Method 1
- Start with an expression of gratitude. Right off the bat, you can start by saying thank you for the award or honor you're receiving. An acknowledgement of why you're giving the speech is the most natural way to start. Your expression of gratitude will set the tone for the rest of your speech. As you decide exactly what you want to say, take the following factors into account:
- 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."
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- Talk about your esteem for the people honoring you. This gives you an opportunity to go a little deeper and make the people who are responsible for giving you award feel good. Whether you're being honored by your company, another organization or people you know well, take few minutes to express your sincere regard for them.
- 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.
- Tell a funny or poignant story. In a thank you speech, it's charming to tell an anecdote or two about something that happened leading up to the honor you're receiving. Since thank you speeches are often given at dinners and festive events, saying something to keep the mood light and bring smiles to people's faces will be appreciated.
- 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.
- Mention the names of people who helped you. It's nice to give credit to the people whose support helped you accomplish something worth honoring. Create a short list of colleagues, friends, and family members without whose help you wouldn't be receiving this honor.
- 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 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.
- End it on a high note. When you finish listing people you want to thank, the speech is just about over. End it by saying thanks once more, and repeating how sincerely grateful you are. If you want your speech to be especially memorable, you could consider including an additional flourish. For example,
- 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."
