PUBLIC SPEAKING

FINAL SPEECH

  • Develop an originalPRODUCTorBUSINESS to “pitch” to a group of investors (our class). You cannotpitch something that is identical to a product or business already on the market. For this reason, all ideas must have teacher approval before proceeding.

Unacceptable business proposal: opening a Chili’s restaurant

Acceptable:developing a new (original) restaurant theme or concept

Unacceptable product proposal: making Doritos

Acceptable:inventing a new chip, unlike others on the market

  • Note: This is nota tv/radio advertisement—it is a business proposal...AN IDEA.

Yourpurpose is:

1) to inform us (your potential investors) about your product/business idea

2) to convince us that it is worth our financial backing

Until you find willing investors, your idea is just that...an idea. It takes financial support to turn ideas into realities. You want your idea to succeed so that you can make lots of $$$ and retire early;therefore you need to put together an impressive presentation that will attract the most investor interest.

  • Your presentation must be 5-6 minutes in length. Points will be deducted for presentations both over and under the time limit.
  • You must prepare and incorporate at least one professional-lookingVISUAL AID into your presentation to help us understand and envision your idea.

PRODUCTS: Produce either a 3D MODEL or a DETAILED ILLUSTRATION on poster board or copy paper, with important features labeled.

Note: Product samples are secondary visuals and will count as bonus points.

BUSINESSES: Produce a BROCHURE, a CATALOG, a MENU, or a DETAILED ILLUSTRATION on poster board or copy paper, with important features labeled.

  • You must take a SURVEY to establish consumer interest and need for your proposed product or business, and you must create a catchy SLOGANto be included in future advertising.

Classroom work day:

Presentations will begin:

THIS SPEECH IS 50% OF YOUR FINAL EXAM IN THIS CLASS.

The remaining 40% comes from a second memorized monologue.

FINAL SPEECH OUTLINE

Follow this format, exactly as it is presented.

BUSINESS/PRODUCT NAME

By _____(your name)______

PURPOSE

(Do NOT state your purpose at the beginning of yourspeech, but include it at the

beginning of your outline. Your first words should be your attention-grabber.)

My purpose is to inform this group of investors about my idea for...

andto convince them that...

I. INTRODUCTION (Start speaking here, including all areas listed.)

a. Attention-grabber:(Question, quote, humor, anecdote, shocking statistic, etc.)

  1. Establishment of product/business need: (Include your survey results.)
  2. Product/Business “unveiling”:(State your idea and indicate your confidence in our interest in financing it.)

II. BODY

  1. Explanation of product/business: (Incorporate your visual aid as you provide adetailed explanation of your uniqueidea.)
  2. Persuasion for investment: (What makes your idea worth taking a financial risk? Convince us that you have come up with a unique, successful, profitable idea that people will not want to live without. This is the best time to have someone pass out product samples, if they apply to your idea.)

III. CONCLUSION

  1. Summarize the key features of your product or business idea.
  2. Thank the investors for their time.
  3. Leave us with a final thought, which should also include your slogan.

REMEMBER:

  • List BRIEF PHRASES on your outline and note cards. Elaborate when speaking.
  • Only write complete sentences when sharing a direct quote.
  • Use BIG WRITING on your note cards to increase eye contact with the audience.
  • Do not over-rely on your note cards...think of them backup, not life support.
  • The more you rehearse the more confident and natural you’ll look and sound.

SPEECH DAY CHECKLIST:

1. Outline (typed)3. Note cards (numbered, 1-sided)

2. Visual aid (as professional-looking as possible)