Now let’s look at the second of the five strategies in picking the perfect topic for public speaking:
It has to be popular.
Now there are many topics and many terrific ideas out there. The internet has opened up the world of knowledge and information sharing in a very big way. There is a constant influx of information and knowledge continually being circulated and absorbed by the general population.
Along with this flow of knowledge and information, there are many terrific businesses in operation.
But those businesses are not always perfect for everyone. That also means that not every topic you could choose will be perfect for everyone in your target audience or clientele. Topics should be very specific, so when you choose your topic, it needs to be a popular subject.
What Do People Want?
Now clearly that does not mean that it has to be popular with everyone on the planet. It just has to be popular with the people who are in your audience. And by popular, I mean that it has to be a topic that
people want to hear and learn more about. For example, you could speak on innovative technology related to your product or industry. New unknown information or anything that has interest in the world media are good places to start looking for a topic.
The problem is with all the information now available to everyone, there is a risk of information overload. There is a lot of information circulating that is needed as well as information that everyone should have, but there is also a glut of information. There is also information that people just don’t want or are just not ready for and that they do not see the value in.
The good news is there are also things that people want. As an analogy, when you go shopping there are things you need like food, clothing and shelter, but then there are things you want such as a big screen TV, a really cool sports car or a vacation. Which one of these sounds more exciting? Which ones would you raise your eyebrows too and think, “Oh that sounds pretty good”?
Tapping into Desires and Emotions
Of course, the answer to that question is the things that you want not need. Those desires really motivate you more than the things that you need because a lot more emotion is involved. When you want things, it is more emotional. When you need things, it is more basic or fundamental. Tapping into this emotion is a key goal in your public speaking. Choosing a popular topic is one of the easiest ways to tap into your audience’s interests and desires.
So, when you are designing your topic, try to pick something that is popular. What is it that is going to appeal to the emotion of the listener, your audience, or your customer group? Once you have pinpointed that then really focus in on it.
