How To Craft A Memorable Talk In 4 Simple Steps
Read Time: 4 Minutes
You don't have to stare at a blank word document when preparing for your next talk.
In today's issue, I'll break down the four techniques that I use to structure my talks and keep my audiences hooked, including excerpts from speeches I've given in the past. I hope this can be your inspiration to kick some ass out there.
Let's dive in.
Technique #1: Master The Narrative Arc
Think of your speech as a journey. Your audience starts at point A, and your job is to take them to point B. This transformation is what we call the narrative arc.
Here’s how to nail it:
- Identify your audience’s starting point (current emotion or understanding)
- Determine where you want them to end up
- Use a series of short stories to bridge the gap
Let me show you how this works with a real-life example from a best man speech I recently gave:
“Friends, we all know the stages of friendship. There are friends, very good friends, best friends… and then there are absolute slobs together. Today, I want to show you how John and I progressed from casual acquaintances to partners in slovenliness over the past 5 years.”
This introduction:
- Sets up a clear starting point (casual friendship)
- Previews the funny endpoint (being “slobs” together)
- Hints at the journey the audience will take through your stories
By structuring your speech this way, you’re giving your audience a roadmap. They know where they’re going, which keeps them engaged throughout your talk.
Technique #2: Transport Your Audience With Scenes
Great speeches are like movies – they transport the audience into vivid scenes. Here’s how to do it:
- Use descriptive language
- Include dialogue
- Engage multiple senses
Here’s an example:
“My mother’s voice came through the door, ‘Preston, you can come out now. You’ll be late for school.’ I hugged my knees tighter, feeling the rough carpet against my bare feet. ‘I don’t want to go, Mom,’ I called back, my voice muffled by the pillow I’d buried my face in. ‘Every time I leave this room, I panic.’ ‘Why?’ she asked, her voice softer now. I took a shaky breath. ‘Because the moment I get to school, they start calling me “yellow boy” and try to draw all over my skin because I’m not white.’”
This scene:
- Uses dialogue to create a back-and-forth dynamic
- Includes sensory details (rough carpet, muffled voice)
- Evokes emotion through specific language choices (hugged my knees tighter, shaky breath)
By painting these vivid pictures, you’re not just telling a story – you’re letting your audience experience it.
Technique #3: Tease Your Takeaway
Ever been to a talk where you’re not quite sure where it’s going? It’s frustrating, right? Here's what I'd recommend doing in your introduction:
- Clearly state what you’re going to tell them
- Tie everything back to the "why" for your audience
Here’s how you might do this:
“Today, I’m going to share three pivotal moments that catapulted me into the next stage of my career. By the end of this talk, you’ll have a playbook to follow that can fast-track your own progression.”
This preview:
- Sets clear expectations for your audience
- Provides an “anchor” they can refer back to throughout your talk
- Piques their interest in what’s to come, without revealing the moments or main takeaway that will lead to the transformation you've promised
Important Note: I usually do this after I've told an opening story. Well-told stories increase your audience's emotional investment. That way, by the time you tease the takeaway, they're more likely to stick around until the end.
Technique #4: Seed Unanswered Questions
Want to keep your audience on the edge of their seats? Sprinkle unanswered questions in your audience's heads throughout your speech. These act as transitions between stories and create anticipation.
For example:
“So that’s how I knew he was a good friend. But how did I realize he would become my best friend?”
Or:
“This experience taught me the value of perseverance. But what happened next would challenge everything I thought I knew about success.”
These cliffhangers are dopamine hits for your audience.
Putting It All Together
Let’s see how you might use all these techniques in the opening of a speech:
Picture this: It’s 2 AM on a cold January night in 2019, and I’m hunched over my laptop, surrounded by empty coffee cups and crumpled papers. I’ve just been fired from my dream job, and I’m frantically applying to anything and everything I can find online. "This can’t be happening," I mutter to myself, the glow of the screen highlighting the bags under my eyes. "I did everything right. How did I end up here?’" (Technique #2 - Transport Your Audience With Scenes)
Today, I’m going to share how that rock-bottom moment became the catalyst for the most extraordinary journey of my life: how I went from being fired, to being unemployed for over a year, to standing here before you as a 7-figure entrepreneur five years later. (Technique #1 - Master The Narrative Arc)It involves three unexpected lessons, two chance encounters, and one risky decision that changed everything. And by the end of these 15 minutes, you'll have the playbook I used to get out of your own career rut. (Technique #3 - Tease Your Takeaway)
So, what led to my firing? (Technique #4 - Seed Unanswered Questions)
This Week’s Action Step:
For your next speech or presentation, challenge yourself to implement at least 1 of these techniques. I would prioritize sketching out your narrative arc.
If you'd like, you can then write down your introduction modeling off the "Putting It All Together" section.
However, I would ditch the script when it comes time to present. And I wouldn't worry about memorizing it. That's why your narrative arc and transitions are so important to outline. They serve as your guardrails to keep you on track, without confining you to specific language so that you can more easily react to the moment and connect with your audience.
If you found this helpful, the Impromptu Speakers Academy is my 3-week bootcamp to help you become a clear and confident speaker at work. Reserve your spot today while they're still available.
I hope it helps.
Preston
