical speech
• Organize a technical speech according to the inverted pyramid approach
• Write a technical speech as "spoken language," not as an article
• Give the speech by effectively reading out loud

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

3) Manage And Motivate

• Understand the concept and nature of motivational method in management
• Apply a four step motivational method with the objectives to persuade and inspire
• deliver a motivational speech to persuade an audience to agree with your management proposal

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

4) The Status Report

• Organize and prepare a status report involving the overall condition of a plan or program, or performance of a department or company in relation to goals
• Construct the report according to a four step pattern
• Give an effective presentation of the report

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

5) The Adversary Relationship

• Understand the definition and nature of the adversary relationship
• Prepare for an adversary confrontation on a controversial management issue
• Employing appropriate preparation methods, strategy, and techniques, for communicating with an adversary group as the representative of your company or corporation

TIME: Five minutes for speech — Ten minutes for question period

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The Professional Speaker

A guide to presenting the five kinds of speeches professionals give most often. Covers the keynote address, the entertaining speech, the sales training speech, the seminar, and the motivational speech.

1) The Keynote Address

• Identify the basic differences between keynote speeches and other kinds of services
• Learn how to evaluate audience feelings and establish emotional rapport
• Learn to use the professional techniques necessary for a successful keynote presentation
• Develop a speech style and delivery that effectively inspires and moves the audience to adopt your views as a collective reaffirmation of its own

TIME: Fifteen to twenty minutes – longer if club program allows

2) Speaking To Entertain

• Entertain the audience through the use of humor drawn from personal experience and from other material that you have personalized
• Deliver the speech in a way that makes the humor effective
• Establish personal rapport with the audience for maximum impact

TIME: Fifteen to twenty minutes – longer if club program allows

3) The Sales Training Speech

• Tell a sales audience how to sell a product by using a planned presentation
• Inform a sales training audience about the human experience of the buyer seller relationship
• Use entertaining stories and dynamic examples of sales situations
• Inspire people to want to succeed in selling

TIME: Fifteen to twenty minutes – longer if club program allows

4) The Professional Seminar

• Plan and present a seminar with specific learning objectives
• Relate to the audience by using a seminar presentation style
• Use seminar presentation techniques to promote group participation, learning and personal growth

TIME: Twenty to forty minutes

5) The Motivational Speech

• Understand the concept and nature of motivational speaking
• Apply a four step motivational method with the purpose of persuading and inspiring
• Deliver a motivational speech to persuade an audience to emotionally commit to an action

TIME: Fifteen to twenty minutes – longer if club program allows

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Technical Presentations

A complete guide to preparing and presenting briefings, proposals, technical papers, and team presentations.

1) The Technical Briefing

• Using a systematic approach, organize technical material into a concise presentation
• Tailor the presentation to the audience's need, interests and knowledge levels

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

2) The Proposal

• To prepare a technical presentation advocating a product, service, idea or course of action
• To present your viewpoint logically and convincingly, using an inverted-pyramid approach
• To effectively use a flipchart to illustrate your message
• To effectively handle a question-and-answer period

TIME: Eight to ten minutes for speech; three to five minutes for question period

3) The Non-technical Audience

• Understand the principals of communicating complex information to non-technical listeners
• Build and deliver an interesting talk based on these principals
• Answer audience questions that arise during the presentation
• Use overhead transparencies to illustrate your message

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

4) Presenting A Technical Paper

• Deliver and interesting speech based on a technical paper or article
• Effectively use a flipchart, overhead projector or slides to illustrate your message

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

5) The Team Technical Presentation

• Understand the nature and process of a team technical presentation
• Conceptualize a briefing or proposal involving three or more speakers, including yourself
• Assemble a team of club members capable of getting the job done
• Orchestrate the planning, presentation and delivery a team technical presentation

TIME: Twenty to thirty minutes

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The Professional Salesperson

Tips on how to develop sales presentations, conduct sales meetings, and train other sales people.

1) The Winning Attitude

• Understand the importance of a selling attitude that puts the customer's interests ahead of your own
• Lean to translate product features into "people" benefits
• Utilize the five step structural sequence for building a sales presentation
• Prepare and deliver a sales presentation the focuses on meeting audience needs

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

2) Closing The Sale

• Understand the importance of closing in successful selling
• Master several closing techniques applicable to various products and sales situations
• Prepare and deliver a sales presentation incorporating one or more closing techniques
• Effectively handle audience questions and/or objections

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

3) Training The Sales Force

• Understand the role of a sales trainer in helping salespeople to function successfully
• Select a specific aspect of selling and prepare an educational and/or motivational presentation
• Present an interesting, interactive sales training speech and conduct a role play to enable the audience to practice sales techniques

SPEECH TIME: Six to eight minutes

ROLE PLAY TIME: Eight to ten minutes

FINAL DISCUSSION TIME: Two to five minutes

4) The Sales Meeting

• Learn to coordinate an effective sales meeting
• Apply sales meeting techniques to the challenge of building membership in your Toastmasters club
• Plan and conduct a kickoff meeting for a Toastmasters membership campaign

TIME: Fifteen to twenty minutes —more if time allows

5) The Team Sales Presentation

• Understand the nature and process of a team sales presentation
• Develop a concept and plan for a sales presentation involving three or more speakers including yourself
• Assemble a team of speakers who can work together effectively
• Coordinate the planning, preparation, and delivery of a team sales presentation

TIME: Fifteen to twenty minutes

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Communicating on Television

Television presentations differ from other presentations, and they require special consideration. You'll learn to present editorials, appear as a guest on an interview program, conduct a press conference, and use television to train.

