Outline.

1. Speaking informatively.

2. Types of informative presentations.

3. Persuasive speaking.

1. Whenever you prepare an informative speech, your goal is to offer your audience more information than they already have about the topic. Your objective is to update and add to their knowledge, refine their understanding, or provide background.

2. There are three types of informative speeches: (1) messages of expla­nation, (2) messages of description, and (3) messages of definition.

Explanations of processes

If your purpose is to explain how to do something (for example, how to moti­vate employees), how something is made (for example, how to make glass), or how something works (for example, how a slot machine works), then you are preparing to deliver an explanation of a process. Your primary goal is to share your understanding of the process or procedure with your listeners and, in some instances, to give them the skills they need to replicate it.

Descriptions

One of your responsibilities as a speaker is to be able to describe a person, place, or thing, for your listeners. For instance, if you were a "site-location specialist" for a fast-food chain, you would have to describe potential store loca­tions to the management. Whatever the nature of a descriptive mes­sage, your aim is to help your listeners form mental close-ups of places, people, or things. To do this you will need to find ways to describe condition, size, shape, color, age, and so on, to make your subject "live" for your audience. Of course, visual aids will be par­ticularly relevant to a descriptive presentation.

Definitions

"What do you mean?" is a common question. In most cases, it is used when the questioner is seeking clarification or elaboration of ideas from a speaker. Sometimes a satisfactory answer can be supplied in a sentence or two. At other times, however, it takes a speech, or even a book, to define a concept ade­quately.

To develop an effective informative speech, you need to accomplish several tasks: (1) make your listeners want to learn more about the topic; (2) commu­nicate the information clearly by avoiding "overload" and stressing key points; (3) find ways to involve audience members in your presentation; (4) provide the information in ways that will make it memorable, by using novelty, creativ­ity, and audiovisuals.

3. When you deliver a persuasive speech, your goal is to modify the thoughts, feel­ings, or actions of your audience. You hope that your listeners will change atti­tudes or behaviors you do not approve of and adopt attitudes and behaviors that are compatible with your interests and the way you see the world. Persua­sive discourse is becoming increasingly important; more than ever, in fact, we are concerned with being able to influence others. When your goal is adoption, you hope to persuade the audience to accept a new idea, attitude, or belief (for example, that saccharin is hazardous to health), with the hope that in time that belief will also be supported by action (your listeners will eliminate saccharin from their diet). . When your goal is dis­continuance, you hope to persuade audience members to stop doing some­thing they are now doing (drinking while pregnant, for example). When your goal is deterrence, you want to persuade the audience to avoid some activity or way of thinking. If your goal is continuance of a way of believing or acting, you want to encourage people to continue to think or behave as they now do.

To be a successful persuader, you must have a clearly defined purpose. You must, in fact, be able to answer these questions:

What response do I want from audience members?

Would I like them to think differently, act differently, or both?

Which of their attitudes or beliefs am I trying to alter? Why?

Persuasive speaking involves more than simply communicating with others in a public setting. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with the beliefs, attitudes, and needs of those you hope to persuade. Only by doing so will you be in a position to influence others—and to understand how they may try to influence you.

As a persuasive speaker, you must show a great deal of interest in and enthusi­asm for your topic. At the moment of presentation, it must become the most important issue in the world for both you and your listeners. The audience must feel that you have a real sense of conviction about the topic and the solu­tion you suggest. Be aware that audience members may object to what you say. As a per­suader, you need to be able to handle objections in an effective manner. Answer any argument in a professional manner. Do not become angry that anyone would dare question your reasoning. Remember that your credibility is at stake while you are speaking in front of others. Respond to the question or objection in an authoritative manner and move on to other questions. Main­tain control.

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