Transforming your book into a speech can effectively convey your message to a broader audience. With the growing popularity of virtual events and online video streaming, now is the ideal time to convert your book into a spoken format for a one-time presentation or a video series. This blog post will give you some tips on how to convert your book into an exciting and impactful speech.
Identify your audience
The foundation of a successful speech is selecting the appropriate subject matter. The process of identifying the right topic begins with understanding your audience. If the group you are giving the speech to is a specific segment of your target audience, consider why they are attending the event and their interests.
On the other hand, if the group you are presenting to is your ideal target audience, ponder their reasons for being at the event. Understanding your audience will guide you in choosing the appropriate topic for your speech.
Pick out resonating ideas from your book
Once you understand your audience, focus on the parts of your book that resonate most with readers. Pay attention to feedback and identify patterns in the comments people leave. Please take note of which stories or ideas stand out to them. Use the most compelling ideas to tailor your speech to the audience and event and make it more engaging and impactful.
Solve audience problems
Ultimately, your speech should solve a problem for your audience. Remember that the ultimate goal is to entertain your audience and leave a lasting impact that the audience will want to share with others.
To achieve this, start by capturing their attention with a relatable or intriguing topic and offer them valuable insights and solutions. It is the key to creating a truly memorable and impactful speech.
Start with a bang
Want to grab your audience’s attention? Try using a popular show, thought-provoking question, surprising statement, or a counter-intuitive fact in your title. Make it unique and eye-catching.
For example, “What working with psychopaths taught me about leadership,” is a title that stands out and makes people curious to learn more. This approach can be used in an evergreen speech, making it relevant and exciting for all audiences.
Make it personal
Make your speech relatable to your audience by sharing personal experiences that tie into the main concepts of your book. Being vulnerable and candid will connect with your audience more in-depth and make your message more impactful.
You can follow a different structure of your book as long as your speech aligns with the main ideas. Use your own experiences as a way to grab attention and engage your audience.
Write for the time you have
Plan ahead of time for the length of your speech. If you have a longer time slot, use your book’s table of contents as a guide and distill each main idea into a quick, succinct presentation. However, if your time is limited, focus on one or two key ideas that provide value to your audience.
Take the time to rehearse your speech out loud
Once you have your speech drafted, it’s important to practice giving it out loud. It will help you get comfortable with the material, and will also help you identify any areas that need improvement.
Try to use the same frame you will use for the actual speech, stage, or Zoom conference. Watch your recording, check for a good pace and confident body language, and eliminate harmful habits like saying “um” or smacking your lips.
The Bottom Line
Shifting your book into a speech is an excellent method to engage with a larger audience. You can create an engaging and powerful speech by following the tips mentioned above that capture the essence of your book. With a little effort, you can shift your language to be more concise and captivating.
