What is the Classification of Verbal Communication

Verbal communication can be classified by a message’s intent. Types of verbal communication include informative, persuasive, and ceremonial communications. For effective communication, the different kinds of verbal communications call for implementing different communication strategies.

Informative Communication

As the name suggests, informative communication, such as classroom lectures and driving directions, aims to provide factual information to others. Effective informative communication relies on communicating your message in a concise fashion. One way to format your message concisely is by addressing your message’s five Ws: who, what, where, when, and why.

Persuasive Communication

Persuasive communication--for instance, a political campaign speech or a teenager seeking her parents’ permission for an activity--attempts to convince a person to change his point of view. Ronnie Nijmeh, President of the personal skill development firm ACQYR, writes in the article “Persuasive Communication” for Self Growth that the key to successful persuasive communication involves connecting to your listener(s). Nijmeh recommends doing this by finding out what your listener(s) care about and connecting that to your message.

Ceremonial Communication

Ceremonial communication celebrates or pays tribute to a person, place or thing. Types of ceremonial communications include wedding toasts, eulogies, commencement speeches and roasts. An important part of ceremonial communication is picking subject matters that your audience will be familiar with.

References

• Self Growth: Persuasive Communication