We’ve discussed how important it is to have a clear and simple message at the heart of your speech. But how can you make sure that the message is communicated effectively to your audience? The secret lies in packaging it up in a structure which is easy to digest.

For instance, it’s not by luck that people most love to hear stories – good stories usually have a clear structure with a beginning, a middle and an end. But stories are just one way of getting your message across – sometimes a more direct approach is more appropriate.

A good structure will lead your audience through your subject, or build your argument in a logical and persuasive fashion. It will grab the audience’s attention, build anticipation and deliver a powerful conclusion which leaves your central message resonating with the audience.

At Toastmasters, you’ll learn that there several different speech outlines that can be used to structure your ideas to make them as easy to understand and remember as possible. You’ll get the opportunity to apply these outlines to your own speech topics and try them out in front of an friendly audience.

And by watching other people speak you’ll start to recognise how a good structure contributes to the effectiveness of a speech and apply this to your own speeches.