A very successful local entrepreneur hit me up recently because she was interested in hiring a speech writer. She had an event that was days away where she needed to speak for about 7 minutes. She knew what she wanted to say…basically. Just not…exactly.
The process was easy. I asked her how long the speech would be, the purpose of the event, and what she definitely wanted to get across. Some of those bullet points included: thanking them for coming, explaining who I am, what my business does, the mission of my business, and the future of it.
That’s all I needed. I went to work, sent it to her way ahead of time (in case revisions were needed), and left space in the speech for her to be able to flow from her heart.
The benefits of hiring a speech writer include:
Saving time
With everything else there was to do for the event and leading up to it (not to mention everyday business stuff), you don’t have the time to sit down and craft a polished speech. Plus, rest is integral if you want to be your best self. Save yourself some time by hiring a speech writer.
Polishing your speech
When you speak, people listen. Or maybe you’re not that good of a speaker. Either way, hiring a speech writer makes sure that your message is polished. That you have the metaphors in just right place and you really connect with the people in a way that makes ’em feel seen, heard, and understood.
Covering what you might overlook
When you’re speaking from the top of your head or saying what you always say, there’s a big chance that you’re leaving something out. Most likely, it’s not intentional, but it’s still missing. Hiring a speech writer gives you another set of eyes on your speech to make sure everything is included that needs to be there.
Ensuring the speech is timed correctly
Everytime I added a paragraph, I’d go back and time myself reading it. When I sent it to the client, I had her do the same thing to ensure that we met her mark. The last thing you want to do is not have enough material prepared and have to awkwardly step off stage too soon, or have to rush through your final sentiments because you have too much material.
“Oh, my God. I just read it and I smiled and I teared up a little bit. I felt empowered. I don’t know how you do what you do, but you are touched by God. You have the gift. I’m so excited. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”