What is a Business Speech? Discuss the Types of Business Speech

Business Speech: Every individual is familiar with the idea of a business speech that what is business speech, its purpose and its importance. When a person stands among a great number of people and starts delivering any kind of information, which may be or may not be useful for the audience, but mostly it is valuable, is called a speech.

A speech that is delivered in business for some specific purpose is known as business speech. This is also one way of Business Communication and the audience has to sit on a chair for a few hours while the speech is being delivered. The audience knows it very well that the speech must contain anything that will beneficial for them.

The main purpose of business speech is to inform the audience about any specific topic. It really possesses great value in the field of business. Generally, the entrepreneur has to deal with public or private speeches on a regular basis. So for a passionate business candidate, it is necessary to know the basic purpose and types of business speech.

Types of Business Speech

The following are three main types of business speech.

1. Informative Speech/Speaking
2. Persuasive Speech/Speaking
3. Special Occasion Speech/Speaking

Let’s discuss them all below in detail.

Informative Business Speech

Informative business speech or speaking is such a speech that delivers any information to the audience that they don’t know before. In short, such speech, which comprises the purpose to deliver useful information to the audience is called informative speech. It can either be called as informative speaking.

Suppose that there is a professor in a class whose topic for the current day is to discuss the theory of relativity given by Albert Einstein. It seems confusing and hard to understand for a few students, but the fact is that the professor is delivering something informative.

Simply, conveying the information which is unknown to the audience is called informative speaking or speech. The following are known kinds of informative speech.

1. Speeches about Objects

Speeches about the objects are those speeches that are about things that grab the attention of the senses of the audience, such as touch, taste, smell, see, or feel. Its main purpose is to speak about the sensory objects or the things that have physical shape. It can be about how various wildlife animals look, what is the smell of medicine or any favorite song.

2. Speeches about Events

Those speeches that inform the audience about historical incidents or current occasions are called speeches about the event. For example, a new president of any country is delivering a speech on the oath-taking ceremony about future planning or events to be arranged, is a speech about the events.

3. Speeches about Processes

The main purpose of the speeches about processes is to inform the audience about anything which is currently happening. The best example of the speech about the process is a cooking class where the audience is informed about how to cook the specific dish by following a process.

4. Speeches about Concepts

Speeches that inform the audience about any concept such as the peace of the world, freedom of rights, or love, are called speeches about the concept. Through this kind of speech, the audience gets aware of the primary concept of any topic.

Persuasive Business Speech

The speech which is being delivered with the intention of convincing the audience to accept the particular opinion, viewpoint or fact and create influence on the audience to do anyhow, is called the persuasive business speech or persuasive speaking.

Suppose that the four friends are having a debate about global warming, each friend is trying to persuade others for following the given point of view; this can be called as a persuasive speech. Same as informative speech, it can be said as persuasive speaking.

In short, the speech which influences the listeners to follow a certain idea is called a persuasive speech. The persuasive speech comprises three kinds, which are defined briefly below.

1. Factual Persuasive Speech

The Factual Persuasive Speech is such a speech that is behind concrete proof about the certainty of anything that had happened. The main purpose of this speech is to persuade the listeners whether the certain thing happened or not, exists or doesn’t exist.  

Suppose that a student is giving a speech about the first man, who landed on the surface of the moon. Nobody knows whether it did happen or not, yet it possesses concrete proof.

2. Value Persuasive Speech

A Value Persuasive Speech is such a speech that tells the audience about anything, whether it is wrong or right. Its basic purpose is to challenge the ethical or moral aspect of a certain issue. For example, anyone is giving a speech about capital punishment, whether it is moral or immoral, right or wrong, done or prevented; this speech is a value persuasive speech.

3. Policy Persuasive Speech

The speech, which is given to persuade the audience for either following a policy or rejecting it, is known as a Policy Persuasive Speech. Not just a policy, but speech about accepting or rejecting a rule or a candidate is also a policy persuasive speech.

Suppose that the president of a country is not satisfied with the present foreign policy and wants to change it. The president goes to give a speech to higher authorities for convincing them to change the current foreign policy and support the new policy; this speech is a policy persuasive speech.

Special Occasion Business Speech

Everyone intentionally or unintentionally, knowingly or unknowingly becomes part of at least one special occasion business speech in the whole life span. When a person is asked to say a few words on the best friend’s wedding, parent’s anniversary, boss’s promotion or funeral of any relative, this is called the special occasion speaking or special occasion speech.

Usually, this kind of speech is delivered to show respect and kindness for a person or a special event. A range of entertaining speeches also comes under the category of special occasion speech. The basic purpose of the speech is to point out the importance of a specific person/event.

Most of the special occasion speeches are delivered on common occasions such as gathering in bar, award ceremonies, political events, weddings and so on. Sometimes, the special speech happens suddenly when the speaker is asked to say a few words about the event/person.

There are hundreds of events that are a part of a person’s daily life. Every special occasion requires at least one person to deliver the speech. To make it very convenient, special occasion speech is divided into four parts.

