The Internet and online tools can be tapped to help speechwriters craft the perfect speech.
Researching and incorporating historical events, humorous anecdotes, quotes and jokes for corporate officers' speeches could mean the difference between a blah... and a bravo! speech. Or, if it's a matter of simply finding out what famous person said exactly what and when, Internet and online speechwriting resources can answer such questions. If used with patience and direction, they can become a font of information.
PR News contacted a few speechwriters by phone to find out how they use the Internet and other online tools.
What Speechwriters Say
Internet surfing is an art, but is not for everyone. One example is freelance speechwriter Fred Willman, who has written for such companies as International Business Machines Corp. [IBM] and Allstate Insurance Co. [3427Z] and various presidential candidates. He says, "I'd rather be reading a book," than using the Internet as an information tool.
The best way he stays on top of all current ideas, events, quotes and current news nuggets for speeches is by reading history, science and literature information, and as many newsworthy magazines and books as he can. Willman, however, has a Web page at www.ribbit9.com that outlines his speechwriting services, and shares online speech tips with Websurfers.
Bob Skovgard, editor and publisher of the monthly newsletter The Executive Speaker, says that the Internet will be a major tool for speechwriters, but for now is too slow for writers to rely on for information. The newsletter features speechwriting tips, speakers/public speaking organizations and events, software and product reviews and sample speeches from its 5,600-document library.
Skovgard is not a regular Web user yet, but may become one after he puts up a Web page for the newsletter in a few weeks, whose launch date and address are not yet known. The "content-rich" site will post such goodies as sample speeches, a resource center and a calendar for seminars and conferences.
Tools to Use
The software reviews editor for The Executive Speaker newsletter is John Hamm, who fully advocates the usefulness of online resources. He says one of the best is the PR Forum on CompuServe. The forum has a special interest devoted to speeches and speechwriting. The site includes a library of resources, and also allows members to chat with one another.
"This is an isolating business, and I can meet people here that I otherwise wouldn't be able to exchange information and ideas with," Hamm says.
For people who can't always find the exact documents they're looking for during an online search, Hamm recommends using various keywords to pull up every possible related document. For example, if you're looking for information on speechwriting, type in keywords: oratory, public speaking, speeches, quotations or jokes.
Joining a Speaker's Bureau on the Internet can also give a member access to famous speeches, libraries, resources and lists of known speakers to contact for advice or information.
The six-year-old online database IdeaBank provides members with a full selection of quotes, anecdotes, proverbs, jokes and a "history today" file of historical events and famous birthdays. Charles Francis, creator of IdeaBank, says 90 percent of his clients are corporate speechwriters, while the other 10 percent are PR and ad agencies, who combined support a 90 percent renewal rate. One noteworthy aspect about IdaBank is that each keyword a user types in has about ten descriptors on it. Other related documents come up on the screen, not just ones that include the key word, which is a nice change from Internet searches. (Charles Francis @ IdeaBank, 914/666-4211; Fred Willman, 415/440-2802; Bob Skovgard, 513/294-8493; John Hamm, 217/524-1924)