Get the "impromptu speech" right, so you can draw attention to yourself when you speak

The quick pick-up and the slow talk will help you to say goodbye to awkward conversations and cold scenes, and help you to be comfortable with what you are saying.

When you hear the words "impromptu speech", you may immediately shiver in your heart. Not only ordinary people in the workplace but also those hosts who speak for a living will also be alarmed if they hear the guide ask them to improvise a one- or two-minute crosstalk when recording a program.

Many people have a misconception that the first problem with improvisation is 'getting over your nerves but in reality, you are nervous because you have not anticipated and prepared for the situation and the content of your speech. Therefore, the key to solving the problem is to have a set of methods to deal with different improvisation scenarios and to organize your speech quickly.

Here I will introduce you to a core method and two supporting strategies for impromptu speaking, after listening carefully, you will be able to do a good cold start for impromptu speaking in any situation.

First of all, let's talk about the core method, which is summarised in six words: open your mouth quickly and speak slowly.

What does it mean to open your mouth quickly and speak slowly? I'll give you an example of the most common scenario in the workplace.

Zhang has not been with the company long and is called to attend a seminar on the company's new product. When discussing the marketing strategy of the product, several experienced colleagues were present to offer some professional advice.

Zhang was a bit surprised, so he hurriedly raised his head to look carefully at the PPT on the big screen, his head quickly searched for various key information just now, and then subconsciously said while thinking: "Well, this ...... I think ...... "

Here is the first key point we are going to talk about today. I usually find when I give lectures that many people when they are set up to speak impromptu, their attention immediately all focused on the matter of how to answer the question.

I very much understand the speaker's desire to say something specific and substantive right away. But you should know that a very big taboo of impromptu expression is cold feet. So my first tip for you is to "open your mouth", which means to find a way to get the conversation going quickly. This has the sole purpose of proving that you are quick to respond.

This means that you don't have to answer the question directly as soon as you open your mouth. You can talk about something related to the topic or something a little more simple. For example, something you've seen in the industry recently, or something you associate with yourself or a friend, in short, you catch the conversation in a relevant way so that it doesn't get cold.

What if nothing comes to mind at the moment, you may ask? Then you remember three words: "sense of acquisition", which means telling what you have learned from the information you have just heard.

Let's go back to the scene from earlier, which would have been much more effective if Chang had said this.

"It's the first time I've sat here today and listened to all the seniors talk about product marketing strategies, I'm a 'noob' in this area and I've gained a lot. Those kinds of promotional schemes just now reminded me that I often 'fall for it when I buy things at the supermarket, so there are so many tricks behind it."

Noticed? The first sentence just now could have been opened immediately. But in fact, he didn't answer the leader's question. Zhang brought his position to the topic of product marketing, and the audience didn't find it abrupt at all, and it again appeared that Zhang was very responsive. This part does not need to be said much, three or four sentences are enough.

After introducing the "quick mouth" method, let's talk about the second move, "slow talk". By "slow", I don't mean speaking slowly, but rather speaking in a structured way to get your core points across. As we all know, the second taboo of workplace expression is to speak without focus and get off topic. So, if you want to keep your speech organized, remember two keywords, one is the time frame method and the other is the structure method.

Let's start with the time frame method. Its purpose is to plan and design the time for your speech to help you say something with a certain amount of gold within the time limit. All those US presidential speeches or public speeches by celebrities that you usually see require time to divide the content. You could say that any impromptu speech that is not divided into time is hardly organized.

So how do you build up this framework? The most practical way is a general division structure.

For example, if you want to give a three-minute impromptu speech, you should consciously divide the 180 seconds into three segments: 20 seconds in the b, beginning, 10 seconds in the end, and 150 seconds in the middle for the core body part.

The beginning and the end are relatively easy, the core body is the most difficult. You may ask, are there any routines that can help me output the core ideas in a short time?

Here's where the second tool of slow talking comes into play, which is the structural approach. Anything and everything can be broken down into its basic attributes according to a certain structure. For example, every painting has its color, style, background age, etc.; every product has its price, quality, function, design, etc.

For example, if the leader just asked Zhang to express his views on the marketing strategy of a new product, then he could first quickly break down in his head a few basic points about marketing, such as price, quality and advertising slogans, and then he could develop his core points like this.

"Firstly, in terms of price, I think the package is still very attractive. Compared to other products, it is indeed very competitive.

"Secondly, in terms of quality, a small suggestion, our product itself is of very good quality and there need to be more ways for consumers to find out about it, so I would suggest giving away some trial packs during the promotion.

"Thirdly, in terms of the advertising slogan, I think the copy is great now. From a consumer's point of view, I've been impressed."

With these three points out of the way, you're getting the core point across in a structured and clear way. Add a sentence or two to summarise at the beginning and end, and you can say that you have completed a more than competent impromptu speech.

Here, we have detailed the core method of improvisation: open your mouth quickly and speak slowly. To summarise, opening your mouth quickly means picking up the conversation immediately. With what? To pick up the conversation with a sense of acquisition, that is, what you have learned. The next step is to speak slowly. To speak slowly, we need to use the time frame method and the structure method, to think before we speak, to take our time, and not to rush.

Next, we talk about two complementary strategies for improvisation, the first of which is 'external brain support'. Although improvisation is something you have to do alone, no rule says you can't ask for help, is there? By 'external brain support', we mean that you can create a communicative scene by interacting with the people in the room when you speak.

Who is the best person to ask for help? Intellectual support can be your colleagues or your leader. Didn't the leader call you up to answer questions? You can also throw the question back at the leader.

This trick is very effective when hosting a program. I once watched a variety show hosted by Ma Dong, and the theme of the episode was "What to do when you are in the stigmatization chain and accused of being 'greasy middle-aged'". Happened was that the guests were talking a lot on stage, but there were mostly young university students in the audience, and they had few feelings about "greasy middle-aged people", so it was a bit cold. To get the mood going, Ma Dong took the microphone and interviewed the audience, and a few of them spoke in a particularly interesting way, so the whole scene heated up.

In the same way, in similar situations in the workplace, you can use other people to support your speech. Don't leave yourself alone unless you are in a particularly formal or serious situation, or if you are in a position of great disparity with others.

The second supporting tactic is the 'punctuated closing'. As we all know, "it's all in the closing that makes the basket", and a successful impromptu speech also needs a punchy ending. You might say that it's hard enough to get the core content across, so how can you have the brain power to put the finishing touches on it? There is a misconception that many people think that they don't need to say what they have said a second time, but this idea is very wrong.

What is important is something that needs to be repeated to be remembered. Keep your ideas short and strong, pick only key messages and keep them to a maximum of 15 words. Here's another little gesture that will give you extra points: an enthusiastic look. When making your final presentation, speak a little slower and louder, and at the same time, communicate with everyone in the room one by one with a sure, confident look that makes everyone in the room feel cared for and infected by your enthusiasm.

To conclude this section. When it comes to situations where impromptu speaking is required, remember six words: open your mouth quickly and speak slowly. When speaking slowly, prepare the core content using the time-frame method and the general-part structure method. If you don't feel you have enough to say, use external brain support to throw questions at those in the room, and finally, remember to end your speech, no matter how long or short, with a punctuated conclusion that reinforces your core points.