Special occasion speeches include (but are not limited to) speeches of introduction, speeches of acceptance, award presentations, roasts and toasts, eulogies and other speeches of tribute, after-dinner speeches, and speeches of inspiration.

Speeches of Introduction

A speech of introduction is a short speech with two goals: to prepare or “warm up” the audience for the speaker, and to motivate audience members to listen to what the main speaker has to say. Many occasions call for speeches of introduction. You might be asked to introduce a guest speaker at a monthly meeting of a social organization to which you belong, to introduce an award presenter at your company’s annual banquet, or to introduce an outside expert at a quarterly sales meeting. A good speech of introduction balances four elements: the speaker’s background, the subject of the speaker’s message, the occasion, and the audience.

Describe the Speaker’s Background

A key part of the introducer’s task is to tell the audience something about the speaker’s background and qualifications for speaking. The object is to heighten audience interest and build the speaker’s credibility. If you don’t know the speaker personally, ask the speaker to describe important achievements, offices held, and other activities that will show audience members what kind of speaker they are about to hear and why they should listen.

Briefly Preview the Speaker’s Topic

Part of the introducer’s job is to give audience members a sense of why the speaker’s subject is of interest to them. Is the subject timely? What significance does it have for the audience? What special connections exist between the subject or the speaker and the occasion? Is he or she an expert on the topic? Why was the speaker invited? Keep in mind, however, that it is not the introducer’s job to evaluate the speech or otherwise offer critical commentary on it. The rule is: Get in and out quickly with a few well-chosen remarks. Introducers who linger on their own thoughts run the risk of stealing the speaker’s thunder.

Ask the Audience to Welcome the Speaker

A final part of the introducer’s task is to cue the audience to welcome the speaker. This can be done very simply by saying something like “Please welcome Anthony Svetlana.” Hearing this, the audience will provide applause, thereby paving the way for the speaker to take his or her place at the podium.

In the following excerpt from a speech by Frank D. Stella, of F. D. Stella Products Company, Stella introduces Richard A. Grasso, former chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Stock Exchange, to the Economic Club of Detroit. Notice how Stella makes use of the date of the occasion—April 15, or income tax day—to engage the audience. Stella also provides a quick overview of who the speaker is and a reference to why he was a good choice for this occasion.

Happy April 15! This may be only a quirk of history, but do you realize that not only is today Tax Day, it is also the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic! Talk about double jeopardy!

It’s interesting, therefore, that we have scheduled today’s speaker for April 15: If your company or individual stock did well and was listed on the New York Stock Exchange, you can, in part, thank Dick Grasso for keeping the Exchange so strong and competitive; but if your taxes went up because your stocks did so well, you can thank Dick for capital gains, the market upsurge, and profitability.

It is a distinct honor for me to introduce Richard A. Grasso, chairman and chief executive officer of the New York Stock Exchange. He has enjoyed a remarkable 28-year-career at the Exchange. [Mr. Stella goes on to provide a more detailed background on Mr. Grasso.]¹

Respond to Introductions

Speakers who have been introduced should respond to the introduction in some way. Acknowledging and thanking the introducer is the most common method. For example:

Most of us are not used to being publicly honored, and accepting praise and accolades from a speaker who introduces us can be awkward. One of the ways to show your humility toward a gracious introduction is through humor:

Speeches of Acceptance

A speech of acceptance is made in response to receiving an award of some sort. Its purpose is to express gratitude for the honor bestowed on the speaker. The speech should reflect that gratitude.

Prepare

If you know that you will be given an award, be sure to prepare an acceptance speech. Because the award is not a surprise, the audience will probably expect a fairly sophisticated acceptance speech. If you think it is at all likely that you will receive an award, prepare in advance so that your acceptance will go smoothly and you can avoid using standard responses such as “I really just don’t know what to say.”

React Genuinely and with Humility

Genuineness and humility are possibly the most important parts of expressing gratitude. Offering a sincere response shows your audience how much the award means to you. If you are surprised to receive the award, show it. If you are not surprised, don’t try to feign excitement. Explain why the award is important to you and describe the value you place on it. Tell your listeners how it will affect your future and how it gives meaning to whatever you did in the past that led to its receipt. Express your gratitude with humility, acknowledging your good fortune in having received it.

Thank Those Giving the Award

Even though the attention is focused on you, don’t forget to express your gratitude to the people who are giving you the award. If the award is given by an organization, specifically thank that organization. If it is given by a combination of organizations, remember to mention all of them. If there is a sponsor of the award, such as a donor that makes the award possible, remember to acknowledge the donor as well.

Thank Others Who Helped You

If the reason for your award represents a team effort, be sure to thank all members. If there are people who gave you the inspiration that helped you achieve the award, thank them.

Speeches of Presentation

The job of presenting an award can be an honor in itself. Whether you are presenting a bowling trophy or a Grammy music award, your goal in the speech of presentation is twofold: to communicate the meaning of the award and to explain why the recipient is receiving it.

