Before giving a persuasive speech it's important to know that your speech is meant to convince the audience to do something. There are many elements that go in a succesful persuasive speech, but perhaps, most important is the preparation and practice and the way you deliver the speech.

 

1. Preparing to write

2. Writing your speech

3. Delivering the speech

1. Preparing to write

When you start writing a speech you need to make sure that you have as much knowledge as you can about the topic you'll be speaking on. It's important to do good research and know both positive and negative sides of the topic, in this way you will be able to address opposing views and weaken arguments where you don't agree with. 

It's important to know your goal, you need to understand exactly what it is that you are trying to achieve with your speech. This way you can make the content of the speech fit your goals. 

You need to understand your audience. Think about what their views are and what their knowledge is on the topic. This also influences your content in a positive way. 

Choose the right persuasive approach, it depends on your audience and topic what the best way is to convince people of your point of view. Four different types of appeals are:

- Ethos, it claims for the audience's morals or ethics. 

- Logos, these are appeals for the audience's intellect or logic.

- Pathos,  these are appeals to the audience's emotions.

- A combination of two or three of the above.

Outline your main points. Make sure that it is clear what are your main points, it's important to focus on a few points and discuss them very clearly.

 

2. Writing your speech

When writing down your speech, start with a strong opening to make the audience want to pay attention. Five main elements make up a strong opening:

- An attention grabber

- A way of connecting with the audience

- Show the audience that you are a reliable source by showing that you have enough knowledge about the topic that you can speech about it

- Your goal

- Tell the audience what the main points of the speech will be.

It's also important to offer persuasive evidence. Make sure you have enough convincing reasons to support your viewpoint. Using real life examples is a good way of connecting with the audience and also visualising your point. And use credible sources and statistics, with reliable sources and resourceful remarks about the topic you sound more persuasive.

Aknowledge different points of view and opposing arguments to your opinion. Explain the opposing points of view objectively and weaken the arguments, this makes your own argument even stronger.

Add a call to action in your conclusion. Whilst giving your speech you have convinced the audience that your point of view is the right one and your conclusion should remind them of that. Your conclusion should also make clear what you hope your audience does with the information you have given them. 

3. Delivering your speech

Practice, practice, practice. To make your speech work in real life it is important that you practice. Besides the content of your speech, body language is the key to bringing across your message. 

Make sure that your appearance is believable. Dress for example professionally, make sure your appearance fits the topic you are talking about and the message you are trying to bring across.

Be yourself and relax. Make sure that you be friendly and make eye contact with the audience, once again, so you can connect with them. Try not to read the speech but really present it using notes .

Involving your audience to really take action, by for example giving out envelopes and an address to contact a mayor by a letter.