As Jerry Seinfeld once remarked when discussing the fact that more people were terrified of public speaking than death, ”This means to the average person, if you go to a funeral, you’re better off in the casket than doing the eulogy…..”
Eulogies are something many of us will have to deliver at some point during our lives.
Often, it is difficult and performed under emotional circumstances. For many, the task of writing one is daunting enough, let alone delivering it.
Ash Oliver came up with the idea of SpeechForm’s Eulogy Generator after his father-in-law was having difficulty with writing a eulogy himself.
He couldn’t easily find the support he wanted. In fact, he said it was the only element of the funeral that he was not supported with.
After hearing this, Ash went and explored the topic. Not only did he find out that a ‘build-it-yourself’ style of service not exist for eulogies, but he also discovered 59% of people find eulogy writing either ‘very’ or ‘extremely hard’ to do.
He even came across a respondent that remarked writing a eulogy was “one of the most difficult things I’ve had to do in my life.” On hearing this, Ash said he felt compelled to do more.
As part of its research, SpeechForm to date has polled over 600 people and has come across many elements that make the task of writing a eulogy difficult. These include grief, creative thinking, writing skills and what goes into a eulogy.
Getting to the end of the day, having dealt with work, kids, traffic, grief, and then having to write creatively is no easy task. And, not everyone wants to rely on other people for support or be seen to need help. An online tool that gives helps someone to write their own speech, and one that has the flexibility to customise the final product, is the perfect solution for many.
Ash also works with InvoCare – currently Australia’s largest funeral provider. Due to the pandemic, restrictions for funerals were in place for much of the year, primarily around the number of attendees. However, this didn’t change the process for funerals, such as the need for speeches. In fact, arguably, as a result of technology such as live video streaming, Ash argued there was more pressure on those delivering speeches at funerals.
The custom of honouring loved ones through eulogies has not been forgone because the number of mourners at funerals has lessened in times of Government restrictions. Live streaming, and recording of funerals means even more pressure is placed on those giving eulogies to deliver something they are proud of.
That’s why we have focused so strongly on the quality of the Eulogy Generator. As COVID restriction ease over the coming months and years, we want to make sure people have the support they need.
The ‘Eulogy Generator’ currently provides over 80 pieces of content. Collectively, this is over 11,000 words or an hour and half of speech time. All the content is written by experienced speechwriters.
The platform has already grown six-times over the first quarter of this year, with Ash adding the team is looking forward to releasing new features to a wider audience.
We hope we’ve succeeded in our mission to ease people’s burden during a difficult time, and to help them to make a positive impact on their family and friends.
To find out more about the platform click here.
Additionally, if you have a fear of public speaking, check this out.
