#67 Workout Your Stump Speech

After ending Seinfeld, Jerry Seinfeld threw out his old material and rebuilt a stand-up act from scratch. In the documentary Comedian, you see even a legend bomb, forget punchlines, and get heckled—then keep going.

That’s the lesson for candidates: speeches don’t get good by thinking. They get good by reps.

Your stump speech needs a gym.
Over the next few months, every event—Lincoln Day dinners, Rotary clubs, community meetings—is a chance to test what works.

The Hand Approach (from Winning Edge #48)

• Hook – Story, statistic, or question
• Hold – 3 things, 2 contrasts, or 1 big idea
• Hurdle – Address the objection people won’t say out loud
• Handoff – Clear call to action

What to practice

• Hook: why you’re running, character stories, questions, stats
• Hold: 3 priorities, 2 reasons, 1 defining issue
• Hurdle: name and answer the concern in their head
• Handoff: sign up, give, volunteer

Treat every speaking opportunity as an experiment. Keep what lands. Cut what doesn’t. By spring, you’ll have a clear, tested stump speech that works.

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