How To Choose Public Speaking Topics

How to Choose Public Speaking Topics

6 Steps to Pick a Public Speaking Topic

Have to do a speech but don’t know where to start or what topic to choose? Here are 6 steps to guide you to pick a Public Speaking Topic.

Step 1: Event

Know what event you will be speaking at. Is it a formal dinner, a Science classroom presentation, a Chinese New Year event, a Birthday or Wedding Reception? To know the nature of the event is the priority as you can only choose the most suitable topic to support the specific event. The attendees will be those who are interested in the purpose of the event hence your topic will need to be of use for them to hear.

STEP 2: Research.

Start by asking around, your friends and family if they would be interested to know more on the topic. What about the Public Speaking Topic makes it interesting? Check online, newspapers and magazines for the latest news and trends. An easy topic for a speech means that it is a topic many are interested in. In creating content for a speech, it is always good to have facts and data to support. When you write a speech you have to think if the content is information people can benefit from.

STEP 3: Audience

Study the audience and those attending the event. You can gauge an idea of the subject matter of interest. In a speech you need to know what to say and how to say especially if there is age variance. Young children understand simple language and simple topics like hobbies, toys, friendships and such. An older crowd are more mature and require more precise and mind challenging topics.

Demographics of the audience is vital as you also do not want to defend anyone of different age, race, religion, size etc. Consider the difference and common ground of your audience, again to select the relevancy of your topic.

STEP 4: Why this topic?

Ask yourself the reason you want to talk about the topic. What do you know? Do you have any related experience ? What is your reason to talk about this topic?

You have to be interested in the topic then only can you really attract people’s attention. People can tell when you are passionate about something and when you are just bored.

STEP 5: Shortlist

Make a long list of possible topics and slowly cancel those you find least interesting until you narrow it down to 2 topics.

In this process, ask yourself the following:

1. Is it relevant?

2. Is it interesting to the audience?

3. Is it interesting to you?

4. Is it in trend?

STEP 6: Decide

This is the point of no turning back because from here-on the ball will be released and keep on rolling. At this point, you have already a lot of main points for your speech considering everything you thought about in steps 1 to 7 above. Write down the points you can talk about for the topic and you can build your speech referring to that list. Structuring your speech from the beginning is vital so that your audience does not get bored or confused.

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