The Informative Speech 

How to Make an Informative Speech

The informative speech is something of a challenge because much of the information people need to know can be boring. Informational speeches tend to be full of facts and figures but no fun.

If you can find a way to put a little fun into your informational speech, you'll not only make the information easier to remember. You'll make it easier for your audience to remember you.

Here are some ways to make your informational speech, if not more fun, then at least more interesting.

Pick your topic carefully. Make sure it's something your audience wants to know about.

Make sure you know more about your topic than your audience does. This rule seems obvious, but you'd be surprised how often it's violated.

If you've given a topic to speak about, interview the person who invited you, and even interview people who will be in the audience (assuming you can find this out). Ask them

• what they don't know that they would like to know,
• what problems related to this topic have members been talking about

Go to the Internet and see what information you can find that answers some of their concerns or solves their problems. Use Internet news services like Google News to do a keyword search on your topic. You'll get a list of recent news stories that mention the keywords you request. This can be extremely relevant and current information for you to share with your audience.

Use examples, stories and anecdotes where possible. Stories are much easier to remember than statistics and numbers. Keep statistics and numbers to a minimum.

Inject humor into your informational speech where possible. For more information on how to use relevant humor and where to find it, click on adding humor to an informational speech

Depending on the situation, it may be appropriate to give handouts or offer audience members additional resources. Again, the Internet is a wonderful vehicle for finding such resources.

An informational speech need not be a dull recitation of helpful but boring facts. Use the tips above to bring life to your next informational speech and you'll see smiles on the faces of everyone in the audience when you're through.

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