Structure For Speeches And Presentations: Take Your Audience From Hell to Heaven.
Speech structure Hell-Heaven-Way: How to structure your speech to make a mighty impression
Structure of speech: From hell to heaven
Promote a desirable change? Better products and processes, a public challenge, etc. This speech structure makes it easier to convince more effectively. Use the tips for your speeches and presentations.
Overview
Take your audience with you: From hell to heaven
Do you offer a way to better conditions? It’s about promoting change? Whether products, processes, etc. Do you want to hold a public office?
I call this easy-to-use and very effective speech structure the “Hell Heaven Way”. If the conditions are untenable and there are solutions available, you can also use it outside the church to convince your audience.
Sections of that speech structure
The structure of Hell-Heaven-Way is easy to learn:
- Hell
In this case, this is the unpleasant actual condition - Heaven
This is the idyllic target state. - Way
Your solution and the way to get there.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Hell
Describe the untenable current situation. Clarify the disadvantages, and increase the level of concern. Address all senses. Underline how chaotic, faulty and unsafe the condition is. Draw a gloomy picture. It’s about the contrast: If there were no hell, who would dream of coming to paradise?
Step 2: Heaven
This is the target state with comparatively beautiful conditions. In beautiful colors, you describe the paradisaical situations. What a contrast!
Step 3: Way
To hell with hell! You present your solution and the way there. A Spanish proverb says: “You don’t ascend to heaven on a ladder, but through good works”. Describe how you will guide your target group into the promised land. As with Adam, Eve, and the apple, so to speak, only the other way round. Who can resist the temptation? Hallelujah!
Advantages of this speech structure
Hell-Heaven-Way is a very catchy speech structure that the audience can easily follow. This enhances credibility. The biggest advantage of this simple speech format lies in creating the maximum contrast between the target and the actual state: before hell – after heaven. The target state must be very desirable! Comparing before and after from hell to heaven is an increase of the antithesis. Here all senses can easily be addressed and the effect intensified.
More?
Is that enough theory? You can find out more about the practical use of ancient rhetoric in Presentations Skills Training III, without the need for ancient Greek or Latin.
Preparing Important Speeches and Presentations
The Art of Effective Communication
Those who do not speak are not heard, and even those who do speak are not always successful. True success in communication requires mastering a few additional, critical steps to ensure your message resonates.
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Do you want your message to be convincing and your personality to shine? I can help you prepare your speeches and presentations to achieve exactly that. Whether you need comprehensive guidance or just a few tweaks, you decide the level of support that fits your needs. At a minimum, I recommend a test run with professional feedback to fine-tune both your delivery and your content. This helps you understand how you and your message are perceived, identify what works well, and determine areas for improvement.
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Why wait until after your real performance to receive valuable feedback, when it's too late to adjust? Early preparation is key. As the saying goes: 'Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.' With thorough preparation, you will not only feel more confident but will also be well-equipped to make a lasting impact.
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You can decide where the effort is most worthwhile, based on the expected benefits. I offer support covering all areas of effective communication, including psychology, language, structure, voice, body language, storytelling, rhetorical techniques, and the use of media like PowerPoint. My goal is to help you deliver a well-rounded, impactful presentation.
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Professional Feedback: The Key to Impactful Presentations
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Frequently asked questions
What is a speech structure good for?
Structuring a presentation is important for the benefit of the audience’s understanding, and it is also important for public speakers. A well-chosen structure helps you to prepare, and while speaking to remain calm, stay on topic.
What is the best speech structure of a presentation?
There is no exclusive and best speech structure. Good public speakers know a selection of suitable structures and choose wisely.
How to structure a speech?
All speeches contain at least three parts:
1. An introduction
2. A body
3. A conclusion
1. The introduction
In the Introduction, you tell the topic of your speech and give the audience the main points of your speech. You say what you are going to speak about.
2. The body
In the Body, you speak about each point in detail. For each point, you give the audience some evidence or information that will help explain and support each point. The Body is the longest of the three parts.
3. The conclusion
In the Conclusion, you summarize the main points of your speech, and emphasize what you want the audience to remember.
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Published: March 6, 2015
Author: Karsten Noack
Revision: November 19th, 2024
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German version:
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T: RR
#124
Is that a good way to write a motivational speech?
Hello Inga,
here is the way I create inspiring and memorable motivational speeches:
1. Have a point.
2. Think about structure.
3. Connect, connect, connect.
4. Write poetry, not prose.
5. Tell a story.
6. Rewrite and practice.
7. Leave them wanting more.
Cu, Tom