Types of Speeches: Accepting an Award

If you do a good job in anything and everything you do, chances are that at some point, someone is going to present you with an award. Did you know there is an effective way to accept that award with grace and professionalism? In today’s post, I’m going to share with you some tips on accepting an award!

Types of Speeches: Accepting an Award

Image: Accepting an award from the Alliance for Patient Access, provided via WikiMedia Commons, by the office of U.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow, Public domain
NOTE: If you decide to become a professional speaker or use speaking as an integral part of your marketing strategy, it’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the various types of speeches you might be asked to give. In this series of posts, I’ll give you the basics of a variety of types of presentations you can prepare. At the end of this post, I’ve listed previous articles in this series.

Tips for effectively accepting an award

Practice your acceptance speech
If you are in the running to receive and award or know that you will be presented with one, write an acceptance speech in advance and practice it until you know it cold. This will help relieve any nervous feelings you have going up to receive it, as well as active the Law of Attraction to make it happen!

Practice the Pause
Don’t be in a rush to give that acceptance speech. Take a moment of silence … take a breath, count to three. This pause gives you poise, and the breath can even out your voice.

Never apologize!
You’re receiving an award … you have nothing to be sorry for!

Focus on your focus
Your message is more important than the medium with which you deliver it. Focus on that.

Remember to be Grateful
Keep in mind that the words “thank you” need to factor in your acceptance speech somewhere … and you need to sound like you mean it! That the organization that is presenting the award. Thank the people who helped you get here. No one wins an award without support and encouragement from others.

Keep it short
Your acceptance speech should be pithy … don’t bore the audience. This is especially important if the event is presenting several awards. Don’t take up other people’s time with a long, drawn out acceptance speech.

No notes!
This is not the time to read your acceptance speech. It should be short enough that you can memorize the salient points. It should be you, your presenter and the award up there … no paper or index cards should mar that.

Resources for effectively accepting an award

Did you miss these?

Here are the previous posts in this “Type of Speeches” series:


The next post in this series is the After Dinner Talk.

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About the author

Carma Spence, is author of Public Speaking Super Powers. She is fiercely committed to guiding women to Owning their Superpowers and turning their knowledge and interests into a profitable business. She is masterful at helping her clients see what is possible for them and supporting them on the journey from where they are to where they want to be, releasing the Mind Goblins of self-doubt, self-sabotage and second-guessing that keep them stuck.

With 20+ years experience in marketing communications and public relations, natural intuitive skills and certification in using some of the most effective transformational coaching tools available, Carma’s mission and commitment is to unleash the inner power every woman entrepreneur possesses so they can boldly go out into the world, transforming the fabric of people’s lives in meaningful and positive ways.

You can find her on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Her website is CarmaSpence.com.