Podcast Summary
Preparation and understanding make for successful toasts: Learn how to give a perfect toast with preparation and understanding. Whole Foods Market and Apple Card can help make your celebratory brunch affordable and enjoyable.
Toasts at events can be unpredictable and potentially awkward, but with preparation and understanding, they can be successful. Stand-up comedian Atsuko Okatsuka shared an experience of an unexpected and racially charged toast at her wedding. Toasts can go wrong in various ways, such as being too long, insulting, or drunken. However, with the help of a champion public speaker and experts, you can learn how to give a perfect toast. Whole Foods Market, a sponsor of NPR's Life Kit, can help you host a celebratory brunch for less, with wallet-friendly finds like cold smoked Atlantic salmon, mini quiches, organic everything bagels, and beautiful bouquets of sourced-for-good flowers. Apple Card, another sponsor, offers daily cash rewards on purchases, making it easier to afford your celebratory brunch. So, if you're feeling nervous about giving a toast, remember that preparation and understanding can make all the difference. And when it comes to hosting a brunch, Whole Foods Market and Apple Card have got you covered.
Personal stories connect audiences during toasts: Share a heartfelt story about the person being honored to engage and connect with the audience, demonstrating your relationship and highlighting their character.
Telling a personal story is an effective way to engage and connect with an audience during a toast or public speaking engagement. This was emphasized by Claire Roth, a public radio journalist and wedding toast expert, who shared her experiences and advice on crafting meaningful toasts. By sharing a story about the person being honored, the speaker can demonstrate their relationship and highlight the honoree's character, making the audience feel connected and invested. Claire emphasized the importance of choosing an appropriate and sweet anecdote, and provided a simple formula for structuring a toast: introduce yourself, tell a story about the person, connect the story to the occasion, and conclude with a gentle joke or wish. By following this approach, speakers can create a memorable and impactful toast that leaves a lasting impression.
Maintaining an optimistic tone and authenticity in toasts: Toast with positivity, sincerity, and genuine feelings, avoiding sensitive topics and maintaining a cheerful mood.
When giving a toast, it's important to maintain an optimistic tone and authenticity. Optimism sets the mood for celebratory events and prevents bringing down the festive atmosphere with sad stories. Tone is also crucial, as trying to be overly funny may not be necessary as life itself is often humorous. Authenticity adds sincerity and genuine feelings towards the person or event being toasted. Avoiding sensitive topics such as sex, religion, politics, and race, when possible, can help ensure a successful toast. Dan Perlman suggests being vulnerable and sharing personal experiences to tap into authenticity. Remember, the goal is to celebrate and honor the person or occasion, so keep it positive, sincere, and genuine.
Preparation and practice are crucial for a successful speech during a toast.: Write from the heart, have an editor, reframe nervousness as excitement, find a wing person, pause when needed, acknowledge unexpected circumstances, and rely on audience support.
Preparation and practice are key elements to delivering a successful speech during a toast. Dan's anecdotal toast about their friendship evolution showcased the importance of writing from the heart and having an editor to refine the speech. Nervousness is a natural feeling, and it's essential to reframe it as excitement. Finding an audience wing person and pausing when needed can help overcome stage fright. Unforeseen circumstances, like hecklers, require quick thinking and acknowledgement. Lastly, audience members play a crucial role in supporting the speaker during a toast.
Preparing a successful toast: Tell a story, maintain optimism, be authentic, practice, and keep it short: To give a successful toast, tell a story, maintain a positive tone, be authentic, practice, and keep it short, ideally under 3 minutes, while avoiding alcohol for clear delivery.
Giving a toast requires careful preparation and consideration. According to the experts, there are several key elements to keep in mind. First, tell a story or share an anecdote that engages your audience (T). Next, maintain an optimistic tone and avoid sensitive topics (O). Be authentic and sincere in your speech (A). Practice your toast beforehand and look for a receptive audience while delivering it (S). Lastly, keep your toast short and sweet, ideally within 2 to 3 minutes (T). And above all, don't drink alcohol before giving your toast to ensure clear and coherent delivery. By following these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to giving a memorable and successful toast.
NPR's Life Kit: Self-Cleaning Laundry Detergent Container and More: Listen to NPR's Life Kit for practical tips on self-cleaning laundry detergent containers, managing finances, and more. Subscribe to the newsletter for exclusive content.
NPR's Life Kit offers a wealth of practical tips and resources for everyday life, from managing your finances to cleaning hacks. One such tip is to put the messy cup from laundry detergent in the washer for a self-cleaning solution. For more tips and exclusive content, subscribe to the Life Kit newsletter. In other news, US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen was once asked about her love for mobile games on the podcast "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me." Meanwhile, sponsors Charles Schwab and State Farm shared insights on behavioral economics and small business insurance, respectively. Stay tuned for more practical tips and entertaining stories from NPR.
