The 2 questions every public speaker needs to answer.

Public speaking isn’t easy, but it is simple.

We often try to complicate it as a way to prevent ourselves from actually doing it, but the truth is, writing a speech is ridiculously simple.

Each speech only has to answer two questions.

I learned this idea from my dad. He’s been a pastor for more than 30 years, but the two questions he gave me apply whether you’re a sales consultant, a politician or an author.

When you sit down to put a speech together, ask yourself these two questions:

1. Can the audience apply what I’m telling them?

2. Can the audience share what I’m telling them?

Let’s look at that first one.

Can they apply it?

Can they take your core idea and write it on their own lives? Is it applicable? Is it easy for me to grasp what you’re saying and translate it into my own heart? Or, is the speech so focused on your life that it’s impossible for me to relate to? Is your speech a “look at me parade,” that turns the audience into spectators not participants?

Now the second question.

Can they share it?

You spoke to 100 people, but will your idea reach 1,000? Is it structured in a way that, in addition to it applying to my life, I can share it with somebody else? Can I take your idea and share it with my wife or a coworker or a neighbor? Is your speech portable with handles I can grasp and carry to other people? Or will it begin and end with the person sitting in the room hearing it from you? Is it a one generation idea, or will it be shared outside of the room?

Those types of speeches, the ones that people can apply and share, aren’t easy to create. But then, I didn’t say they were easy. I said they were simple.

And that’s true.

You just have to answer two questions.