3 necessary components to an effective and memorable speech

Zack Gould and I just got back from Cleveland, Ohio where we had the privilege of attending and speaking at Elevate 2018, one of the nation’s best insurance conferences. We had a blast preparing and presenting our content to a large audience of like-minded insurance agents but we also enjoyed attending a dozen different speeches from a variety of speakers.

Speakers presented on a variety of topics and represented a healthy cross-section of the industry with different tenures, territories, niches and business models.

How to give a great insurance industry speech

On the plane ride home we evaluated the experience and realized that the presentations had varying degrees of influence on us. This process led us to identify the three most important components of an effective and memorable speech:

1. Content.

The written word and lessons embedded is the most important component. If the audience can learn something they didn’t know prior to the presentation, they’ll walk away feeling like the received value.

• Are you offering a better way to solve an existing problem?
• Are you providing motivation through education?
• Are you talking about a concept or have you actually tested and produced results?
• Is your topic and solution helping solve a relatively hot button pain point?

Without strong content, the audience doesn’t care who or how the speech is delivered, they’ll walk away feeling empty.

2. Energy.

Passion and enthusiasm are critical for a good speech. This doesn’t mean that you have to scream at the audience or do cartwheels across the stage, but it does mean that you need to carry yourself in a confident manner and speak with conviction.

• Do you care about what you’re talking about?
• Are you passionate about the topic and are you conveying that to the audience?

People pay for conferences and attend speeches because they are in search of something — a solution, a spark, and improved method, or a new tool. No matter what is being delivered, the speaker needs to bring the energy and enthusiasm in order to leave a lasting impression and inspire those in attendance.

3. Structure.

The process in which you tell your story matters. The timing and the order in which you decide to deliver it has a significant yet subconscious impact on the way it is received. It’s not unlike a good book or movie plot.

• Are you opening with an effective attention grabber?
• Are you addressing the problem you seek to solve?
• Are you building credibility?
• Are you allowing the audience to relate to you through humility?
• Do the main deliverables of your speech have enough meat and are they delivered at the appropriate time?
• Lastly, have you painted the picture of the promised land if the action steps are taken?

You can have great points to make and convey them with enthusiasm but if you don’t take the audience along the right path at the right time, your speech will be significantly weakened.

The best speeches have all three components. They offer information that is helpful, they are delivered with conviction and enthusiasm and they flow as all effective stories do.

Related: 8 rules insurance agents can follow for successful sales presentations

Matt Naimoli (matt@insurewithgn.com) is a co-founder of Southborough, Massachusetts-based G&N Insurance.