Impromptu Guidelines and Topics

Some guidelines for impromptu speaking from Toastmasters

International.
Here are some techniques to help you think clearly and effectively on
your feet.

1. Define the purpose and objectives of your speech.

* Stop, stay calm and cool in order to formulate your talk.

* Get your goal clearly in focus by defining your purpose
or viewpoint.
* Decide your starting and finishing points.
* State the reason why you are speaking on the subject.
* Open strongly
- "I believe that ....... the reason being....."
- "My experience shows ...... because ........."
* Remember if you don't know where you are going, any road
will get you there!

2. Choose a Specific Illustration, Experience or Example.

* Speaking about personal experiences will give you courage

and confidence.
* Helps you to be clear, convincing and believable.
* Just tell about a specific event, example or experience
- when it happened.
- why it happened
- where it happened
- what caused it to happen
- who was involved
- how it happened
3. Conclude:
* Summarize by stating or restating
- your overall speech purpose
- main point or beliefs.
* Close strongly

3.Other Points
* Don't try to cover too much
 - Be short, succinct and to the point.
* Never apologize

There will be times when you need to stand and answer a

question or talk on a
subject such as in our Table Topics session or when you are
in a meeting and
have to report on a subject or give an opinion. It is in
situations such as these
where no time is given for preparation that the following is a
helpful
framework which you can use to think quickly and organise
your thoughts.

Think of the "PREP" system.

* P >Point
- "The point I want to make is .........."
* R >Reason
-"The reason I say this is ............"
* E >Example
- "For example ............"
- "My experience ..........."
* P >Point
- "In summary my point is ......."