(Or read: 3 Content Tips For Advanced Speakers)

To be a speaker, you must have a message – something to say. Your audience expects to hear something interesting, useful, or entertaining. It does not have to be particularly deep or profound (but it could be). It does have to be interesting, useful, or entertaining – or better yet, some combination of all three.

Tip #1: Choose a Topic in which You Have Expertise

The best way to look like an expert is to be an expert. Don’t pick a topic that requires you to do extensive research and learn an entirely new subject. Pick a topic with which you are already familiar.

You have several types of expertise:

• Subject-matter expertise
• Life experience
• Shared humanity

First, your subject-matter expertise may be derived from your educational or occupational knowledge. You may be a waiter, a computer programmer, or a manager. You have also learned from your interests and hobbies, such as stained glass, antiques, or refereeing high school football. If you are a subject matter expert in something, you have lessons to share.

Second, you have experience in living. You may have been born in the city, on a farm, or may have moved around a lot. You may have been raised poor, middle class, or well-to-do. Your background helps shape who you are and contains many possible speech topics.

Third, there is our shared humanity. Many of the thoughts and feelings you have are similar to the thoughts and feelings of others. You are an expert at being a human being. You are an expert at communication – and miscommunication. You are an expert at relationships – and how to damage relationships. If you are a parent, you are an expert at how to raise kids – and at how to make mistakes raising kids.

You are a subject matter expert in lots of areas. Speak about those topics.

Tip #2: Look for a “Novelty Effect” for Your Topic

If people in your audience assume they already know about your topic, they won’t pay much attention. On the other hand, if people find a certain amount of novelty in your topic, they are more likely to take notice.

More people are interested in a presentation about underwater hockey than about basketball. More people are interested in a speech about 3-D printing than about the workings of a regular inkjet printer. More people would enjoy a review of a new play or novel than a review of an existing play or novel. Why? Because there is a novelty effect with underwater hockey, 3-D printing, and a new play or novel.

If you are speaking about a common topic, find an uncommon approach to the topic. Sameness is the enemy of every speaker.

Tip #3: You Find this Topic Interesting – Will Your Audience? 

Novice speakers often make the mistake of assuming that because they love a topic, the audience will too. Not necessarily. Every speaker has to balance the value of his or her subject matter knowledge against the experience and expectations of the audience. You may be a philatelist (stamp collector), or have the world’s largest collection of Pez memorabilia. The question is: Can you take your passion for a specialized topic and convert it into an interesting and meaningful speech – one that will hold your audience’s attention?

Always ask yourself: Will the audience find this topic interesting? How can I make this topic more relevant to the audience?