Episode #67: How To Come Up With Speech Content

Why is your talk title so important for audience turnout?

When a company asks, “Would you please give a presentation to our group?”, the first challenge isn’t your slide deck — it’s your title. A strong title is the gateway to attendance. If it’s vague, too long, or clever-but-unclear, busy professionals won’t commit their time. Your title must be short, specific, and instantly relevant to the audience’s needs.

Mini-summary: A talk lives or dies by its title — make it clear, tight, and audience-focused.

Most organizers give broad or unclear guidance about what they want. That’s normal. Your job is to turn ambiguity into focus. Start by asking about the target audience:

• Are they professionals, aspirants, fans, or general staff?

• What level of expertise do they have?

• What age range and gender mix are expected?

• Are they from Japanese companies (日本企業, “Japanese companies”) or multinationals (外資系企業, “foreign-affiliated companies”)?

• Are they based in Tokyo (東京, “Tokyo”) or regional offices?

Once you understand who will listen, you can decide what will matter most to them.

Mini-summary: The theme comes from the audience — define them first, then select the topic.

Even if you have many interests, your subject should be chosen by audience value, not speaker passion. Ask:

• What topic will interest the largest number of people in the room?

• What problem are they trying to solve?

• What outcome do they want after the talk?

Your expertise matters, but relevance matters more. Pick the topic that intersects your credibility with their urgency.

Mini-summary: Choose the topic that serves the audience best, not the one you enjoy most.

Counter-intuitive but effective: you don’t begin with the title — you begin with the ending. Define your “punch line” (your close):

• What do you want them to think?

• What do you want them to feel?

• What action should they take afterward?

When your ending is clear, your talk structure becomes obvious. Only then does the right title start to appear.

Mini-summary: Start with the outcome, then build backward to a title that fits.

A great title needs a hook and a search-friendly structure. Avoid overly artistic or cryptic wording. AI-driven engines (Google SGE, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing Copilot) retrieve content best when titles are explicit and entity-rich.

Effective titles are often:

• Straightforward and descriptive (clear meaning at a glance)

• Focused on a real business problem

• Easy to understand when scanned online

Brainstorm multiple options. Don’t settle for the first one. Think like an audience member: What would make me stop scrolling and register?

Mini-summary: Make titles clear, specific, and searchable — cleverness comes after clarity.

Your description is not an agenda. It’s a value promise. In a few paragraphs, tell them:

• What they will gain

• How it will help them

• Why it matters now

Every sentence should answer the audience’s silent question: “What’s in it for me?”
Use practical language, avoid filler, and keep it sharply benefit-driven.

Mini-summary: The description must sell outcomes, not list content.

How do you write a short bio that builds authority fast?

Your bio is not a CV. It’s a credibility snapshot. In 1–2 powerful sentences, establish:

• Your expertise in the topic

• Your relevance to their world

• Your authority to guide them

Make it sound like “expert” without sounding inflated.

Mini-summary: Your bio should prove authority quickly, not detail your history.

What happens after the title and description are set?

Once your title, description, and bio are ready, the rest gets easier. You can build your slides and talk with a clear structure and a strong audience pull. This sequence leads to better delivery, stronger impact, and higher perceived expertise.

Mini-summary: Clear promotion materials create clear talks — and better results.

• A title must be short, clear, and audience-relevant to drive attendance.

• Select themes based on audience needs, not speaker preferences.

• Start by defining your punch line, then build the talk backward.

• Descriptions and bios should communicate value and authority fast.

Founded in the U.S. in 1912, Dale Carnegie Training has supported individuals and companies worldwide for over a century in leadership, sales, presentation, executive coaching, and DEI. Our Tokyo office, established in 1963, has been empowering both Japanese and multinational corporate clients ever since.