Chapter 17
Persuasive Speaking
Section 1: What is Persuasive
Speaking?
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A persuasive speech asks your audience
to “buy” something that you are selling.
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It can be a product, belief, attitude, or an
idea.
Persuasive speaking demands that you
effectively:
Induce your audience to believe as you do
 Influence your audience in order to cause
some sort of directed action to take place.
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Persuasive situations:
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Convincing your parents to let you attend a concert.
Convincing your teacher to let you have more time
on an assignment.
Steps to being persuasive:
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Awaken a belief in the listener that you have a good
idea.
Show them you have a well thought out plan.
Show them your plan is realistic and the “right thing
to do”.
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Audience analysis
Evaluate accurately how your audience
feels about you and your message.
 “Canned speeches” are not going to work
with every audience. (planned speech that
you deliver the same way to every group)
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Customize your speech to the needs of the
audience.
Section 2: Analyzing Your Audience

Your primary purpose, regardless of audience
type, is to gain as many supporters as
possible.
 Audience types:
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Supportive audience – friendly
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Members like you and what you have to say
Easiest audience to address because they are ready to
support and promote your ideas
Uncommitted audience – neutral
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Need information to make up their minds
“convince me!” attitude
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Indifferent audience – apathetic (they don’t
care!)
Captive audience – being forced to listen to you
 Think what you’re saying doesn’t apply to them
 Show them how it applies to them, shock them
into listening
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Opposed audience – confrontational
Objective should be to just get a fair hearing
 Show you are willing to compromise
 Use a disclaimer – you’re not an expert, say
what you’re not saying

Pop Quiz
1.
2.
3.
What is a “canned speech”?
Name the 4 audience types.
What does convincing your audience to
“buy” something mean?
Section 3: Appealing to Your
Audience
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Appeal has two different meanings:
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An urgent request
What is attractive or interesting about someone or
something
Aristotle’s appeals:
1.
Logical appeal – solid reasoning and valid
evidence
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Greek word logos
Be organized
Offer proof (specific evidence; something which
establishes the truth)
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When used correctly, logical appeal contains the
following elements...
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Strong, clear claims
Reasonable qualifiers for claims
Warrants that are valid
Clear reasons for claims
Strong evidence (facts, statistics, personal experience, expert
authority, interviews, observations, anecdotes)
Acknowledgement of the opposition
When used poorly, logical appeals may include...
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Over-generalized claims
Reasons that are not fully explained or supported
Logical fallacies
Evidence misused or ignored
No recognition of opposing views
Example of Logical Appeal
2. Emotional appeal – most people rely on
their feelings at least as much as on their
reasoning
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Greek word pathos
Appeal to people’s feelings of love, anger,
disgust, fear, compassion, patriotism, etc.
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When done well, emotional appeals...
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Reinforce logical arguments
Use diction and imagery to create a bond with the audience in a
human way
Appeal to idealism, beauty, humor, nostalgia, or pity (or other
emotions) in a balanced way
Are presented in a fair manner
When used improperly, emotional appeals...
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Become a substitute for logic and reason (TV and magazine
advertising often relies heavily on emotional rather than logical
appeal)
Uses stereotypes to pit one group of people against another
(propaganda and some political advertising does this)
Offers a simple, unthinking reaction to a complex problem
Takes advantage of emotions to manipulate (through fear, hate,
pity, prejudice, embarrassment, lust, or other feelings) rather
than convince credibly
Example of Emotional Appeal
3. Ethical appeal – your listeners will “buy”
what you’re selling because they trust you
and your credibility (believability).
Greek word ethos
 Show your goodwill – prove you care
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Two essential elements of ethos:
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Honesty – exhibit personal integrity (strong sense of
right and wrong). Audience believes in your
reputation. You are sincere (mean what you say).
Competency – capability (ability to get the job done).
Solid work ethic, value being prepared. Usually have
impressive credentials (qualifications).
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When used correctly, the speaker is seen as...
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Well-informed about the topic
Confident in his or her position
Sincere and honest
Understanding of the reader's concerns and possible
objections
Humane and considerate
When used incorrectly, the speaker can be
viewed as...
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Unfair or dishonest
Distorting or misrepresenting information (biased)
Insulting or dismissive of other viewpoints
Advocating intolerant ideas
Example of Ethical Appeal
Mother Teresa
For over forty years she ministered
to the poor, sick, orphaned, and
dying, while guiding the Missionaries
of Charity's expansion, first
throughout India and then in other
countries.By the 1970s she had
become internationally famed as a
humanitarian and advocate for the
poor and helpless, due in part to a
documentary, and book, Something
Beautiful for God by Malcolm
Muggeridge. She won the Nobel
Peace Prize in 1979 for her
humanitarian work. Mother Teresa's
Missionaries of Charity continued to
expand, and at the time of her death
it was operating 610 missions in 123
countries, including hospices and
homes for people with HIV/AIDS,
leprosy and tuberculosis, soup
kitchens, children's and family
counseling programs, orphanages,
and schools.
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It is sometimes necessary to use all three
types of appeal in order to be the most
persuasive.