It’s not just about what you say, or even how you say it – context is just as important. There are three main types of public speeches: informative, persuasive, and ceremonial speeches.

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Informative

These types of speeches give information to the listener about a specific topic or message. They are less persuasive in their content and more informative. Informative speeches are generally given neutrally, so that the information provided can be deciphered by an audience authentically, allowing them to come to their own conclusion on the subject. Sometimes, the information conveyed by a motivational speaker may lead to one single conclusion, but it gives the listener the assurance that they have not been influenced to make their own decisions.

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Persuasive

These speeches are meant to sway an audience to believe one side of a specific subject. The ultimate goal is to get the listener to believe what you’re trying to convey to them. This is no easy task – especially if people believe something completely opposite to begin with. The art of persuasion involves a psychological understanding of your target listener, so that you can effectively connect with their beliefs and thought processes. When executed correctly, a motivational speaker could use persuasive speeches to inspire and encourage people to make changes – both bad and good.

Ceremonial

These speeches are tailored to fit the occasion that they are meant for. They may have informative or persuasive elements, but they always fit the occasion, such as a wedding, birthday, graduation or anniversary. Time constraints, length of speech, place, and content are all major factors in a special occasion speech to entertain the listeners and maintain their attention. No matter what event you are at, it’s imperative to understand the purpose behind your speech before you create it, in order to effectively communicate the appropriate message to your audience. Before you write your speech, make sure you fully understand what your goal is, so that you can be as effective as possible in your delivery.

There are many benefits to becoming a motivational speaker. According to the BBC, motivational speaking can turn around a business, lead a team to success or make an individual reach a goal.

Once mastered, you can use spoken words to deliver a speech to a room full or even a huge audience of people.