October 4, 2018
Public speaking topics and ideas for your next speech, including categories on science, self-development, society and more. We also include topic on picking the right topic for you.
VirtualSpeech Blog
We offer advice, research and insights to improve your professional development skills, including communication, interview, leadership, interpersonal, and presentations skills.
October 4, 2018
October 4, 2018
Categories
When you’re first asked to give a persuasive speech, it’s common to go blank about what you can speak about. Here are 21 persuasive speech topics to get you started.
September 21, 2018
September 21, 2018
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Emotional intelligence accounts for 67% of the abilities needed to be a successful leader and is twice as important as technical proficiency or IQ.
September 20, 2018
September 20, 2018
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When designing presentation slides, you need to find a balance between keeping the interest of your audience while not distracting from your key message. This article discusses best practices for designing presentation slides.
September 9, 2018
September 9, 2018
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Daniel Goleman determined five fundamental features of emotional intelligence (EQ), each with their own benefits: Self-awareness, Self-regulation, Empathy, Motivation and Social skills.
September 5, 2018
September 5, 2018
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Effective communication is not always straightforward and barriers can easily get in the way. They cause messages to become distorted, subsequently leading to confusion and misunderstanding. In this article, we describe these barriers to communication.
September 5, 2018
September 5, 2018
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Strong interpersonal skills are important for employers because most jobs require you to effectively interact with other people. In this article, we discuss the key types of interpersonal communication skills.
August 3, 2018
August 3, 2018
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The structure of your presentation plays a crucial role in whether your audience understands your message. We cover why structure is important, provide a template for your presentation and highlight good examples.
August 1, 2018
August 1, 2018
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Debating can look intimidating, with speakers appearing confident, passionate and unwavering, but it consists of skills that anybody can learn. In this article we provide a guide to the basics of debating.
July 26, 2018
July 26, 2018
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Keeping your audience engaged whilst trying to deliver your key messages can be difficult. A helpful way of doing this is by telling stories where you take your audience on a journey.
July 9, 2018
July 9, 2018
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During a presentation you aim to look confident, enthusiastic and natural. You'll need more than good words and content to achieve this – how you deliver your presentation plays a significant part.
June 29, 2018
June 29, 2018
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Networking is at the core of business development and sales, however picking out what to wear can be difficult. In this article, we cover tips for what to wear in different situations as well as how to stand out from the crowd.
June 28, 2018
June 28, 2018
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When delivering presentations it's important for your words and ideas to flow so your audience can understand how everything links together and why it's all relevant.
June 27, 2018
June 27, 2018
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Here are some opening tips to get the attention of your audience from the start. You can also use these throughout your presentation to intrigue, engage and make the audience feel the emotions you’re trying to evoke.
June 21, 2018
June 21, 2018
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Visual aids can enhance your presentation or training material - they can increase the audience's understanding of your topic, explain points, make an impact and create enthusiasm.
June 15, 2018
June 15, 2018
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Effective networking is an important aspect of career development. Building relationships with a wide range of people can win you new business clients, increase your chance of finding a new job, as well as advancing your career. Here are our tips on how to improve.
June 13, 2018
June 13, 2018
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When people talk about distractions during a speech or presentation, they’re mostly referring to ones made by the audience. Here are different ways you might annoy and distract your audience when public speaking and how to stop doing them.
June 12, 2018
June 12, 2018
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Persuasive speaking is needed in a wide range of situations; from arguing with a colleague to performing a speech. Rhetoric is the key to developing this skill. We discuss how to use rhetoric for effective public speaking, in order to inform, persuade and motivate.
June 5, 2018
June 5, 2018
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This article lists key challenges for adult learners due to the natural cognitive decline humans experience as they age.
June 5, 2018
June 5, 2018
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Learners differ in many ways, from gender to culture to previous education. It's important to be aware of these factors when teaching. However adult learners do share similar characteristics which impact their learning.
May 27, 2018
May 27, 2018
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Networking is at the core of business development and sales, however picking out what to wear can be difficult. In this article, we cover tips for what to wear in different situations as well as how to stand out from the crowd.
April 30, 2018
April 30, 2018
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Public speaking is an essential life skill in the modern world, full of meetings, conferences and networking events. In this article, we look at the history of public speaking, from Greece to the 21st century, as well as famous orators throughout history.
April 24, 2018
April 24, 2018
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Providing feedback for development is useful for employees because it helps them understand their strengths and weaknesses and how to progress in their career. In this article we discuss the 360 degree (multi-rater) feedback system.
April 17, 2018
April 17, 2018
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Everyone processes information uniquely, so it's essential for trainers to understand the different learning styles. With this knowledge, you’ll be able to tailor your teaching strategy to suit your students or trainees.
