What is Persuasive Speech?

Persuasive speech refers to a kind of verbal argument aimed at convincing the audience of one’s verdict or stance. Usually persuasive speeches are given by politicians to receive votes or by people who support a specific cause.

Delivering persuasive speeches can be challenging! Whether you’re brainstorming about how to write a persuasive speech or how to write a persuasive paper, the key element which will make you successful is one thing: “PERSUASION. It’s much easier to write an informative speech or other occasional speech than it is to deliver and convince the audience of one’s verdict. The imposition of delivering a persuasive speech in a restricted time makes it even more perplexing than giving an informative speech in the same slot of time. Being aware of how to write a persuasive speech will help you to prepare copiously for your speech and hence, productively present a solid argument that will arrest the audience’s attention and votes for you.

Helpful Tips on Preparing for Your Persuasive Speech

In case you’re wondering how to write a persuasive speech outline, following tips will help you gather yourself and be able to jot down ideas properly.

How to Start a Persuasive Essay Speech?

Be Time Conscious

Choosing for a very broad topic in an assigned time wont’ allow you to cover all the points thoroughly hence resulting in a feeble argument. For example, if you want to talk about air pollution, it will make your topic very lengthy and scattered, instead of that choosing to talk about “effects of air pollution on human health” will streamline the topic thus keeping it focused. So it’s wise to choose for a narrow and a clear topic which will be covered within the time frame.

Choose an Audience- Relevant Topic

When intending to give a persuasive speech, opt for a topic that would keep the audience’s interest intact and not bore them immensely.  Creating a common ground before convincing someone is an essential pre-requisite. You must be able to harmonize with your listeners and they should also be able to synchronize with you.  What is their temperament, their interests, their religious beliefs; their social values? Always keep in view the age, interest and mental capacity of the listeners to capture their interest.

Tell the Audience You Care for the Topic

You have to personally show conviction and give importance for the chosen topic; otherwise you will lack the necessary sentiments to convince your listeners. Choose a topic that thrills you; something you’re zealous about. If you show casual interest in your topic, why would the audience be interested about the topic?

Using Your Words and Arguments Effectively

Support Your View Intellectually

Employ ample evidences, illustrations, statistics, quotations, or true stories throughout the speech, but don’t bombard them heavily. Make sure they spring forth from an authentic source. The more supporting data you include, the more undoubted your argument will be. Always make sure to cite your sources. Mention the author and the location (book title, web page, article and journal name) before any reference.

Don’t be Confrontational

A sound argument will never point fingers at the counter party and their stance. Strictly avoid using sarcastic and mocking comments since this can offend the audience and could make your argument sound totally biased and sentimental. Highlight the other side’s viewpoint very liberally and open-handedly. Take their argument very precisely and carefully dissipate each point in a sequence. Integrating a sympathetic tone, humbly state that although you have your own reservations concerning the other stance, you do understand the reasons why people opt for the other view and disagree with you.

Use a Dash of Humor

You don’t want to bore your audience with monotonous repetitious content. Try fitting in sensible and pertinent humor as it refreshes the audience, compels them to reflect on the subject and enhances their receptivity. So, comedy is a convincing element in persuading crowd.

Identify Your Weaknesses

Do in-depth self-analyses. Discover your bad habits, if any. Do you tend to pause in between your sentences like using “um” frequently? Do you fidget your hands a lot or just stick it on your sides? Does your voice tremble adopting a monotone? Watch out for these unwanted notions, and speak with an audible, distinct intonation in your voice. Occasionally use hands to stress points.

Important Tips for a Convincing and Attention Getter Public Speech

Be Amicable & Interactive

You should be able to give off a fragrance of friendliness and display warm gestures. Make an eye contact with individuals often changing gazes. This instills a sense of direct communication with the audience making them feel important and more receptive towards you. Don’t stand at one place, unless you are being recorded by a camera; move frequently to create an aura of one on one basis interaction. Remember to never read your speech, instead tell them, and convince them! The difference between reading speech is that it will put the audience to sleep, and telling them something meaningfully will get them to support your view.

Practice, Practice and More Practice

If you want to make your speech a blockbuster, you would have to practice it tremendously. Try practicing it before your immediate family, friends, or relatives who can give you an honest feedback about your performance, and make relevant editions if necessary. Often, practicing in front of a mirror boosts your confidence and helps you diagnose anything awkward about you. It also helps you to observe well whether or not your persuasive speech is flowing logically or not.

Relax! It’s Ok to Err

Perchance if you stumble over your words, or make any clumsy gesture, don’t alarm! Just move forward or make a sensible joke related to your note. Never reveal your apprehension or anxiety in front of the crowd. It only makes the situation worst. Learn to face save yourself wisely and wittily.

Involve the Crowd with a Solid Action Plan

If you’ve finally been able to convince the audience, equip them with a solid strategy plan. Give them handouts so as to make aware how they can practically support the cause. Most people are too busy or sluggish to make active endeavors or follow-ups after being convinced by your speech, so facilitate them so they can easily take the next step. Don’t simply tell them, call your congressman, since they won’t, instead give them self- addressed stamped envelopes to ease out their efforts.

Additional Notes for Persuasive Ideas and Topics for Your Public Speeches

Now that you’ve had a vivid idea as to how to write a persuasive speech, you can well formulate a persuasive speech using the mentioned guidelines. You can check and to get ideas for your public speeches.