The fundamentals of a great speech stay the same. (Develop one strong idea. Focus on the audience. Be authentic, clear, and committed.) But styles change with time. These are the latest trends in speeches and presentations.

1. Keep it Short

People want information, but theyre already overwhelmed by too much information. If you give them what they need to know in a way they can quickly understand and apply, theyll love you. Get to the heart of the matter in as few words as possible. Say what you have to say. And stop speaking -- even if you havent spoken for the allotted time.

2. Lets Get Personal.

In this age of Oprah, interactive websites, and blogs, formal presentations are out. Instead, savvy speakers are speaking conversationally. Theyre less likely to make a speech, more likely to talk to their audiences. They move away from podiums. They use personal stories and anecdotes. They say I and you, we and us. They encourage audience interaction.

3. Simple Is Chic.

Sophisticated technology is simple -- at least for the end user. A point-and-shoot camera takes in all sorts of data and makes innumerable, complex calculations so you dont have to. Successful speakers do the same thing. They do their research. They decide whats important. And they present what the audience needs to know in a way the audience gets.

4. The Love Affair with PowerPoint Is Over.

Audiences are no longer wowed by PowerPoint. They take it for granted, and if anything theyre a little bored by it. Use it as a tool, a way of presenting information. But dont let it upstage you. Keep yourself up front and personal.

5. Recycling Is Good for What Ails You.

Creating a good speech takes a lot of time. So once youve created a presentation, reuse it. Dont think you have to come up with something new for each occasion. You can give the exact same speech word for word to a different audience, and it becomes a different speech. Take bits and pieces from one presentation and repackage them. Trim a 45-minute in-depth presentation into a 15-minute overview of your topic. Or use your 15-minute overview as an outline for a longer presentation.

6. Mark your Territory.

Its almost impossible to come up with something brand new and original to talk about. After all, how many news ways are there to make a sales, a speech, or a successful relationship? Winning speakers take the best of whats already known and make it new by making it their own. They put their own spin on it, using a unique (and consistent) choice of words and phrasing. Think Chicken Soup for the Soul, the One-Minute Manager, and Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus. New stuff or clever packaging?

7. Everyone Wants a Security Blanket.

Its a scary world, and people are afraid of losing what they have. They want something or someone who will make them feel safe. If youre going to challenge them to change, you need to show them why. And you need to reassure them that what they get will be better than what they leave behind. Threats -- implied or explicit -- will make people react in the moment, but they wont sustain peoples long-term efforts.

Chris Witt is a speech writer, coach, and trainer based in San Diego. He works with executives and business owners who want to speak like leaders. He also helps technical teams plan, create, and rehearse oral proposals for large government contracts. His website -- http://www.wittcom.com -- has over 70 pages of how-to articles.

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