How to Write a Persuasive Speech

Published by Boni on

How to Write a Persuasive Speech

Maybe you have once heard a speech that made you change your point of view on a serious subject, or perhaps a lecturer made you pursue a particular path in your degree.

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We all have scenarios where we have been persuaded to do something. Imagine yourself doing that. It is not difficult to write a persuasive speech as long as you prepare enough and pick the right topic. Read on to find out how.

What is a Persuasive Speech?

A persuasive speech is a speech whose aim is to convince the audience to change their mind and do something. People use persuasive speeches in different professions, including legal proceedings, presentations, sales pitches, and debates.

Persuasive speeches are an effective method to make people change their minds. Good practice and preparation can influence your audience or customers’ behavior.

Type of Persuasive Speeches

Persuasive speeches deal with statements that you can support by reasoning and data. And the subject matter of your address determines the type of persuasive speech. In case you are stuck and wondering how you will craft a quality persuasive speech that will make your audience understand your point of view, you can also seek speech writing services online from Gudwriter.

There are types of persuasive speech, namely:

  • Factual persuasive speech

The factual persuasive speech focuses on whether your statement or particular belief is false or accurate and whether concrete evidence supports it. It intends to make the audience believe whether an event occurred or not or whether something exists or not.

It is the only speech type that is objective but not subjective since facts are proven but not objected to. Some factual claims are easy to handle and answer, while others are not.

For instance, if a speaker talks about the USA gaining independence on 4th July 1776. The facts are well documented, and substantial evidence supports that America truly gained independence on that day; therefore, it is easy to answer.

The factual claims that you cannot answer are those that predict what may or may not happen.

For instance, if the speaker is trying to change the audience’s point of view on the future of climate change in the United States. While there may be evidence that they may do something in the future, it is not 100 percent certain that something will happen in the future.

As the speaker, you will be the attorney, opposition, and judge and must convince the audience.

  • Value persuasive speech

Value persuasive speech tells whether something is moral or immoral or wrong or right. Value compelling speech style is subjective; therefore, the speaker utilizes the audience’s compassion and empathy to convince them.

For example, is it a moral or immoral relationship if people date online? Is it unfair for pregnant women to be given priority in shopping centers or mall lines? In these examples, you can’t prove whether it is unjust or fair or moral or immoral.

In value persuasive speeches, one speaker could make a particular claim while the other speaker or the audience says the opposite.

For example, if one speaker finds all forms of technology immoral, it is possible that they would not support online dating. Therefore, as the speaker, you must clearly explain how and why you make specific evaluation statements.

  • Policy persuasive speech

Policy persuasive speech persuades the audience to accept or reject a specific rule, candidate, or policy—the speaker talks about the nature of the problem and the measures that the audience should take. Policy persuasive speech is prevalent as we exist in an environment governed by laws, rules, and policies.

For example, the speaker states that it is illegal for human cloning for organ donation. This speech type calls for immediate action. It has a clear and precise opinion of what the audience needs to do.

A policy persuasive speech aims to achieve a passive agreement and immediate actions.

  1. Immediate actions

Immediate action is to make the audience start acting in a specific behavior. The speakers should quickly convince the listeners to act according to the speech.

For instance, you deliver a speech at school and want to convince the students to vote for you as the school captain. You would say that “united people cannot be defeated,” so you encourage everyone to wake up and vote for you.

Your actions will make the listeners act quickly to your proposal.

2. Passive agreement

Passive agreement is the opposite of immediate actions, where the speakers must make the audience agree with what they are saying. The passive agreement aims to make the listeners accept the rule or what you are saying without having to do anything practical.

For example, if you argue that people should treat the LGBT community equally in society. You try to make the audience agree with your claims using facts and encouragement without requesting the audience to do any action.

Get a suitable debate topic by using a random debate topic creator.

Elements of a Persuasive Speech

There are three main elements of persuasive speech:

  • Ethos

Ethos refers to your believability, character, and ethics when you speak. Your audience will likely accept your argument and follow your recommendations if you increase your incredibility with your listeners before and during speaking.

