The 4 Types of Public Speaking
We have trained over 1 million people to become more confident speakers through our courses and training programs. And through our experience, we know this is a skill many people never learn in school. Yet, it’s one of the most important for career success.
To begin to develop your public speaking confidence, we first have to break down the types of presentations you may make because each one differs in its approach (be sure to save and share this article!)
4 Types Of Public Speaking
1. Ceremonial Speaking
Ceremonial speaking is when you give a speech on a special occasion. For instance, a graduation speech, a wedding, or an office party. This type of speech often involves a personal or emotional connection to the people you are speaking to.
Keys to a ceremonial speech include:
- Personal Touch – When giving a ceremonial speech, you will want to give it a personal touch. This means including a story that goes along with what or whom you are talking about. Hint: you’ll want to start your speaking with a profound story because that’s how you’ll capture the listener’s attention!
- Occasion focused – An important part of a ceremonial speech is it needs to stick to the occasion. This is not the time to bring up anything other than who or what is being celebrated.
Part of delivering an effective message is knowing who your audience is and tailoring your message to them.
For example – If your boss asks you to give a speech at the company holiday party, you will want to focus on the company, what it has accomplished, and any other relevant tidbits.
- Brevity – For those who get anxious speaking, ceremonial speaking is one of the easier types of speeches to make. That’s because generally speaking, ceremonial speaking is often brief and personal. You can speak from the heart and that’s powerful. Just remember to keep your message short. Your audience is there to celebrate so a long-drawn-out speech will cause your audience to become disengaged.
2. Demonstrative Speaking
If you are a manager or aspire to be one, demonstrative speaking is a skill you will want to cultivate. Demonstrative speaking is explaining to others how to do something.
Strong communication skills are key to being able to explain how to do something.
For example, remember back in college when you finally understood that difficult concept? And you were able to explain it to your study group in a way that they could understand? That was you giving a demonstrative speech. Being able to explain how something works or an idea is key to career success because that’s how great leaders get things done. At work, you may be called upon do a demonstrative speech as part of a team training or product demo. Knowing how to explain complex concepts in a simple way is the true power behind demonstrative speaking.
3. Informative Speaking
If you’ve ever attended a Monday morning meeting, chances are you’ve heard an informative speech being made. Informative speaking is essentially the need to inform. At work, this means giving vital company-wide updates or team information. An informative speech is the transferring of data and information from one person to a group.
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Informative speaking is often in a meeting setting and being able to lead it is important because it helps:
- Facilitate Conversations – Being able to facilitate a productive conversation will help set you apart and help build your authority. It’s how you can let others know what’s going on and if there are any issues that need to be addressed.
- Build Credibility – Informative speaking can help you build credibility because you are informing others of something they might not have known about before. This shines a positive light on you and can get you noticed. That’s how you can get that coveted promotion!
- Cultivate Leadership Skills – The more you inform others the more leadership skills you’ll develop. That’s because a good leader never leaves others in the dark. A great leader is proactive in their communications and informative speaking is the best way to do that.
Almost all effective managers have strong informative speaking skills. Being able to communicate and lead a meeting will help you advance your career, so continue to find opportunities to engage in informative speaking.
4. Persuasive Speaking
Persuasive speaking is about convincing your audience of your idea or your point of view. Persuasive speaking usually includes emotional elements and strong language.A persuasive speech can be used to get an investor to invest in your company or to get your boss to approve your idea. Persuasive speaking is used to help you sell your idea to your team. In fact, you can also use a persuasive speaking to get a raise!
Persuasive speaking uses many different communication skills to create the greatest impact. You’ll want to be sure to include these 3 elements to sound convincing:
- Tone of Voice – Your tone of voice will make a huge impact on your persuasive speech. It will also inform your audience on how they should feel while listening.
- Body Language – Your hand gestures, eye contact, and posture are tools you can use to improve your persuasive speech. Your body language helps set the tone and can draw the listener in.
- Crafting Your Message – When giving a persuasive speech, you’ll want to make sure that you take time to craft your message.
- Start off with the most interesting part.
- Tailor your message to your audience.
- Think about what your audience wants to hear.
Whether you want to get that raise or you’re lobbying for a promotion – knowing how to give an effective persuasive speech will give you a powerful edge.
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