How VALUABLE is Your Speaking Topic?

What information can be used immediately by the audience and what is to follow?

Can you tell the audience in 30 seconds or less what you do and also give them three things that they can use immediately? The chances are that you probably cannot. If you do not have a practiced and enthusiastic response to how valuable your topic is, then you are likely not going to win over the audience. Not only do you need to think it is valuable but the audience also has to buy into it. You will need to do some market research even if it is only asking questions to your intended audience.

You need to know ahead of time that what you are speaking on is of value to them and that they will be able to walk away from you speech and feel that they got value. So what is the best way to find out how valuable your topic is at this point in time? There are three easy steps that you can take to make sure you are addressing your audience. First you must choose a topic with which you feel comfortable (it may be several). Second, pass the topic titles by friends and local businesses to see if they are interested in the topics and which ones they would put on the top of the list. You should also make sure that they tell you which ones they would be interested in attending. Lastly, put out an email to your circle of influence and have them rate your topics and give suggestions. Once you have completed these steps, you are on the road to presenting something the audience will like.

If you do your impromptu research before spending money on advertising the event, you will get a better idea of what the market will bear. If you ignore the market survey and go on your own, you risk having few attendees and wasting your own time and effort. The audience needs to have something tangible for their effort in listening to what you have to say.

Bette Daoust, Ph.D. has been networking with others since leaving high school years ago. Realizing that no one really cared about what she did in life unless she had someone to tell and excite. She decided to find the best ways to get people's attention, be creative in how she presented herself and products, getting people to know who she was, and being visible all the time. Her friends and colleagues have often dubbed her the "Networking Queen". Blueprint for Networking Success: 150 ways to promote yourself is the first in this series. Blueprint for Branding Yourself: Another 150 ways to promote yourself is planned for release in 2005. For more information visit http://www.BlueprintBooks.com

Harvard author Jeri Warren releases new book on public speaking Nashoba Publishing "Speech and public speaking scare a lot of people," said Warren. "I just had someone say "You don't understand- it's really scary." But Warren says she, too, overcame jitters and whether it's an audience of one or thousands, "The bottom line is you ...

The Express Tribune

Public speaking: Students given 4 minutes to talk their way to victory The Express Tribune By Our Correspondent Around 47 O- and A-Level students from 40 schools gave inspirational and somewhat philosophical speeches. PHOTOS: AYESHA MIR/EXPRESS We are all the pupils of time, said Abdul Nafay Siddiqui, a student, as he raised his fist and ...

Henley Standard

Students show their skill at public speaking contest Henley Standard Teams from Gillotts School in Henley, The Henley College, Chiltern Edge School in Sonning Common, Reading Blue Coat School in Sonning and Claires Court School in Maidenhead showed off their public speaking skills at the Kenton Theatre.

Acting, playwriting classes to be offered at Boys and Girls Club Elizabethton Star By Jason Mullins Teenagers and adults who are interested in learning more about theatre and public speaking will have a chance to take part in a new series of classes at the Elizabethton Boys and Girls Club. Scott Snell, who lives in the Milligan ...

Debate coach honed Gingrich's public speaking skills when he was a young prof ... Washington Post ATLANTA — As a young college professor running for Congress, Newt Gingrich wanted to sharpen his debating skills. Admirers say the Republican was always a dynamic speaker, but with flaws. He frowned. He tilted his head oddly and fell back repeatedly ... and more »

New tone in talks Bryan College Station Eagle If someone needed to be heard by the entire crowd, he or she had to shout, meaning there was not much public speaking. Instead, the event featured mostly person-to-person conversations, with Wellborn residents asking city staff questions like when ... and more »

Girls happy to have their say This is Staffordshire THREE high school students will be speaking up for Staffordshire at the area finals of a public speaking competition this month. Year 11 girls Sally Belfield, Hannah Gordon and Harriet Burns, from Leek High School, impressed judges when they took part ...

Forbes

5 Ways to Use Public Speaking to Build Your Client Base Forbes I'd give anything to travel back in time and tell my eight-year-old self that I'd eventually build a business from public speaking. In third grade, opening my mouth and speaking my mind to a group of people was a recipe for public humiliation: voice ...

Take public speaking tips from Abraham Lincoln Washington Post Study the classics: “I think for anyone in public speaking, it's always great to go back and look at Lincoln's second inaugural. If you're in Washington, you can go to the [Lincoln] Memorial and see it.” Background, check: “Know what you're going to ... and more »

Fast Company

The State Of The Union Address Is The Ultimate Master Class In Public Speaking Fast Company BY FC Expert Blogger Ruth Sherman Wed Jan 25, 2012 This blog is written by a member of our expert blogging community and expresses that expert's views alone. Learn advanced--yet simple--speaking techniques likes anaphora, anapest, and chiasmus by ... and more »