Chapter 18 focus on the subject

Once the topic is selected, the first step is to determine the scope of your speech, and always limit it to this scope. Don't try to cover an endless field.A young man wanted to speak for two minutes, but the topic he was talking about was "From Athens in 500 BC to the Korean War".It is an absolute futility!I have heard many speeches where the topic was not clear, and the result was that the audience failed to hold the attention of the audience for the same reason - covering too many points.Why is there such an ending?For the human mind cannot keep its attention on a monotonous series of facts.Even if your presentation sounds like a world almanac, you won't be able to hold your audience's attention.Choose a simple topic, such as "Journey to Yellowstone Park", etc., most of the speakers will be very enthusiastic about it, and will not miss a little bit about each scene in the park, so the audience will be led by you, dizzy Swim from one scenic spot to another scenic spot at a high speed.When you have finished speaking, all that remains in the minds of your audience are vague waterfalls, mountains, and fountains.If the speaker were limited to one aspect of the park, such as wildlife or hot springs, the presentation would be memorable!In this way, the speaker can have time to show the audience some vivid details, making Yellowstone Park come alive to the audience with bright colors and endless changes.Even if the audience has never been there, they can get a sense of being there from the speaker's moving words.

This principle applies equally to any topic, whether you're talking about salesmanship, baking cakes, tax breaks, or missiles.Before you start your speech, you must first limit and select the selected materials, narrow the topic to a certain range, and ensure that you complete it within the specified time. In a short speech of no more than five minutes, one or two points can only be expected to be made.Longer speeches, such as a 30-minute speech, are rarely successful if the speaker tries to cover four or five main topics.