Tributes and citations

Tributes are speeches or written presentations that honor someone for an outstanding job or contribution to the community? Such speeches differ from toasts in that they are longer and more elaborate. A roast is a series of short, humorous speeches. 

Usually such presentations are heartfelt and personal in tone. When you are making an honorary speech, you should include material that is both general and specfic:  

• general about what someone means to others or to an organization;
  
  
• specific about unique experiences you have had with the person in the spotlight. 

 Whether you are preparing a written citation or a speech, you should answer some basic questions before you begin.

1. Who is my audience and what is their relationship to the honoree?
   
2. In general terms, what has the honoree done for these people or this place?
   
3. What one instance or situation describes what this person has done for others?
   
4. What does the audience not know about this person?
   
5. What is one instance or situation that only you know about describes this person’s character?
   
6. If you had to describe this person to a stranger, what would you say?
   
7. When, if ever, did this person do something that made you laugh?
   
8. What quote or well-known saying applies to this person?

If you can answer those eight questions, you have the outline for a classic speech. Remember these pointers:

• Work in your own personality.
  
• Shift the topics around to make the speech flow in a way that is comfortable for you.
  
• Get a good opening line.
  
• Get a zinger of a closing.

Do this and you’ll say just the right things for the special occasion.

Return from Tributes to home page