Inspirational speeches inspire an audience to be something different. A motivational one on the other hand motivates them to do. The two can sometimes become one. A general might, for instance, in one speech inspire his troops to love their country and motivate them to fight for it.
So inspirational speeches reach into the souls of people and convince them that they can be braver or more brilliant. It might inspire people to help with the homeless or the victims of an earthquake. Inspirational speeches inspire people to be better citizens or fuller human beings.
The opening of such a speech is critical. You have to grab the attention of your audience in a way that they won’t become distracted. You will want them to hang on to every word you say. So it is good to challenge them in some way at the beginning by telling them perhaps to Make more of what you have. Then you can list the qualities they might already have such as kindness, musical alibility, generosity or an organizational bent. Your speech can continue by telling them to enhance those qualities by consciously using them to help others.
It is good to give examples in an inspirational speech. The fundraiser might speak of what Mother Theresa of Calcutta could achieve in her lifetime. He or she might speak of the legacy she has left behind, of how the other nuns in her order are carrying out her work of caring for the destitute and dying. Alternatively the speaker might speak of how an entrepreneur began his or her now multi -million dollar business in the shed at the back of his/her home.
An inspirational speech convinces the audience that they have something special to offer. It inspires them to achieve more in their lives. You might say, for instance, about luck- you can make your own. You might give the example of the person who wins lots of radio quizzes. He might be the one who always has a postcard ready, stamped and addressed to the show so his will be the first right answer sent in. He might have his computer beside him to check answers to a phone in quiz. Like the Boy Scouts he is always prepared.
Inspirational speeches are more often about changing our selves in a way that makes us help others. One of the clearest messages that comes through in many inspirational speeches is that together we can make things happen.
Niamh Crowe
Copyright Speechwriters 1994-2007
marketing@speech-writers.com
Tel. +353 1 8333599
Niamh Crowe is the CEO of the web’s leading speech site ( http://www.speech-writers.com ) according to Alexa.com and Ranking.com. Online since 1994, her site has thousands of speeches for every event and occasion including birthdays, weddings, graduations etc. She lives in Ireland where she is married to Fred. They have 5 children.
