How to refresh your signature talk—and why you need to
The first time I met with Brian to begin working on his TEDx talk, I asked him a question—the single most important question all speakers should ask themselves when preparing to deliver a talk.
Especially a talk they’ve given before.
I asked him what he was still learning about his subject.
He’d been selected to give his talk because of his expertise in a particular area. That meant he spoke about it on a regular basis already.* To avoid his talk coming across as stale, we had to uncover something new and fresh…something that made it new even to him.
Speakers who are invited to deliver their signature talk to new audiences are meeting a felt need with their stories. And they are obviously doing it well because they’re being asked to do so on a regular basis. No matter how exciting or significant their story might be, if the speaker is bored because it’s become “old hat” to them, the audience will feel it and the talk will fall flat.
If you’ve got a signature talk you’re often asked to deliver, plan to refresh it —for the sake of giving your audience what they need from you.
Before you even look at the talk again or begin any preparations, pause to reflect. Ask yourself:
- What are you still learning about the subject?
- Why does it still matter to you today? (If it doesn’t still matter to you, it might be time to retire the talk.)
Reflecting on these two questions will reinvigorate your passion for your subject. And your audience will feel that and respond to it.
After you’ve reflected, pull out your talk notes and look for:
- Areas where the content is out of date. Not necessarily inaccurate but dated. Are there new studies or statistics to reference? The more recent your supporting content is, the more effectively you’ll reach your audience.
- Areas where the content is tone deaf. Is your message sensitive to recent cultural events? Adjust to honor the present reality. Related: consider the delivery format and retool to account for a virtual platform if necessary.
- Areas where your audience might need to hear a particular story because of their unique needs. (I hope you’re doing this every time you deliver a talk!)
- If you’re using slides, give those a once-over, too. Make sure your images aren’t stale. Even better: ask someone else to look at them. (Ask me for a content review!) You might still love the images but if they don’t feel fresh and current to your audience, they will unconsciously associate your talk with an avocado-green refrigerator.
The core truths and your distinct point of view in a signature talk are unlikely to change. But people grow and seasons do change; our talks should reflect our own growth and also acknowledge the changing needs of an audience and the cultural context.
Take the time to refresh your signature talk. You might just fall in love with it again. If you do, your audience will, too.
* A signature talk won’t be selected for a TEDx event but a speaker’s expertise is a determining factor; for a more thorough explanation of how to be selected, read here.