Getting feedback on your speech

At this stage you have got the speech to a point where you are quite happy, possibly even very happy. That's great. The day for your public speaking debut is fast approaching.

It's now time to do something that many people are loath to do. It's time to get some feedback on your speech.

This is an invaluable step that will only enrich your speech and potentially save you from much controversial. It's much better to learn of any problems with your speech now, than when you are delivering your speech on the podium at your public speaking event.

Ideally you should seek feedback from 2-3 people, at least one of whom is not directly related to or attending the event - an impartial critic, if you like.

Examples of feedback you should seek include:

• Inappropriate content
• Error(s) of omission
• Grammatical problems
• Appropriate use of humor

On the topic of grammatical problems, I'm a strong advocate of natural language when it comes to writing non-formal (e.g. business, award ceremonies). In other words, if you're writing a best man speech, it's much preferable that the voice is yours, rather than perfect English. This familiarity will help your audience engage with you and put you at ease when delivering your speech.