g to speak directly to individuals in the audience. This can also allow audience members to contact you directly with any questions or concerns they may have as a result of your talk.
Part Two of Two:
Formatting Your Talking PointsEdit
1Use a bulleted list. Organize your talking points in a bulleted list, with your main message or mission stated at the top of the list and your main talking points placed below, with the strongest point listed first. You should also include one to two supporting arguments within your main talking points. A sample bulleted list may appear as follows:
- Main message/mission: The mission of my speech is to convince the school board to provide after school programming at my child’s school.
- Talking Point 1: Benefits my child’s education and supply her with educational activities in a controlled, monitored environment.
- Supporting argument: My daughter struggles with her math assignments and has a difficult time socializing with other students. She comes home from school defeated and unmotivated, and as a busy working mother, I do not have the means or the time to support her academically. An after school program could provide math tutoring and the opportunity to interact with other students in a more open, recreational environment.
- Talking Point 2: Benefits other students at Normandy who need educational guidance and activity after school hours are over.
- Supporting argument: Statistics show that students who attend after school programming score higher on standardized testing and develop stronger social skills with their peers. An after school program can help provide students with the chance to interact in a controlled and monitored environment that is positive and safe.
- Talking Point 3: Benefits the other parents of students at Normandy High School by providing education and guidance for their children.
- Supporting argument: I have spoken with other parents of Normandy students who are working late hours to provide for their families and who are struggling to find childcare and keep their children in a safe, supervised environment. Like me, they are looking for a way to ensure their child stays on track academically and socially.
2Structure the talking points like a Q&A. Another way you can format your talking points is in the style of a Q&A. This format can be useful if your talking points are going to be used in an interview setting. For example, if you are preparing for an interview about the latest product made by your company, you may lay out your talking points in a series of questions and answers:
- Question 1: Who are you and why are we talking today?
- Answer: I am the owner of Hover, Inc. and the purpose of our interview is to discuss the release of the newest hoverboard, Hoverboard 5.0.
- Question 2: Why should consumers buy your product?
- Answer: First, it is the most affordable hover board on the market and is priced for the average consumer. Second, it is incredibly lightweight and ten times faster than other models currently on the market. Third, it has updated safety features to ensure your ride is smooth and safe.
- Question 3: Can you provide an example that shows how useful or enjoyable your product is for consumers?
- Answer: One of our designers has a young son and he gave his son the hoverboard one day to see what he thought of it. His son used the hoverboard in their driveway and showed it off to his friends. Each friend tried the hoverboard in different environments: the driveway, the park, the sidewalk, and even in a football field. At the end of the day, the designer asked his son what he and his friends thought of the hoverboard. His son told him it was the most fun they had ever had together, and that not a single friend was hurt.
3Practice presenting the talking points in front of a colleague or friend. Pretend a colleague or friend is your intended audience and present your talking points to them. Time yourself so you do not go over the allotted time constraint for your talk and use confident body language, maintaining eye contact and a straight, uprig