How to Come Up with Speech Ideas for Toastmasters

Watch the video of me giving this blog as a workshop.

Toastmasters is a great organization for people who want to improve their public speaking skills. One of the best ways to improve your speaking skills is to give speeches on a variety of topics. However, coming up with speech ideas can be difficult. Right now, before you start thinking about topics, pick up a pen and paper or open a digital document. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Here are a few tips on how to come up with speech ideas for Toastmasters:

Write your top 5 hobbies/interests. Below the list write a list of titles using this format: The Three Things I Learned from “Hobby.”

Write the roles you play in your life: Mom, manager, engineer, etc. Below the list write a list of titles using this format: The Three Things I Learned from “Role.”

Write a list of books you read that you loved. Below the list write a list of titles using this format: The Three Things I Learned from “Book.”

Write a list of inspirational people in your life who you personally know. Below the list write a list of titles using this format: The Three Things I Learned from “Person.”

Once you have a few ideas, it's time to start writing outlines. Write down the top three things you learned from the subject. You might find that you have eight good things you learned. See if you can consolidate the list. Cut out the ones that are weaker, or make two speeches. Part 1 and Part 2. Next, you can start to organize the three learnings into a speech.

When you're writing your speech, be sure to keep your audience in mind. What do they want to learn about? What will interest them? Make sure your speech is well-organized and easy to follow. And don't forget to practice, practice, practice!

Giving speeches can be a lot of fun, and it's a great way to improve your public speaking skills. So get out there and start giving speeches! You might be surprised at how much you enjoy it.