How to Give a Great Impromptu Speech

Most speeches are the result of careful planning, revision and practice. There may be times, however, when a situation demands that you give an impromptu speech with little or no time to prepare. When you find yourself in an unexpected public speaking scenario, you’ll be improvising what you say, which means you’ll have to be able to think on your feet. Following a basic structure, pacing yourself and staying composed will help you deliver an oration you can be proud of, or at least survive with minimal embarrassment.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Setting Up an Unexpected Speech

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1
Take your time getting ready to speak. Don’t be in too big of a hurry to stand up or make the trip to the podium. Walk slowly to your mark, being relaxed and deliberate. Stretch the time you have and use it to prepare yourself and consider what your opening lines will be.
- Most of the time when you’re giving an impromptu speech, you’ll be singled out to say a few words on the spot. Since you’ll only have a few moments, preparing yourself is more about getting yourself in the right state of mind than it is knowing exactly what you’re going to say.
- If you really need to milk it, you can buy yourself some extra time by shaking hands, exchanging pleasantries or adjusting the microphone stand before speaking.
2
Calm your nerves. Take a few slow, deep breaths to collect yourself.^{[1]XExpert SourceLynn Kirkham
Public Speaking CoachExpert Interview. 20 November 2019.} Let your mind settle so you can concentrate on the task at hand. Shut out all unnecessary distractions that might steal your attention and stifle anxious thoughts that might cause you to doubt yourself.
- Assume that everyone around you wants to see you succeed. This will help put you at ease. Expecting yourself to fail will only destroy your composure and make you more fearful of your audience.
- Confront the reality of your situation to avoid being blindsided by panic. Accept that you have to give a speech and then focus all your resources on giving a good one.
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3
Project a confident aura. Face your audience boldly and smile. Make eye contact with those closest to you. Display confident body language—try not to fidget, tremble or arrange yourself awkwardly.^{[2]XExpert SourceLynn Kirkham
Public Speaking CoachExpert Interview. 20 November 2019.} Think positive thoughts to reassure yourself. For you to come off as interesting, witty and engaging, you have to believe that you are.^{[3]XResearch source}
- Oftentimes, the more confident you make yourself appear, the more confident you’ll feel.
- Relax! Speaking in front of a crowd is not that big a deal. Even if you make a mistake, it’s not the end of the world.
4
Make a short introduction. In a few words, let everyone know who you are. Tell them your name and describe yourself and your relation to the event or role as a speaker. You might also thank everyone for their presence and attention. Don’t avert to the fact that you’re unprepared or try to cushion their acceptance of your speech. Just get up and talk frankly and energetically.
- Don’t just jump right into the main idea of your speech. Test the waters by getting used to speaking and sharing a little about yourself first.

Part 2

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Delivering an Effective Speech

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1
Speak fluidly and naturally. Have a clear subject in mind and keep yourself focused on conveying your message. Talk about what you know; avoid topics you’re uninformed or ambivalent about. Don’t be too rigid or overcomplicate the structure of your speech. Instead, let your thoughts and words flow, reeling them in when they start to wander.
- Use simple sentences that follow a logical progression and enunciate your words carefully to keep yourself from getting tongue-tied.
- Slowing yourself down a little will give your mind time to catch up and formulate new ideas.
2
Keep it brief. An impromptu speech should be short and sweet. It’s best to limit your address to right around or just under two minutes, but even a speech as short as 90 seconds or a minute will be perfectly adequate. Be considerate of your audience’s attention span. If you draw things out for too long, they’ll start to grow disinterested and your speech will lose gumption.^{[4]XResearch source}
- Two minutes will fly by once you start speaking. Despite your reservations about being put on the spot, you may actually find it harder to give a short speech than a long one.
3
Tell a story.^{[5]XExpert SourceLynn Kirkham
Public Speaking CoachExpert Interview. 20 November 2019.} Give your speech a well-rounded sense of structure. Just like every story you’ve ever read, a good speech should have a definite beginning, middle and end. Speaking from experience is a plus, as it will make your message feel more personal and prevent you from making factual mistakes.^{[6]XResearch source}
- A good way to give your speech a solid beginning, middle and end is to present details chronologically. For example start with “when I first became friends with John, he…”, follow that up with “now that we’re coworkers, we have more fun than ever…” and conclude with “I have no doubt that the future of our friendship will be just as entertaining.”
- When describing personal experiences, avoid sharing opinions on irrelevant controversial subjects.
4
Get your audience laughing. Work a lighthearted joke or reference into the opening of your speech to disarm the crowd. Humor is effective for cutting through the tension of speaking unexpectedly, or anticipating a nervous speaker. Tasteful wit will help warm your listeners up toward you, keep things from being too serious and make the whole experience more enjoyable.^{[7]XResearch source}
- Humor is a great icebreaker and also makes it easier to hold your audience’s attention.
- Be sure any jokes you make are suitable for the age and demographic of your audience, as well as the occasion itself.

