Tips On Public Speaking - Selecting Your Topic
Some speeches are predetermined by the event in which you are participating. Typically this would be a conference presentation with your contribution being a very specific part of the whole. In that case the choice of topic is made for you and it is likely that you are speaking because of your expertise in that field. However, the person who wishes to make a profit at public speaking will choose topics and market these speeches. In this case therefore the choice of topic is made by the individual.
How to you make that choice? Here are some tips to narrow it down.
A topic about which you know a lot is a natural choice. You will feel much more relaxed and confident talking on something that is familiar to you rather than browsing magazines and selecting a topic about which you know little or nothing.
Choose a topic you are interested in discussing. You may know a lot about certain topics but they do not interest you. Avoid these. If you are not interested it is unlikely that you can interest your audience in them. It does not have to widely known. An expert could make a speech about the life of an earth worm interesting.
Choose a topic that you can make interesting or informative to your audience. It in not necessary for a successful speech for your audience to be interested in your topic at the beginning of your speech but they certainly should be by the end.. As a skilled public speaker you should be able to achieve this.. You are interested so communicate that interest and enthusiasm to them. This usually takes the form of giving them information that they previously did not have.
Choose a topic that suits the requirements of the assignment. Be sure that you know the type of speech, the time constraints and any other requirements of the organisers who book you. Your speech must be aligned to those requirements.
The foregoing points are broad. You now need to refine your topic in the light of further analysis.
Consider some situational factors
Familiarity. Will your audience be familiar with any information that will help you select your topic? Remember finding common ground is the quickest and easiest way to establish empathy with your audience.
Current events. Can you use a topical item from the news that is particularly pertinent to your audience? However, unless you are planning a political speech do not be overly controversial. You do not want to alienate half your audience.
Audience apathy. This is the challenge that a more experienced public speaker will relish. Do you want to persuade your audience to a view that you feel strongly but about which they are apathetic.?
Time limits. Avoid a topic that is so broad and deep that you can only skim the surface in the time allotted to you.. If you spread your material too thinly the audience will realise this even if they cannot quite analyse the reason for their dissatisfaction. If necessary take just one aspect of your topic and work on that.
Then consider some audience factors
Previous knowledge. What do my audience already know? Common experience. What common experiences have my audience encountered? Common interests. Where do my interests and those of my audience meet? Relevant diverse factors. How diverse are my listeners?
When you have considered all these factors and written headline points in answer to each of the questions above you will find subjects emerging that will give you the themes and details of your speech.
About the Author
Tim Ross has over the years spoken to many different groups in a variety of locations including the Guildhall in the City of London. The lessons in public speaking from these experiences are detailed in his blogs and articles. For more information visit http://www.howtobeapublicspeaker.com/publicspeaking/
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