For many aspiring public speakers trying to get booked and paid to speak consistently, one of the hardest questions to answer is among the most foundational: what do you speak about?
Different speakers will answer this question in different ways. Some will aim to cover as wide a range of topics as possible, offering to speak on basically whatever the event planner wants them to. Others will identify a topic or area they are very familiar with and leave the specific angle of the talk up to their client.
However, there is one way to answer the question that stands out above the others and has led to consistent success at getting booked and paid to speak. To put it simply, it is to “Select a Problem to Solve” – the “S” in our SPEAK framework.
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Why Other Approaches Don’t Work
Before we explain too much about this method, let’s briefly cover why other common approaches don’t work.
Why You Need to Specialize
A common mistake new speakers make is thinking that the more topics they can speak on, the more likely they are to get booked. After all, the reasoning goes, the wider your range, the more events you will be a candidate for. This isn’t the case, however. Event planners looking for speakers almost always want expertise – someone who is an authority on the subject they are speaking about. Let’s consider an example.
Imagine an event planner looking for someone to speak about overcoming leadership challenges. Now imagine two potential candidates. The first is a widely recognized expert on leadership and regularly speaks to CEOs, business owners, leaders of organizations, generals, religious leaders and others. The second candidate says he can speak on anything – whether that’s leadership, financial management, productivity, relationship advice or something else.
Naturally, event planners will almost universally choose the first candidate. As much as it might seem beneficial to speak on an array of topics, expertise will always trump range. That’s why selecting a single topic is so important. But even among speakers who specialize, there’s another common mistake.
Why You Need to Solve a Problem
This mistake often comes from a well-meaning place: speakers want to share what they’ve learned and what excites them. But passion alone won’t fill seats or win contracts. The truth is, if your expertise isn’t meeting a clear, felt need in your audience’s life, it risks sounding irrelevant – no matter how insightful it may be. The real goal isn’t just to inform, but to transform.
It’s not enough to merely be an expert in a specific topic. You need to think about how it applies to your audience. Unfortunately, while speakers love to talk about what they’re interested in and passionate about, your expertise doesn’t equate to audience interest. You have to put yourself in the shoes of your listeners and understand what is in it for them.
This is why, when speakers are developing their talk, we tell them to consistently focus on the questions “so what?” and “now what?” from the perspective of their audience. In other words, why they should care, and what they should do about it. This also applies when selecting your topic.
The best way to make your topic interesting and applicable to your audience is to frame it as a problem that you can solve. This not only makes event planners more likely to book you, but it engages your audience and invests them in hearing the solution you provide.
You should be able to frame this as: “I help (GROUP) do (TOPIC) so they can (SOLUTION).” This is what is known as an Expert Positioning Statement (EPS). To take the example from earlier, a speaker who specializes in leadership might say “I show CEOs how to accomplish more at work so they can live a balanced life.” This will resonate far more than “I speak about productivity.”
Notice how this kind of statement brings clarity to both you and the event planner. It not only positions the speaker as a problem-solver, but also simplifies the decision-making process for the planner. Clear Expert Positioning Statements function like marketing slogans – they tell your audience exactly what you do and why it should matter to them.
Now that you have a better idea of how you should frame your answer to the question “What do you speak about?”, it’s time to select your problem and solve it for your audience.
Choosing Your Problem
To choose your topic and create a successful speech topic, it’s best to start by answering some basic questions, and use the ideas you gain from this process to find your perfect niche.
Who is Your Core Audience?
Choosing your audience is a key part of becoming a professional speaker. It might seem like you should choose your topic and let your audience come to you, but if you’re strategic about tailoring your topic to your audience and vice versa, you’re more likely to get consistent results.
It’s also worth remembering that different industries often have different expectations, budgets, and cultures. A talk that resonates deeply with a nonprofit audience might need to be reframed entirely for a corporate setting. Understanding your core audience helps you avoid generic messaging and instead craft a talk that feels tailor-made – because it is.
In general, when breaking into the speaking industry, it can be helpful to differentiate between the different industries public speakers usually cater to. In each industry, once you start getting booked, it becomes easier to get consistently booked within that ecosystem. There are seven primary industries you should be aware of:
1. Corporations
This is the most common and most lucrative industry in public speaking. Corporations are always seeking keynote speakers for conferences, along with speakers to do seminars and
2. Associations
These are groups, clubs and organizations that gather around a common cause. These groups often have conferences or meetings where public speakers will get paid to deliver a talk.
3. Faith-Based Organizations
Churches, synagogues and other religious establishments often bring in external public speakers for special events. While this industry doesn’t pay as well as the others, it can also be a great place to practice speaking.
4. Nonprofits
These are local organizations like rotary clubs, chambers of commerce, and others that often do community work – and just because they’re nonprofits doesn’t mean they don’t have money to pay speakers.
5. Government and Military
Local, state and federal government often bring in speakers for events. The military also regularly utilizes public speakers for training and motivational talks.
