Luck of the Irish Invitational
2025 — Online, MI/US
Sales Speaking
Event Description:
A sales speech combines informative and persuasive techniques to convince members of the immediate audience to respond favorably to the appeal. The sales speaker should carefully analyze the audience and develop an appropriate persuasive message for an actual product or service. The sales speaker should not invent the subject or the audience for the presentation.
Each speaker chooses an original topic and prepares the speech before the contest. The contestant must certify, prior to the start of the tournament, that the sales speech is the original work of the contestant. Written certification of the originality of the speech must be given to the tournament director prior to the start of the contest.
Contestants participating in sales speaking must have a manuscript or an outline for the judge upon request. Speakers must use proper documentation in the manuscript. The request for the manuscript or the outline of a contestant by the judge must be made within the time frame of the round of competition.
The manuscript or outline must include directly quoted material and/or paraphrased material, which is used in the speech. Plagiarism, the failure to provide accurate credit to the author(s) of directly quoted material or paraphrased material, is a serious offense and is a basis for disqualification.
The speaker may wish to incorporate the use of visual aids, audiovisual projections, or demonstrations. A demonstration is defined as the actual operation of a piece of equipment, an object, a device, or a process. Visual/audio aids should supplement the presentation and should not be the major focus of the speech. The use of visual aids, audiovisual projections, or demonstrations should not interfere with the speaker's communicative contact with the audience. Set-up time is limited to two minutes.
Procedures that endanger the health and safety of the viewers are prohibited. Live animals are not permitted. Caution should be used in distributing consumable products to an audience.
The suggested time limit for sales speaking in high school is five to eight minutes. For the middle school level, the suggested time limit for sales speaking is four to seven minutes. Presentations that do not conform to the suggested time parameters may be penalized at the discretion of the judge. Penalties are not mandatory for timing irregularities.
BASIS OF DECISION
Concept of Sales Speaking: The topic should be suitable for the audience, yet reflect originality. A good sales speech is developed through organization, amplification, clarity, and interest. Supporting material should be presented in a logical manner designed to maintain a high level of interest for the listener.
Action and Platform Conduct: The speaker should exhibit personality, maintain direct eye contact with the audience, show physical poise, and demonstrate freedom in posture, movement, and gesture. Prompting from the audience is unallowed and could be the basis for disqualification.
Oral Presentation: The delivery of the speech should be enthusiastic, direct, sincere, and communicative. The speaker's delivery should be free from marked defects in the mechanics of speech — quality and use of voice, enunciation, and fluency--and should be effective in enlisting and holding the interest of the audience.
The sales speaker may deliver the speech from a manuscript, memory, an outline, or any combination thereof.