Choosing a Speech Title

What title should you give your speech? Should it be something like “My First Speech”? Or should it say something else, something more?

The title tells the audience a bit about your talk so they become interested in hearing your speech. The title is an advertisement of sorts.

So what should you include in the title? A hint, a suggestion. Don’t tell the entire main idea of your speech. Tease it. For example, if your main idea is that your state should reduce sales tax in order to boost consumer spending, your title should NOT say: “Cut Sales Tax to Boost Spending!” but rather something such as “How to Boost Consumer Spending.” That is, it is better not to state everything all at once but rather preserve the mystery needed to entice the audience members to listen to the opening of your talk. In addition to engagement, here are some more considerations when choosing your speech title:

Here are a few key considerations when drafting a title for your speech:

Brevity and focus – Keep the title concise and focused, avoiding unnecessary words while supporting your main idea.

Clarity – The title should connect to the main idea or message of your speech so the audience’s expectations are met.

Audience relevance – Use language, tone, and references that resonate with your specific audience’s interests and level of understanding.

Purpose – Match your title with your speech goal (to inform, persuade, entertain, or inspire).

So keep your title short and focused on what you want to achieve with this audience on this topic, and do all of this while keeping an air of mystery about your speech contents, and you will have the right formula. Experiment with some possible titles and try them out on your friends and colleagues, when possible, then refine your wording or revamp your ideas. The more experience you gain, the easier this will become.