The type of honor you’re receiving. To give thanks for an award or professional honor, say something like “I’m so honored to be here tonight, and grateful to be the recipient of this award. " The formality of the event. If it’s a more casual event, like an anniversary party thrown by your friends and family, your expression of thanks can be a bit warmer. For example, you could say “I can’t express how grateful I am to have all of you here with us tonight. "
If you’re being honored by your company, talk about the great work the organization does, and what it pleasure it is to work there. If you’re receiving an award from an outside party, like an arts organization awarding you for a film you directed, talk about how honored you are to be recognized by such a great organization. If you’re giving a speech to thank friends and family for honoring you, say a few words about what a special group of people you’re lucky to have in your life.
You could tell a story about a funny mishap that happened during a big project you worked on, or an obstacle you had to overcome to accomplish your goals. Try to bring other people into the story, too, instead of just talking about yourself. Talk about something that involves your coworkers, your boss, your kids, or other people in the audience. If you want, you can start your speech with this story and build up to your thank yous.
You can introduce the list by saying, “I’m especially grateful to a few amazing people whose support is the reason I’m up here right now. " Then recite the list of people who helped you. Take the audience into consideration, too. If you know your boss will be sitting in the front row, you might want to make sure you thank him/her. This part of thank you speeches can often get tedious. Don’t leave anyone important off of your list, but don’t list everyone you know, either. Keep it limited to people who actually helped you. Watch speeches from award shows like the Oscars or Emmy’s for inspiration on how to gracefully thank multiple people.
Say something inspirational. If you’re accepting an award for achievements you made for the nonprofit you work for, you could say, “Our work is far from over, but what we’ve accomplished together has made a difference in hundreds of people’s lives. Let’s roll up our sleeves and continue this journey with more dedication than ever. If we’ve made this much progress in just one year, think what we can do in three. " Dedicate the honor. You can give special appreciation to a loved one or mentor by dedicating your award to that person. Say something like, “And lastly, I want to dedicate this award to my mother. When my teachers told her they thought my dyslexia would prevent me from ever learning to read, she scoffed and told them I’d be a brilliant writer one day. It’s because of her faith in me that I’m up here today accepting my first Pulitzer. I love you, mom. "
Don’t write out the speech word for word. When you deliver it, you’ll be looking down at the paper the whole time instead of addressing the audience. You’ll come off as nervous and stiff instead of sincerely grateful. Alternatively, if there is a phrase or sentiment that you want to make sure you get absolutely right, write out that part in full. Practice this part so that you can say it smoothly. Try writing out just the first line of each paragraph you want to say. Then, when you glance down at your card, that first line will jog your memory.
As a general rule acceptance speeches are very short. Acceptance speeches for Academy Awards, for example, are limited to 45 seconds or less. Going over two or three minutes is going to end up boring people, so no matter what, aim to keep it to the point. When you practice your speech, set a timer to see how long it takes. You might want to record yourself so you can listen to the speech and identify parts you can shave off if your speech is too long. The most essential part of the speech is the expression of gratitude; the rest can be lopped if necessary.
Solicit feedback from the people listening to your speech. Ask them which parts drag on too long, or if there’s anything you didn’t say that should be included. Make sure you deliver the speech to at least one person you trust to give you totally honest feedback.
To help yourself eliminate the filler words, listen to a recording of yourself talking. Try to catch the spots where you tend to fill in the blank with “um” or “uh. " Practice saying those lines without filler until you’re able to deliver the whole speech that way.
Try visualizing yourself delivering the speech without stumbling. Imagine the room in as much detail as you can. If you know who will be in the audience, pretend that they are there as you practice. Deliver the whole thing in your head without a hiccup. This technique can help you feel less anxious when it comes to the real thing. Some people find it helps to laugh heartily before giving a speech. It puts you in a more relaxed mood. If you have the opportunity to do some vigorous exercise before the event, that’s another great way to release nervous energy.
Making eye contact will help you deliver the speech with more feeling. You can pretend like you’re giving it to a friend, rather than a faceless crowd of people. Rotating between more than one person is important. When you look at more than one spot in the audience, the whole group will feel more included in what you’re saying.
If it’s possible to look at the people you’re thanking as you say their names, try to do so. For example, if you’re thanking a colleague who’s sitting in the first row, your gratitude will be more apparent if you’re able to focus on her while you’re talking. Don’t be embarrassed if you tear up a little. It happens all the time during thank you speeches.
