[Music] hello I'm Johnny have you ever attended a meeting or event where you were asked to fill in or take the place of another speaker thanks for visiting Toastmasters International since 1924 we've helped more than 4 million people gain the confidence to communicate in any situation this video is part of a series of Toastmasters time tested tips that will help you whenever you are put on the spot to speak impromptu speaking is a skill that everyone can benefit from it can help you in social situations such as weddings and birthdays or even business we'll Begin by identifying several impromptu speaking opportunities then we'll move on to techniques to manage last minute speeches and finally we'll talk about the benefits of spontaneous [Music] speeches let's begin with the many opportunities to practice speaking spontaneously business meetings and conference calls are structured settings that can help you test your impromptu speaking skills there are many everyday opportunities to practice as well such as speaking with a bank teller customer service representative or even a stranger at the grocery store most likely you will attend a wedding retirement or engagement party now these events are perfect opportunities to practice impromptu speaking from the heart [Music] now that we've pinpointed a few potential places to practice let's take a closer look at the techniques to help you manage your impromptu speaking the first approach is a simple formula known as prep which stands for Point reason example Point start your speech by making a clear point about the subject next explain why you are speaking on the topic then give a few examples to bring life to your story and finally end with a concluding point that wraps up your speech by following this flow you'll be able to clearly State your main point and help keep your ideas on course prep is an excellent fit for business meetings conference calls and even interviews another way to manage your speaking time is by following the pros versus cons or positive and negative method set up the issue by addressing the pros first the cons second and then neatly wrap up your point with your recommendation Pros versus cons work works well in business meetings conference calls and in everyday [Music] settings if you find yourself filling in for a speaker quickly think about how you would open and close your speech you may Begin by sharing a few personal stories and then Engage The Audience by acting as a moderator by encouraging questions and answers to extend the speaking time if needed now that you've finished your speech spech it's time to concentrate on the final and most important step delivering your impromptu speech the only way to master impromptu speaking is by jumping in and practicing in real time if you struggle with being a perfectionist don't stress simply try to have fun most people at the event will applaud your courage and willingness to stand in it's important to know one of the pitfalls of speaking at a moment's notice and that is the tendency to ramble the best way to alleviate this problem is to draft an outline before you go on stage this may not always be possible but if you can take a moment to write a few notes to help guide you along incorporate the tips and techniques we've just covered and in no time you'll be amazed at how quickly you'll have the confidence to be a great impromptu speaker for more information on impromptu speaking please visit a Toastmasters Club find a location near you at www.toastmasters.org [Music]