1) Straight Talk

• Effectively present an opinion or viewpoint in a short time
• Simulate giving a presentation as part of a television broadcast

TIME: Three minutes, plus or minus 30 seconds

2) The Talk Show

• Understand the dynamics of a television interview or "talk" show
• Prepare for the questions that may be asked of you during a television interview program
• Preset a positive image on the television camera
• Appear as a guest on a simulated television talk show

TIME: Ten minutes plus or minus 30 seconds

3) When You're The Host

• Conduct a successful television interview
• Understand the dynamics of a successful television interview or "talk" show
• Prepare questions to ask during the interview program
• Present a positive, confident image on the television camera

TIME: Ten minutes plus or minus 30 seconds

4) The Press Conference

• Understand the of a television press conference
• Prepare for an adversary confrontation on a controversial or sensitive issue
• Employ appropriate preparation methods and strategies for communication your organization's viewpoint
• Present and maintain a positive image on television

TIME: Four to six minutes for presentation, eight to ten minutes for questions

5) Training On Television

• Learn how to develop and present an effective training program on television
• Receive personal feedback through the videotaping of your presentation

TIME: Five to seven minutes for presentation, five to seven minutes for playback

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Storytelling

Types of story covered in this manual include the folk tale, the personal story, stories with morals, the touching story, and the historical story.

1) The Folk Tale

• Tell a folk tale that is entertaining and enjoyable for a specific age group
• Use vivid imagery and voice to enhance the tale

TIME: Seven to nine minutes

2) Let's Get Personal

• Learn the elements of a good story
• Create and tell an original story based on a personal experience

TIME: Six to eight minutes

3) The Moral Story

• Understand that a story can be entertaining yet display moral values
• Create a new story that offers a lesson or moral
• Tell the story using the skills developed in the previous two projects

TIME: Four To six minutes

4) The Touching Story

• Understand the techniques available to arouse emotion
• Become skilled in arousing emotions while telling a story

TIME: Six to eight minutes

5) Bringing History To Life

• Understand the purpose of stories about historical events or people
• Use the storytelling skills developed in the preceding projects to tell a story about a historical event or person

TIME: Seven to nine minutes

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Interpretive Reading

Provides instruction in developing your interpretive reading skills. Projects include presenting stories, poetry, monodrama, plays, and oratorical speeches.

1) Read A Story

• Understand the elements of interpretive reading
• Learn how to analyze a narrative and plan for effective interpretation
• Learn and apply vocal techniques that will aid in the effectiveness of the reading

TIME: Eight to ten minutes

2) Interpreting Poetry

• Understand the differences between poetry and prose
• Recognize how poems use imagery, rhythm, meter, cadence and rhyme to convey the meanings and emotions of their poetry
• Apply vocal techniques that will aid in the effectiveness of the reading

TIME: Six to eight minutes

3) The Monodrama

• Understand the concept and nature of the monodrama
• Assume the identity of a character and to portray the physical and emotional aspects of this character to an audience

TIME: Five to seven minutes

4) The Play

• Adapt a play for interpretive reading
• Portray several characters in one reading, identifying them to the audience through voice changes and movement

TIME: Twelve to fifteen minutes

5) The Oratorical Speech

• Understand the structure of an effective speech
• Interpret and present a famous speech

TIME: Ten to twelve minutes

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Interpersonal Communications

Topics covered include conversing with ease, negotiating, handling criticism, coaching someone to improve performance, and expressing dissatisfaction effectively.

1) Conversing With Ease

• Identify techniques to use in conversing with strangers
• Recognize the different levels of conversation
• Initiate a conversation with a stranger
• Use open ended questions to solicit information for further conversation

TIME: Ten to fourteen minutes

2) The Successful Negotiator

• Employ win/win negotiating strategies to achieve your goals
• Enjoy the benefits of win/win negotiating

TIME: ten to fourteen minutes

3) Diffusing Verbal Criticism

• Respond non-defensively to verbal criticism
• Employ a five-step method identify the problem, diffuse the attack and arrive at a solution

TIME: Ten to fourteen minutes

4) The Coach

• Determine reasons for someone's standard performance
• Coach the person to improve performance

TIME: Ten to Fourteen minutes

5) Asserting Yourself Effectively

• Enjoy the mental and physical benefits of being assertive
• Employ the four-step method of addressing a problem and asking for help
• Overcome resistance to your requests

TIME: Ten to fourteen minutes

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Special Occasion Speeches

Provides instruction on giving toasts, speaking in praise, "roasting" someone, and presenting and accepting awards.

1) Mastering The Toast

• Recognize the characteristics of a toast
• Present a toast honoring an occasion or a person

TIME: Two to three minutes

2) Speaking In Praise

• Prepare a speech praising or honoring someone, either living or dead
• Address five areas concerning the individual and his/her accomplishments
• Include anecdotes illustrating points within the speech

TIME: Five to seven minutes

3) The Roast

• Poke fun at a particular individual in a good natured way
• Adapt and personalize humorous material from other sources
• Deliver jokes and humorous stories effectively

TIME: Three to five minutes

4) Presenting An Award

• Present an award with dignity and grace
• Acknowledge the contribution of the recipient

TIME: Three to four minutes

5) Accepting An Award

• Accept an award with dignity, grace and sincerity
• Acknowledge the presenting organization

TIME: Five to seven minutes

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Last Updated on 4/17/99
By Roland Jones
Email: roly@homemail.com