Where to start when you need to write a speech

As communication professional it will be expected of you to write a speech from time to time.  Speeches are great tools to put a personal face on an organisation.  Your message will be delivered in a more persuasive way than through advertising.  It is also an effective way to build up the organisation's profile.

However, as anybody who has suffered through a bad speech will tell you, words alone won't cut it.  In order to make a speech effective, you as writer must take into account the speaker's demeanour, dress, body language, formality of the event and the support materials.

Research

Before you even contemplate writing a speech, do your homework.  Find out what the purpose of this speech is - entertainment, motivation, crisis management?  You also need to know the education level and likely attitude of the audience towards the topic.  In addition, you will need to research the organisation's previous stance on the topic.  Consistency aids credibility.  Lastly, you need to focus on the speaker.  What is the speaker's style?  Would long or short sentences suit this speaker?  

Now write the speech

A good speech consists of an introduction, a body and a conclusion.  The speaker needs to grab the audience's attention during the introduction by hinting what they will gain by listening to his speech.  The body of the speech contains the arguments.  It will be worthwhile to provide the occasional glimpse of the structure of the speech.  Conclude by summarizing and providing a clear call to action.