5 helpful speechwriting reminders for newbies or veterans

At some point, every executive will need to speak in public. And invariably, it will be the communicator who puts the words into their mouths. But speechwriting is very different from other types of writing and often calls for a unique approach. It’s not rocket science, but it is different. So here are our five tips for successful executive speechwriting:

1. Don’t overstretch. Nobody expects your executives to wax poetic about integration or deliver earnings results in haiku. What they want is clear, compelling and comprehensive information. In fact, forcing the key messages into a contrived theme can often do more to confuse the listener and dilute the strength of the messages.

2. Work with the speaker. This may seem self-evident, but you’d be surprised how often communicators write speeches without conferring with the speaker first. By taking an iterative and collaborative approach to the speechwriting process, most communicators will find that they can not only cut down the review cycles, but can also instill a higher level of confidence and comfort in their executive speakers.