1. Ceremonial Speech

Ceremonial Speeches are those speeches that are given during any ceremony or ritual. These ceremonies possess special importance and require a specific person for delivering an effective speech. Making it to the point and easy to understand for everyone, ceremonial speech is divided into eight parts that include introductions, acceptances, presentations, dedications, roasts, toasts, farewell and eulogies. Below, each part is defined briefly.

• Speech of Introduction

Speech of Introduction is the most common and very first part of ceremonial speech. The primary purpose of the speaker in these speeches is to introduce himself/herself or another speaker in a ceremony. Generally, it is also termed as mini-speech, because it takes only a few minutes to introduce anyone.

Suppose that a person stands up in a gathering and informs the audience that Mr. Smith is going to deliver a speech about Global Warming. In such a case, there will not be any impact of introduction on the audience, because the introduction only contains name and topic, nothing else.

The proper introduction speech covers a few factors such as the introduction, body and eventually the conclusion.

• Speech of Presentation

The speech of presentation is given to accompany any award or honor. This is the second type of ceremonial speech. Presentation speeches can be as simple as giving a short introduction of a person as “This is Mr. Smith, who has won the Effective Public Speaker Award”. Before delivering a presentation speech, it is necessary to decide how long time it should take.

• Speech of Acceptance

Actually, the speech of acceptance is a complement to the speech of presentation. It is delivered by the person who has won a prize or honor. These speeches also require a few sentences to define the primary purpose as “Mr. Smith is happy to receive the Effective Public Speaker Award and would like to thank the company”.

While on the other hand, these speeches can also be delivered at the beginning of a specific presentation or video as many singers give a speech at the beginning of a song.

• Speech of Dedication

Speech of dedication is delivered at the inauguration ceremony of anything such as the opening of a new store, naming a building after someone, placing of a memorial on the wall, completion of a new library and so on. The basic purpose of delivering the speech of dedication is to highlight the importance of any project or dedicate it after any important person.

Suppose that uncle of Mr. Smith has passed away and contributed a massive amount to a school, so the school decides to dedicate one of the living or educational areas after the name of Smith’s uncle and Mr. Smith is asked to give a dedication speech.

• Toasts

Everyone is asked to deliver a toast at least once in life. A toast is a speech that is delivered with the purpose of appreciating or congratulating or remembering someone’s achievements. Usually, for congratulating someone about getting a new job or giving honor or celebrating a marriage, the toast is delivered.

While on the other hand, toasts can also be delivered for appreciating someone’s achievements. Finally, a toast is delivered for remembering someone’s accomplishments.

• Roasts

The roast speeches are very exciting as well as peculiar because their primary purpose is to either praise a person who is being honored or insult in a good-natured manner. Mostly, a roast is given in the final moment of a dinner party arranged in the honor of someone’s achievements.

• Eulogies

Before defining the purpose of delivering eulogy speeches, there should be a little of what a eulogy is. The speech which is given in the honor of a person who has died is called the eulogy. The eulogy does not mean elegy, which is a song of mourning.

No one is allowed to deliver eulogies in the entire life span unless he is a priest, minister, imam, rabbi or other religious position of leadership.

• Speech of Farewell

A speech of farewell is delivered to simply say good-bye to one part of the life when moving to the next part. Mostly, the speech of farewell is delivered at the farewell party of a person. When leaving the current job and getting a new job or moving ahead from graduate to the next level; this is the perfect time for a speech of farewell.

2. Inspirational Speech

Inspirational speeches are those speeches that provoke the emotions of the audience. At some point, an inspirational speech can also be a ceremonial speech. There are two types of inspirational speeches, i.e. goodwill speech and the speech of commencements.

3. Goodwill Speeches

Goodwill Speeches are delivered to change the perception of the audience in favor of an organization or a person. In short, it is an attempt to create a view of the audience more favorable for a person/company. Goodwill Speech can be both informative and persuasive by nature.

It delivers information and makes the audience approve of one’s opinion. The fact is that a goodwill speech is delivered on a specific event or gathering. The following are three main kinds of Goodwill Speeches i.e. Public Relations Speech, Justification Speech, and an Apology Speech.

• Public Relations Speech

The main purpose of delivering public relations speech is to enhance the reputation of an organization or a person. The speaker tries to convince the audience to accept what is being heard.

• Justification Speech

The speech of justification is given when someone tries to defend what made a person to take such critical actions. Mostly, the speaker is already in worse behavior when delivering a justification speech and tells the audience the reason for obtaining such behavior.

• Apology Speech

Every individual is familiar with the idea of Apology Speech. When an actor, singer, politician, musician, professional athlete, or celebrity gets caught doing something inappropriate, then he/she decides to apologize for making such a mess. This is called an Apology Speech.

4. Speech of Commencements

Speech of Commencement happens when celebrating the unique achievement of any person. Mostly, this type of business speech is delivered when a person gets graduation from school. At some point in life, every individual has gone through a speech of commencement.