Persuasive Speaking

Read this chapter to explore how to create a persuasive presentation. Think about how you can compile the strategies we discussed in the first section of this unit.

Conclusion

The primary goal of persuasive speaking is to influence an audience's beliefs or behaviors so that they can make necessary or positive changes. Persuasive speaking is a vital skill in all areas of life; whether it is a political candidate convincing voters to elect them, an employee convincing the boss to give them a promotion, or a salesperson convincing a consumer to buy a product, individuals must understand what persuasion is and how it functions.

When formulating a persuasive speech, remember to determine the type of question you seek to answer to decide whether to offer a proposition of fact, a proposition of value, or a proposition of policy. Weave the topic and the proposition together to create a compelling argument for your specific audience.

Martin Kingham, CFMEU
Martin Kingham, CFMEU

Knowing your audience can help when it comes to choosing the appropriate strategies for convincing them that you are a credible speaker. Once you have established your credibility, you can advance both logical and emotional appeals to move your audience toward the belief or behavior you hope they will adopt. As you weave these appeals together, offer the most ethical arguments by avoiding fallacies and supporting emotional appeals with relevant evidence.

Once you have compiled the most relevant arguments and emotional appeals for a given audience, organize your message effectively. Consider your persuasive goals and determine whether they can be best achieved using Monroe's Motivated Sequence, a direct method pattern, a causal pattern, or a refutation pattern.

Combining a confident and credible speaker with the right organization of logical and emotional appeals can go far in swaying an audience.

It is better to get smart than to get mad. I try not to get so insulted that I will not take advantage of an opportunity to persuade people to change their minds.
 — John H. Johnson