Convey the Meaning of the Award

It is the presenter’s task to explain the meaning of the award to the audience. What is the award for? What kind of achievement does it celebrate? Who or what does the award represent? What is the significance of its special name or title? You might offer a brief history of the award, such as when it was founded and the names of some of its previous recipients. Because you are a presenter, it is also your job to identify the sponsors or organizations that made the award possible and to describe the link between the sponsor’s goals and values and the award.

The following excerpt is a common way of communicating to the audience the significance of an award:

It is an honor and a privilege to be the one making this presentation today. This plaque is only a token of our appreciation for Seamus’s achievements, but we hope that this symbol will serve as a daily reminder of our admiration for his great work. Let me read the inscription. “Seamus O’Leary, in appreciation for the outstanding work. . . . ”

Talk about the Recipient of the Award

The second part of the presenter’s task is to explain why the recipient is receiving the award. Tell the audience why the recipient has been singled out for special recognition. Describe this person’s achievements, the kind of work he or she does, and special attributes that qualify him or her as deserving of the award. Explain how the recipient was selected. What kind of selection process was used? The following example illustrates how this can be done:

And, I might add, these were just some of the accomplishments of Carol Prodnya. When the selection committee reviewed all the nominees (some eighty-four of them), it became clear that Carol would be our choice. The committee met four times to narrow the list of nominees, and at each meeting it was clear who our winner would be. The other nominees were outstanding in their own right, but Carol stood apart in many ways.

Roasts and Toasts

A roast is a humorous tribute to a person, one in which a series of speakers jokingly poke fun at him or her. A toast is a brief tribute to a person or an event being celebrated. Both roasts and toasts call for short speeches whose goal is to celebrate an individual and his or her achievements. Should you be asked to speak at such events, it will be helpful to follow these guidelines.

Prepare

Remember that the audience is looking to you to set the tone and to express the purpose of the gathering. Being caught off guard and stammering for something to say can really let the air out of your speech and make it less than meaningful. Also, remember that others who speak before you may use material you had planned to use. Don’t be alarmed. Make reference to this fact and put a different spin on it.

Before delivering a roast or a toast, many speakers rehearse in front of trusted friends. This is especially helpful if you are considering telling a joke that you are unsure about. Practicing with friends also allows them to time your speech. People often speak for much longer than they realize.

Highlight Remarkable Traits of the Person Being Honored

Because these speeches are usually short, try to restrict your remarks to one or two of the most unique or recognizable attributes of the person. Convey what sets this person apart—the qualities that have made him or her worthy of celebrating. In other words, what would you want said about you if you were being honored?

Be Positive and Be Brief

Even if the speech pokes fun at someone, as in a roast, keep the tone good natured and positive. Remember, the overall purpose of your speech is to pay tribute to the honoree. It’s great to have fun, but avoid saying anything that might embarrass the person being honored. Doing so could turn what should be a festive atmosphere into an uncomfortable situation. Also, be considerate of the other speakers by refraining from taking up too much time. This is particularly important for toasts, which are expected to be very short.

Eulogies and Other Tributes

The word eulogy derives from the Greek word meaning “to praise.” Those delivering eulogies, usually close friends or family members of the deceased, are charged with celebrating and commemorating the life of someone while consoling those who have been left behind. Given these goals, the eulogy can be one of the most difficult and challenging special occasion speeches to deliver. At the same time, probably more people with little or no experience in public speaking deliver a eulogy at one time or another than any other type of special occasion speech.

Should you be called upon to give a eulogy, the following guidelines will help to ensure an effective speech.

Balance Delivery and Emotions

Many speakers fight the tendency to become overly emotional in a eulogy. Despite the sense of grief the speaker may be feeling, his or her job is to help others feel better. The audience looks to the speaker for guidance in dealing with the loss, and for a sense of closure. Therefore, it is essential to stay in control. Showing intense grief will probably make the audience feel worse. If you do feel that you are about to break down, pause, take a breath, and focus on your next thought.

Refer to the Family of the Deceased

Families suffer the greatest loss, and a funeral is primarily for their benefit. Make sure your presentation shows respect for the family; mention each family member by name. Make it clear that the deceased was an important part of a family by humanizing that family.

Commemorate Life—Not Death

Make sure that you focus on the life of the person rather than on the circumstances of his or her death. A eulogy should pay tribute to the deceased as an individual and remind the audience that he or she is still alive, in a sense, in our memories. Talk about the contributions the person made and the achievements that he or she accomplished. Focus on demonstrating the kind of character the person had. You might want to tell a story or an anecdote that illustrates the type of person you are eulogizing. Even humorous stories and anecdotes may be appropriate if they effectively humanize the deceased.

Be Positive but Realistic

Emphasize the deceased’s positive qualities. This seems obvious, but care must be taken in selecting stories and anecdotes, as well as in planning descriptions of the person, to ensure that none of the speech is interpreted as casting the deceased in a negative light.

