Speaking Topic Too Broad? 5 Signs You Need to Narrow Down

If you’ve been struggling to land speaking engagements, or feel like the gigs you’re getting aren’t quite aligned with what you want, your topic might be the problem. More specifically, your speaking topic might be too broad. This is a common issue for aspiring speakers, especially those early in their journey who want to appeal to everyone. But as we’ll see, it is a big mistake.

Topic selection is absolutely foundational to public speaking, so it’s important to get the right topic and have a clear focus on the problem you can solve. In this article, we’ll explain the specific aspects of why you need a focused topic and explore five signs you may need to narrow down.

Why Specificity Is Important

First, it’s important to understand why being too broad with the scope of your topic is bad. Many new speakers erroneously assume speaking about a broad topic – or on multiple topics – that can apply to a lot of audiences is a good thing. After all, they think that by having the broadest possible topic, they are appealing to the widest range of potential clients.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t work like that. If you’re trying to speak to everyone, the reality is that you’re likely speaking to no one. To use an example Grant Baldwin gives in his book, The Successful Speaker, it’s like saying a coat is one-size-fits-all. It just isn’t possible! Either it’ll be too big, too small, or just right if you’re lucky.

If you answer the question, “What do you speak about?” with, “Anything you want!”, you’re just showing the the event planner that you aren’t confident enough in a specific message to stick to it. If someone is looking for someone to speak about discipline, they will take the seasoned motivational speaker who specializes in discipline and self-improvement over someone who claims to be able to speak about anything every single time.

But being specific in your niche is more than just selecting a single topic and sticking with it. Some speakers select a topic that is itself too broad to meaningfully speak to any group or audience. A speech topic like “I help people live their best lives” could apply to any audience and be about dozens of completely different topics and audience interests.

But how do you know if your topic is too broad? Let’s go through some questions that can help you determine if you need to be more specific:

Question 1: Can Your Topic Apply to Basically Everyone?

Having something to say to everyone can easily seem like a good thing, but as we’ve established, this actually makes you less bookable and makes your message far more vague. The first way to assess if your topic is actually too broad is by asking if it could apply to everyone. Things like “teaching people how to live their best lives” or “showing you how to reach your potential” could apply to literally every possible individual.

If your speaking topic is so general that it could apply to college students, CEOs, stay-at-home parents, and non-profit volunteers with their various cultural backgrounds all at the same time, it’s too broad. A great speaking topic should be specifically designed for a specific group of people with a shared problem that you offer to solve. “How to Be Your Best Self” might sound positive and uplifting, but it lacks a clear audience and outcome.

The more specific your topic is, and the more directed it is at a specific and relevant audience, the easier it becomes for an event planner to picture you speaking to their audience and delivering a great product in the allotted time. Remember, specificity builds clarity, and clarity builds credibility.

Question 2: Do You Struggle to Explain What You Speak About?

If someone asks you what you speak about and you find yourself rambling or listing multiple topics (“Well, I talk about motivation, productivity, goal setting, personal development, and leadership…”), your topic likely needs focus.

When your message is sharp, your answer should roll off your tongue in one clear sentence. This should be framed as “I help (GROUP) do (TOPIC) so they can (SOLUTION)” – what is known as an Expert Positioning Statement. For example: “I help new leaders communicate clearly so they can reduce turnover in their teams.” That kind of answer positions you as an expert with a purpose, not just someone with a microphone.

A clear topic makes you more referable. If you have trouble explaining what you speak about, you can be certain someone trying to refer you to another event planner will be even worse at it. People remember simple ideas. If your topic is too vague or expansive, your name won’t come to mind when someone’s looking for a speaker on a specific issue.

Question 3: Do You Have to Rush Through Too Much Content?

If you’re trying to cram various concepts, frameworks, and takeaways into a 45-minute talk, your topic is probably too broad. A focused speaking topic allows you to go deep on one big idea rather than skim the surface of several.

Great talks are memorable because they’re focused. Your audience doesn’t need a firehose of information. They need to hear about one clear problem and one actionable solution for it. Trying to do too much in one session often leaves listeners overwhelmed or disengaged. This is why speakers should always focus on the questions “So what?” and “Now what?” from the audience’s perspective when developing a talk. Make them care, and show them what to do about it.

Think of your talk like a movie or a novel. It should have a hook, a central theme, a clear structure, and a satisfying resolution. Cutting your content may feel wrong or counter-intuitive, but it’s the best way to increase your impact.

Question 4: Do Your Marketing Materials Feel Vague or Generic?

Does your speaker bio sound like a motivational soundbite? Are your pitches full of phrases like “inspire,” “empower,” “discover,” or “unlock potential” but light on the details? These may be signs that your topic isn’t well defined.

Event planners aren’t just booking a speaker. They’re buying a solution to a specific problem their audience faces. If your website, demo video, one sheet and other marketing content doesn’t make it absolutely clear what problem you solve and who your primary audience is, there’s a good chance you’re missing out on potential speaking gigs because your topic is too broad.

Good marketing is about more than just sounding professional. It’s also about showing that you are useful and deliver solutions and results for your audience in the time constraints of a speech. And to do that, you need to be specific about the problem you’re solving and the need you’re meeting.

Question 5: Does Your Audience Walk Away Remembering Nothing?

If you’ve delivered talks where it seemed like the audience clapped politely but didn’t experience genuine impact or leave with valuable insights, it may not be you or your delivery – it may be your topic. When your talk ends, your audience should know exactly what your message was and what you wanted them to takeaway from listening to you. If this isn’t the case, it is a good sign that your topic is too broad.

An overly broad message lacks the sharpness and relevance required to land with specific people. By diverting your focus, you end up lacking the time to go into sufficient depth and make sure your topic is adequately covered. When you try to speak to everyone, you end up speaking to no one. A narrowly focused topic instead of information overload makes it easier for audience members to connect both emotionally and practically with what you’re saying.

A memorable talk solves a problem people know they have and delivers insight they can apply right away. That’s hard to do if your message is too expansive, vague or abstract. If your audience feedback often includes comments like “It was interesting” rather than statements like “This helped me do X,” or “This made me see X in a way I’ve never thought about before,” you may need to tighten your topic.

Conclusion

It’s natural to want to keep your topic broad. You might worry that narrowing down will limit your opportunities. But in reality, the opposite is true.

The more focused your message, the more clearly event planners and audiences will see you as the expert they need. A specific topic allows you to build stronger marketing materials, deliver more powerful talks, and connect with the people you’re best equipped to serve. Define the one problem you solve, and build from there. The clarity you gain will pay off in bookings, impact, and confidence on stage.