6. Colleges and Universities
This includes speaking at actual university events, but also speaking to various on-campus groups and clubs that bring in public speakers.
7. Education (K-12)
Elementary, middle and high schools all around the country regularly use public speakers for school events.
Which Industry Should I Choose?
So which industry is right for you? There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. Try considering if you have any relevant experience within one of these industries, or connections that might help you break into one. Once you’ve chosen an industry, you’ll have a clearer view of who your audience will be and what problems they might struggle with, which will make answering the following questions easier.
And remember, although choosing an industry is important and helpful for choosing a problem to solve, it isn’t a permanent rule. Many of these industries have areas of overlap and you may find consistent gigs in several of them.
What do People Consistently Come to You for?
One of the clearest clues to your natural area of impact is what people already seek your help with. Think about your past conversations with friends, coworkers, or family members. What do they turn to you for, again and again? Maybe they call you when they’re facing a difficult relationship decision, when they need help staying motivated, or when they’re overwhelmed and don’t know how to prioritize. It might be something informal, like listening and offering your perspective on something, or it might be something practical, like helping with job applications, navigating a career change, or budgeting and organization.
These moments aren’t random. They’re signals that others already perceive you as a trusted voice in a specific area, and that trust and credibility is something that audiences look for in a speaker. If people regularly approach you for insight, encouragement, or clarity on a particular topic, you’re probably already speaking to that problem in your everyday life. It’s a good sign you also have something to offer a potential audience. Your public speaking can become a natural extension of what you’re already helping people with.
Also consider how this aligns with your chosen audience, or how it could even help you choose one. For example, if people often seek you out for career advice, you might find your niche within the corporate world – business, HR, or personal development circles. If you’re the go-to friend for calming nerves and reframing tough emotional moments, maybe a health and wellness, faith, or mental health niche might fit you best. The goal isn’t just to speak well, but to speak where people are already listening to you.
What Problem Have You Solved in Your Own Life That Others Are Still Facing?
This question is incredibly important in choosing your problem to solve. Credibility, experience and empathy are all crucial aspects of getting booked consistently and keeping your audience engaged. And the best way to display those qualities is through your own journey.
Audiences respond to vulnerability and authenticity. If you can speak to a problem you’ve personally wrestled with and overcome, you instantly gain credibility. People don’t just want knowledge; they want a guide who has walked the path before them. Sharing your journey doesn’t make you less professional; it makes you more relatable and trustworthy.
That’s why one of the best ways to choose a speech topic is by looking to your own experience for inspiration. Maybe you navigated a major career change, beat burnout or a similar mental health challenge, rebuilt your confidence after a failure, or learned how to manage your time while raising a family. Whatever your transformation, you’ve lived through something others are still in the middle of, and that gives you the authority and compassion to help them.
Your personal story doesn’t have to be dramatic; it just has to be relatable and relevant. People connect with honesty, authenticity and vulnerability, not perfection. If you’ve been there and found your way through, your audience will see themselves in your story. They’ll believe that you can help them too.
Common Traps to Avoid When Choosing Your Topic
Even after you’ve landed on a problem to solve, there are a few traps you want to make sure you’ve avoided.
A Topic That’s Too Vague
One common mistake is choosing a problem that is too broad or vague. For example, saying you “help people live better lives” may sound inspiring, but it’s not concrete. Compare that with, “I help burned-out teachers manage their energy so they can be the best version of themselves for their students.” Specificity sells, and it helps event planners understand exactly what you deliver.
A Topic That People Don’t Care About
Another misstep is choosing a problem you think should matter instead of one that actually does to your target audience. Your knowledge level and whether you’re comfortable speaking about something are important – but make sure there’s a specific audience for it.
Just because a topic feels important to you doesn’t mean it’s top of mind for others. That’s why audience analysis is so important – whether through surveys, conversations, social media listening, or even just observing their body language during your speech to see what engages them the most and applying that to your next speech.
A Topic That Doesn’t Pass the Five-Year Test
When you’re choosing a problem to solve for your audience, it’s important to ask yourself, “Can I still speak about this in five years from now?” If the answer is no, you should probably try finding a different subject. It takes time to establish yourself in a particular field, and if your topic exclusively deals with current events or current trends that may be temporary, you’ll have a hard time finding lasting success.
Constantly Choosing A New Topic
And on a related note, don’t fall into the trap of constantly pivoting your message. It’s tempting to tweak your topic for every opportunity, but consistency builds brand recognition. Stick with a problem you’re passionate about solving, and refine your messaging over time instead of starting from scratch.
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Conclusion
Choosing one problem to solve as a speaker is the foundation of a successful speaking career. It brings clarity to your message, helps you stand out in a crowded marketplace, and ensures that your talk resonates deeply with your audience. When you identify a real problem – one you’ve helped solve in your own life, one people come to you for, and one that aligns with your audience’s needs – you’re no longer just “giving a talk.” You’re offering transformation.
