A good speech opening can help to persuade

If the occasion is a family re-union your speech, should naturally reflect, in an informal way, shared memories, and shared experiences. If it is a military occasion it must reflect army protocol and experiences. If you are a local politician you may want to sway your voters by appealing to their self-interest. A toastmaster's introductions must be appropriate. Every speech, whether serious and sad or wacky and mad, has its own underlying formula. That basic formula must always be "What am I trying to say and to whom?" The most stimulating speech is useless if it does not get your message across. So don't be too smart, be simple. The FOC to whom journalists refer is the father of the chapel and not a foreign office correspondent.

You may use jargon, if you are talking to any group that will understand it. If, however, the audience is mixed you should only use language everyone will understand. If you are addressing a local gathering you may use local expressions, local landmarks but those allusions will be lost if you are talking in a strange town.

Your message may be unpopular but your arguments should always be reasoned and politely expressed. Charm, wit and understanding win more hearts than the most blatant verbal attacks. A good public speaker uses humour but is not a comedian. Its no use having them rolling in the aisles if they can't remember afterwards why you spoke.

A good speech is like the sunny days of childhood. The nuances, the expressions may be forgotten but the memory lingers on. It says something that will never be forgotten.