Speeches To Persuade
Section 1
What Is Persuasive Speaking?
• A persuasive speech asks your audience to
“buy” something that you are selling, it can
also be a product, or it can also be a belief, an
attitude, or an idea.
• While the informative speech goes one step
further and asks the audience to do
something based on the information
presented.
Section 1 Cont.
• It doesn’t matter whether you are speaking in
a court of law, influencing some sort of public
policy, or simply convincing your friends to see
a particular movie, persuasive speaking
demands that you effectively induce your
audience to believe as you do and influence
your audience in order to cause some sort of
directed action to take place.
Consider the following situations:
• You want to convince your parents that you
should be able to attend a local concert.
• You want to convince your teacher that more
time is needed to complete a class project.
• You wish to show your friends that drinking
and driving is not an intelligent way to have a
good time.
In each of these situations, you would
need to be persuasive speaker
• First of all, you would have to awaken a belief
on the part of your listeners that what you are
proposing is a good idea.
• Next you would have to show them that you
have well thought out plan of action available.
• Finally, you would be able to convince your
audience that your plan of action is realistic
and the right thing to do.
Section 2
Analyzing Your Audience
• The supportive audience- Is friendly, its members like
you and what you have to say.
• This is the easier audience to address because the
members are ready to support and promote your ideas
. Example: a meeting with friends to discuss party
plans.
• Uncommitted audience- you have a good chance of
persuading because its natural. Also called Unbiasedwith an open mind; without prejudice
• If you present your position clearly and persuasively
and support it with a solid information. Example: a
Jury
Section 2 Cont.
• Indifferent Audience- an audience that is
apathetic or disinterested in the speaker and
his topic. This audience does not find the topic
relevant to their personal situation Example:
a salesman rings your doorbell and you
accidentally answer it.
• Captive Audience- an audience that has been
forced to be in attendance. This would be
considered an indifferent audience type.
Section 2 Cont.
• Opposed audience- be ready to handle a potential
confrontation.
• You are willing to make some concession on your
position. A disclaimer tells to listeners what you
are not saying or lets them know what you don’t
consider your self an expert.
• Consider them that you know how they feel and
believe their position has work.
• Avoid needless confrontation.
• Create a situation where there are not winners or
losers.
Section 3
Appealing to Your Audience
• Logical appeal- as a persuasive speaker, you must
definitely let others in on how your thoughts
connect. Nothing can turn off listeners more
quickly than a speech that has them scratching
their heads in bewilderment.
• With logical appeal, you appeal to the intellect of
your audience by offering a clearly defined speech
that contains solid reasoning and valid evidence.
• One way to enhance your logical appeal is by
presenting a well organized speech.
Section 3 Cont.
• Emotional appeal- is a major consideration in
persuasive speaking. Indeed, it often has a
stronger impact on people than logic or
reasoning.
• This is also called Pathos.
• The most effective approach is the United
Approach – using a combination of appeals to
persuade your audience.
Section 3 Cont.
• Personal appeal-means that your listeners will
buy what you are selling because they trust in
you and your credibility – your believability.
• People are attracted to honesty. If you are
honest, you tell the truth and exhibit personal
integrity, or strong sense of right and wrong
• Competency mean capability. If you are a
competent person, you can get the job done. You
probably have a solid work ethic and you value
being prepared.