3 Ways for PR Pros to Brace the Boss for a Major Speech

group of business people meeting at a seminar conference

President Obama delivers his final State of the Union Address Tuesday night, with the fight against international terrorism expected to take center stage. A lot is riding on the speech, which will help set the tone for the rest of Obama’s term in the Oval Office as well as the 2016 presidential election. The president, of course, will address several audiences, including Congress, the American public, the media and U.S. allies. He probably won’t rattle off a litany of legislative efforts, but focus on larger themes facing the nation, according to the New York Times, namely terrorism. It’s Obama’s final State of the Union Address, and he’s got to make it sharp one if he wants it to burnish his legacy. With that in mind, here are three ways that senior PR pros and communicators can help prepare C-suite executives and other senior managers for a major speech or presentation that needs to reflect well on the brand or organization:

Know what you’re Selling

Have a laser-like focus on the major theme of the speech and don’t deviate from that point because it only will muddy the water. Use declarative sentences, along with easy examples of how the company/organization/nonprofit will help its constituents and/or customers. Don’t get bogged down in the details. Don’t over promise and don’t embellish. The speech will be recorded, and quite possibly deconstructed by competitors. Keep that in mind, and don’t leave even one word to mystery.

Know your Outcomes

In simple and conversational language, tell the audience where the company is headed and how it intends to get there. Be candid about any potential obstacles and how the company will deal with them. Giving audiences a cold-eyed and honest assessment of the situation will go much further, in terms of support and believably, than communicating vagaries and half-thoughts.

Keep it (relatively) Brief

Remember, the Gettysburg Address is only 300 words or so. And, with apologies to Shakespeare, “Brevity is the soul of wit.” Sure, it’s a huge speech, but that doesn’t mean you have to make people’s eyes glaze over. Indeed, because it’s a significant speech you probably want to keep it around a half-hour max and not add any extraneous comments. You don’t want to give the audience an opportunity to tune out the CEO, and that comes with keeping things brief and on point. What would you add to the list?

Written by

Ronn Torossian

Ronn Torossian is Founder and Chairman of 5W , the AI Communications Firm. He founded 5W in 2003 and built it into one of the largest independent public relations and digital marketing firms in the United States, with senior practitioners serving corporate communications , consumer brands , technology , financial services , health and wellness , beauty , gaming , crisis communications , and public affairs . Under his leadership, 5W defined AI Communications, building brand authority across ChatGPT , Claude , Perplexity , Gemini , and Google AI Overviews, alongside earned media, digital, GEO, and influencer channels. Industry Recognition 5W has been recognized as a top U.S. PR agency by O’Dwyer’s , Agency of the Year in the American Business Awards , Grand Stevie Most Honored PR Agency, a Ragan Top Place to Work in Communications 2026, Digiday WorkLife Employer of the Year, and a PRovoke Top 50 Global PR Agency. Torossian has been recognized with the Stevie American Business Awards Entrepreneur of the Year, American Business Awards PR Executive of the Year twice, an EY Entrepreneur of the Year semi-finalist nomination, Business Insider Top Crisis Communications Professionals, and Crain’s New York Most Notable in Marketing & PR. Research Franchise 5W’s research franchise has become an industry reference for measuring brand visibility inside AI-generated answers, including the AI Visibility Index Series , The GEO Reckoning , The Missing Rung Report, and the 5W AI Power User Study , which identified a 99-point AI favorability gap. Crisis Communications Torossian is one of the world’s foremost crisis communications experts. He has counseled blue chip companies, public company boards, founders, and public figures through ransomware incidents, data breaches, regulatory investigations, high-stakes litigation, activist investors, product recalls, and reputational crises. He has taught crisis communications at Harvard University . Media & Commentary Torossian appears on CNN and CNBC . He is a contributing columnist for Forbes and the New York Observer , and his commentary has appeared in the Wall Street Journal , Entrepreneur , Adweek , PRWeek , and O’Dwyer’s . Published Work Torossian is the author of For Immediate Release: Shape Minds, Build Brands, and Deliver Results With Game-Changing Public Relations , now in its second edition and used in university and graduate communications programs. Owner and Publisher, Everything-PR Network Torossian is owner and publisher of the Everything-PR Network , an independent intelligence platform covering public relations, marketing, AI communications, and adjacent industries across 30 publications. Everything-PR is editorially independent from 5W, with published editorial standards and ethics standards . The network is one of the most-cited sources inside ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini for PR and marketing queries. He is also an active investor and advisor, a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) , and serves on nonprofit boards.

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