The Persuasive Speech: Some Tips on How to Write and Deliver One

The Persuasive Speech: Some Tips on How to Write and Deliver One
Page content

How to Write A Persuasive Speech

Writing a persuasive speech does not have to be difficult. Delivering the speech in front of a room full of people does not have to be difficult either. There are simple steps that someone can take to ensure their success. During the persuasive speech the speaker is trying to influence the audience’s attitudes, values, beliefs, and/or behaviors. The speaker is looking to change, motivate, or strengthen these aspects of the audience.

Utilize supporting materials or facts to support the persuasive speech idea. Stating ideas on the basis of logic will persuade the audience and make them listen. Gather a persuasive speech strategy before speaking to draw the audience’s attention to the speaker.

Photo By Wim Mulder

Here are steps to follow when writing a persuasive speech.

  1. Choose a topic that is going to capture the audience’s attention and hold it.

    Photo By Theorris

  2. Decide upon a thesis and main point, then support the facts, and finally organize the information in a way the audience will understand.

  3. Make sure to include as much information as possible in the speech without overshadowing the original point or topic.

  4. Research, research, and then reference!!

  5. Stay on track to keep the audience focused.

  6. Catch spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors to ensure you repeat everything correctly while giving the speech.

  7. Have proper transitions in the speech to bring the author from one idea to the next fluently.

  8. Edit the speech as much as needed after it is fully written. Do not edit the speech while writing it.

  9. Include quotes and interesting facts throughout the speech and at the end as well.

  10. Avoid plagiarism at all costs.

  11. Repeat things that are main points to help the audience remember.

  12. Use guide phrases such as; first, second, finally, then, I want you to remember…

How to Deliver A Persuasive Speech

After the speaker gets over his or her stage fright, he or she will need to learn how to capture the audience’s attention and hold it. Here are some steps to deliver a persuasive speech with ease.

  1. Have lots of examples, narratives, and illustrations for the audience to view while the speaker is talking. Handouts are a great

    Photo By Vancouverfilmschool

    way to get the audience involved.

  2. Talk slowly and do not rush through sections.

  3. Have inflection in your voice and use tone to convey messages.

  4. Include presentations aids such as; models, photographs, graphs, illustrations, word charts, people, or maps.

  5. Remember to breathe and to stay calm. Having some sort of tissue in your pocket to wipe sweaty palms on or having a stress ball in your pocket to squeeze while talking can help.

  6. Deliver your speech 10+ times in front of a mirror and practice, practice, practice!

  7. Deliver your speech in front of as many people who will sit still to listen; kids, husband, wife, mother, father, sister, brother, friend, or pet. Doesn’t matter who listens the important thing is repeating the speech over and over.

  8. Say the speech from beginning to end without stopping. If there are errors to be corrected or things to change wait until the end.

Photo By Mikebaird

Motivate the audience as a way to persuade them. Create a motivation strategy to guide the speaker during his or her speech.

Persuasive speech motivation strategy:

  1. Get the listener’s attention focused on the speaker and message being conveyed, handouts can help grab attention but the speakers words will hold it.
  2. Show the audience that the speaker’s message is demonstrating a problem or situation that does or could affect them, use supporting materials and references to demonstrate this need.
  3. Now that the audience has been shown a need, it is time to satisfy it; accomplish this with supporting materials, credible appeals, and logical motivation.
  4. Show the audience what changes will be made through the ideas the speaker is presenting. Do this with visualization techniques: motivational appeals, high imagery language, and illustrations.
  5. Get the audience to do something with the information they have been given by being specific and using motivational appeals.