  • Pathos

Pathos is the speaker’s ability to entice the audience’s emotions. You can only change people’s thinking when you move them to a specific emotional level. Speakers achieve this by using feelings such as fear or compassion to persuade and connect with the audience.

  • Logos

Logos is the ability of the speaker to use reasoning and logic to persuade the audience. Speakers use supporting evidence and examples to deliver their argument to make the audience believe in their viewpoint.

The speakers can also use tone, non-verbal cues, surrounding environment, and confidence to influence the audience. Get a good speech fast by using our online speech generator.

How to Write a Persuasive Speech

As long as you properly prepare and select a good topic, speech writing should not be difficult. Otherwise, you can request for speech writing service at Gudwriter, and we will sort you.

The following are steps on how to write a persuasive speech:

  • Identify the motion

You must find what motivates your audience to take action if you want to persuade them. There is something that encourages everybody in this world. You should therefore research what encourages your audience and give that motivation.

There are two significant motivations in human beings; the fear of loss and the desire to gain. The loss fear is always superior to the aspiration to succeed because people fear uncertainty, risk, and change.

The zeal to gain motivates people to want success, more influence, money, and happiness. You can take these motivations and customize them specifically for your target audience. For instance, why does your audience want to go on a diet? Is it to build muscle, lose weight or feel healthier?

If your audience is women with little kids, explain how diet will energize them to play with their children. When speaking to athletes, talk about what they will see on the court or field when they follow your diet.

  • Establish credibility

You need to persuade your audience that you are not misleading them and that you know what you are talking about if you want to convince them. Show them that you have their best interest in you and demonstrate your evidence and knowledge to deliver your point.

Explaining your experience, education, and other qualifications is one of the best ways to demonstrate that you are well informed to argue your viewpoint. Develop a common ground with your listeners to indicate that you can relate.

Finally, you should deliver your speech confidently. It will make you seem knowledgeable and successful about your topic.

  • Expound your stance

Your stance should be logical from the beginning. You can explain it in the opening paragraphs or thesis statement, but you should be firm in your view to persuade people.

Change your mindset if you are not feeling self-confident. Having faith in yourself starts by speaking positively and thinking positively about yourself.

  • Address counter arguments

You should prepare and know that when writing a persuasive speech, there will always be reasons or objections why people will not believe you. Be ready to answer questions when people are not convinced by what you are saying.

To be ahead of your audience, preempt these questions by analyzing them before the listener raises them. There should be no room where you lose your audience throughout the speech.

Establish the obvious counterarguments that are likely to arise and then explain why they are incorrect or irrelevant. It will make your audience concentrate on the entire talk.

  • Understand both sides

There is always more than one side when it comes to persuasive speeches. You should not speak poorly or dismiss something you will use as an objection argument; instead, you should embrace both sides.

This will make you avoid hurting the emotions of your listeners without knowing and will make them believe and trust you.

To show respect for other people opposing viewpoints, use “however” or “although” to highlight your counterarguments. It will show the audience that your argument is more viable without bashing the other side.

For example, many think education is always the key to success. However, I have seen successful people who didn’t attend any school.

  • Connect with the listeners

You get your audience’s attention from the start and connect with them in any way possible when giving a persuasive speech.

Use stories and examples that are relevant to your audience. If you are a teacher speaking to other teachers as your audience, share an account from the school that the teachers will understand.

One method of connecting with your audience is storytelling. Using personal stories, your listeners can relate to will make them more attentive. They can reflect on their own stories and live in your arguments.

You can also use jokes appropriately or use visual aids to connect with your listeners.

  • Conclude with a call to action

Your speech conclusion should remind the listeners of the points you have discussed. You should also be precise about what you hope your audience will do after the speech.

Don’t just state, but you should use this chance to reinforce how your main points support what you want your audience to do. Understand how long it will take to read your speech by using our words to time conerter.

It may be stressful to draft a winning persuasive speech persuading your audience to agree with your point of view. But by following the above steps, you will be able to write an address that will convince your listeners of what you want them to do.

Explore some of the best topics for your persuasive essay.

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