Assess Your Speechmaking Situation

Consider the occasion
How long will your talk last? Will you be the keynote speaker or one of many? Has your audience heard you before and what is their impression of you and your organization? Is this talk one of many or a single presentation?

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Find a topic
Generally speaking, the topic of you talk is already apparent to you. You want to speak before a community group to change a policy. You've been asked to make a toast at your best friend's wedding. Your boss is retiring and you'd like to honor her. Or you are sharing your recommendations for improving a procedure to make your work more efficient.

Communiation scholar Joseph DeVito recommends that your topic be worthwhile, appropriate, culturally sensitive and limited in scope.

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Clarify your speaking goal
What is the pupose of your talk? Have you been invited to share your expertise on a topic? Will you be celebrating a special occasion or presenting an award? Do you seek to motivate your audience to make a change? Or are you merely talking to entertain?

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Develop your central idea or thesis
Can you get your point across in thirty seconds or less? Audience members expect that you will be able to give them the bottom line and to make it accurate, brief, and clear.

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