After-Dinner Speeches

In the course of his career, Mark Twain, the nineteenth-century humorist and writer, was said to have given more than 150 after-dinner speeches. Extremely popular at the time, lavish dinner affairs were attended by a host of male notables who spent several hours eating and drinking, after which they spent several more hours listening to humorous toasts and speeches.⁵ Twain’s speeches were so well received that many of them were reprinted in the next day’s newspaper.

Today, after-dinner speaking continues to take place around the time of a meal, although not necessarily at a dinner. The contemporary after-dinner speech is just as likely to occur before, during, or after a breakfast or lunch seminar or other type of business, professional, or civic meeting as it is to follow a formal dinner. In general, an after-dinner speech is expected to be lighthearted and entertaining (see the following exceptions). At the same time, listeners expect the speaker to provide insight into the topic at hand. Balancing these two goals can make the after-dinner speech one of the most challenging but enjoyable kinds of speeches you deliver.

Recognize the Occasion

Be sure to connect the speech you are giving with the occasion. Delivering a speech that is unrelated to the event that has given rise to it may leave the impression that it is a canned speech—that is, one that the speaker uses again and again in different settings.

Avoid Stand-Up Comedy

Many speakers are tempted to treat the after-dinner speech as an opportunity to engage in stand-up comedy, stringing together a series of jokes only loosely centered on a theme. However, the after-dinner speech is still a speech. A comedy routine does not have a recognizable introduction, body, or conclusion. This absence of a structure makes it difficult to deliver the serious point that the after-dinner speaker seeks to make because there will be no place where such points naturally fit.

The most convincing speakers are the ones who are most naturally believable. Trying to become funnier—or more serious—than you normally are will probably set you up to fail because it will make your job harder. The speech becomes an acting challenge. If you are naturally very funny, use that skill. If you have more of a dry sense of humor, plan jokes that reflect that kind of humor. Do not be fooled into thinking that expressing humor means that you have to become Louis CK or Sarah Silverman.

The After-Dinner Speech and Social Agenda–Setting

Rather than entertainment, the purpose of certain after-dinner speeches is social agenda–setting. For example, each year the members and supporters of the Sierra Club gather to celebrate the date that the organization was founded. At every dinner event, an individual who is prominent in politics or the environmental movement addresses the group. Clearly, when the purpose of the after-dinner speech is agenda-setting, the speaker must focus more closely on the serious side of the equation than on entertainment. Nevertheless, even when charged with this goal, the after-dinner speaker should make an effort to keep his or her remarks low-key enough to accompany the digestion of a meal.

Speeches of Inspiration

Many of the types of special occasion speeches discussed so far may well be inspiring. For example, presentation and acceptance speeches might inspire by highlighting the receiver as a model of the values embodied in the award. Certain occasions, however, call for a speech that is meant to inspire as its main goal. Every week, ministers, rabbis, priests, and mullahs deliver inspirational speeches in the form of sermons. Commencement addresses, “pep talks” at sales meetings, and nomination speeches at rallies and conventions are all inspirational in nature. In the business world, occasions for inspirational speeches are so frequent that some people earn their living as inspirational speakers. A speech of inspiration seeks to uplift the members of the audience and to help them see things in a positive light. Effective speeches of inspiration touch on deep feelings in the audience. Their emotional force is such that our better instincts are aroused. They urge us toward purer motives and harder effort and remind us of a common good.

Thus, as in a persuasive speech, to create an effective inspirational speech you’ll need to appeal to the audience’s emotions (pathos) and display positive ethos. Two means of evoking emotion, or pathos, are vivid description and emotionally charged words (see Chapter 24). These and other techniques of language, such as repetition, alliteration, and parallelism, can help transport the audience from the mundane to a loftier level (see Chapter 16).

Use Real-Life Stories

Another way to inspire listeners is through real-life examples and stories. Few things move us as much as the example of the ordinary person who achieves the extraordinary, whose struggles result in triumph over adversity and the realization of a dream. Recognizing this, in their State of the Union addresses several recent U.S. presidents have taken to weaving stories about “ordinary American heroes” into their remarks.

Be Dynamic

If it fits your personality, use a dynamic speaking style to inspire not only through content but through delivery as well. An energetic style can do a great deal to motivate the audience; when it is combined with a powerful message, this can be one of the most successful strategies for inspirational speaking.

Make Your Goal Clear

Inspirational speeches run the risk of being vague, leaving the audience unsure about what the message was. Make sure that the audience cannot mistake your message for something else. Whatever you are trying to motivate your listeners to do, let them know. If you are speaking about a general goal, such as remaining positive in life, let your listeners know that. If you are trying to motivate your listeners to perform a specific action, such as donating money to a particular charity, clearly tell them so.

Close with a Dramatic Ending

Using a dramatic ending is one of the best means of inspiring your audience to feel or act in the ways suggested by the theme of your speech. Recall from Chapter 15 the various methods of concluding a speech, including a quotation, story, rhetorical question, or call to action.