During your career, you'll probably be asked to make a business toast speech. It could to a client, a manager, your peers or your employees.
And it could cover any topic - acceptance speech, award presentation speech, employee welcome speech, company overview speech, welcome toast - to name a few!
These speeches are the most difficult speeches to make. They are often to people you know and can be dropped on you at short notice.
It is important therefore to have planned and thought about the type of speeches you may be asked to make before you get asked to make them! Planning is the key...
For instance, if you are a manager, then you will almost certainly (as a minimum) be asked at some time to make these speeches:
1) Employee Leaving Speech
2) Welcoming A New Employee Speech
3) Award Acceptance Speech
4) Company Overview Speech
In your own situation, you should be able to list the type of speeches you may be asked to make.
The key is to use this Fast Speech Writing Tool to help you prepare these speeches quickly and effectively.
Here's how to do it:
1) As soon as you know you are going to be making a speech, block out 1 hour of time to prepare your speech.
2) Use this speech template and answer the questions to prepare your speech:
a) Introduction (eg. 'Hello and welcome')
b) Who Are You? (eg. 'For those of you who don't know me, my name is name and I'm the your position in the company')
c) What Is The Speech About? (eg. 'We are here today to state what the speech is about eg. 'say a big hello to our newest employee, Fred Bloggs')
d) Say Your Piece (eg. 'It's a great time for Fred to be joining us as we are rapidly expanding. Fred's skills and previous experience will help us to move forward as a team and provide a really stable backbone on which we can expand further. When I first met Fred, I was taken back by how professional he was and how much he already knew about our organisation and aims. He really had done his homework (either that or he hired the CIA!). Anyway, I want you all to welcome Fred to our company and I know he'll become one of our great friends.')
e) Summarise (eg. 'Congratulations on your new role Fred and I look forward to working with you.')
f) End (eg. 'Thank you everyone - here's Fred!')
3) Read (at least 20 times) Your Speech (this will commit the key points to memory).
4) Practice Out Loud (You can practice in front of a colleague if you need extra feedback)
5) Make Prompt Cards (Write the key points of your speech onto small cards to help you remember the speech)
6) Make Your Speech!
By following this simple structure, your business toast speech will be short, professional and effective.
Good luck!
Go to our Business Speeches Presentation page
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