Before one begins to think about delivering a speech, one must determine why he or she is giving the speech.
Speeches serve a variety of purposes.
The immediate audience helps determine the purposes of a speech. People assemble for a speech because they expect to hear or learn something they did not already know. A speaker must satisfy these expectations. Establishing one's purpose in giving a speech demands explicit attention. It is not enough to believe that the speech is expected or that speaking is somehow a routine act.