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Kat has a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and Management and teaches Business courses.
Everyone at some point in their life will be asked to say a few words at their best friend's wedding, their boss' promotion or a dear old aunt's funeral. Well, what is really happening is a special occasion speech, and this is nothing more than a speech given to commemorate a special event or person.
While standing before friends, family or colleagues seems pretty simple, there are a few things to know:
Sounds pretty simple, huh? Well, it really is. This is mostly because you should already be quite familiar with your audience and the person or event you're honoring.
Now, let's take a look at several types of special occasion speeches.
First, let's go to one of the not-so-much-fun special occasion speeches. The eulogy is a speech that honors a deceased person. This type of speech is generally written and delivered by a family member or close friend of the departed. Think of a eulogy as a reflection of a person's life. You may want to start out by introducing yourself to the gathering. Then move to a few stories, anecdotes and memories. While preparing, don't be afraid to ask family members, friends and co-workers for assistance. While keeping the eulogy to about three to four minutes is standard, include as many honoring statements as possible.
Let's practice: 'Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to remember Uncle Rufus. He lived a good and humble life. In his 109 years, he was best known for his sense of humor. A stern man of ethics, he played a fair game of ping pong. In fact, it was at the Asheville Ping Pong Championships that Uncle Rufus took his last drop shot.'
Now, there are also special occasion speeches that actually celebrate happy events. Let's leave Uncle Rufus to rest in peace while we move on to a few happier occasions.
A toast is when we offer up a drink to wish someone good luck. Usually, a toast is given at a wedding or some other celebratory occasion.
There are a few things to think about when making a toast:
Let's watch as Jane gives the toast of a lifetime to her friends, Mary and Steve, on their wedding day: 'Come on, gang! Raise your glasses to Mary and Steve. May you have a wonderful life together. Just remember, Steve, happy wife means happy life! Give 'em a hand.'
Sometimes, a simple line or two with a funny or heartwarming statement is just enough.
At a more professional event, you may have to deliver an introductory speech. This is really simple. It means introducing someone to the audience. You may have to do this to introduce a new employee, a keynote speaker or even a special guest. Even though it is quite simple, there are still a few tips to follow. First, keep it less than two minutes.
In that short time, include:
Try this one on for size: 'Ladies and gents, our speaker today is an accomplished ham radio dispatcher, a skilled macramé designer and an all-around good father and husband. Without further ado, here's Mr. Stanley McPeebles. Give him a round of applause.'
Similar to an introductory speech, you may be asked to honor a person in a speech.
A tribute or commemorative speech is really nothing more than a speech designed to honor someone or something. They are done for several occasions, like anniversaries, retirements, memorial services or even reunions.
Think about these tips:
Put into motion, it might look like this: 'It seems like yesterday when Pickles was chasing cats and biting the tires of moving cars. He was a good dog, faithful friend and a heck of a fetcher.'
Our example is brief, but I think you get the idea. Hey, on a different note, have you ever been presented with an award?
Well, if you have ever been honored with a special accolade, you probably gave an acceptance speech. What you did was accept an honor or award and thank those who presented it to you before an audience.
Here is the skinny on how to gracefully take the award with ease:
Sounds simple? Well, it isn't too difficult. Let's see what Samuel did when he was presented with Employee of the Day: 'Hello, esteemed and good-looking colleagues. It is my great and humble honor to accept the award of Employee of the Day. It is not me who deserves the award; it is everyone in the company for making it so pleasurable to work here.'
Not so bad, huh? There are times when it is really all about motivation that we speak.
The inspirational speech is written to motivate people to think a different way or take action. It seems intuitive that if you are inspired by something, you will be able to speak off the cuff.
But, there are some things to remember:
And don't forget - just because the topic is inspirational to you, you may have to convince your audience. Think persuasiveness here.
Let's try one out: 'I am here to tell everyone about the importance of positive self-affirmation. The great motivational speaker Krantzberg once said, if you can't compliment yourself, nobody else will. So, every chance you get, tell someone else how great you are.'
See, the speaker is using a quote and a strong conclusion to get to the point.
To tie it all together, a special occasion speech is nothing more than a speech given to commemorate a special event or person.
There are several types of special occasion speeches:
In any event, a special occasion speech should be heartfelt and genuine, and your audience will enjoy it.
After watching this lesson, you should be able to:
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Communications 101: Public Speaking16 chapters | 106 lessons | 12 flashcard sets
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