Part 3

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Ending on a High Note

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1
Have an endpoint in mind. In the few moments you have before you go on, get an idea of how you’re going to finish your speech. It can be easy to ramble on and on without the aid of a predetermined stopping point. With your main ideas out of the way, you should start thinking about wrapping things up. Ideally, you’ll be able to transition deftly from the introduction to the meat of the speech to the conclusion with little wasted time or words.^{[8]XResearch source}
- As with the rest of your speech, keep your conclusion brief. It’s alright to sign off with a simple “thank you for your time” or “let’s hear it for the newlyweds.”
2
Make your conclusion memorable. Save your most compelling point, touching memory or hilarious anecdote for last. Deliver your closing remarks with strong language and poise. The final part of your speech will make the most impact with your audience because it will be freshest in their minds, so bring it home with something memorable to leave a lasting impression.^{[9]XResearch source}
- If you’re planning on making a specific request or appeal, as for a business conference, the end of your speech is the proper time to do it.
- The conclusion is the perfect occasion to come out with something especially heartfelt. Emotions will run high and the crowd will be moved by your sentiments.
3
Thank your listeners. At the end of your address, show your appreciation for your audience by thanking them once again. Then, pass the baton to the master of ceremonies gracefully and return to your seat. Even if things didn’t go as well as you’d hoped, resist the urge to make apologies or excuses. This will just undermine what effect the speech did have.^{[10]XResearch source}
- You don’t have to thank every important figure at the event individually. A general expression of gratitude is all that’s needed.
- Be clear who you’re supposed to hand the microphone or floor off to so that you don’t end your speech by looking around in confusion.^{[11]XResearch source}
4
Go easy on yourself. Very few people are capable of delivering rousing, inspiring, world-changing orations on the fly. Your audience knows this and will have taken it into account. Don’t beat yourself up for drawing a blank or stuttering here and there. Instead, congratulate yourself for having had the courage to go through with something that would petrify most people.^{[12]XResearch source}
- Impromptu speeches are mostly appraised by the willingness of the speaker to rise to the occasion. There’s no sense in being too critical of your performance since you’ll have had no time to work on it beforehand.

Expert Q&A

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Question
How do I make my impromptu speech more impressive?
Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Lynn Kirkham is a Professional Public Speaker and Founder of Yes You Can Speak, a San Francisco Bay Area-based public speaking educational business empowering thousands of professionals to take command of whatever stage they've been given - from job interviews, boardroom talks to TEDx and large conference platforms. Lynn was chosen as the official TEDx Berkeley speaker coach for the last four years and has worked with executives at Google, Facebook, Intuit, Genentech, Intel, VMware, and others.
Lynn Kirkham
Public Speaking Coach
Expert Answer
Act confident throughout your speech to make it sound more prepared. Stand with good posture, make eye contact with your audience, and try to use hand motions to emphasize your points.
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How do I not get stuck on the topic if it is an unprepared speech?
Natalie Tellechea
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For the past few months, I have been giving daily speeches that I prepare only half an hour ahead of time. Sometimes I just go upstage and improvise. The best thing to do is to know basic speaking skills. No matter what your topic is, breathe. Keep your audience in mind and act accordingly. Use pauses and other speaking techniques to your advantage. These are all things you can do before you even know what your topic is!
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How do you make a great opening and closing for a public speaking competition?
Community Answer
For competitive purposes, your opening and closing should be as punchy and effectual as they are brief. Be direct and to the point. Use rhetorical techniques like positing open-ended questions and appealing to your audiences emotions to drive home your main points. The more on board you can get your audience with your chosen manner of presentation, the more convincing you'll be as a speaker.
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Tips

Practice for unexpected speaking scenarios by volunteering to give impromptu speeches at casual events.
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If you're using a microphone, stay within optimal range for your voice to be amplified. Don't move the microphone too close or too far away from your mouth.
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While brainstorming, quickly come up with three or four main points to cover.
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Warnings

Steer clear of subjects you don't know much about.
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Be careful not to offend your audience. Not only is it bad form and will make your speech be perceived as a failure, it could actually harm your standing among your acquaintances.
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Take a moment to get your appearance in order before presenting yourself. Steal a quick glance in the mirror or have a trusted friend tell you if your hair is a mess, your shirt is untucked, you have food stuck in your teeth, etc.
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Don't use generic, pre-written speeches pulled from the internet or oration guidebooks. These can easily come off as stilted and inorganic. Your audience will be able to tell if you're simply going through the motions.
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