April 11, 2018
April 11, 2018
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Persuasive speaking is a skill that you can apply regularly throughout your life, whether you are selling a product or being interviewed. In this article, we discuss the three pillars for public speaking, ethos, pathos and logos.
April 5, 2018
April 5, 2018
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Rhetorical questions can be an effective communication tool during your speech. This article covers what a rhetoric question is and how to use it for persuasion.
March 23, 2018
March 23, 2018
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We lose about 90% of the information we learn within a month. You may be investing a lot of money into learning a new skill, when ultimately not much of the material is remembered. We discuss how VR can be used to increase retention and overcome the forgetting curve.
March 4, 2018
March 4, 2018
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Having a good company spokesperson is essential for your public relations. The spokesperson gives your organisation both a face and a voice, helping to build trust with the audience on your behalf.
February 27, 2018
February 27, 2018
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During a media interview your aim is to deliver key messages clearly whilst positively representing your organisation. In this article we outline what to avoid saying in both TV and radio interviews.
February 21, 2018
February 21, 2018
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Group presentations are an important part of certain academic and business projects. In this article, we discuss how to prepare for and deliver a presentation with multiple speakers.
February 19, 2018
February 19, 2018
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Learn effective B2B sales strategies, including the use of case studies, qualifying leads, having great support, researching competitors and learning about your customers’ journey.
February 17, 2018
February 17, 2018
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Meetings are an essential part of the modern workplace. Understanding the right phrases, vocabulary and terminology to use in an English business meeting can help your career progression in our highly competitive workplace environment.
February 14, 2018
February 14, 2018
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Organizations can use many different types of training and delivery methods to engage their employees. In this article, we discuss common methods of delivery and training types
February 11, 2018
February 11, 2018
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Crisis management is an essential organisational function. We cover best practices, case studies, examples and useful resources which can be incorporated into an effective crisis management plan.
January 5, 2018
January 5, 2018
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We provide a framework for choosing a successful speech topic which your audience will find interesting, you are passionate about and knowledgeable on.
January 2, 2018
January 2, 2018
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A pause, if used correctly, can add a great deal to your speech. Here are 10 ways you can use a pause effectively, from adding emphasis to key points, to changing the presentation topic, to replacing filler words.
December 20, 2017
December 20, 2017
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Examples of great corporate presentations from leaders in their respective industries. Learn from company presentations on Moz, Netflix, Accenture, HubSpot and Google, including slides and quotes.
December 4, 2017
December 4, 2017
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Different exercises to warm up your vocal muscles before a speech or presentation. We explain why vocal warm up is important, different vocal exercises to try and tongue twisters to warm up your muscles.
November 25, 2017
November 25, 2017
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Five powerful TED Talks to improve your public speaking and communication skills, from the impact of body language, to telling stories, to using your vocal toolbox.
November 24, 2017
November 24, 2017
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Statistics and data are a great way to add impact to your presentation. Use these tips in your speech to make your message more persuasive and memorable.
November 23, 2017
November 23, 2017
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How you speak and sound makes a dramatic impact on your speech. Use the different elements of the vocal toolbox during your presentation to sound more authoritative and knowledgeable.
November 18, 2017
November 18, 2017
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Learn about public speaking anxiety, or glossophobia, including what it is, symptoms and signs, consequences, how to treat it and exercises to help you overcome your fear of public speaking.
November 14, 2017
November 14, 2017
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A guide for how to present to large groups of people, either at a conference, theatre or other large venue. Our tips will help you influence your audience and deliver a memorable message.
November 10, 2017
November 10, 2017
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Involving your audience with an interactive presentation is much more likely to keep your audience’s attention and help them understand your message.
November 7, 2017
November 7, 2017
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Learn about different design ideas for your summary slide, and why it is preferable to a thank you slide. We've included examples of the summary slide which you can use as reference.
November 6, 2017
November 6, 2017
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There are many different ways to leave closing remarks at the end of your speech, from summarising to rhetorical questions to an unusual quote. Learn about how to use them in different situations.
October 29, 2017
October 29, 2017
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Impromptu speech topics you can use at your next event, or for practice to improve communication skills and quick-thinking. We also outline what an impromptu speech is and tips for picking a topic.
October 27, 2017
October 27, 2017
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Read our complete presentation checklist for all essential tasks to prepare and think about before, during and after your speech, including what to bring with you on the day of the event.
October 24, 2017
October 24, 2017
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We discuss the benefits of good eye contact when giving a speech, and ways to improve your eye contact so that you connect with your audience in a meaningful way.
October 19, 2017
October 19, 2017
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Read our guide for answering questions, including how to prepare, setting rules for the audience, a framework for responding, handling difficult questions and strategies for when you are struggling to answer.