Persuasion Principles
Note: the following is a topic outline, designed to provide some structure to principles of
persuasive speaking. It is not an example of a speaking outline; it is structured for study,
not presentation.
The structure is based on discussion in Rudolph F. Verderber, The Challenge of Effective
Speaking, 8th ed. (Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Publishing Company, 1991), 271-296.
Introduction
Persuasive speaking is defined as a process by which a speaker seeks to change or
reinforce an attitude, belief, or action.
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Like informative speakers, persuasive speakers design their speeches to achieve a
specific goal.
Unlike informative speakers who use material solely to further understanding,
persuasive speakers also use their speech material to substantiate a case or appeal
to action.
Like informative speakers, persuasive speakers seek to be perceived by their
listeners as having their best interests in mind.
Like informative speakers, persuasive speakers assume that listeners have the
power to act.
Factors involved in achieving your persuasive speech goal.
1. Like informative speakers, persuasive speakers must generate enough interest in
their information to arouse audience attention.
2. Like informative speakers, persuasive speakers must explain their information in
ways that will enable the audience to understand it.
3. Like informative speakers, persuasive speakers must discuss information in ways
that will enable the audience to remember it.
4. Unlike informative speakers, persuasive speakers must be aware of and adapt to
audience attitudes toward both speakers and their information.
Body
I. Writing a persuasive specific goal: You are more likely to persuade an audience
when your specific goal is clearly defined.
By general aim:
1. Reinforce an existing belief.
2. Establish a belief.
3. Change a belief.
4. Motivate audience to action.
Any of the first three could be the basis for a speech to convince. The last would be the
basis for a speech to actuate.
By subject matter:
1. Audience beliefs about statements of fact.
a. "I want the jury to believe that Jones is guilty of murder."
b. "I want my audience to believe that the Greenhouse effect is a reality."
2. Audience beliefs about statements of value.
a. "I want my audience to believe that small schools are better for most students
than large schools.
b. "I want my audience to believe that Jones is the best quarterback in the league."
3. Audience beliefs or actions about statements of policy.
a. "I want the audience to believe that work on nuclear power plants should be
halted."
b. "I want my audience to vote for an increased budget for women's athletics."
Statements of fact, value and policy can all form the basis for a speech to convince. If a
policy statement would seem to dictate a speech to actuate, consider that you can
convince them that a certain action should be taken without necessarily aiming to move
them to action. A speech to actuate must be based on a statement of policy.
II. Analyzing your audience: You are more likely to determine the most effective
speech strategy when you understand your audience's interest and knowledge levels and
attitude toward your goal.
Analyze your audience according to:
1. Audience interest.
2. Audience understanding.
3. Audience attitude.
Recognize that none of these three continua have any necessary relationship to each
other. For instance, an audience can have a high level of interest coupled with a very low
level of understanding (typical of a very new subject). They may have a high degree of
understanding of a subject matter and a very "low" or unfavorable attitude toward it (not
uncommon among people who have earned a Ph.D. in a subject area, only to become sick
of it after years of intense study).
Match your strategy to your analysis. Is the audience:
Hostile.
Strongly hostile.
1. This audience typically concerns most speakers the greatest, although
technically this is not the most difficult audience.
o At least they care about the topic.
o Concern: if you fail, they will actively work against you.
2. Scale back speech goal (you are unlikely to totally change their mind in
one speech).
3. Approach indirectly
In practice, this does not mean that you are trying to fool the audience into
thinking you are supportive when you are not. Rather, you are revealing
your supporting material before you tell them the point you are making, so
that they are thinking along with you rather than fighting you or tuning
you out.
Weakly hostile.
1. They are convinced the other way, but not actuated.
2. Build appeal on logos.
3. Appear objective.
No opinion.
Because they're uninformed.
1. You will have to spend the bulk of your time simply informing them about
the basics of your issue.
2. Because of this and time constraints, scale back your speech goal.
Because they're consciously neutral.
1. Probably an intelligent audience.
o Most people immediately have an opinion on any issue, regardless
of how well-informed they are.
o Holding back indicates unusual self-restraint.
2. Best approach: logos.
Because they're apathetic: they know enough about the topic, they just don't care
about it. Because of the difficulty of getting them to pay attention to begin with,
this is probably the most difficult audience in practice.
1. Usually means, they don't see the topic relating to them personally.
2. Since "apathy" literally means "lack of feeling," your approach should
seek to arouse feelings.
3. Appeal to pathos, lots of soft support.
Supportive or favorable.
Would seem to be the easiest, but there's a hidden danger.
1. Because they know a lot about it, you may bore them.
2. If you seem to assume they don't already know basic stuff, you may insult
them.
Since they are already convinced, all that is left is to actuate. Persuade them to
follow some very specific course of action. Convince them of the practicality of
your course of action.
III. Giving logical reasons and evidence: You are more likely to persuade an audience
when the body of your speech contains logical reasons and good evidence that support
your speech goal.
This appeals to left-brained type of thinking. Once you have compiled a list of reasons
that support your speech goal, select the best ones. Choose the reasons that best prove
logically the propositions.
Choose reasons that can be supported.
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Avoid generalizing, depending on what "everyone knows."
To prepared with specific examples, statistics, quotes.
Choose reasons that matter to your audience.
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You must know your audience. "Eat at the Sternwheeler because they have
excellent seafood" won't work if they hate seafood.
IV. Organizing material to meet audience attitudes: You are more likely to persuade
an audience when you organize your material according to expected audience reaction
(see principle II).
V. Using language to arouse emotions: You are more likely to persuade your listeners
when your language arouses their emotions.
This appeals to right-brained type of thinking. It deals with word choice, complexity of
language, and formality of language.
Choose language for emotional impact.
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Clearly identify the emotions you want your listeners to experience.
Identify the information you have that is likely to stimulate those emotions in
your listeners.
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In rehearsals, replace vague, flat sentences that carry no emotional impact with
specific, vivid descriptions and explanations, and replace passive verbs with
active verbs.
Focus emotional appeals on major points of introduction, body, and conclusion. If your
main points have no power, the audience is less likely to be moved.
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Example original: "Television commercials still portray women primarily as
housewives who major thoughts are restricted to domestic issues."
Example revision: "Tell me, what is a woman's role as seen through the eyes of a
television commercial? Primarily as a housewife--a housewife with two deep allconsuming prayers: "Oh, that my clothes will come out white!" and "Oh, that my
floors will be spotless!"
Now doesn't that last bit tick you off more than the first one? Both may be accurate, but
the second one has more "punch." Put special effort into the introduction and conclusion.
Studies of memory and retention show that audiences tend to remember the first and last
things they hear more than what is in the middle. Here is where you can have your
greatest impact.
VI. Building credibility: You are more likely to persuade your listeners when they have
faith in your credibility.
VII. Delivering the speech convincingly: You are more likely to persuade an audience if
you develop an effective oral presentation style.
Conclusion
The principles of persuasion are very closely tied up with audience analysis. Take the
time to consider these principles as you:
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Choose a topic.
Arrange your points.
Select your supporting material.
Choose your words.
Practice your speech.