When you have a speech coming up does your mind revolve in ever tightening circles as you wonder what on earth you can talk about? Mine did until someone showed me a way out of the maze. Now my squirrel brain has a path to follow as I choose a topic.
Start with the type of speech you’d like to make. You have three basic choices – informational, inspirational/motivational, entertaining. Yes, there’s overlap between them, but those are the three basic types.
If you choose informational you can speak about something you know well or you can treat yourself to exploring a new topic and discovering it for yourself. If you choose the new topic, it will take longer to research but you’ll end up knowing something you didn’t know before.
If you start off knowing the topic very well – you’re a baker and you’re thinking of speaking about how to make fine pastry – beware of adding too many precise details. Give them the basics and throw in a couple of anecdotes and a few tips they might not know.
If it is a new-to-you topic share the excitement of what you found out along the way. Your own pleasure and interest will be a bonus for the listener. It will help to make your facts easier to remember.
An entertaining speech is often a humorous speech, but I’ve found that some speakers have strange ideas about what is entertaining. Re-living a holiday in the ‘Fourteen days with my Dear Husband in the Alps’ fashion is not truly entertaining. “On the Tuesday we got up and again had croissants for breakfast, with coffee.”
Ask yourself, even with an entertaining speech – Is there meaning? Is there story? Is there some point to it?
“Well, I thought it was kinda interesting.” is not a good answer to these questions.
The motivational/inspirational speech is one where you hope to change the thinking of the audience. These are not easy for the beginner, but if your heart is in it and you feel you have a message of importance then go for it. Focus on your message. Illustrate it well with personal stories. Your sincerity and belief will make it a well-chosen topic.
