In this slideshow writer Suzan st Maur shows you how to write a social speech with ease.

1. How to Structure a Social
Speech
By Suzan St Maur
How to Write Better

2. A Social Speech?
When you give a social speech it’s usually not
appropriate to read from a script, so you need to
structure the content in a way that allows you to “ad
lib” through it … but to a strong structure that
keeps you on topic and to time.

3. Research – get
that right first
Research – get that right first
When you’re asked to give a social
speech, it’s essential that you establish
a) what you need to say, followed by
b) what you’d like to say.
There are very few social speeches
that don’t contain at least a small
element of obligatory thanks or
appreciation for someone’s work, help,
travel from afar or other key
participation, so it’s important to keep
those in mind and give them key places
in your structure

4. Other things can be intertwined with the obligatory sections … like
anecdotes about the people being celebrated, funny (true)
stories, jokes (if you’re good at telling them) and even housekeeping
announcements.
It helps a lot to make yourself a brainstorming file where you jot down
all these components randomly, in no particular order. Once you’re
satisfied that you’re on the right track with your scribbles, the next job
is to edit those down and order them into a realistic skeleton structure
that will form the basis of your speech

5. A wedding example
Mum worrying about flowers
Let’s assume you are the Nancy’s dress too tight
bride at a wedding and you Welcome/thanks
Pete & Brian – school practical joke
want to speak immediately Dad’s speech – thanks
Pete & Lilia – from SA
after your father does, and Brian’s old girlfriend on plane too (maybe
not!!!)
then hand over to your new Brian speaks next? Wants last word?
husband. First of all, here Dad – bound to tell story about me losing the
hamster
are some of the scribbles Dad – tell story about barbecue (hee hee hee)
Toast to Brian/Mum/Dad/family
from your brainstorm. Thanks for coming
Thank Mum and Dad for the wedding
Underline the elements
which are essentials

6. Put the sections in
order
Now all you have to do is put
everything into a logical order, and
drop any ideas which are irrelevant or
repetitive, which will make your
speech too long, or which could
upset someone and land you in hot
water! Here’s what your skeleton
structure might look like…

7. A typical speech structure might be -
Welcome everyone and thank for coming
Thank Dad for compliments and embarrassing stories
Tell embarrassing story about him (barbecue catching fire)
Thank Mum and Dad for wedding
Mention Pete and Lilia travelling over from South Africa
Tell story about Pete and Brian, practical joke at school in
Joburg
Make joke about Brian always wanting last word – typical
husband
“But first,” propose toast to Brian and our families

8. Make notes in small chunks
Here, don’t try to write your actual words for the speech. Just add some flesh to those bones. For
example…
Welcome everyone and thank for coming … am really touched to share this day with my family and
good friends … been really generous with gifts, thanks so much … really hope you’re having a great
time …
Thank Dad for compliments and embarrassing stories … said I was beautiful, probably needs his
glasses changing … great Dad, love him so much … knew he would tell that story about the
hamster … will never live it down …
Tell embarrassing story about him (barbecue catching fire) … Dad always knows best … barbecue
for their Silver Wedding … wouldn’t let Mum and me help … whole lot caught fire … steaks
ruined, had to eat salad and dessert … then bought a book and taught all of us how to do it
properly …
Thank Mum and Dad for wedding…best parents in the world whether good at BBQs or not …
thanks so much for beautiful wedding … the best day of my life and Brian
Mention Pete and Lilia travelling over from South Africa … fantastic they could come here all that
way … Pete Brian’s best friend when they were at school in Joburg … wonderful that he and his
wife Lilia are here to share our wedding day … sad we couldn’t get out there for their wedding
Tell story about Pete and Brian, practical joke at school in Joburg … Pete & Brian don’t know I
know about this … certain Maths teacher of theirs called Mrs Entwistle is still around … very
interesting email from her about those two locking the Head teacher in his study “by accident,”
oh, yeah? …
Make joke about Brian always wanting last word – typical husband … being perfect wife will let
him …

9. Remember the Thanks and Toast
“But first,” propose toast to Brian and our
families … all of you, our families and my wonderful
husband … and thanks again for everything

10. “Cheers”
There. That wasn’t hard, was it? And believe it or not,
you have created a detailed structure of your speech
for you to memorize (and/or copy out on to cue cards
to use when you’re up in front of the microphone.)
This will allow your live speaking to flow well, to stick
to the relevant points without “waffling” or
wandering off-topic, and to be effective without
sounding “scripted.

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