7 Steps to Writing and Delivering a Persuasive Speech

You might have been persuaded to purchase a particular brand of shampoo by a television commercial, changed your mind about an important issue by a speech you heard, or chosen a major in college by a guidance counselor.

Have You Ever Been Persuaded to Do Something?

Everybody has been persuaded of something at some point, but what if we took the opposite position? Imagine speaking confidently and passionately about a subject in front of an attentive audience. By the end of your speech, most of the audience have been persuaded to agree with your viewpoint.

Persuasive speaking is powerful; it helps you assert your control and achieve success quickly, provided you do it correctly.

The Power of Persuasive Speech

Persuasive speeches have many applications. They support you when you meet someone in person, help you convince family members or kids to follow your lead in your personal life, and help you prove your point or reach a goal at work.

You likely use persuasive techniques daily, even if you are unaware. However, you need to hone your speaking skills to achieve success. Your persuasion skills will help you establish your authority, succeed more quickly, and rise to prominence in your community.

How to Write a Persuasive Speech?

You may use persuasive speech in your daily interactions throughout the day, while at other times, you may need to give a formal, persuasive speech. In this case, it could be difficult for you to write your speech.

Consider what you want to persuade people of and why when you write the speech's main points and body. This is the ideal place to start when composing your speech. Don't wait until your speech’s very end to express your desire to persuade them; your speech should clearly indicate your ultimate objective from the beginning.

You should also master presentation skills to boost your confidence. Practice using visual aids to clarify your message, remember to speak slowly, and keep a glass of water nearby in case your throat gets dry. Additionally, design a speech that suits your target audience and stay close to them to maintain their engagement.

7 Steps to Writing and Delivering a Persuasive Speech

1. Identify the Motivation

Understanding what drives someone to perform an action or embrace a belief is essential if you want to persuade them to do so—or even just to believe what you are saying. Every human action has a motivation behind it; your task is to identify those motivations in others and then supply them.

People have two main motivations: the desire for gain and the fear of loss. The desire for gain motivates people to seek more of the things they value in life, such as money, success, health, influence, respect, love, and happiness. People typically fear change, risks, and the unknown more than they desire to gain something.

Use these basic motivations to persuade your target audience. For example, you might be trying to convince people to sign up for a diet program you are promoting.

Consider their motives to achieve this goal: Why is dieting desirable to your target audience? Do they wish to gain muscle, reduce weight, or enhance their health?

If you are speaking to an audience of mothers, discuss how your diet can give them more energy to play with their active children. If you are speaking to an audience of athletes, focus on the results they will achieve by following your diet.

Knowing your target audience well will help you determine their motivations. If you aim to write an effective and persuasive speech, use these motivations as much as you can. Evaluate your audience's desires and explain how you can assist them in achieving their goals.

2. Establish Credibility

You must convince someone that you are knowledgeable about the subject and that you won't mislead them to persuade them to do something. Demonstrate your concern for your audience's interests while presenting your knowledge and supporting data for your position.

Show them your expertise, experience, or anything else that proves you are qualified to discuss the topic to gain their trust. Talk about your own experiences and any pertinent research you have done.

You should also find common ground with your audience, show empathy for them, and demonstrate that you are striving for the same goals. Finally, speaking confidently is an effective way to establish your credibility; people are more likely to believe you when you speak confidently.

3. State Your Position Clearly and Strongly

Clarify your position from the beginning of your speech. Whether you want to state your position in your thesis statement or the opening paragraphs, you must assert your position strongly when trying to persuade people to believe what you believe. Also, this means that you must first believe in yourself.

If you struggle with self-confidence, focus on changing your mindset. Believing in yourself starts with thinking positively and repeating self-esteem-boosting affirmations.

Look in the mirror every morning and declare confidently, "I believe in myself." You will gradually gain more confidence in yourself and the position you will present on stage.

People can easily detect a lack of self-confidence and disbelief in what you are saying. Therefore, deliver your speech passionately if you want your audience to believe you.

4. Address the Objections

When writing a persuasive speech, one of the most crucial things to be aware of and ready for is the fact that you will encounter objections or reasons that may make your audience skeptical of what you are trying to say. So, do not ignore their potential questions throughout your speech if people doubt your message. Instead, try to address and resolve these concerns. Don't wait for your audience to raise doubts; take the initiative to address these objections before they come up.

Mention the most common objections you hear and address them directly, explaining why they are incorrect or irrelevant to the topic. This allows your audience to focus on the rest of your speech.

5. Understand Other Perspectives

Addressing all viewpoints is crucial in any persuasive speech. Do not dismiss, ignore, or belittle anything that contradicts your perspective. Understand these viewpoints instead of getting into a debate. This ensures that you do not unintentionally offend your audience and makes them feel that their voices are heard, which helps you earn their trust. Then, present the points that support your perspective.

Start by addressing any opposing viewpoints without attacking the other side; instead, respectfully mention the facts that others believe in. After that, use phrases like "however" or "nevertheless" to transition into your counterargument, illustrating your viewpoint's strength to the audience. Here’s an example:

“Many people believe that obtaining a master's degree is essential for success in this field; however, I have successfully grown my business despite only having an undergraduate degree.”

Rather than using aggression, empathy works wonders in persuading others of your perspective.

6. Connect with the Audience

When giving a speech, it's critical to grab your audience's attention immediately and establish a personal connection. A persuasive speech is no different.

Give relatable examples and narratives to your audience. Share work-related anecdotes that only a manager would comprehend if you're a manager speaking to other managers.

Storytelling is a proven method for engaging the audience. Personal stories that resonate with your audience increase their involvement in your speech because they make them feel as if you are talking about them and their experiences.

Other ways to connect with your audience include using visual aids, telling jokes if appropriate, or mentioning something about the surrounding environment.

7. Speak Confidently

If you are new to public speaking, you may believe that you lack the confidence to speak in front of an audience, but persuading your audience requires faith in your own abilities.

It's okay to initially fake confidence if you don't feel very confident until you make it. Envision yourself speaking confidently in front of the crowd, and imagine they warmly applauding you.

Some people don't know where to look when standing in front of an audience. If the audience is large, look slightly above their eye level; if it's smaller, look directly into their eyes. Use positive body language and dress appropriately to boost your self-confidence.

Practice makes the perfect speaker when it comes to confidence. You can give your speech in front of a mirror, have a friend listen to it, or record it so you can review it later. You will gain confidence and improve your ability to persuade people over time.

In Conclusion

You can write and give a persuasive speech by following these steps, even though the thought of convincing others of your viewpoint may seem very intimidating. Once you do this, you can create and deliver a strong and persuasive speech repeatedly.